Where to Start
I am no expert, but if I were faced with a concern about an official's action, One might try to learn more about their "personal" business to start. This may lead you to a "what" they have done, and a "why" (i.e. reason) they did it.
In order to identify potential "questionable behavior"of a government official or employee, a good place to start is to find what what a particular official/employee owns in terms of real estate and corporations in the state of Florida. This purpose is to learn more about what "business interests" the county official or employee has in our state and county. What you are searching for is "background" information.
If you have a particular official/employee in mind, then first search the Official Records held by the county Clerk of the Court at www.clerkofcourts.co.walton.fl.us . There you can search by the persons name and see all of the records contained in the Official Records that pertain to the individual. Here you can find any property sales or purchases and potentially any other "agreements" involving the person that for some reason or another are required to be recorded in the county's official records.
Next, go to the Florida Division of Corporations web site and search for Corporations in which the county official or employee is a "Officer" of a corporation or a "Member" in Limited Liability Company (LLC). Here is the site: www.sunbiz.org - Document Searches .
If you find any corporations in which the official or employee is an officer, you then go back to the county records and search on the Corporation name so see if they are involved in any "transactions" in the county records. Also, you may want to note any other officers that own a corporation with a county official or employee and search for them in the county records.
Also, if you find that the official is an officer of a corporation, I would also suggest that you search all of the County's BCC meeting minutes records, planning and zoning meeting minutes records, etc to see if the person/corporation/LLC is ever referenced there. Here is the site to visit to search these county documents: Walton County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes Online
All of this will help you identify any potential business transactions in which a county employee or official had in the county. Then you can go from there by requesting records from the county government officials and departments that pertain to these particular transactions.
It takes a lot of work, but you might turn up something, then maybe not. I am a believer in always trying to focus more on "why" a government employee gets themselves involved in questionable behavior versus the actual "what" of their act. The why is always more interesting, and may lead you to others who are involved and benefiting as well.
This takes time and patience just like a big 2000 piece puzzle. And you should note something, if you visit the sites mentioned above and turn up nothing, trying going back to the same sites a couple days later and reperforming the searches. You would be surprised of the state and county records that are electronically "buried" and unfindable the first time, but "show up" a few days later.
Good luck and be careful not to let people know what you are doing until the picture in the puzzle you are putting together starts to get clearer.
If people find out that you are on the "hunt" to find out more about their questionable behavior, they will try to cover their "tracks" even more or attempt to throw you off their scent.
Remember "Loose lips sink ships". (I hate cliche's, but this one is helpful to remember.)
We need new leaders in Walton County. Think about that when you go to vote. We need a change with honest people. To many side deals going on. There's a lot of you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours going on. Walton County needs to be investigated in all areas. Who can help?
I am no expert, but if I were faced with a concern about an official's action, One might try to learn more about their "personal" business to start. This may lead you to a "what" they have done, and a "why" (i.e. reason) they did it.
In order to identify potential "questionable behavior"of a government official or employee, a good place to start is to find what what a particular official/employee owns in terms of real estate and corporations in the state of Florida. This purpose is to learn more about what "business interests" the county official or employee has in our state and county. What you are searching for is "background" information.
If you have a particular official/employee in mind, then first search the Official Records held by the county Clerk of the Court at www.clerkofcourts.co.walton.fl.us . There you can search by the persons name and see all of the records contained in the Official Records that pertain to the individual. Here you can find any property sales or purchases and potentially any other "agreements" involving the person that for some reason or another are required to be recorded in the county's official records.
Next, go to the Florida Division of Corporations web site and search for Corporations in which the county official or employee is a "Officer" of a corporation or a "Member" in Limited Liability Company (LLC). Here is the site: www.sunbiz.org - Document Searches .
If you find any corporations in which the official or employee is an officer, you then go back to the county records and search on the Corporation name so see if they are involved in any "transactions" in the county records. Also, you may want to note any other officers that own a corporation with a county official or employee and search for them in the county records.
Also, if you find that the official is an officer of a corporation, I would also suggest that you search all of the County's BCC meeting minutes records, planning and zoning meeting minutes records, etc to see if the person/corporation/LLC is ever referenced there. Here is the site to visit to search these county documents: Walton County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes Online
All of this will help you identify any potential business transactions in which a county employee or official had in the county. Then you can go from there by requesting records from the county government officials and departments that pertain to these particular transactions.
It takes a lot of work, but you might turn up something, then maybe not. I am a believer in always trying to focus more on "why" a government employee gets themselves involved in questionable behavior versus the actual "what" of their act. The why is always more interesting, and may lead you to others who are involved and benefiting as well.
This takes time and patience just like a big 2000 piece puzzle. And you should note something, if you visit the sites mentioned above and turn up nothing, trying going back to the same sites a couple days later and reperforming the searches. You would be surprised of the state and county records that are electronically "buried" and unfindable the first time, but "show up" a few days later.
Good luck and be careful not to let people know what you are doing until the picture in the puzzle you are putting together starts to get clearer.
If people find out that you are on the "hunt" to find out more about their questionable behavior, they will try to cover their "tracks" even more or attempt to throw you off their scent.
Remember "Loose lips sink ships". (I hate cliche's, but this one is helpful to remember.)
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