Grand Jury Report on Walton Planning Department

[Danny Glidewell]

Let's get some facts straight.
Somebody has already gotten the personnel file on the person Mrs. Meadows "Got" the job for. Many others were also requested and I understand some of those have been turned over to some tax payers association members to be reviewed. There are lots of questions on many people, I will be interested to hear what bob hudson has to say about it.

The facts on the "Meadows" applicant resume
1. The person works in code enforcement not the planning department.
2. The employee has their Bachelors degree.
3. Has about 10 years of employment with the county and state
4. Worked for years with the Walton County Sheriffs Dept under Ralph Johnson and Mike Adkinson handling public relations and the crimestoppers program.
5. Worked in the front office of state representative Brad Drakes handling citizen issues for several years.
6. Handled citizen issues in Meadows office for several years prior to the code enforcement job.

Since code enforcement is primarily about handling citizen complaints and checking to ensure ordinances are being enforced, It appears the employee wasn't woefully unqualified for the job. I've never worked in code enforcement but this sounds like a good resume to get hired as a code enforcement officer 1.(entry Level on county pay scale)

I do find it interesting that the supervisor who said they "stepped away" from the hiring process was none other the cecilia Jones old aide who she got a job in code enforcement. If he was qualified based on working in cecilia's office, isn't Meadows aide equally qualified? Just Saying...........

Misty, I'm thinking this whole deal was a showdown between Cecilia and Cindy. I wonder if the facts on the employee's resume was presented to the grand jury? Sounds like a lot of employee's have ties to certain commissioners. I have also heard that Hal Laird got his job in the planning dept from Scott Brannon. apparently he and Hal were high school buds. Looks like your childhood buddies can hook you up in Walton County. Have you read the emails between Mike Adkinson and Scott Brannon? Big Buddies again. Throw in Mikes uncle clayton and his cousin clay and you've got a interesting "stew". Oh yeah, the Adkinsons (all of them) and Cecilia cant stand Meadows. Dang Mr. Eddins, It appears we need another grand jury to get ALL the facts out. (Maybe Mr. Eddins can consult with Jerry on how to proceed!!!!!)

We'll have to start a new thread and address how Stan Sunday became the #2 man in the county.

Some of this has to be true, because nobody could make this crap up!

I had no idea who the employee was that they were talking about. But I now have a pretty good idea who it is based on the list of qualifications in this post. If I am right, this person worked for me at the Sheriff's Office and was one of the best employees we had. She worked hard, kept quiet and was highly qualified. She left the SO to work in Rep. Drake's office. She returned to the county when Rep. Drake did not run for re-election in 2012. I cannot believe anyone could have a problem with hiring someone with her education, qualifications and reputation for quality work.

 

[Walton Girl]

Rubber stamped annual reviews with employees all recieving "excellent" evaluations and then failing to perform duties (as uncovered by people outside the county) are nothing more than lit fuses on the promotional rockets strapped to certain "chosen ones" rear ends...

Anyone with any managerial experience knows you dont just check the top score across the board. EVERYONE has room for improvement.

Florida is at At Will Empolyment State. Fired at any time for any reason.

If a County Policy was not followed, then it should be corrected. If you want to talk about violation of County Policy, get ready to open Pandoras Box as the alleged non-use of a "direct department supervisor" argument will go out the window. There are dozens of examples of this but you dont see anyone but the Commissioner they are out to get being named... (at least not yet)...

What about the Road Department Guy in C. Jones' district?

So you honestly believe that if an employee receives "Meets Expectations" or "Exceeds Expectations" marks on their annual reviews that they are rubber stamped or chosen? I have been a citizen of Walton County for 43 years and have always been treated with respect by helpful employees. I can not say the same of the Commissioners. We as citizens must not make quick judgement calls by just what we see but remember these employees work under a microscope. We should remember the pressure they have on them from time to time. We need to follow protocol and contact the hired supervisor not the County Commissioner. There are chains of command and all need to follow them. As citizens, if we do not take care of our employees and allow them to do their jobs without fear of who is elected, we will not have employees capable of getting the job done. I applaud the Grand Jury for recognizing them!!

 

[John G]

Well, it looks as if SoWal and its many posters are to be commended and complemented.

In less than a week, posters have uncovered more that seven (7) months of a farse of a State Attorney and WCSO Grand Jury Investigation. Which is why I said shame on Adkinson and Eddins and I'll say it again. Shame to both of you.

We are starting to learn that most agree that all County Commissioners have used some influence to hire, yet only Com. Meadows is in the spot light. Why?

We learn the William "Bill" Eddins is a close friend of Jerry Jones, husband of Com. C. Jones. All the more reason for this farse of a Grand Jury to have been held OUTSIDE of Walton County. The results would be much different.

We learn that Com C. Jones has taken her little duckling roofer, Jason Catalnao under her wing and attached a rocket to his rear end for upward promotion, to inlcude Code Enforcement Officer, Senior Code Enforcement Officer and now Planner 1, all without any experience... Hum... I believe he also obtained his College Degree AFTER he was employeed with the County, probably on county time too.

