Bayou Arts & Antiques to close

**SoWalSally** · 03-05-2007, 07:45 PM

If you haven't been there, check it out before it's gone.

http://www.epaperedition.com/Default...&ViewMode=HTML

The public footprint of the Charles Cessna Park on County Road 393 stands to more than double after the Board of County Commissioners agreed to purchase the adjacent Bayou Arts and Antiques property last week. The three-acre parcel with two buildings in historic Santa Rosa Beach was appraised for around $1.5 million.
Blue Mountain Beach resident Chick Huettel, who has owned the property since 1992, said he offered the property to the county for a fair market price.
�All we did was ask them to get it appraised,� Huettel said. �I think Cindy [Meadows, county commissioner] realized the historical significance and everybody I talked to wanted to preserve it.�

**florida girl** · 03-06-2007, 11:11 AM

Another waste of taxpayer money! What of historical structural significance is located on his property worth 1.5 million?

**ShallowsNole** · 03-06-2007, 02:44 PM

FG, buddy, we will have to agree to disagree here. I'd rather my tax money go to preserving what little bit of history we have left than to some of the other things we spend money on.

Perhaps they would buy your place too! After all, it's important historically, and it is priceless water frontage.

**florida girl** · 03-06-2007, 05:05 PM

Here's a quote from the WCTA:

The WCTA agrees with you. The article does not mention that we were
there and spoke against the purchase.

The article also does not mention that the County borrowed the money for
the purchase.

The purchase prise is also incorrectly listed in the paper as $1.5
million when in fact you paid $1.6 million. There were 2 appraisals done
on the land one for $1.6 million and one for $1.65 million.

We tried.

By the way, was anything ever accomplished with the national register? I think that may be the solution.

**florida girl** · 03-07-2007, 01:05 PM

I guess the main problem I have with this purchase is the priorities of the county. They are usually very secretive about what they pay their employees, although some pressure has been made about it recently. The report I saw was that they compared Walton County with Okaloosa and Bay counties. I don't see where Walton County falls into that category, more a category unto itself. I think they need to base their pay scale on Walton county cost of living. Kris Titus, I believe makes the most wage, and I think she knows that she can demand it. I think many employees have been buffaloed into thinking Walton County is a poor county as always, not realizing that times have changed. I ask can the boss do his job without you? Could you do his job without him? Can you afford to pay the median monthly rent/housing payment which is what, $1200? A long with utilities, car payment, etc. on your salary alone? I doubt it, much less pay for the gas to get to work, and drive the long stretch on 331? If they actually took care of their home fires, i.e. their employees, then take a look at the road situation, then I would reconsider such an expense. Yet, after all that, before I would approve of such a sale, I would take a look at how much money in excess is in reserves, and consider lowering taxes! Also, what about federal grants toward purchase of historic properties? Why should the county have to foot the bill alone?