Who's voting for Ro?

Interested candidates have until June 12 to register.

:scratch: No, fa-git-abow-dit.

It is ashame that we have to vote against someone rather than voting for someone.

How I wish that we could vote in this race. I have known Sara Katherine Commander my whole life and she would be a wonderful Commissioner. My Mother told me she was running just this morning and I will be sending her a big campaign donation. She is intelligent and fair and will not have conflicts of interest. Vote for Sarah! :clap_1:

no mo ro

no mo ro

Let's think of some more...
vote no ro
ro elsewhere
go home, ro
ro, hell no

It is a shame that we have to vote against someone rather than voting for someone.

C'mon, won't it be just a little satisfying this time?

Donna thanks for the info. I wish I could vote for her.

We can't vote, but we can help pay for a good candidate to win this vital seat on the Board of County Commissioners. I would guess the incumbent will be very well financed.

No Mo Ro!

Not Fo Ro!

We can't vote, but we can help pay for a good candidate to win this vital seat on the Board of County Commissioners. I would guess the incumbent will be very well financed.

You know he has all of that seawall money. ;-) I will have to learn more about Ms Commander. Frankly, the name "Commander" makes me a little hesitant -- just kidding.

Other than she is wonderful and won't be bought, what can you tell us about her, Donna (or anyone else)?

You know he has all of that seawall money. ;-) I will have to learn more about Ms Commander. Frankly, the name "Commander" makes me a little hesitant -- just kidding.

Other than she is wonderful and won't be bought, what can you tell us about her, Donna (or anyone else)?

She ain't Ro!!!

She ain't Ro!!!

neither is Ted Bundy, but that is not good reason to write in a vote for him.;-)

neither is Ted Bundy, but that is not good reason to write in a vote for him.;-)

He can't run!

Does anyone know anything about where the other two candidates stand on any issue?

Sara Commander has lived in Walton County most (if not all) of her life. I think she still lives in DeFuniak Springs. She is her own person and is a good listener, which I consider two important qualifiers for any person in public office. Frankly, I like to have more than one female on an elected body, assuming all are qualified, of course. The reason for this is there is a marked tendency for "the boys" to isolate just the one woman and either ignore her or keep important information from her. I have seen this over and over, with the result being that the lone woman ends up appearing out of the groove or uninformed on issues. So she gets defeated after one term of office. If there are two women, the boys take them seriously, if only because they will need one or both to get their own agendas approved.

My sense is that our excellent Commissioner Cindy Meadows got beyond this early in the game. But it is almost always a problem with one woman, four men.

I agree that voters should look at the key issues, hear where the candidates stand on issues, and choose carefully. Party affiliation is not a consideration for me when I vote for local politicians. I am much more comfortable when local elected boards are non-partisan. Any move to introduce partisan politics to our local boards have been strongly rejected by residents. When land use, environmental, and budgetary issues become polarized along party lines, there is danger ahead.

Party politics are in the local elections....You had people change party to vote for cindy last time in the primary.....because only republicans (Read greedy earth killers) get elected ! As for only one woman, I have seen the good ol boys ignore her as if she wasn't there. As for a candidate living here all of life....I think that should be a detriment!

As for a candidate living here all of life....I think that should be a detriment!

Could you elaborate on your last sentence?

As a lifelong Walton County resident (except for time spent away for college), I take a great deal of offense to that comment.

Ain't we'uns brainy enuff fer y'all?

Could you elaborate on your last sentence?

As a lifelong Walton County resident (except for time spent away for college), I take a great deal of offense to that comment.

Ain't we'uns brainy enuff fer y'all?