We learn that the person targeted by the Grand Jury as "unqualified" for their position, actually is very qualified and should probably be in a much higher position with more responsibility. Didn't need anyone's help getting that job, yet our jurors don't like her much... Probably because she is not related to a Good Ole' Boy or Girl.

We learn that Hal Laird is good buddies with Scott Brannon. Hal Laird is also good buddies with a code enforcement officer, Stephaine Manning.

Hal Larid files his law suit, prior to the Grand Jury Material being released to the public... hum.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the SoWal Jury, I submit to you my conclusions based on the evidence presented to this Court:

I find Bill Eddins and Mike Adkinsion, Guilty of Abuse of Public Office. Why else hasn't the identity of WHO BENEFITED from the "mistake" been released? It wasn't even discussed. The elephant in the room, $800,000.00 unaccounted for and no one cares. Why is there still a tremendous amount of material to be investigated, but no investigation? They don't want you to know who the real criminals are.

I find Bill Eddins guilty of not disclosing a conflict of interest. His friendship with Jerry Jones (a elected commissioners husband) should have been disclosed PRIOR to this Grand Joke, I mean Jury, getting under way. The People could have demanded a change of venue due to the confilct.

I find Walton County Officials and Employees Guilty of Conspiracy. Two or more employees conspired to allow a pattern of criminal activity to thrive and exist for decades. Walton County was built on corrupt practices and it will be those same corrupt practices that tears it down.

I find the prosecuting attorney for the State guilty of negligence. They allowed a Grand Jury investigation to careen off path from a $800,000.00 missing money issue to investigating Human Resource Policy and Procedures... Really? Seven Months of tax payer dollars and that's what you have to show us? Also, the prosecutor is the one who Directs the line of questioning to the witnesses testifying to the jurors. Shame on you prosecutor for allowing this to become the joke that it is.

The Prosecution Rests...

P.S. I also think it was the Kendal Marse case and recent arrest that started the Grand Jury, NOT Mr. Hal finding the mystery memo in a file.

Kendal Marse was a suspect in a Grand Theft from the Planning Department years ago. Wayne Dyess did report it to WCSO and it was briefly investigated, before the investigation was terminated unexpectedly by the case agent (perhaps because her Father in Law was Freeport Mayor at the time?)

Only recently when a new investigator that came to WCSO from FDLE stumbled upon the cold case, did he review it and quickly develop evidence to effect an arrest of Marse. Marse was arrested this summer for Grand Theft. She stold money from the Judkins family... All of you that doubted Judkins, shame on you. They were right. They county is corrupt and now there is a case to prove it.

 

[liz coats]

I don't think that the pope could satisfy the activists on SoWal.

 

[Patriot Games]

I had no idea who the employee was that they were talking about. But I now have a pretty good idea who it is based on the list of qualifications in this post. If I am right, this person worked for me at the Sheriff's Office and was one of the best employees we had. She worked hard, kept quiet and was highly qualified. She left the SO to work in Rep. Drake's office. She returned to the county when Rep. Drake did not run for re-election in 2012. I cannot believe anyone could have a problem with hiring someone with her education, qualifications and reputation for quality work.

Thank you for your personal information Danny, I was betting that somebody in this small county would know the deal on the employee in the grand jury report. Surprised it's you and you post under your own name. So in your opinion if meadows did give a letter of recommendation to the hiring "supervisor" to influence, it would have been warranted given the employee's background and expierence?

Before we "shoot" the grand jury, we must remember that those citizens could only render an opinion on what was presented to them. If only what is in the report was presented, then that's all they could issue an opinion on. Jurors wouldn't have the authority or the knowledge to ask for some of the issues to be presented that have been brought up here. I'm sure all the jurors did their very best, nothing nefarious about sitting on a jury. I've done it in a small case, it all depends on what the lawyers tell you and the judges instructions to the jury.

That being said, I would like to read the transcript of what was presented to the jury by the prosecution.(since there is no defense in a grand jury) That would tell the tale so to speak.............

There is a smell starting to come from this whole circle of influence of Eddins, Adkinsons and the Jones.

 

[Misty]

My neighbor says jerry has threatened many people over the years in and out of the county. They know people that live in Jerry's neighborhood and said after Meadows beat Cecilia in the election, cecilia cried for days and Jerry promised her meadows would get hers. Guess he made good on his promise.

Which neighborhood? They have 2. One in NoWal and the one in District 2.

 

[Patriot Games]

Which neighborhood? They have 2. One in NoWal and the one in District 2.

I thought District 2 was in Nowal.

 

[Misty]

I don't think that the pope could satisfy the activists on SoWal.

You make activism sound like a bad thing.

To steal a quote from Edmund Burke...

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing".

 

[Misty]

I thought District 2 was in Nowal.

Sorry, District 5.

 

[Andy A]

Boy, has this turned into an interesting thread.