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raven316

Beach Lover
Nov 12, 2007
168
37
Athens, GA
It really doesn't serve the county well to have a paternalistic sheriff cultivating an Orwellian society where folks are encouraged to monitor their neighbors and report alleged violations. Trying to enforce "protective" ordinances that go against personal liberty and are so completely antithetical to the beach culture of South Walton is ridiculous! He would do well to follow the lead of many sheriffs across the USA who have pledged to respect Americans' freedom to travel, worship, recreate, etc. -- without surveillance or the threat of interference from government agents.

The constant drumbeat from the news cycle, distorted data, and plain old "ignorance" is feeding an avalanche of nanny-state rules and compliance enforcement. It's time people go back to minding their own business, get control of their emotions -- and stop trying to punish others in an attempt to mitigate their fears.

"Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin
What tripe.
 

Poppaj

SoWal Insider
Oct 9, 2015
8,149
19,902
It really doesn't serve the county well to have a paternalistic sheriff cultivating an Orwellian society where folks are encouraged to monitor their neighbors and report alleged violations. Trying to enforce "protective" ordinances that go against personal liberty and are so completely antithetical to the beach culture of South Walton is ridiculous! He would do well to follow the lead of many sheriffs across the USA who have pledged to respect Americans' freedom to travel, worship, recreate, etc. -- without surveillance or the threat of interference from government agents.

The constant drumbeat from the news cycle, distorted data, and plain old "ignorance" is feeding an avalanche of nanny-state rules and compliance enforcement. It's time people go back to minding their own business, get control of their emotions -- and stop trying to punish others in an attempt to mitigate their fears.

"Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin
That Franklin quote in context means the opposite of what what you are attempting to convey.
He was writing about a tax dispute between the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the family of the Penns, the proprietary family of the Pennsylvania colony who ruled it from afar. And the legislature was trying to tax the Penn family lands to pay for frontier defense during the French and Indian War. And the Penn family kept instructing the governor to veto. Franklin felt that this was a great affront to the ability of the legislature to govern. And so he actually meant purchase a little temporary safety very literally. The Penn family was trying to give a lump sum of money in exchange for the General Assembly's acknowledging that it did not have the authority to tax it.
The quote is actually in support of the authority of government.
 
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bob1

Beach Fanatic
Jun 26, 2010
530
523
It really doesn't serve the county well to have a paternalistic sheriff cultivating an Orwellian society where folks are encouraged to monitor their neighbors and report alleged violations. Trying to enforce "protective" ordinances that go against personal liberty and are so completely antithetical to the beach culture of South Walton is ridiculous! He would do well to follow the lead of many sheriffs across the USA who have pledged to respect Americans' freedom to travel, worship, recreate, etc. -- without surveillance or the threat of interference from government agents.

The constant drumbeat from the news cycle, distorted data, and plain old "ignorance" is feeding an avalanche of nanny-state rules and compliance enforcement. It's time people go back to minding their own business, get control of their emotions -- and stop trying to punish others in an attempt to mitigate their fears.

"Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin
Visiting from Michigan? lol nice first post. Tell us more.
 

ShallowsNole

Beach Fanatic
Jun 22, 2005
4,292
849
Pt Washington
You're kidding yourself. The Sheriff and every other county employee dances to tourist tunes.
As a former county employee married to a retired deputy sheriff...you couldn't be more wrong. The TDC is supposed to make visitors happy. The rest of us just try to deal with the chaos.
 

bob1

Beach Fanatic
Jun 26, 2010
530
523
As a former county employee married to a retired deputy sheriff...you couldn't be more wrong. The TDC is supposed to make visitors happy. The rest of us just try to deal with the chaos.
County employees can pretend they don't work for tourists and the tourism industry but that doesn't make it true. The BCC is owned by business, which is tourism and everything related including retail, restaurants, services, real estate and development. The South Walton Small business lobby bought the BCC and calls the shots.
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,241
9,277
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
County employees can pretend they don't work for tourists and the tourism industry but that doesn't make it true. The BCC is owned by business, which is tourism and everything related including retail, restaurants, services, real estate and development. The South Walton Small business lobby bought the BCC and calls the shots.
All true.
However I am following the Sheriff and his actions and words. While our BCC is opening beaches and encouraging people to travel here in the peak of a pandemic, I do see the Sheriff doing his part to discourage travel here and enforce rules and guidelines. I really appreciate it.

