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Walton commissioners deny Sheriff's request

Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal Insider
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I got to meet Andy this afternoon and he did a really good job on this. The sound system was bad and it was hard to hear at times. We both had deadlines and had to get this in quick tonight. My article will come out tomorrow in the Herald.


Good job, Andy:clap:




Ralph Johnson did not show up for a public hearing he had requested

Andy Meinen

Tuesday February 26th, 2008

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DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? Walton County Sheriff Ralph Johnson was a no-show Tuesday at a public hearing that he requested two weeks ago to ask the County Commission for a budget amendment.

In his place, Johnson sent Sheriff?s Office Capt. Eddie Farris, who asked commissioners to approve an additional $311,431 to the Sheriff?s Office budget for 911 equipment.

The commission voted unanimously to deny the request.

Farris said the Sheriff?s Office had a contract with Motorola Corp. to upgrade its 911 equipment because the old system was obsolete. Farris said a contract was initiated in August to buy the new equipment, but because of ?delays and the equipment having to be built and put together? the money for the new system had to be handed back to the county at the end of the fiscal year in October.

The Sheriff?s Office returned nearly $700,000 in excess funds about two weeks ago from last year?s budget to the Walton County Clerk of Court, which is required by law. The money was given back nearly four months after it should have been.

Commission Chairman Larry Johnson said he was concerned about the Sheriff?s Office asking for more money, when it had a surplus last year. When Farris was asked if the Sheriff?s Office would have the same surplus this year because the same budget was approved, Farris said that only Johnson could answer that.

Farris said the 911 system is in place and operational, but he added that no money had been paid on the contract.

After the meeting, Farris said Johnson got tied up at the office and couldn?t make it to the meeting. When asked what the next step was for the Sheriff?s Office and if it could pay for the new system, Farris said that only Johnson could answer those questions.

Commissioner Sara Commander said the commission shouldn?t give the Sheriff?s Office more money until an audit of Johnson?s books comes out next month.

Several men in the gallery spoke during the public hearing.

Sonny Heath said that the county should watch over the Sheriff?s Office budget more closely.

?This entire thing smells of impropriety to me,? he said.

But Commissioner Cindy Meadows said that constitutional officers? budgets are not the responsibility of the commission. When the commission approves an officer?s budget, it?s up each officer to spend the money, unless it?s for a capital project.

Interim County Attorney Mike Burke said that if the Sheriff?s Office spends more than $200,000 on a capital project such as a building, then the commission must approve it. But the money for the 911 equipment is considered ?goods and services? and doesn?t require commissioners? approval, Burke said.

DeFuniak Springs resident Tom Terrell was upset that Johnson didn?t show to a public hearing he had requested.

?I think it is unbelievable, unconscionable that the constitutional officer chose not to meet with the board of county commissioners on an item that was this important,? he said. ?Now maybe some people don?t think $311,000 is very important. I tend to think it is extremely important, and to send someone else to represent him I think is beyond belief.?

Terrell recommended that the commission should get a state auditor to review the Sheriff?s Office?s books.

Daily News Staff Writer Andy Meinen can be reached at 654-6905.

Replies

35
Beach Fanatic
#27
... Heck, I just heard that the price of eggs has risen 40% in the last year.

Ask Chef Ralph next time he makes an omlette, bet that budget wasn't approved either. I hear he is opening a new restaurant called -
Che' dei Ralphies... I recommend the trout. ;-)
scooterbug44 avatar
SoWal Expert
#28
Why can't we just pay and use the Okaloosa track too? :idontno:

I question the amount of use 2 tracks in neighboring counties would get when they're not even being used by training facilities.
Beach Fanatic
#29
Why can't we just pay and use the Okaloosa track too? :idontno:

I question the amount of use 2 tracks in neighboring counties would get when they're not even being used by training facilities.


That would mean that WCSO would have to cooperate with other agencies, which they do not, by the choice of the current sheriff. This is a core issue of the upcoming election, how to start to develop partnerships with other surrounding agencies (local) not to mention both State and Federal. It all comes down to EGO.
Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal InsiderAuthor
#30
That would mean that WCSO would have to cooperate with other agencies, which they do not, by the choice of the current sheriff. This is a core issue of the upcoming election, how to start to develop partnerships with other surrounding agencies (local) not to mention both State and Federal. It all comes down to EGO.