I could care less if the winning politician lived here all their life or for only a small portion of it. What is important to me is that they respect the area's history, and can control growth in a way which the people don't outweigh the services the County is able to provide. Good people, as well as bad people come in all shapes and sizes. To say what Beemn said is to show one's prejudices. ShallowsNole, don't take offense to such idiotic statements.;-)

Upon reflection, I guess partisan politics are involved in local issues. What was I thinking? I'm aware that people change political party affiliation in Walton County just so they can vote for individuals in the primaries. And it is assumed in Walton County that the Republican candidate will win office. This seems so odd to me, as I remember Walton County being a Democratic stronghold when I was growing up. It was a farm community and, as such, was predominantly Democratic. Those days are long gone in much of the heartland, as well. Well, as the kids say...it is what it is. I know good people who have strong Democratic leanings who had to become Republicans in order to win office. Their intentions are good and they are balanced representatives.

Years ago, I did a graduate thesis on boom town dynamics and recovery in the aftermath, beginning with the silver mining towns of the Old West and ending with some of the boom towns in the U.S. such as Atlanta, Orange County CA, and several resort communities. The places that remained viable were consistently those that did not abdicate their local powers to the economic engine that drove the boom cycle. Sure, there will always be politicians who will further the agenda of special interests. But there are some very committed and knowledgeable people who have lived in Walton County all their lives, who probably have a more rounded perspective about the County as a whole than a newcomer might, however well intentioned. And there are some very well educated people living in the County. Not a good idea to judge all of them on the basis of the missteps of a few.

Divisive tactics are good for neither the North or the South County. In fact, I know of no other County that has provided separate government offices and services superior to those of their own out of recognition of the fiscal contributions made by "the people who don't get to vote." In my town in CA, that would never happen. The business of government would pass you by like a jet aircraft does a knat.

I think the people in the North County deserve a lot of credit for recognizing the value of the beaches and those of us who have invested there. And at the end of the day, they have a history and knowledge of the area and its rhythms that cannot be acquired in a matter of only a few years, regardless of one's education level or good intentions. So let's give credit where credit is due. :rofl: + = :clap_1:

I could care less if the winning politician lived here all their life or for only a small portion of it. What is important to me is that they respect the area's history, and can control growth in a way which the people don't outweigh the services the County is able to provide. Good people, as well as bad people come in all shapes and sizes. To say what Beemn said is to show one's prejudices. ShallowsNole, don't take offense to such idiotic statements.;-)

Thanks, SJ...I'm much less anal this morning. That's what posting after a couple of Red Stripes will do for you.

And Donna's statement is true as well - Walton County used to be a Democrat stronghold. Now that we are primarily Republican - and I am a Republican - what really bothers me is when local races are decided by a political party voting in block, with no knowledge of the people actually running for the office, what their REAL beliefs are (which may not be what you think they are), what their management style is, how much they know about the job which they seek, etc. Around here, you have to know the individuals, and their backgrounds, as any local Republican who has been here longer than 25 years has (a) been registered as a Democrat at some time in the past, or (b) did not care enough about their county to participate in local elections.

Off my soapbox...don't get me started on politics. This board is normally a refreshing escape from that for me!

what really bothers me is when local races are decided by a political party voting in block, with no knowledge of the people actually running for the office, what their REAL beliefs are (which may not be what you think they are), what their management style is, how much they know about the job which they seek, etc.

Unfortunately the same is true of politics at all levels.

To explain; the problem is, when people start off saying " I've lived here my whole life " , that is to tell the rest of us that they know best! Unfortunately that is often not the case. Living here longest does not give you an ingrained knowledge of the environment, nor does it mean you care more about it. What the statement does do, intentional or not, is to say to others....No debate, I know best! That is my concern over the ' been here longest' attitude! It is the same everywhere.

I understand that Ro won by only one vote in the last election and that there is much concern on the local level about potential conflicts of interest. The aggravation with conflicts of interest, which are defined as one having a direct financial benefit related to a vote, is that no one takes an assertive role in the matter. The County Attorney only advises about conflict when specifically asked, either by the voting member or another member of the Commission or the public (and the latter in a public forum).

These legal counsels will sit back and watch elected officials vote on issue after issue where they should be conflicted because no one wants to speak up. It happens out here all the time, too. The voting member obviously is not going to question themselves. The other Commissioners don't want to embarass their colleague. And the public usually doesn't understand how the whole thing works.

