Cecilia jones 6000 dollar desk?

This issue has been alluded to in at least three other posts I have read. Please tell me why conditions are terrible in some workers areas and she is buying 6K dollar desks and spending 50k of grants for her office. Why is the county seeking those kinds of grants instead of drainage, roads and bridge grants?????Wrong Priorities !!!!!! My desk from office max costs 580.00 and is plenty nice enough for anybody. When Pridgen held that office, his desk probably cost 75 bucks and was county surplus. That's the difference between serving others and serving yourself, the rest of the commissioners should stop that purchase!

The desk in question can be viewed at the Commissioners office on Logan Rd in So Wal.

Why does a part-time job require a $6,000 desk? That kind of money could really help fix one of our fire stations.

Many Walton residents won't even get enough to eat today.

Why does a part-time job require a $6,000 desk? That kind of money could really help fix one of our fire stations.

The matching credenza and leather sofa were just accoutrements.

I'm guessing the 50k grant Jones asked the board to apply for in July (after taking C. Meadows to task at a public meeting for not sharing/offering a portion of the plat fees sitting in the bank in Meadows District) will be or have been used for similar purchases.

I'm also guessing that grants for First Responders and EMS are not being applied for because they require state oversight. In other words, the State could come in at anytime and do inspections on those Stations where grant monies were used. It's called accountability. The County doesn't want that kind of migraine.

The legendary history this County has of not operating in the Sunshine (not to mention the almost $5 million dollars it has cost the taxpayers) is part and parcel of how the county operates. Just think what $5 million dollars could have done to upgrade those fire stations. Wow!

A Better South Walton – It's Worth the Effort

A Better South Walton – It's Worth the Effort

A Better South Walton might get more support if they actually came out in opposition to some of the issues that appear to be of substance in SoWal.

Customary Use is a hot topic and it doesn't help that there is controversy with one of their members in favor of it and in the past, actively spoke out about his favoring it. Rosemary Beach just filed a law suit against the county and the commissioners over this very thing.

My tax dollars going to C. Jones and her desk are one of those issues. It is disgusting and very telling of who she looks out for, herself.

I also feel they'd get some additional traction if they looked at having their own Public Safety and not being so quick to contract with the Sheriff's Office.
But back to the desk, it really is sickening...

A Better South Walton might get more support if they actually came out in opposition to some of the issues that appear to be of substance in SoWal.

Customary Use is a hot topic and it doesn't help that there is controversy with one of their members in favor of it and in the past, actively spoke out about his favoring it. Rosemary Beach just filed a law suit against the county and the commissioners over this very thing.

My tax dollars going to C. Jones and her desk are one of those issues. It is disgusting and very telling of who she looks out for, herself.

I also feel they'd get some additional traction if they looked at having their own Public Safety and not being so quick to contract with the Sheriff's Office.
But back to the desk, it really is sickening...

Are you talking about ABSW group proposing it's own police force?

Are you talking about ABSW group proposing it's own police force?

That is what most "cities" do...... one of the reasons I am not willing to jump on the "incorporation" bandwagon is because no one has seen what kind of "contract" might be proposed by the county therefore we dont know what the additional taxation for THAT will be. That and the fact that incorporation worked out so well for our neighbors (Deatin and PCB).....

Are you talking about ABSW group proposing it's own police force?

It might be something to look at. Its no different than having a study to have NoWal Fire fall under WCSO.

Can SWFD have "public safety" aka. Police, too?

I don't want to pay WCSO 2x for service that I don't see, unless its an emergency. Where are the neighborhood patrols? Haven't see a deputy in my hood for weeks (yes, I'm up late).

Its just an idea. Wonder if its possible.

My point was the ABSW would get more attention to its goal if they considered all options.

I, for one, would gladly pay more tax $ if we had our own PD. ABSW is touting no new taxes...

