Sara Comander Not Afraid...

[Misty]

To get her hands dirty.



Walton County District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander Sees Big Success at Choctaw Beach Community Clean Up Day

District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander and County Public Works and Landfill crews are currently celebrating the success of their most recent Community Clean Up Day on Saturday, September 19th at Choctaw Beach Park.

Commissioner Comander has been hosting four to five clean up days a year since 2006. “These types of community clean-up opportunities give residents that don’t live close to the landfill the opportunity to clean up their yards and houses,” said Comander. “It helps communities clean up their neighborhoods and they provide a good service to the community.

According to Landfill Manager Billy McKee, “The material filled up 8 roll off dumpsters (20 Cu. Yds.), 1 dump truck, 1 boom truck and totaled 18 tons of debris.”

Participants brought in a variety of debris and rubbish to include appliances, old furniture, carpet, cabinets, mattresses, scrap metal, wire, tile and yard debris.

During these clean up events, dumpsters are provided for Walton County residents to dump trash, yard debris, tires, appliances and other miscellaneous items. Crews and equipment are available to off-load heavy items. Recycling trailers are also available for newspapers, cardboard and aluminum.

Items that are not accepted are poisons, pesticides, paints, thinners, gasoline and other flammables.

For additional information about this or other community clean-up events, please contact either Commissioner Comander’s office at 850-835-4834

Courtesy of WZEP

 

[John G]

Nice Irony with a BCC cleaning up trash...

Maybe they can clean out their own corruption for a change.

Sara had an opportunity but instead fought tooth and nail to not have to be deposed. I wonder why?

 

[John G]

Wasn't it not too ago she was oh so sick...

Couldn't make it to depos?

 

[Misty]

Wasn't it not too ago she was oh so sick...

Couldn't make it to depos?

John G

From the way you post you must have some law enforcement background....so you must also know, that to get out of a deposition she had to have a medical excuse signed off on or at the very least acknowledged by a Judge. At some point she also had to give or will give a deposition. That's the law! You can't escape them forever unless you want to be held in contempt of court and face jail time.

I understand and agree with some of your hostility in regard to some of the local politicos (IE) the Adkinsons' and some City dwelling politicians (in fact I think allot of people here feel the same way about some of them) but I think your remarks about Sara are out of line and truly unwarranted. Sara is a good woman and she cares very deeply about this County and its citizens...even those who have been very critical of her. I can't think of anyone who has ever been on the BCC that has a deeper or more compassionate attitude in regard to helping or to being a part of the solution rather than part of the problem, than Sara has been.

I haven't always agreed with every vote shes made but unlike most of her predecessors and even some current BCC members I do think her decision making process always involves listening to the Citizens of this county and weighing out what is best for all of us and not just some of us.

Give it a rest...she doesn't deserve your criticism.

 

[John G]

Have to disagree with you on Sara. I'm sure she does all sorts of wonderful things for certain people. That's the top layer, but dig a little deeper and there will be some stink.

Instead of protecting the County from the long standing history of corruption, she has chosen to protect herself from embarrassment and possible ethical and / or criminal violations. Thus, no talking, no depo.

I hope you are correct and that one day the courts will in fact force her to answer those tough questions she has fought so hard to avoid...

If she's part of the solution, rather than the problem (as you've stated), then she'll have no problem, Swearing Under Oath and providing testimony in a deposition, correct?

 

[Patriot Games]

At the last BCC meeting there was a citizen wanting to deal with a beach easement issue and his attorneys asked the board multiple times if they had any questions and she just sat there. When it came time to vote, I couldn't believe she said I am voting no because I have so many questions????!!!!! Why didn't you ask them commissioner???This is a constant pattern with her. Also please search Robert Nelson under the minutes and see how many things Comander has tried to nominate that guy for.....it's a lot. If he is a big of idiot as misty suggests he is (I don't know him), why is she always trying to stick him in positions within the county. I think he must do her dirty work from the posts I've read on here. Some of us actually watch the BCC videos and see the crap that does and doesn't happen. We need more leaders who aren't political, Sara is about Sara's image.
Ask the poor souls who begged for her help in driftwood, my sister lives in there and says she won't even meet with their board of directors to talk about solutions even though they put their lawsuits on hold at the county's request. (See legal matrix post) She made driftwood about her beef with Osborne and left the 700+ other lot owners out to dry. The only commissioner who has returned my sisters calls is Meadows and it's not even in her district. Between the questions they don't ask at the BCC meetings, I'd say commissioner Comander and Jones are peas from the same pod.......either dumb, political puppets or god forbid both.