One of the former candidates for Commissioner spoke up on this matter and was attacked in all kinds of ways for his audacity. His opponent was hugely and obviously funded by development interests and the other guy lost the election. Subsequently, charges were filed and the parties found guilty of misconduct. But too little, too late.

Occasionally, you will find a developer with a conscience and some ethics. Often, you will find these people the worst Philistines you have ever met. Their interest is short-term and exclusively related to profits. I worked as a consultant to these companies and people for many years and was often revolted by their discussions on development strategy and political support for their toadies. Generally speaking, you shouldn't trust most developers any more than you would most used car dealers. The stakes are much higher, for that matter. Their attorneys should be trusted even less.

On a more positive note, believe it or not, the largest developers are sometimes the best ones for the community. They are real professionals, who have learned over the years that one needs to leave something on the table and also to protect the quality of life in the communities they are working in. These are the entities that will bring amenities, infrastructure improvements, affordable housing and other positives, including some good jobs for people who will live and work there long-term.

Good advice: Everyone who does anything has a motive for what they do. Some have an ethic that accompanies and guides that motive. Some do not. Learn to distinguish those with no ethic and deal with them accordingly.

To explain; the problem is, when people start off saying " I've lived here my whole life " , that is to tell the rest of us that they know best! Unfortunately that is often not the case. Living here longest does not give you an ingrained knowledge of the environment, nor does it mean you care more about it. What the statement does do, intentional or not, is to say to others....No debate, I know best! That is my concern over the ' been here longest' attitude! It is the same everywhere.

I think your view is very narrow, Beemn. When I hear the statement, I hear that the person is very familiar with the recent history of the area. Nothing more. Other statements may convey that the person thinks he or she knows best, but I think you have it wrong on this one. No harm, no foul, just call em like I see em.

Sara has been in the community a long, long time and has an excellent reputation. She is the President and founder of the Defuniak Springs Professional Business Association, and for years has worked hard on behalf of the county and community improvement. I can tell you from experience that Sara will not get "bullied" around by anyone. Her husband Ron Kelley is the Editor of the DeFuniak Springs Herald Newspaper and the Beach Breeze.

Very interesting jhbeebe. While it sounds like Sara Commander is a capable and forthright person, if I were voting I would be honestly concerned about her husband's position in the community. Actually, I'm more interested in what his reaction would be if she wins. The DeFuniak Springs Herald calls itself Walton County's "official newspaper of record" -- what does that mean? Is a regular newspaper or tied to the county in some official way? If it is a newspaper, however small, I don't see how the paper can avoid an appearance of a conflict of interest in coverage of county issues if the wife of the editor is a commissioner.

If you think I'm overstating, consider this: Would the spouse of the managing editor of the Washington Post ever get elected to Congress? Of course not, no matter how trustworthy each party is. One of the biggest rules in journalism is that "the appearance of a conflict of interest is just as bad as an actual conflict of interest."

Edit: I want to add that it would seem from his position that her husband is not beholden to any businesses or public interests, which is a good thing. I just think if she were elected, it might not be good for HIS job. How would they handle that? I think it is a fair question when both spouses are in the public eye. Perhaps I am jumping the gun.

This is an important and critical matter. It is not legal for the owner of a newspaper to hold public office. If Sara's husband is employed by the paper as its editor, that is a different matter, albeit a bit awkward. But if there is any ownership, then elected office is not an option. Ownership would mean either spouse, as the law would recognize a spouse as the beneficiary of half of the other's investment in the newspaper, an asset.

Interesting thread. A few observations:

As I understand it, a "newspaper of record" does not denote any affiliation with government. It means that the newspaper prints everything that comes before the BCC, etc., instead of selectively reporting issues "of interest" as does the Sun and Daily News.

Donna, I sure wish more second-home owners like you would register to vote here in Walton County. I would love to see a greater number of owners in SoWal have this area as their registered place to vote as it would give us (as opposed to NoWal) more representation in our county elections. While I don't know what is required for you to vote here, it sure does seem sometimes that we in SoWal have a situation of taxation without representation.

Thanks to others for info on the candidates.