Hi Watcher,

I enjoy reading your post but wanted to comment on this one. I try and stay out of conversations on the board over subjects I've covered or are working on but I felt the need to comment on this post. In my investigations and subsequent articles on county and city law enforcement, I've found and published information contrary to this.

The WCSO seems to work well with other outside agencies, such as ICE and other county sheriff's agencies. They have coordinated raids for Federal task force such as the one that netted the human trafficking suspects.County PD has also had in-office training supplied by federal agencies where illegal immigration is concerned. They also took part in forming a task force with Okaloosa and Santa Rosa over illegal immigration.

I documented that our city PD had a much harder time getting government agencies to work with them, during my illegal immigration series I wrote last year. I believe both agencies in Walton have had a hard time getting along with each other. Why that is, is as much your guess as mine and I won't speculate, but the ability for the WCSO to work with other agencies outside of Walton is well documented in many area newspapers.

As far as the track, my understanding is Okaloosa has something referred to as a "skid track" where as the Walton track is proposed to be an actual defensive driving course that would be unique among NW Fla.

The press release quoted over the track was sent out over a month ago, yet comes out now:idontno: We didn't print it because it was a rehash of prior articles we had already covered.

Like I said, The first three paragraphs are documented, the fourth is just my understanding of the facilities in questions and the last is just an observation, not an opinion. If you know different, I would appreciate being informed, not only as a writer but as a voter who is a life long resident as well.

Thanks:wave:
AL

Edited

jodiFL avatar
Beach Fanatic
#31
That would mean that WCSO would have to cooperate with other agencies, which they do not, by the choice of the current sheriff. This is a core issue of the upcoming election, how to start to develop partnerships with other surrounding agencies (local) not to mention both State and Federal. It all comes down to EGO.
I was just reading a cold case story out of Okaloosa county that said something about the problems of the body being found in Walton county and that makes me wonder if they wont even cooperate on something as important as that.
“There were avenues I didn’t think had been followed through,” Bowman says, citing jurisdiction problems because Ball was last seen in Okaloosa County but found in Walton County.
Story here

Edited

Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal InsiderAuthor
#32
I was just reading a cold case story out of Okaloosa county that said something about the problems of the body being found in Walton county and that makes me wonder if they wont even cooperate on something as important as that.

Story here

She was found in 1999 so that was a different administration at that time, I believe. Current has been in office for around 7. Case picked up again in 2001 and I can only guess would have been the time line for the quote you posted?
With the FBI involvement that would wipe out any jurisdiction issues between the two counties. I really don't know who's doorstep this would fall to if blame had to be assigned for the case going cold.???????:wave: Just imho........ since she was found here, original responsibility would fall to those investigating in 1999 under another administration. I have no idea if the same investigator for Walton stayed on when new administration took over?????????

Edited

Beach Lover
#33
Do you have a copy of the contract reportedly signed by the Sheriff on August 8 for this "Race Track".

If true - it's a capital expenditure and violates the state bid law.

If not you might want to contact the contractor and ask him/her whether they have a contract for this work. It will be interesting to see how this is explained by the Sheriff's Office.

It may have to wait a week - I understand he is taping a cooking show with Rachel Ray.
Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal InsiderAuthor
#34
Do you have a copy of the contract reportedly signed by the Sheriff on August 8 for this "Race Track".

If true - it's a capital expenditure and violates the state bid law.

If not you might want to contact the contractor and ask him/her whether they have a contract for this work. It will be interesting to see how this is explained by the Sheriff's Office.

It may have to wait a week - I understand he is taping a cooking show with Rachel Ray.


