New Chair/Co Chair BCC

Good listen. Check out the audio.

When there was a brief pause for a second on the co-chair position that C. Jones; "was fixing' to pass the gavel to second." Her words.

Towards the end of the meeting, C. Jones (who is obviously fueled on her "innocence") tells citizen Mrs. Bowman that "we kinda like orange anyway..." in response to some accusations. Foreshadowing? Perhaps?

Love the uproar by the Public.

Waiting for the video / audio.

Hearing that when there was a brief pause for a second on the co-chair position that C. Jones; "was fixing' to pass the gavel to second." Her words.

That wasn't the only brief pause...When I asked why the County was not doing background checks, she sat their looking at me dumbfounded then told me she wasn't going to answer me...because she didn't have answer.

I'll give the devil his due though, Chapman did say they should be doing background checks. Even a level 2 background check would have revealed "Asphalt Walters" was a convicted felon or even a google search for that matter!

Nipper weighed in and said she had seen 4 or 5 background checks so it seems they are done sporadically and selectively at best.

Then Comander weighed in about "redemption" and giving some a second chance as did Jones, saying some of these guys have not re-offended. Pretty broad statement when you don't know that for a fact!! Just because they may not have gotten caught re-offending doesn't mean that they have not re-offended. It does mean that haven't gotten caught...yet.

I will also grant you that some do have a sincere desire to turn their lives around and I respect those who are sincerely making an effort to do that but obviously that was not the case with "Asphalt Walters".

The County obviously did not hire an HR person with the kind of judgment to make that call either!!

Bill Chapman chair. Tony Anderson co chair.

Evidently C. Jones doesn't like being laughed at when she proudly boasted "no wrong doing". The entire board room laughed with me laughing loudest and she called me out saying "Excuse me" and the baliff started towards me. Had I been removed from that meeting trust me when I tell you i would have shown out big time because I was not the only one laughing!

The jokes on you Cecilia Jones and the whole county knows it.

Let me rephrase this...what she was actually boasting about was the so called "Independent Investigation" which the BCC directed along with the County attorney's help and a law firm previously under contract with the County which they had allowed to lapse...so, because Constangy was still being paid by the County but not under contract it was an independent investigation.

Everyone, including our County Employees KNOW this was not an "independent" investigation. It was a white wash. Someone needs to check the county yard to see how much paint was used up...

Thanks NW Fl Daily News...LYNDA MORSE

Just some comments on the NWFL Daily News Facebook page...

Janet Dowdy Smalley Yes, everyone deserves to integrate back into society after they serve their time. However, anyone working in the capacity of handling money, working with children, etc need a background check in today’s world. If background checks aren’t needed and used why are they in place? I’ll tell you why...to prevent further crimes. They not only protect citizens but background checks also protect the felon so that they are not put in to a compromised situation. This board is off the chain especially the lady that said she just worked with prisoners and found them to be polite. I’ve heard of very few behind bars that are not polite to superiors. If these “cream of the crop” are on the way to being productive citizens I’m sure they would not want to be placed in a job they might fail. Surely, this board will act immediately and get these background checks in place. Or is there someone on the board that wouldn’t pass???

Meagan Fisher That lady that kept saying “are you done” needs to be out of there...

Tonya Quinn I agree, I wonder if she had something to do with the hire!

Meagan Fisher She’s rude as hell and in no way would I want her to be representing my county... they have these open forums so people can voice their concerns and get answers...

Lynda Diann Megan Fisher until yesterday that lady was the BCC Chairman of the Board Cecilia Jones. Walton County Government is not in the business of rehabilitating prisoners either and I think it's a broad stretch for Commissioners to assume that convicted felons have not re offended..just because they may not have been caught re offending does not mean that have not re offended. It does mean they just haven't been caught.

Frank Hunter how about the corrupt commissioners?

******

The County is not now, nor should they be in the business of rehabilitating prisoners. It's certainly not the taxpayers responsibility to foot the bill for the BCC's pi$$ poor decisions.

What extraordinary arrogance and disrespect from an elected official.

What goes around, comes around. Just a matter of time.

Thanks NW Fl Daily News...LYNDA MORSE

Wow, this meeting should have been held at 3am on Wednesday...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4

You have to pass a background check to get a job at Walmart for Christs sake.....what is the matter with these people?

You have to pass a background check to get a job at Walmart for Christs sake.....what is the matter with these people?

They also did NOT do a background check on the current planning director because his police record would not have aided him in getting that job. I took the documents found in background checks done on him by private citizens to one Commissioner and it was delivered to others. The ones I know who could have changed the direction the county was leaning towards in hiring him, did nothing! The City lost almost $2 million in revenue because he and the Mayor decided not to tell the City Council the Mayor was receiving those letters from State Auditors. He also worked for Pat Blackshear when almost $1 million dollars in fees either went missing or were never collected in the Planning Department and now hes the head of the whole damn department.

