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Walton County and City Law Enforcement
- Thread starter booya
- Start date
suggested reading
Allow me to suggest this for interesting reading:
http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/johnson_2027___article.html/ralph_sheriff.html
Allow me to suggest this for interesting reading:
http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/johnson_2027___article.html/ralph_sheriff.html
seagrovegirl
Beach Fanatic
Very strong opinion from the editor..........and I agree. Ralph has got to go!
You are exactly correct that many people leave jobs for reasons other than being dissatisfied or being fired/ encouraged to depart.
And I would guess a comparison to the sheriff in 2000 would reveal a simular rate as the PD. 
The points I am making is that all the candidates and their shrills are attacking each other with all sorts of truth, half-truth and out and out untruth and we all should be careful and analyze for ourselves.
When things are true about a candidate, they should admit and move on. Mr. Cornman to his credit has owned his issue ( non-residency) and Ralph to his discredit has sent a spokesman or denied or blamed others or refused to answer. Mr. Adkinson should make sure he does not copy cat Ralph if he wants support.
The editor is to be commended for a well-researched article on the shortcomings of our soon to be (hopefully) ex-sheriff.
sunspotbaby
SoWal Insider
Read the letters to the Editor...
Alicia Leonard
SoWal Insider
The editor is to be commended for a well-researched article on the shortcomings of our soon to be (hopefully) ex-sheriff.
I am very weary of speaking on this issue, but as someone who has covered almost all of these issues, I have to disagree with some statement's made in this editorial. I am in no way promoting or endorsing this candidate or any other.That's not my job and I don't get to have an opinion as a writer or even as a voter, due to my job. I have no issue with any other media source as well, but these statements bother me, because I can't find fact behind them.
In 2007-08, Johnson constructed a training range complete with driving track and rapelling tower. Cost, $345,824 (approximately).
It has never been constructed and if so, I'd like to see it. That project was given to the Triple G Committee to research and work on and it is still in the planning stages by the county to my knowledge. Johnson started it, but the BCC told him they had to bid it out and the WCSO turned the project over to them. The funding for this was also returned to the BCC. (BCC attorney stated that a capitol expense comes in when a building has to be constructed or the project is over a certain amount)
Johnson also contracted with Motorola in 2007-08 for a new communication system at a cost of $311,431. Neither of these big ticket items was let for bid or approved by anyone other than the sheriff himself. The debate on the legality of both is still unanswered.
When I covered the famous no-show meeting in Feb the County attorney stated, on record, that he believed Johnson was within his rights as a Constitutional Officer to bid the 911 equipment out. That was included in my write-up on that issue. My understanding is that the issue arose with this purchase from holding the funds to pay for them after the close of the fisical year, not from the purchase it'self.
Now we hear the IRS has assessed additional fines.
I have been chasing this rumor for over three weeks now and cannot find any viable source to confirm it.If you have one, please contact me.I have contacted the WCSO three times and all times they have catagorically denied this rumor.As I've said before, this is not opinion on my part, but factual information, that has been printed and on record for the first two statements. The third has not been printed by the publication I work for, because it is a rumor we cannot confirm.
I can only hope that voters can get factual information on all of the Gentlemen running for this office. Do your homework as voters and make the best choice for you, your family and your community, whomever you believe that may be.
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seagrovegirl
Beach Fanatic
Thank you for this information, In MO no one works harder to get the facts to the public than you.
I'd also like to know why the Sheriff did not participate in the Federal grant that paid for most of the communication upgrades for the rest of the county...
It is my understanding that the Sheriff should have bidded out the communication system, but did not.
Alicia Leonard
SoWal Insider
Thank you for this information, In MO no one works harder to get the facts to the public than you.
I'd also like to know why the Sheriff did not participate in the Federal grant that paid for most of the communication upgrades for the rest of the county...
It is my understanding that the Sheriff should have bidded out the communication system, but did not.
Thanks SGG. I was very weary about putting a post out there on this subject but since I have had to cover it and put it in print, I can only hope other posters understand I would try and get facts out no matter what office they are about. Seeing a statement that something had been built that hasn't just kinda blew my mind.
I did an article on the 911 grant around the first of the year, if not earlier. The EOC communications person told me then that they had offered to include the WCSO in that grant as they did the DFSPD. I was told and reported on record that the WCSO ask to not be included since they had their own funding and had already contracted with Motorola. That article is archived in our office.
I should correct my earlier post and say that the County attorney stated that Johnson was within his rights to purchase the 911 system, due to him being a Constitutional officer. My personal understanding is there were two companies and the WCSO chose to go with Motororola. I do not know why. I do know that the County attorney is on record saying, in his opinion, that the WCSO was within their rights to purchase it during that no-show meeting. This article is also archived in our office.
The unconstruced track on the other hand was considered a capitol expense and had to undergo a bidding process by the BCC and was given back to them to bid out after being research by The Triple G comittiee. Early construction on it had began and then they were shut down and it was turned over to the BCC.
That's the only facts I know and thanks for the kind words. I, like many of the candidates, am more than ready for Aug 26th to pass, so we can all try to get back to business as usual and everything will stop revolving as much around local politics and rumors.
Edit......even though the sticking point on the 911 issue was not the bidding process, IMHO, any large purchase should undergo this process. But, even if they do, I have often seen that the lowest bidder does not always get the contract.
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