An American idiom, used widely in the United States to express gratitude to the military for defending "personal freedoms".
Sometimes I get caught up in my own thoughts and all day long I've thought about that idiom as it relates to county employees, not Administration! Administration seems to be exempt from the rules that all other county employees must play by but I'm sure it's nothing personal right? (That's a rhetorical question.)
I'm grateful for Commissioner Nippers service as it relates to this Country but I'm really having a hard time wrapping my brain around the personal freedoms that she's fought for versus the personal freedoms her actions on the Constangy contract have cost County employees. If memory serves, Ms. Nipper had to fight this County (she sued) for her personal freedom to operate a skydiving business on her own land and she won! She also campaigned on the promise of open, honest government, operated in the sunshine yet, every time she has had a prime opportunity to effect meaningful change, she has voted to go with the status quo.
Ms. Nipper supported/encouraged DeDe Hinote to come forward and tell her story about the harassment/discrimination she has endured under Cecilia Jones. Most of us know Cecilia Jones is guilty of not only those allegations but of micromanaging county business which the Grand Jury Investigation instructed BCC members not to do in 2015. We also know that the so called "Independent Investigation" was nothing short of a fiasco with the very people the allegations were made against LEADING the investigation!
Maybe Ms. Nipper really doesn't understand the ramifications of what she's done but she has effectively prevented any current or future employees from bringing allegations of wrongdoing into the Sunshine because they now know that the cards are stacked against them and any future investigations will have the same outcome favoring BCC actions over truth, honesty and open government...personal freedom to be free from on the job harassment and discrimination be damned!!
I'm also shocked that she attempted the defend the County in regard to background checks not being done on prospective employees when she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the County did not do a background check on Mac Carpenter who is partly responsible for the City of Defuniak losing almost 2 million dollars in revenue for his failure to notify other Council members of information he was privy to about the letters from State Auditors that the Mayor received on numerous occasions. While he certainly isn't allowed to talk to them individually he could well have brought the information up at any Council meeting yet instead, he downplayed those letters by saying "every City get's them".
Ms. Nipper also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he worked in the planning department when almost a million dollars went missing or was never collected under Pat Blackshear and your nemesis Bill Imfield and you know (because I made sure she got the paper work) that he had a less than ethical background check, a piss poor driving record and past drug charges that should have prevented his employment and he LIED on his county application by not disclosing he had previously been reprimanded & suspended by the City of Defuniak. Yet, she ranked him at the top to give him the job and pushed Cecilia Jones and Tony Anderson to follow previous protocols in hiring practices by hiring the next highest ranked applicant.
Whether or not Ms. Nipper knew about Bill Williams (Triumph Liaison) and the ethcis complaints that were filed against him in another County or not, the fact is he has the ethics and morals of an alley cat...purchasing cigars on the County dime (yes he was made to reimburse the County) but it should never have been an issue if we had open honest government.
Last but NOT least in regard to the County hiring practices...the County is NOT in the business of offering "redemption" or "grace" by giving jobs to convicted felons so they can steal from the taxpayers! WCFR and EMT background checks as well as DRUG TESTING are CRUCIAL to the safety and well being of ALL citizens in Walton County and should have been mandatory!! Defending our country is admirable Ms. Nipper but it starts in your own backyard!
Unlike you @Wouldnt You Like To Know, I sent Ms. Nipper and email prior to writing this so she is well aware of my feelings on this subject. I also gave her ample opportunity to respond prior to posting this. Ms. Nipper's silence speaks volumes!
I'm just gobsmacked that defending personal freedom for your country isn't just as important as defending it for the constituents and fellow employees Ms. Nipper was elected to serve!
Sometimes I get caught up in my own thoughts and all day long I've thought about that idiom as it relates to county employees, not Administration! Administration seems to be exempt from the rules that all other county employees must play by but I'm sure it's nothing personal right? (That's a rhetorical question.)
I'm grateful for Commissioner Nippers service as it relates to this Country but I'm really having a hard time wrapping my brain around the personal freedoms that she's fought for versus the personal freedoms her actions on the Constangy contract have cost County employees. If memory serves, Ms. Nipper had to fight this County (she sued) for her personal freedom to operate a skydiving business on her own land and she won! She also campaigned on the promise of open, honest government, operated in the sunshine yet, every time she has had a prime opportunity to effect meaningful change, she has voted to go with the status quo.
Ms. Nipper supported/encouraged DeDe Hinote to come forward and tell her story about the harassment/discrimination she has endured under Cecilia Jones. Most of us know Cecilia Jones is guilty of not only those allegations but of micromanaging county business which the Grand Jury Investigation instructed BCC members not to do in 2015. We also know that the so called "Independent Investigation" was nothing short of a fiasco with the very people the allegations were made against LEADING the investigation!
Maybe Ms. Nipper really doesn't understand the ramifications of what she's done but she has effectively prevented any current or future employees from bringing allegations of wrongdoing into the Sunshine because they now know that the cards are stacked against them and any future investigations will have the same outcome favoring BCC actions over truth, honesty and open government...personal freedom to be free from on the job harassment and discrimination be damned!!
I'm also shocked that she attempted the defend the County in regard to background checks not being done on prospective employees when she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the County did not do a background check on Mac Carpenter who is partly responsible for the City of Defuniak losing almost 2 million dollars in revenue for his failure to notify other Council members of information he was privy to about the letters from State Auditors that the Mayor received on numerous occasions. While he certainly isn't allowed to talk to them individually he could well have brought the information up at any Council meeting yet instead, he downplayed those letters by saying "every City get's them".
Ms. Nipper also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he worked in the planning department when almost a million dollars went missing or was never collected under Pat Blackshear and your nemesis Bill Imfield and you know (because I made sure she got the paper work) that he had a less than ethical background check, a piss poor driving record and past drug charges that should have prevented his employment and he LIED on his county application by not disclosing he had previously been reprimanded & suspended by the City of Defuniak. Yet, she ranked him at the top to give him the job and pushed Cecilia Jones and Tony Anderson to follow previous protocols in hiring practices by hiring the next highest ranked applicant.
Whether or not Ms. Nipper knew about Bill Williams (Triumph Liaison) and the ethcis complaints that were filed against him in another County or not, the fact is he has the ethics and morals of an alley cat...purchasing cigars on the County dime (yes he was made to reimburse the County) but it should never have been an issue if we had open honest government.
Last but NOT least in regard to the County hiring practices...the County is NOT in the business of offering "redemption" or "grace" by giving jobs to convicted felons so they can steal from the taxpayers! WCFR and EMT background checks as well as DRUG TESTING are CRUCIAL to the safety and well being of ALL citizens in Walton County and should have been mandatory!! Defending our country is admirable Ms. Nipper but it starts in your own backyard!
Unlike you @Wouldnt You Like To Know, I sent Ms. Nipper and email prior to writing this so she is well aware of my feelings on this subject. I also gave her ample opportunity to respond prior to posting this. Ms. Nipper's silence speaks volumes!
I'm just gobsmacked that defending personal freedom for your country isn't just as important as defending it for the constituents and fellow employees Ms. Nipper was elected to serve!
