Walton BCC Starts New Beach Ambassador program

[SoWal Staff]

Walton County, December 14, 2023 – The Walton County Board of County Commissioners took up the issue of the Beach Ambassador program and heard a proposal from Audie Rowell, Chief of Operations for the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).

Chief Rowell explained that WCSO had worked with county staff and Tourism Department staff to craft a plan for implementing a new Beach Ambassador program. He said they had collectively agreed on a proposal that features a full-time, year-round group, consisting of 10 people, along with a second volunteer group whose numbers could vary. The full-time group would be under the authority of the WCSO, while the volunteer group would operate under the Tourism Department.

Chief Rowell said the full-time group would be traversing the beaches “meeting with different folks along the way, educating them about visiting the beach and how that operates in our county.”

He said the second group would supplement what the first group would be doing. “They could stand at certain beach accesses, hand out information and talk to people, educating them as to the rules of visiting the beaches in Walton County. The Sheriff’s Office would be responsible for educating and training all of the Beach Ambassadors,” he said. “That way we have a consistent message.”

Commissioner Tony Anderson made a motion to approve the plan, seconded by Commissioner Danny Glidewell.

South Walton resident Suzanne Harris asked Chief Rowell to define the role and specific duties of the volunteer Ambassadors.

Rowell said, “The Beach Ambassadors are not law enforcement. They have no enforcement authority, and they would not be involved in anything to do with removing anybody from any parcel or any portion of the beach. They are strictly for education. Period. If there is a problem, then they’ll have communication with a deputy sheriff and a deputy sheriff will come over there and handle it.”

The commissioners then voted unanimously to pass the proposal.

 

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Account Suspended

By DOTTY NIST

A plan for an expanded Walton County Beach Ambassador Program has been approved, providing for two different groups of ambassadors, one under the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and one under the Walton County Tourism Department.

At the regular Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting on Dec. 12 at the Walton County Courthouse, the commissioners approved the plan after a presentation by Audie Rowell, chief of operations for the WCSO.

The beach ambassador program has been operating under Walton County Code Compliance since May 2022 with current staffing reported at two full-time beach ambassadors and approximately 20 seasonal ambassadors during the summer months. The recently-approved plan would remove the program from code compliance.

Previously, on Nov. 28, the BCC had given direction for Matt Algarin, Walton County tourism director, and Brian Kellenberger, Walton County beach operations director, to get together with WCSO personnel to work out a proposed structure and basic operation for an expanded beach ambassador program, with resulting information to be brought back to the BCC for consideration.

Speaking to the BCC on Dec. 12, Rowell thanked the commissioners for their “unwavering support for public safety.”

He reported that there had been a successful meeting between WCSO and tourism department personnel the previous week—and that there had been collective agreement on a proposal, “that I think will work best for everybody, including the citizens and visitors that come to Walton County….”

The proposal called for two different beach ambassador groups, one under the WCSO with 10 full-time beach ambassadors, and one under the tourism department consisting of volunteers.

Rowell explained that the WCSO ambassador group would be tasked with traversing “up and down the beach,” meeting with people along the way, and educating them about “visiting the beach and how that operates.”

The volunteer group, he continued, would be stationed at public beach accesses to supplement those efforts by handing out information, talking to people, and educating them about the rules of visiting the beaches in Walton County.

Rowell said there was agreement that 10 people would be a good number to start with for the full-time ambassador group. He did not specify a number for the volunteer group.

Rowell noted that, with the plan worked out, the WCSO would be responsible for educating and training all beach ambassadors, both full-time and volunteer. “That way,” he said, “we have a consistent message out on the beach…”

Walton County District 5 Commissioner Tony Anderson motioned for approval of the plan, and District 2 Commissioner Danny Glidewell seconded.

In response to a public comment question from Miramar Beach resident Suzanne Harris, Rowell clarified that neither the full-time nor the volunteer beach ambassadors would be tasked with law enforcement.

“They have no law enforcement authority; they would not be involved in anything to do with removing anybody from any parcel, or any portion of the beach,” he said.

“They’re there strictly for education, period;” Rowell said of the ambassadors, “if there is a problem, then they’ll have communication with the deputy sheriff.” He explained that a deputy would then come to the location to handle the conflict.

Harris asked if it would be the deputy who would make a determination whether the property the person was on was public or private beach.

“That’s correct;” Rowell said, “beach ambassadors will not make those decisions. They are strictly civilian…”

With that understood, Harris voiced her support, saying that this would be a “great program.”

No other attendee came forward to provide public comment.

With a vote taken on Anderson’s motion, it was approved unanimously.

 

[James Bentwood]

10 full time employees to" traverse up and down the beach educating them about “visiting the beach and how that operates.”
SMDH

 

[Matt J]

10 full time employees to" traverse up and down the beach educating them about “visiting the beach and how that operates.”
SMDH

Full time with benefits and everything, who says the private beachers aren't job creators? Maybe all the staff from rentals and restaurants will have a job now.