I have heard and read the words of some of our Walton County Commissioners. Sharing some cut and paste crap about ending stay at home orders because we are making our essential workers do all the work while we stay home and do nothing. I am sad that this is who we are in Walton County. But the Sheriff was at the meeting giving real data and real talk about what will happen once we open up beaches, rentals and businesses as usual. Again, I really appreciate it. A lone voice of reason with the mission to serve and protect our community.

I have a new respect and appreciation for our Sheriff's department. I haven't always agreed with his stance or methods. But I think he's all we have going for us at the moment in a position of leadership in a county where we have very few leaders. And in a beach town where literally no one is in charge besides the TDC. In times like these leadership is everything.
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,241
9,277
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
Sheriff Department depends on citizen reports of short term rentals violations.

Excerpt:

“It’s getting out of hand,” Adkinson said.

But, he added, “we can’t deal with it if we don’t know about it.”

“If you don’t live or own property here, you’re not supposed to be here,” Adkinson said.

“The only people who should be on the beach right now are property owners or local residents,” he added.

...throughout recent days, Adkinson has expressed concern about that, pointing out that people may be coming into the county from “hot spots” — areas of the country where COVID-19 is more widespread than in other areas of the country.

...In the March 27 order, DeSantis noted that “many cases of COVID-19 in Florida have resulted from individuals coming into the state of Florida from international travel and other states, posing great risk to Florida residents.”

....During his now-weekly Thursday “Sheriff Live” interactive social media livestream broadcast, Adkinson provided the office’s administrative phone number (892-8186), and its non-emergency phone number (892-8111), as a means for people with information on potential violations of the short-term rental ban to contact the sheriff’s office.

Violation of the short-term rental ban is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a jail term of up to 60 days and a fine of up to $500.

“We put a group of 15 out from New York last week,” the sheriff said Thursday.

The sheriff’s office also “took care of another one (alleged vacation rental violation) from Tennessee,” Adkinson said, adding that a couple of cases likely are headed for prosecution....”
 

Jim Tucker

Beach Fanatic
Jul 12, 2005
1,189
497
pointing out that people may be coming into the county from “hot spots” — areas of the country where COVID-19 is more widespread than in other areas of the country.
I think that is every city in our southern drive market to begin with.
 

RL41

Beach Lover
Mar 8, 2019
54
38
48
30A
Sheriff Department depends on citizen reports of short term rentals violations.

Excerpt:

“It’s getting out of hand,” Adkinson said.

But, he added, “we can’t deal with it if we don’t know about it.”

“If you don’t live or own property here, you’re not supposed to be here,” Adkinson said.

“The only people who should be on the beach right now are property owners or local residents,” he added.

...throughout recent days, Adkinson has expressed concern about that, pointing out that people may be coming into the county from “hot spots” — areas of the country where COVID-19 is more widespread than in other areas of the country.

...In the March 27 order, DeSantis noted that “many cases of COVID-19 in Florida have resulted from individuals coming into the state of Florida from international travel and other states, posing great risk to Florida residents.”

....During his now-weekly Thursday “Sheriff Live” interactive social media livestream broadcast, Adkinson provided the office’s administrative phone number (892-8186), and its non-emergency phone number (892-8111), as a means for people with information on potential violations of the short-term rental ban to contact the sheriff’s office.

Violation of the short-term rental ban is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a jail term of up to 60 days and a fine of up to $500.

“We put a group of 15 out from New York last week,” the sheriff said Thursday.

The sheriff’s office also “took care of another one (alleged vacation rental violation) from Tennessee,” Adkinson said, adding that a couple of cases likely are headed for prosecution....”


This is crazy. Why the hell can't people just stay away?
 
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