You are Wilie this morning, aren't you:wave: When Bruce Collier broke the story on the driving track he attempted to reach the contractor to get a copy of this contract. It's documented in a piece that is floating around here on a few different threads. I think it was called The Approved and Unapproved. Or something like that. I haven't had enough coffee, yet,to start digging.:biggrin:

I also want to clarify my previous statement on this thread about inter office relations. I only have knowledge of the WCSO and the DFSPD as far as their relationships with federal and state agencies where illegal immigration is concerned. I don't have any stats and have not looked for documentation about their relationships in other areas. Also, when I wrote that DFSPD had a hard time getting agencies to work with them, I documented that they were trying but not getting much response from agencies like ICE at the time.

So, if you're the Coyote, who's the Roadrunner:D:wave:

Edited

Beach Fanatic
#35
Hi Watcher,

The WCSO seems to work well with other outside agencies, such as ICE and other county sheriff's agencies. They have coordinated raids for Federal task force such as the one that netted the human trafficking suspects.County PD has also had in-office training supplied by federal agencies where illegal immigration is concerned. They also took part in forming a task force with Okaloosa and Santa Rosa over illegal immigration.
...

To reply to your understanding of cooperation with other agencies, all one has to do is ask surrounding agencies about the lack of cooperation, not from individual officers, they do a great job. It is from the department as a whole. I documented in a post from last summer how WCSO failed to participate in a US Marshal's warrant round up. All surrounding local agencies, including State Probation, ATF and others were involved and the only way WCSO participated is they had their patrol units transport the few Walton County Warrants that were picked up.

Further, I know that Okaloosa Drug Task Force, has in the past, requested assistance and formal partnership with Walton County Narcotics Units. There was discussion about combining the units as a majority of the drug trafficking crosses county lines, this would lead to more man power, larger cases and increased revenue do to seizure of property. This formal request was DENIED, causing OCSO to perform narcotics operations in our county. This was done due to the fact that OCSO has/had an officer assigned to the DEA office in Panama City Beach, thus, no issue with crossing juristictional lines. Maybe things have changed in the past several months, I hope they have.

There is a BIG difference in "working well" with other agencies and full participation in Multi-Juristictional Task Forces. I know several of the WCSO Officers who "work well" with outside agencies, let's not get confused here. Thanks for the reply.
Alicia Leonard avatar
SoWal InsiderAuthor
#36
Hi Watcher,

The WCSO seems to work well with other outside agencies, such as ICE and other county sheriff's agencies. They have coordinated raids for Federal task force such as the one that netted the human trafficking suspects.County PD has also had in-office training supplied by federal agencies where illegal immigration is concerned. They also took part in forming a task force with Okaloosa and Santa Rosa over illegal immigration.
...

To reply to your understanding of cooperation with other agencies, all one has to do is ask surrounding agencies about the lack of cooperation, not from individual officers, they do a great job. It is from the department as a whole. I documented in a post from last summer how WCSO failed to participate in a US Marshal's warrant round up. All surrounding local agencies, including State Probation, ATF and others were involved and the only way WCSO participated is they had their patrol units transport the few Walton County Warrants that were picked up.

Further, I know that Okaloosa Drug Task Force, has in the past, requested assistance and formal partnership with Walton County Narcotics Units. There was discussion about combining the units as a majority of the drug trafficking crosses county lines, this would lead to more man power, larger cases and increased revenue do to seizure of property. This formal request was DENIED, causing OCSO to perform narcotics operations in our county. This was done due to the fact that OCSO has/had an officer assigned to the DEA office in Panama City Beach, thus, no issue with crossing juristictional lines. Maybe things have changed in the past several months, I hope they have.

There is a BIG difference in "working well" with other agencies and full participation in Multi-Juristictional Task Forces. I know several of the WCSO Officers who "work well" with outside agencies, let's not get confused here. Thanks for the reply.

And in order to not confuse I clarified my statement in this quote.
I also want to clarify my previous statement on this thread about inter office relations. I only have knowledge of the WCSO and the DFSPD as far as their relationships with federal and state agencies where illegal immigration is concerned. I don't have any stats and have not looked for documentation about their relationships in other areas. Also, when I wrote that DFSPD had a hard time getting agencies to work with them, I documented that they were trying but not getting much response from agencies like ICE at the time.
(From my quote):wave:

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