Citizen Physically Removed By Deputy At Bcc Meeting August 8th

[John G]

At approximately 6:28pm, Walton County resident, Coy Bowman (sic) was physically removed from the BCC Meeting by Deputy Bobby Hoke.

This incident takes place very briefly at the bottom of the screen as it appears the Resident is simply raising her hand for a question as it pertains to a Planning Issue.

While Ms. Bowman has been a regular participant in BCC Meetings and has been sometimes "interesting" in her presentations, she displayed NO reason to be physically removed from this meeting.

This is a perfect example of the Board Chair's abuse of power over the rights of free speech.

I hope Ms. Bowman hires an attorney and sues the county.

If anyone has cell phone video, please post it.

Regardless of your opinions of Ms. Bowman's opine, she had a right to speak in public forum and that was not only denied but she was apparently physically removed...

 

[FactorFiction]

John G, the time for public comment was over and everyone who had raised their hand to speak was given that opportunity. Ms. Bowman wanted an additional opportunity to speak, which was not appropriate at that time and refused to take "No" for an answer. While I am a firm believer in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to speak at the appropriate times, I don't think that anyone has the right to hi-jack the meetings once the public speaking timeframe has concluded. She refused to sit down or respect the Board; therefore, Deputy Hoke had no choice but to remove her from the room.

 

[steel1man]

Inlet Beach also won a victory over proposed new home construction and a change to inlet beach existing charter.
Strange?!?the vote was reported 2-2 ties go to Inlet Beach neighborhood. I thought we had more than 4 BCC members? Well that's a story for another day

 

[FactorFiction]

Inlet Beach also won a victory over proposed new home construction and a change to inlet beach existing charter.
Strange?!?the vote was reported 2-2 ties go to Inlet Beach neighborhood. I thought we had more than 4 BCC members? Well that's a story for another day

Melanie Nipper is still serving our country, I believe, so she was not present. Inlet Beach neighborhood plan was upheld so that Neighborhood designation was not changed to Commercial.

 

[Kaydence]

John G, the time for public comment was over and everyone who had raised their hand to speak was given that opportunity. Ms. Bowman wanted an additional opportunity to speak, which was not appropriate at that time and refused to take "No" for an answer. While I am a firm believer in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to speak at the appropriate times, I don't think that anyone has the right to highjack the meetings once the public speaking timeframe has concluded. She refused to sit down or respect the Board; therefore, Deputy Hoke had no choice but to remove her from the room.

Respect is not a given because you are an elected official. The current "Chair" is the most disrespectful, arrogant, rude, spiteful person ever to have been selected to Chair and elected to our BCC. I can't remember a meeting that I have been to lately where I have not overheard people say how much they despise her and will never vote for her again. I hope they remember that when they do vote! At the last meeting I attended in SoWal almost the entire room had little if anything positive to say with the exception of the developer(s) she caters too.

At the last meeting I attended in NoWal she completely skipped over Citizens comments and I called her out on it. I was then given an opportunity to speak, did not use the 3 minutes and was not allowed to rebut the lies told by Chapman about 1.5 million the County is now trying to get their grubby hands on which the City had every intention of sending back to the State. I was rudely told to sit down by the Chair and she started calling for the bailiff as well.

When WCFR was on the agenda the Chair agreed to take comments and told someone who came to address the board that he would have ample opportunity to speak as they addressed each issue but when it came time for him to make the last part of his comments he was also shut down. Let some one who kisses the Chair's backside ask to speak and she will allow them overtime.

The rules should apply to one and all!

 

[Lake View Too]

John G, the time for public comment was over and everyone who had raised their hand to speak was given that opportunity. Ms. Bowman wanted an additional opportunity to speak, which was not appropriate at that time and refused to take "No" for an answer. While I am a firm believer in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to speak at the appropriate times, I don't think that anyone has the right to hi-jack the meetings once the public speaking timeframe has concluded. She refused to sit down or respect the Board; therefore, Deputy Hoke had no choice but to remove her from the room.

Yes, this account was precisely what happen. She was attempting to hijack the entire meeting.

 

[John G]

Yes, this account was precisely what happen. She was attempting to hijack the entire meeting.

OK thank you for the clarification. It was hard to see on the video because what occurred took place offscreen towards the bottom.

 

[Lake View Too]

You would not believe the conspiracy theory rants she presented earlier. All about how South Walton was still a part of Washington County, fracking going on in Freeport, and national allowances for microwave pollution are a dangerous level, just to name a few topics...

 

[Jim Tucker]

Some people at meetings are ill. Some are just plain dumb. And some simply have no shame. In days gone by none of these people would be tolerated.

 

[Lake View Too]

She talked like a sharp, intelligent person: no mumbling, no rambling, rapid fire thoughts, except that the thoughts were just about as goofy as a week full of Trump Tweets.