You Were So Wrong Bcc Co-chair Bill Chapman

[Kaydence]

County Government has been slowly chipping away and their constituents rights to redress their government for many years and it started with their 3 minute rule. I recognize those meetings can become long and arduous but isn't that what the BCC was elected to do? Listen to the people who elected them?

At Tuesday's BCC meeting Bill Chapman took a citizen (Bernadette Canut) to task and ripped into her for attempting to share her thoughts which were well written and thought out because he simply did not agree with her taking Bobby Martin to task for his part in the growing conflict with FIRE/EMS and the how the BCC has handled or not handled the issue. Mr. Chapman failed to recognize Bernadette Canut's First Amendment rights to free speech and the right to redress the Government of their grievances.

Sorry Bill Chapman, you showed your proverbial a$$ because you didn't want to turn control of FIRE/EMS over to the Sheriff. Regardless of which side of the issue you are on, regardless of how anyone may feel about the job Bobby Martin has or has not done for WCFR, no one has a greater stake in the issue than the families of those firefighters who showed up to speak or the firefighters themselves.

Sara Comander also would not allow DJ Mosley to speak on the second portion of his comments even though the Chair agreed to hear the issues one at a time. That (in my opinion) was also personal and should not have gone down that way.

The BCC demands respect from its Citizens but Citizens are not shown the same respect when its an issue the BCC does not want to hear. That has got to change! Vote em out!

As a side note: A special Magistrate IS NOT going to make this any better!

 

[John G]

It sounds like there are two divided sides over this Bobby Martin and his leadership.

What are some of the issues people have / had with him?

What are some of the good points people like about him?

I'm trying to learn a bit more because it sounds like there is / was a lot more to this than funding...

I'm glad that the men and women of NWFD have better morale now, but I'm also concerned about how long that might actually last if someone at WCSO doesn't find a magic wand and fix everything...

 

[Kaydence]

www.facebook.com/DanielleEllisWJHG/videos/756898497803590/

 

[Kaydence]

It sounds like there are two divided sides over this Bobby Martin and his leadership.

What are some of the issues people have / had with him?

What are some of the good points people like about him?

I'm trying to learn a bit more because it sounds like there is / was a lot more to this than funding...

I'm glad that the men and women of NWFD have better morale now, but I'm also concerned about how long that might actually last if someone at WCSO doesn't find a magic wand and fix everything...

There was allot more to it than just funding; living conditions, black mold, moral, leadership or lack thereof, and yes there are any number of issues that require funding.

I'm not going to bash on Bobby Martin, I never worked for the man but I can tell you that when I asked when the last grants had been applied for (aside from the 2 currently going through the process) he could not answer my question. I wasn't impressed.

The people you seek answers from are the firefighters who dealt with this on a daily basis and they are happy to address their concerns with Citizens.

 

[Kaydence]

Frank Day also pointed out "Both Chapman and Commander spoke without recognition from the Chair. Out of order. I almost called Point of order, but felt The Commissioners should be given the chance to show their Character to the voters of Walton County. Ultimately we got what the NWFR needed."

 

[Danny Glidewell]

The lady has a right to her opinion and can say what she wants to within reason. But there used to be something called decorum and respect in public discourse and that was not on display here. Whether you think Mr. Martin has done a good job or not does not give you the right to denigrate him and his 33 years of service to the citizens of Walton County. He started at a time when no one in public safety; law enforcement,corrections, EMS or firefighters in this county had any decent equipment and the salaries qualified most for public assistance. I have personally been with Bobby Martin when he risked his safety or his life for those he served. He deserved a defense from his supervisors and Mr. Chapman obliged. Bill Chapman is blunt and rough sometimes. I know that far better than most people because I worked under him for 16 years. But I respect his willingness to stick his neck out for a man who did the best he could with what his supervisors gave him. Mr. Chapman ( and Ms. Commander) both assumed responsibility for the issues that exist with the fire service as they should have. They provide the funding and direction. Mr. Anderson and Ms. Nipper have not been on the BCC long enough to share that responsibility and they made the motion and the 2nd to transfer the department to the Sheriff's Office. I do not agree with them but I believe they think this is the best solution. Time will tell. I still believe that without major increases in funding no real changes can be made no matter who runs the service and I also do not think North Walton taxpayers can afford the millions it will take nor will South Walton citizens be willing to pay for their own service and the North's as well. Without major funding increases nothing can change and the employees will take it on the chin once again. If taxes are raised the Sheriff will be blamed unjustly because no matter who the administrator is, the BCC still approves the funding. If no funding comes then the employees will be back to square one. Time will tell. But no matter, it would be wonderful if we could go back to a place where issues are debated honestly and vigorously and personal vendettas and attacks ceased.

