13.5 Acres of school land given away

[Alan Osborne]

That wasn't my intent.

IIRC, it was Donnie Richardson, Jerry (Mr. Cecelia) Jones, Darrell Barnhill, Mildred Wilkerson and Mark Davis. It may have been Bill Laird instead of Jerry Jones; I don't remember what year Bill won.

For what it is worth, that was the statistic the Department of Education used when they advised that a high school south of the Bay was not warranted. Our board decided to build it anyway, and they proved DOE wrong. Look who is at capacity now!

Look the deed is already done. I found this in the Sandestin Development order and simply wanted to ask the questions; where is the letter they quote (I can't find it), who signed it, and did the proceeds from the sale of the land in 1998/1999 get returned to the county? If they can't prove that this occured, then I'd simply say something is wrong here. Anybody have a problem with a little accountability to the public? This should be an easy answer for the county and as of tonight I haven't heard a word. (...cricket, ...cricket...).

"An occasional audit is good for the government's soul."

It's time we put partisanship behind us and tried really hard to work on responsible citizenship.

Alan

 

[North Lake]

Alan,

Do you have a tax parcel number for the property? 24-2S-21-42000-045-0010 is 13.2 acres in the bend of Mack Bayou Road abutting Sandestin that the County sold to the Muscogee Nation of Florida, but that was in 1989. That parcel is described as Archaeological Preserve in the legal description. Where exactly is Parcel 442? I searched the Clerk's OR transactions for Walton County School Board and Walton County School District for all of 1998 and 1999, and there are no sales transactions recorded during that time in the Mack Bayou/Sandestin area.

If it were just a FLUM or density change, proceeds would not necessarily have changed hands.

 

[North Lake]

You might also check with the School Board for their minutes back in 1998. Minutes are only available back to 2001 on their website. They could have abandoned their "claim" to a school site in that area of the DRI based on the archeological preserve status; but never had actual ownership of the property. The Muscogee 13.2 acres abuts the Mack Bayou Pointe S/D, just to the south. If any money was paid, it probably went to the School Board, not the BCC since the BCC had sold the land to Muscogee Nation in 1989. Noticed in the BCC minutes that Mack Bayou Pointe S/D wasn't platted until 2002.

 

[Jdarg]

Was this a school board issue or BCC?

 

[Alan Osborne]

It's Both

Was this a school board issue or BCC?

Because it's was part of a NOPC it had to come thru the BCC. But the Money should have gone to the school board.

Dune Laker,
I'm aware of the other 13.2 acres, that should have always been tribal land, it's fenced off now when you come thru the "S" curve on Mack Bayou. The letter is clear that the parcel that came to be known as Mack Bayou pointe was a public school site and the proceeds from the sale of it was supposed to be turned over to the school board. Read the letter in the public records, It will make you go HMMMMM.
Alan

 

[ShallowsNole]

That makes me so sad. From what I have heard and now seen, we are playing catchup down here, facilities-wise.

Yes and no. Although this strays from Mr. Osborne's topic, we've had issues, but so have the schools in NoWal. Walton High definitely deserves their new building (even though my brothers refer to the current Walton High as the "new" school). Walton Middle, which occupies the site of the original Walton High School, went 30 years without a/c in the gymnasium. Paxton had bats in the ceiling a few years back.

With the exception of Bay Elementary (which my mom almost single-handedly saved when it was closed in the late 1960's; had it remained closed, there is no way it would have ever been reopened as a school again), our facilities are newer and nicer - they are just bursting at the seams.

 

[Alan Osborne]

It's parcel 442 in the DRI

You might also check with the School Board for their minutes back in 1998. Minutes are only available back to 2001 on their website. They could have abandoned their "claim" to a school site in that area of the DRI based on the archeological preserve status; but never had actual ownership of the property. The Muscogee 13.2 acres abuts the Mack Bayou Pointe S/D, just to the south. If any money was paid, it probably went to the School Board, not the BCC since the BCC had sold the land to Muscogee Nation in 1989. Noticed in the BCC minutes that Mack Bayou Pointe S/D wasn't platted until 2002.