The members of the new "city council", would control the department, unlike what we have now which is one man, elected official, with A LOT of power. He can magically make an SOP that requires owners to spend $$$, but then choose to NOT enforce it? Doesn't make a lot of sense. Remember, he was shamed into enforcing the spring break issues at the meeing Sara C. held at SeaScape a few years ago. Now its a feather in his hat. Masterful politician. We don't need that.

This post is about a desk.



maybe new thread...

A Better South Walton might get more support if they actually came out in opposition to some of the issues that appear to be of substance in SoWal.

Customary Use is a hot topic and it doesn't help that there is controversy with one of their members in favor of it and in the past, actively spoke out about his favoring it. Rosemary Beach just filed a law suit against the county and the commissioners over this very thing.

My tax dollars going to C. Jones and her desk are one of those issues. It is disgusting and very telling of who she looks out for, herself.

I also feel they'd get some additional traction if they looked at having their own Public Safety and not being so quick to contract with the Sheriff's Office.
But back to the desk, it really is sickening...

As Teresa mentioned in the original thread regarding the First Responders (Sounding the Alarm) this has nothing to do with SoWal. They have pretty up to date Stations with the proper equipment and are run very efficiently.

This is however about what people could have in North Walton if we all had a government who cared less about their next election and themselves and more about the people they were elected to serve. It is about fraud, waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars and how that money ($5 million dollars) and those grants could have better served their constituents. I know people will infer I'm wrong for saying we should all want what's best for the County rather than dividing us by a bridge but I think we all agree we want better government.

How can we have a better government if we don't expose the weaknesses that are ever present in our current one? What right do we have to complain about how bad it is without exposing the fraud, waste and abuse that if stopped would make it better for all of us?

Whether we like the stories about our current elected officials or not they need to be told. They are true and are all a matter of PUBLIC record. The people with the fattest wallets in the County need to stop buying elections and stacking our boards with people who will do their bidding. Life isn't just about what's best for the rich in the south and to hell with those poor folks in the north. It doesn't have to be this way! We are one county and when we start to act like it and stop repeatedly making the same mistakes by voting for these folks over and over again maybe meaningful change will have a chance.

People need jobs in North Walton but again because elected officials and those who lead them around by the nose and are remiss to change, they don't want opportunities for their constituents, they want to keep us that backward, quaint, little rural community, that is what we still are.

Do we have people in our community with food insecurities? Yes Mike Jones we do....either because they are sick, disabled, elderly, drunks or drug addicts who would rather get high than eat but maybe just maybe if there were jobs and opportunities for them we wouldn't have homeless shelters to open here when the temps drop below freezing only to turn them back out into the weather after the storm.

Just maybe, if we had spent that $6000.00 or that $5 million in our Community where it would have been better spent making sure that the people who we depend on for our safety and our lives were safe first, the $6000.00 desk would not even be an issue!

Do we have people in our community with food insecurities? Yes Mike Jones we do....either because they are sick, disabled, elderly, drunks or drug addicts who would rather get high than eat but maybe just maybe if there were jobs and opportunities for them we wouldn't have homeless shelters to open here when the temps drop below freezing only to turn them back out into the weather after the storm.

We have a lot of hungry children around us. And adults who are in need of our help. Plenty who are not as you describe. And some who need more than a job.

Mike Jones, you are correct, there are many hurting people all around us. Hopefully during this Christmas Season as we celebrate the birth of the greatest man who ever lived we will also be led to help those who need assistance and bring some cheer to those who are broken.

We have a lot of hungry children around us. And adults who are in need of our help. Plenty who are not as you describe. And some who need more than a job.

I agree. I think however, my post was wordy enough with without more gory details.

And I'm sure you did not miss the point.

Mike Jones, you are correct, there are many hurting people all around us. Hopefully during this Christmas Season as we celebrate the birth of the greatest man who ever lived we will also be led to help those who need assistance and bring some cheer to those who are broken.

Let's leave Trump out of this.

Can someone point me to the source of the information on the $6,000 desk, please?