 

[Kaydence]

The lady has a right to her opinion and can say what she wants to within reason. But there used to be something called decorum and respect in public discourse and that was not on display here. Whether you think Mr. Martin has done a good job or not does not give you the right to denigrate him and his 33 years of service to the citizens of Walton County. He started at a time when no one in public safety; law enforcement,corrections, EMS or firefighters in this county had any decent equipment and the salaries qualified most for public assistance. I have personally been with Bobby Martin when he risked his safety or his life for those he served. He deserved a defense from his supervisors and Mr. Chapman obliged. Bill Chapman is blunt and rough sometimes. I know that far better than most people because I worked under him for 16 years. But I respect his willingness to stick his neck out for a man who did the best he could with what his supervisors gave him. Mr. Chapman ( and Ms. Commander) both assumed responsibility for the issues that exist with the fire service as they should have. They provide the funding and direction. Mr. Anderson and Ms. Nipper have not been on the BCC long enough to share that responsibility and they made the motion and the 2nd to transfer the department to the Sheriff's Office. I do not agree with them but I believe they think this is the best solution. Time will tell. I still believe that without major increases in funding no real changes can be made no matter who runs the service and I also do not think North Walton taxpayers can afford the millions it will take nor will South Walton citizens be willing to pay for their own service and the North's as well. Without major funding increases nothing can change and the employees will take it on the chin once again. If taxes are raised the Sheriff will be blamed unjustly because no matter who the administrator is, the BCC still approves the funding. If no funding comes then the employees will be back to square one. Time will tell. But no matter, it would be wonderful if we could go back to a place where issues are debated honestly and vigorously and personal vendettas and attacks ceased.

Danny, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING Mrs. Canut said was out of line and her comments were well within reason and respectful given the Study presented to the board. I don't care what people think or don't think of Bobby Martin or which side of the issue they are on. Chapman's performance was out of line and uncalled for as was Sara Comander's. DJ Mosley also asked to speak and the BCC Chair agreed to take the issues one at a time. The first issue was the feasibility study and DJ spoke on that and asked the Chair if he could be heard again to which the Chair agreed. That didn't happen because Mrs. Comander said she didn't want to hear it.

You act as if we were at 2 different meetings. We were not and the video is available online. Even Frank Day commented that Robert's Rule were ignored and he started to call them on it and decided that maybe this is just what the VOTERS need to see.

I also think Comander and Chapman are a day late and a dollar short accepting
responsibility for the fiasco NWCFR has become seeing as how they both were a participating party in it, steady kicking that can down the road for years!

The news reporters that were there even commented that Chapman was out of line and posted the video of his actions. That video clearly shows Ms. Canut was NOT disrespectful. She clearly had something she wanted to say and because Chapman didn't like it, he prevented her from reading that portion of her comments on the feasibility study. I personally think she exercised an enormous amount of decorum. I would not have been nearly as polite as she was if my husband or family member was putting his or her life on the line everyday for a county that doesn't give a tinkers damn about their safety or living conditions.

You and I clearly disagree about the good ole boy system in this County Danny, a system that you were a party to by your own admission and the one where you kept your mouth shut to keep your job. (Remember building churches and the Sheriff leading prayer among other things? Didn't you work for the Sheriff when he was breaking the law?)

I think its hypocritical for Chapman to call for re certifications also seeing as how he had his own fudged and it cost someone else their job and himself a demotion.

I'll grant you I don't know about all Martin's certifications but the ONE (1) I do know he has is EMS Level 1 and from all I've been told, he has never been on a firetruck. Maybe that isn't a problem for you but I sure don't want someone coming to my house house to put out a fire who only knows CPR.