North Lake,
All that sounds good, but 442 is clearly identified in the NOPC as the parcel Sandestin has to turn over the proceeds from the sale. I think it was sold as a parcel not until the current owner Intrawest got rid of it. Parcel 442 brought a lot of money in 1992 so if either the school board or the BCC doesn't have a reciept for it, I'd say intrawest owes the county a large sum of money or 13.5 acres in Sandestin. It's either one of the other. Who knows, maybe they already paid them, but I can't find a record of it. I just want to know who authorized it, and did the paymet occur. Simple Question, I've already waited 4 days.

 

[Andy A]

North Lake,
All that sounds good, but 442 is clearly identified in the NOPC as the parcel Sandestin has to turn over the proceeds from the sale. I think it was sold as a parcel not until the current owner Intrawest got rid of it. Parcel 442 brought a lot of money in 1992 so if either the school board or the BCC doesn't have a reciept for it, I'd say intrawest owes the county a large sum of money or 13.5 acres in Sandestin. It's either one of the other. Who knows, maybe they already paid them, but I can't find a record of it. I just want to know who authorized it, and did the paymet occur. Simple Question, I've already waited 4 days.

Your problem, Alan, is you ask too many reponsible and relative questions of our elected officials. Don't you know we are suppose to sit back, relax and let them take care of us. Yeah, right.

 

[idlewind]

Look the deed is already done. I found this in the Sandestin Development order and simply wanted to ask the questions; where is the letter they quote (I can't find it), who signed it, and did the proceeds from the sale of the land in 1998/1999 get returned to the county? If they can't prove that this occured, then I'd simply say something is wrong here. Anybody have a problem with a little accountability to the public? This should be an easy answer for the county and as of tonight I haven't heard a word. (...cricket, ...cricket...).

"An occasional audit is good for the government's soul."

It's time we put partisanship behind us and tried really hard to work on responsible citizenship.

Alan

My question is why are you asking the BCC? Wouldn't the proceeds and control of the parcel go to the School Board? Looks like you may be playing gotcha with the wrong entity.

 

[North Lake]

Alan,
Well, it still doesn't answer the mail...but getting closer.
APRIL 14, 1998 - REGULAR BCC MEETING
Commissioner Young called to order the advertised public hearing regarding the proposed change to an approved Development of Regional Impact (DRI) for Sandestin.
Mr. Jim Rester appeared before the Board and requested that the Board approve the transfer of 96 units of density from Sandestin's master plan and withhold the approval of the total order until final DRI approval.
Mr. Gary Billingsly, School Board Member, appeared before the Board and stated that the School Board felt that it would be in the best interest to sell the donated property and place the money in an Instructional Communications and Technology Fund to be spent for South Walton area schools.
Mr. Jack Bludworth, Superintendent of Schools, stated that the agreement for the property was adopted by the School Board by resolution 97-16.
Mr. James Foley, Committee for Community Based Education, stated that he feels the property is too far to the west end of the County and requested an independent appraisal be conducted on the property and any funds from the sell of the property be placed in a separate trust fund and not for technology purposes.
Motion by Commissioner Porter, second by Vice-Chairman Butler, to approve the density change and withhold the final order. Ayes 5, Nayes 0. Porter Aye, Infinger Aye, Paul Aye, Butler Aye, Young Aye.

MAY 12, 1998 - REGULAR BCC MEETING
Mr. Jim Rester, Sandestin Resorts, presented the amendments to the master plan for Sandestin. Mr. Rester stated that the changes are not substantial and requested the Commissioners to approve an ordinance which approves the filing of the new master plan. Attorney Miller advised that the master plan is in order.
Motion by Commissioner Infinger, second by Vice-Chairman, to accept the amendments to the master plan and approve the ordinance. Ayes 5, Nayes 0. Porter Aye, Infinger Aye, Paul Aye, Butler Aye, Young Aye.