Can someone point me to the source of the information on the $6,000 desk, please?

Commissioner Cecilia Jones
joncecilia@co.walton.fl.us

Evelyn Strickland
Executive Assistant
strevelyn@co.walton.fl.us

552 Walton Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433

Ph: (850) 892-4020

Office Services
7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Monday - Thursday

Closed
Friday (Shopping Day)

Commissioner Cecilia Jones
joncecilia@co.walton.fl.us

Evelyn Strickland
Executive Assistant
strevelyn@co.walton.fl.us

552 Walton Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433

Ph: (850) 892-4020

Office Services
7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Monday - Thursday

Closed
Friday (Shopping Day)

You're funny, John G! I know how to contact the office. I was curious about the source of the info posted on Sowal.

This issue has been alluded to in at least three other posts I have read. Please tell me why conditions are terrible in some workers areas and she is buying 6K dollar desks and spending 50k of grants for her office. Why is the county seeking those kinds of grants instead of drainage, roads and bridge grants?????Wrong Priorities !!!!!! My desk from office max costs 580.00 and is plenty nice enough for anybody. When Pridgen held that office, his desk probably cost 75 bucks and was county surplus. That's the difference between serving others and serving yourself, the rest of the commissioners should stop that purchase!

Patriot Games, please share where you obtained the information in your initial post. Other than on Sowal forums, I cannot find any reliable and objective source to confirm this info. I have checked agendas and news sources (not opinions) and cannot find reference to a new desk, much less a $6,000 one, for the District 2 office. Relative to the $50,000, I believe that was a recreational grant for WeeCare Park facilities, not for office refurbishments.

The furniture referenced can be seen at the District 5 office.

The furniture referenced can be seen at the District 5 office.

So this is from years ago? Ms. Jones is District 2, I believe. Has/is someone in District 5 getting new furnishings?

Is the purchase made more justifiable because she bought it during her first term as a County Commissioner? Were we not embroiled in one of several lawsuits at that time that have cost the county in total almost $5 million dollars?


Also curious in your fact finding expedition if you asked to see all the expenditures and paid outs for that 50k grant?

We'll there is your answer apparently, as I said in my post I was asking what the deal was. And I'm with GS above, I don't care when she bought it, a 6K desk for a commissioner is ridiculous and needs to be explained. I would like to see a detailed accounting of the 50k myself, Why don't you do a public records request there fiction person?

OK, so Commissioner Jones had this desk back when she was District 5 Commissioner. Former Commissioner Meadows used it during her term and was there an effort to get rid of it during her term? That being said I hope Commissioner Anderson isn't buying a new one. I agree that $6000 may be expensive but this old news. Now is the $50000 new or is this an aged gripe?

We'll there is your answer apparently, as I said in my post I was asking what the deal was. And I'm with GS above, I don't care when she bought it, a 6K desk for a commissioner is ridiculous and needs to be explained. I would like to see a detailed accounting of the 50k myself, Why don't you do a public records request there fiction person?

I believe the $50,000 grant was for WeeCare park amenities like restrooms, soccer fields, bleachers (amenities for the park).

Is the purchase made more justifiable because she bought it during her first term as a County Commissioner? Were we not embroiled in one of several lawsuits at that time that have cost the county in total almost $5 million dollars?


Also curious in your fact finding expedition if you asked to see all the expenditures and paid outs for that 50k grant?

I am not disagreeing that a $6,000 desk would be exorbitant. I just wondered why something like that wouldn't have been reported by one of the news media sources that cover Walton County pretty thoroughly. I am literally trying to find out when and where this expenditure was approved. I wasn't looking back to District 5 several years ago. I was looking at much more recent expenditures and could not find anything that fit. Regarding the $50,000 grants, it appears that there is one for Wee Care park amenities and one for Darlington Park amenities. I'm not even sure that those grants are received yet. Like you, I am no fan of all the lawsuits that seem to go on in Walton County. Not my idea of a great way to spend money.