I'll also grant you that he was only given so much money to work with and that is the BCC's fault and those firefighters also recognize that but by golly he is responsible for how he treated the men under him who weren't comfortable with his level of training and his inability to keep those guys up to date on training and safety issues. You aren't there on a daily basis Danny and I'm willing to bet you never bothered to speak to those firefighters who finally spoke out or their wives and children.

I also don't think children need to be at fire stations during normal business hours but that was allowed to go on in Freeport under Martin. This code of silence is BS. The desire to protect and defend is incomprehensible to me and all of this can be laid at the BCC's feet! Just as you went along to keep a paycheck so has Martin in my opinion and you already know the outcome!

Congrats Sheriff! Thank you Melanie Nipper!

As bad as I hate to say this, Thank you Tony Anderson and Cecilia Jones...now I'm going to go

 

[John G]

Danny, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING Mrs. Canut said was out of line and her comments were well within reason and respectful given the Study presented to the board. I don't care what people think or don't think of Bobby Martin or which side of the issue they are on. Chapman's performance was out of line and uncalled for as was Sara Comander's. DJ Mosley also asked to speak and the BCC Chair agreed to take the issues one at a time. The first issue was the feasibility study and DJ spoke on that and asked the Chair if he could be heard again to which the Chair agreed. That didn't happen because Mrs. Comander said she didn't want to hear it.

You act as if we were at 2 different meetings. We were not and the video is available online. Even Frank Day commented that Robert's Rule were ignored and he started to call them on it and decided that maybe this is just what the VOTERS need to see.

I also think Comander and Chapman are a day late and a dollar short accepting
responsibility for the fiasco NWCFR has become seeing as how they both were a participating party in it, steady kicking that can down the road for years!

The news reporters that were there even commented that Chapman was out of line and posted the video of his actions. That video clearly shows Ms. Canut was NOT disrespectful. She clearly had something she wanted to say and because Chapman didn't like it, he prevented her from reading that portion of her comments on the feasibility study. I personally think she exercised an enormous amount of decorum. I would not have been nearly as polite as she was if my husband or family member was putting his or her life on the line everyday for a county that doesn't give a tinkers damn about their safety or living conditions.

You and I clearly disagree about the good ole boy system in this County Danny, a system that you were a party to by your own admission and the one where you kept your mouth shut to keep your job. (Remember building churches and the Sheriff leading prayer among other things? Didn't you work for the Sheriff when he was breaking the law?)

I think its hypocritical for Chapman to call for re certifications also seeing as how he had his own fudged and it cost someone else their job and himself a demotion.

I'll grant you I don't know about all Martin's certifications but the ONE (1) I do know he has is EMS Level 1 and from all I've been told, he has never been on a firetruck. Maybe that isn't a problem for you but I sure don't want someone coming to my house house to put out a fire who only knows CPR.

I'll also grant you that he was only given so much money to work with and that is the BCC's fault and those firefighters also recognize that but by golly he is responsible for how he treated the men under him who weren't comfortable with his level of training and his inability to keep those guys up to date on training and safety issues. You aren't there on a daily basis Danny and I'm willing to bet you never bothered to speak to those firefighters who finally spoke out or their wives and children.

I also don't think children need to be at fire stations during normal business hours but that was allowed to go on in Freeport under Martin. This code of silence is BS. The desire to protect and defend is incomprehensible to me and all of this can be laid at the BCC's feet! Just as you went along to keep a paycheck so has Martin in my opinion and you already know the outcome!

Congrats Sheriff! Thank you Melanie Nipper!

As bad as I hate to say this, Thank you Tony Anderson and Cecilia Jones...now I'm going to go

"I think its hypocritical for Chapman to call for re certifications also seeing as how he had his own fudged and it cost someone else their job and himself a demotion."

- Good Point

 

[Bob Hudson]

Maybe he learned from his past mistake.

 

[Kaydence]

Maybe he learned from his past mistake.

The WCTA did not negate the negative campaigns ads that came out about Chapman fudging his certifications when he ran for office last year or when he got his son a get out of jail free card after punching his g/f in the face and was suspended and demoted for that as well Bob.

To trivialize it now is hypocritical in my opinion.

A mistake is something that happens by chance or accident, a blunder, misunderstanding, misinterpretation or oversight. It's not something you knowingly participate in! TWICE!