Obviously, Ms. Walters (HR Director) was not the brightest bulb in the pack and should not have been hired either but the County does not seem to want the best and brightest who can do the job admirably, they would rather have people who simply do what they are told.

Bill Williams (the Triumph Liaison) for Walton County had Ethics Complaints filed against him as a Commissioner in another County and probably should not have been hired by us either but again the County does not seem to want the best and brightest who can do the job admirably, they would rather have people who simply do what they are told.

And for the record...what galls me MOST is that I can find this stuff doing simple google searches and we were paying the HR director $70 thousand a year to commit insurance fraud and sleep with county officials!

And for the record...what galls me MOST is that I can find this stuff doing simple google searches and we were paying the HR director $70 thousand a year to commit insurance fraud and sleep with county officials!

Truth will come out....watching national firings? Matt Lauder just today.

Truth will come out....watching national firings? Matt Lauder just today.

The trickle down effect? LOL

"You will do what We say, when We say it"

New Walton County motto.

Let me rephrase this...what she was actually boasting about was the so called "Independent Investigation" which the BCC directed along with the County attorney's help and a law firm previously under contract with the County which they had allowed to lapse...so, because Constangy was still being paid by the County but not under contract it was an independent investigation.

Nov 28, 2017 BCC meeting. Didn't watch the whole hour and a half; too painful.
Board of County Commissioners on 2017-11-28 9:00 AM - Regular Meeting - Nov 28th, 2017

Excellent points about lack of Walton BCC transparency hiring expensive legal expertise to do County employee's jobs.
http://walton.granicus.com/MediaPla...360&entrytime=3105&stoptime=5340&auto_start=0

Audience response to Commis Jones' statement about Walton “independent” investigation into complaints against Commissioner Jones. Audience microphone too far to hear clearly the audience response but Commis Jones promptly responded with her gavel.
http://walton.granicus.com/MediaPla...360&entrytime=3455&stoptime=5340&auto_start=0

I find it interesting Commis Jones always asks if there is any discussion from the "audience" like the people who attend are just spectators to what the Commissioners have already decided to do. I thought the BCC served and listened to the tax payers and citizens; not the other way around. How about asking "Are there any citizens that would like to ask any questions we (BCC) can answer or make any suggestions that would help us (BCC) make an informed decision?" I can dream.

Audience response to Commis Jones' statement about Walton “independent” investigation into complaints against Commissioner Jones. Audience microphone too far to hear clearly the audience response but Commis Jones promptly responded with her gavel.
http://walton.granicus.com/MediaPla...360&entrytime=3455&stoptime=5340&auto_start=0

I was there...they laughed at her. Jones was especially not impressed with me as I laughed loudest.

I was there...they laughed at her. Jones was especially not impressed with me as I laughed loudest.

Every good joke deserves a good laugh.

Thanks NW Fl Daily News...LYNDA MORSE

Story by Deborah Wheeler

After two Walton County employees were arrested last month and charged with fraud and theft, the topic of background checks for prospective Walton County employees was discussed.

However, no clear answers were provided. DeFuniak Springs resident Lynda Morse started the conversation when she asked the commissioners when the county stopped doing background checks.

Linda Morse talks to the Walton County Commissioners during a recent meeting and asks if the county does background checks on employees.
“If you had done them, you would have found that former employee Mr. Walters is a convicted felon,” she told commissioners and the county administrator.

However, Morse did not get an answer to her question.
Commissioners sat silently until Commission Chair Cecilia Jones asked Morse if she was finished.
“No,” Morse responded. “Are you going to answer me?”
“No,” said Jones.

County Administrator Larry Jones told Morse, “We will look at this.”
District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander also questioned the county’s policy.

“Is it in our policy that we don’t hire those who have spent time in prison? If a person is released from jail and can’t get a job, they will go back to jail. How can we help them and protect the public?” Comander said.

District 3 Commissioner Melanie Nipper said that she went through the ledger and found four background checks charged to the county.

“There are second chances and there is grace,” Commission Chair Jones told everyone.
District 1 Commissioner Bill Chapman directed staff to look at doing a minimum of background checks on prospective employees.

“There is an understanding that if we have people who have been to jail 10 or 12 years ago and no re occurrence they might get more consideration than someone who just got out,” said Chapman. “Over time things change, people change. In the past we had a hard time filling vacancies because they had a minimum NCIC (National Crime Information Center) check when applying in this county.”

Larry Jones did not return phone calls or emails to The Sun’s request for information about the county’s policy, if there is one, and why it is not being followed.

Instead, the county attorney’s office sent a link to the current Walton County Policy and Procedure Manual that states on page 12 that all job applicants will undergo a background check. However, no one responded to emails to confirm if the manual is being followed.

www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20171202/does-walton-county-do-background-checks