 

[Misty]

Patriot Games wrote;

Also please search Robert Nelson under the minutes and see how many things Comander has tried to nominate that guy for.....it's a lot. If he is a big of idiot as misty suggests he is (I don't know him), why is she always trying to stick him in positions within the county. I think he must do her dirty work from the posts I've read on here.

I know Sara and Nelson are friends and to be honest with you, I just don't get it. I know she is aware of things he has done to people...sorta like the stunt his daughter pulled here trying to expose Osborne's' ex-wife in conjunction with Sara being exonerated of violations of Osborne's' civil rights in his suit against the County. Ms. Nelson felt "somebody done somebody wrong" (her daddy) (song by B.J. Tomas) and to even the score she was going to "expose" Mr. Osborne's' dirty little secrets. Problem is, one thing had nothing to do with the other and Osborne pretty much ruined his own reputation and didn't need any help from the Nelsons' "investigative skills" (IE) the ability to dig up dirt on the internet or from public records on citizens to cause embarrassment or harm. Sara knows he has done it and at the very least, she is well aware of the attempt made here.

I am also aware Sara has nominated Nelson for a slew of positions/honorary titles/boards whatever, and I don't get that either. I'm just thankful that the rest of the BCC doesn't hold Nelson in the same high esteem and to be honest, neither does the rest of the County because Nelson simply isn't "electable" and has failed at every office he has run for. That's a good thing. I think everyone in this County knows that if you want to dig up dirt on someone Nelson is your "go-to" guy. Problem is, private citizens are off limits and Nelson just doesn't seem to comprehend that. The "man " (that term used very loosely) will even use children as a means to further someone's agenda.

With that said, I don't pick Sara's friends, she doesn't pick mine and I'm grateful that the only time Nelson, Sara and I have ever been in the same room together is at BCC meetings. I think her association/friendship with Nelson will eventually come back to bite her in the a$$ but it is obviously a risk she is willing to take. When you lay down with dogs you do eventually end up with fleas. Lesson soon learned I'm sure.

She made driftwood about her beef with Osborne and left the 700+ other lot owners out to dry. The only commissioner who has returned my sisters calls is Meadows and it's not even in her district.

I'm not sure how much legal expertise you have and I'm no lawyer by any stretch but is it safe to assume that because of on-going litigation Sara's hands were/are tied by the attorney's involved? That's kind of a catch 22, if she says or does anything it could, in turn be used against the county. Where I'm from that is called self preservation or CYOA...cover your own a$$. I think everyone (including the County) agrees that the Driftwood Estate issue needs to be resolved and probably would have been if Osborne had not turned this into a 3 ring circus. We don't agree that Sara made this about "her beef with Osborne". Osborne did that all by himself when he accused Sara of violating his civil rights, the other 700 + lot owners were a casualty of his 7 to 10 year beef with the County. That's unfortunate and needs to be rectified.

I'd say commissioner Comander and Jones are peas from the same pod.......either dumb, political puppets or god forbid both.

If you knew both of them personally, you would know that simply isn't true. IMO, Jones is in it for what will benefit herself and family financially. On the other hand, Sara has used her own personal resources to benefit the Citizens in the Community even before she was elected as a Commissioner and continues to offer her own resources to help others when and where it's needed. If you have ever been on the receiving end of Sara's random acts of kindness you would know she doesn't ask for anything in return....not even your vote. It's done simply because its her nature to help where she can.

Again, I don't agree with everything Ms. Comander has said or done as a Commissioner but as a human being with a ton of compassion for her Community she rates in the top 10 of people I call "my friend". I don't have to like her friends but I'm honored to call her mine.

