Gutless TDC
Walton County?s Tourist Development Council demonstrated poor judgment and a lack of intestinal fortitude when it decided to remove the blue signs along County Road 30A.
This is not the first time we?ve been down this road. At a past County Commission meeting, it became apparent that the county?s Scenic Corridor Committee was dominated by the private Scenic Corridor Association, which, in turn, was dominated by a single individual. At that meeting, after considerable debate, the County Commission abolished the county committee. It was later re-established because it was required in the land development code.
The arguments at that time also centered on signage. In these arguments, the purpose of signs becomes lost.
The purpose of signs is to identify or give direction. Both functions were abysmally lacking in the southern part of the county prior to erection of the blue signs. Even now, Sacred Heart Hospital is not conspicuously identified.
Given the importance of tourism to the Walton County economy, providing clear direction and identification to people new to the area would seem to be worthy of paramount consideration. Add to this the heavy traffic, and a lack of easy identification or direction becomes an invitation to a major accident.
It is to be hoped that the Walton County Commission will demonstrate better judgment, fiscal responsibility and intestinal fortitude when it considers the TDC recommendation.
? GENE RYAN
DeFuniak Springs
