I thought the Bay County TDC had pulled in the reins on its top gestapo (sp) leader? Didn't they have a big blow up last year and the public took a stand?
New big blue signs in SoWal
- Thread starter shesgottasurf
- Start date
-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
We need one here.....although I know some of the board members, they are fine people, I think they need to step aside or admit they have lost touch with the most popular asset the TDC has......the 30A area.
The guidelines the TDC used were the MUTCD guidelines, not Florida law. You may have missed it, but when I asked Mr. Mares at the end of one of his long explanations of why the signs were "required" to be blue if by required he meant they legally had to follow the guidelines he was referencing, or if they the TDC chose an optional guideline. He admitted that they were not legally bound to follow the guidelines.
As Eileen, who was sitting next to me, whispered to me -- In marketing, you start with an appropriate and attractive concept, and then give it to the engineers to make it work, not the other way around.
Darn. Yes I do happen to be holding a copy of it. Had at 9AM the next morning. If nothing else, getting public records from the BCC has got to be the easiest thing anyone can do. I was going to send it to Aleonard to help in her quest, but never mind now.
For anyone else trying to look into things, making the request to Walton County Legal Department is the quickest way to get a response. They have the knowledge to 'splain things in a way that illicits a quick response.
OMG -- Everyone on that list is going to get GOP spam!
Thanks, Punzy. I apologize if I misunderstood Mr Mares, but I could swear that at least one time in the meeting, he said the signs were "designed around the FDOT guidelines." I should have videotaped the meeting.
Yes. Many of the TDC board are friends of Walton County and upstanding individuals. Lack of full transparency in reporting to them may have occurred. A few members are not in tune. A resolution to this problem may occur with recent exposure of defects.
Oh, he did. I don't dispute that. I took careful notes, because all along I figured if Amelia Island and Key Biscayne can have beautiful wayfinding signage, it couldn't be legally required that the signs be industrial/commercial monstrosities. He said they had to work within the FDOT and the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices). Mr. Mares verbage was carefully constructed to make it seem as if the signs were legally mandated, but if you listened carefully you could pick out that the more atrocious aspects of the signs were guidelines from the MUTCD. That's why I asked if they were legally required to follow the MUTCD.
I'd be curious to know if this company (that wasn't the lowest bidder, correct SJ?) that specializes in these MUTCD compliant signs doesn't have some political and lobbying ties. I find it interesting that Ft. Walton Beach has almost the same signs when the TDC is insisting this is about "branding" the beaches.
Thanks for the clarification, Punzy. I am reading up on the MUTCD right now, which guidelines do call for blue background on the tourist directional signs. (Interesting, since FL DOT is more open.)
Regarding low bidder for these signs, I don't know. I do know that the bid for the additional 119 signs for the Timpoochie Trail, plus the however many (maybe 17) mile marker signs was not given to the low bidder. The BCC chose to go with a company out of Niceville (I think), whose bid was $190,000 (I think -- going from memory here), which was about $30K more than the low bid and $40K more than budgeted. The BCC stated that the reason they chose the Niceville company was because they were "local" and would be more familiar with the area. I'm not sure why that would matter since I understood Mr Marse, at the meeting the other night, to say that he, personally, had selected the placement of signs.
Regarding low bidder for these signs, I don't know. I do know that the bid for the additional 119 signs for the Timpoochie Trail, plus the however many (maybe 17) mile marker signs was not given to the low bidder. The BCC chose to go with a company out of Niceville (I think), whose bid was $190,000 (I think -- going from memory here), which was about $30K more than the low bid and $40K more than budgeted. The BCC stated that the reason they chose the Niceville company was because they were "local" and would be more familiar with the area. I'm not sure why that would matter since I understood Mr Marse, at the meeting the other night, to say that he, personally, had selected the placement of signs.
Last edited:
Y'all are right, these are good people on the TDC board. Some are out of touch, but they didn't sign up for what's now happening. When they were approached about serving on the board, I'm sure the discussion went something like "it's just for one hour a month, all you have to do is oversee the paid staff's direction and serve as a resource for them." What they didn't count on was the controversy over the signs blowing up and driving the public into calling for explanations and more oversight.
Most of these board members are reasonable folks and they believe that the signs should be taken down. It is time for these board members to speak up and deliver a message to the paid staff that enough is enough- take down the signs and start over, cooperate with the residents and visitors to South Walton. The board needs to remember that it directs the paid staff, not the other way around.
Then we can move on and start a full, independent accounting of the TDC and bring in new leadership.
I agree with you, except the members were approached to show up for one hour a month. Most of the board, are on other boards or have served other boards before. They knew the possibilities of controversy might crop up, as with any board, and I admire them for that. Hopefully, they will be reasonable and see where we are coming from.