 

[Patriot Games]

Misty,
I can appreciate you are friends with her and seem to know many on the board personally. Friendships tend to create biases and that explains a lot of you and Andy A's perspective on Comander. However, I am not friends with her or Jones nor any of the board members for that matter, so I can only look at them as county leadership.
From that point, I'll side with my sister and her neighbors in Driftwood that if Comander won't help right the wrongs that were done in their neighborhood, because as you say she is covering her on a$$ and the county a$$. She is just wrong. That's the largest single neighborhood in her district and if lawyers are the reason the commissioners won't act, then they all need to go. They continue to build in Driftwood today
The county as you say, "knows" that the issues need to be resolved, then resolve them and admit that it was done wrong to begin with and stop doing it. Commissioners are supposed to do what's best for the people and lawyering up over mistakes made is not in the people's best interest. Self preservation over what's right and what's wrong is not a quality I seek in my local officials. Comander NEVER should have written an e-mail directing legal staff not to advertise a public hearing because she didn't want a particular citizen to come. No defending that in an open government.
My uncle died when I was seven from having agent orange sprayed on him repeatedly as a teenager in Vietnam, sadly just one year after his death the government came clean and admitted they had done what they denied for years. It was too late for him to get cancer screening and treatment.
My sister showed me pictures from google earth that their HOA board has of the slime growing in the bay from the untreated runoff from Driftwood and Sandestin. You can check it out yourself, check 2003 pictures(none there) and then check 2015 and you will see what fertilizer and nitrates are doing to the bay. Look at the west side where all the pipes dump in the bay and you will see the black growth. Sad, really when the symbol of Walton county says pride and preservation in it.

I agree with some of what you say in your posts misty and some I do not, but quite honestly from what I've read over the past few years, friendships, relationships, and families seem to dominate Walton County problems with local government. The constitution doesn't cover any of those factors, but they exist here in Walton County and dominate the actions that affect all citizens. I wish more people were as concerned about that as they are over the flag issue at the court house lawn........

 

[Misty]

Patriot Games wrote;

I can appreciate you are friends with her and seem to know many on the board personally. Friendships tend to create biases and that explains a lot of you and Andy A's perspective on Comander.

Hold up... I knew Sara long before she ever became a County Commissioner. I've never met Andy A. His opinions are his own, as are mine. Sara would also be the first to tell you that if she voted on or approved something I felt was out of line with the best interests of our Community that I'd be the very first person to call her out on it publicly. She would also tell you that my tongue lashings against poorly made BCC decisions are anything but kind. She has seen me angry and will also tell you very matter of fact, that I haven't always handled my anger directed at BCC members as appropriately as perhaps I should have, herself included. But, she will also tell you that those issues I have spoken out about (no matter how ill tempered I was) I was right in what I was fighting for or against.

I only know who Jones is because I fought to keep her husband off the School Board and didn't appreciate his threats. The rest of the BCC I know only as acquaintances or from their tenure as a BCC member.

From that point, I'll side with my sister and her neighbors in Driftwood that if Comander won't help right the wrongs that were done in their neighborhood, because as you say she is covering her on a$$ and the county a$$.

I did not say she was covering her a$$, I said the County attorney and or other attorney's involved were covering the County's a$$ and preventing contact with someone trying to sue the crap out of them just makes legal sense. Just because it makes legal sense doesn't necessarily mean it makes moral sense. For whatever it's worth to you, I agree with the homeowners in Driftwood Estates and I conceded the issues need to be rectified. I don't agree with Osborne turning the issues for Driftwood Estates into his own personal civil rights case. Huge difference between that and what's going on in your neighborhood.

They continue to build in Driftwood today

To that all I can say is, BUYER BEWARE! It was also my understanding that the County has agreed to address the issues. If they have not done so, my guess would be because of the pending litigation. I hope Driftwood does get the resolution they seek.

I agree with some of what you say in your posts misty and some I do not, but quite honestly from what I've read over the past few years, friendships, relationships, and families seem to dominate Walton County problems with local government. The constitution doesn't cover any of those factors, but they exist here in Walton County and dominate the actions that affect all citizens. I wish more people were as concerned about that as they are over the flag issue at the court house lawn........

Complete agreement. Far bigger issues facing this County than a damn flag.

 

[Danny Glidewell]

I do not agree with Sara Commander on everything. But I have lived in this county all of my life and have been around and involved in its politics for all my adult life. She is one of the minority of officials that I truly believe tries to place the public's interest first and foremost and votes for what she thinks is right. And I have always been able to talk with her, both as a citizen and as an employee and believe that she was listening to me. You will never find a public official that you agree with 100% unless you are the official in question. The best you can usually do is find someone who will listen and vote their conscience instead of someone's financial interests.