Candidate Guide in the Walton Sun

[Jdarg]

The Sun has published a very helpful guide this week - check it out! All candidates were asked a couple of questions, then asked to respond and add their own comments, but keeping all responses to 500 words.

Some "highlights" :

BCC race- pay close attention to the answers to question about customary use of the beaches.

Also, all candidates responded except Cecilia Jones (she did provide a picture) and George Wallace Smith.

Superintendent- Carlene Anderson responded, Tricia Hutchison had "no response". Also, Anderson has a great response to the sex education question.

School Board- if you homeschool, I suggest you read Mildred Wilkerson's comment about the subject. Thankfully they all see the need for an improved sex education system, some at a more effective level than others. Mark Davis' comments are, as always, excellent.

Some of the Mosquito District candidate comments are, well, interesting.

I have not slogged through the sheriff candidates yet. That may have to wait until after I eat.

 

[30A Skunkape]

Looks like Osborne is the guy to back if you want customary beach usage to be the norm. The beach is for everyone-what a novel concept!

 

[Andy A]

Looks like Osborne is the guy to back if you want customary beach usage to be the norm. The beach is for everyone-what a novel concept!

Not necessarily a novel concept if you look at it every day, enjoy watching kids with nets hunting who knows what and seeing it change every single day. Never mind, SA30A, I caught the sarcasm.

 

[TreeFrog]

Special thanks to the Sun for providing this.

 

[Yahoodie]

Florida State Fraternal Order of Police endorses Rick Brown for Walton County Sheriff!

Well, folks, it is official today so I am told; Florida State Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed Rick Brown for Walton County Sheriff!

This group of over 22,000 members statewide takes its endorsements seriously and had its local organization invite all Sheriff Candidates to a meeting. They ALL were INVITED to attend and give their reasons why they were the best choice.
This endorsement of Rick by his fellow law enforcement officers, including those who first met him at that meeting, is a strong one.
It takes a good officer to know another. I choose to trust those who know this "business" from the inside to tell me which person they would like as the Sheriff. It is certainly good enough for me.

 

[idlewind]

Florida State Fraternal Order of Police endorses Rick Brown for Walton County Sheriff!

Well, folks, it is official today so I am told; Florida State Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed Rick Brown for Walton County Sheriff!

This group of over 22,000 members statewide takes its endorsements seriously and had its local organization invite all Sheriff Candidates to a meeting. They ALL were INVITED to attend and give their reasons why they were the best choice.
This endorsement of Rick by his fellow law enforcement officers, including those who first met him at that meeting, is a strong one.
It takes a good officer to know another. I choose to trust those who know this "business" from the inside to tell me which person they would like as the Sheriff. It is certainly good enough for me.

This is great news for the Brown campaign. However, correct me if I am wrong on these points:
1. FOP is a union
2. No law enforcement group in Walton County is unionized
3. No one from the group knows anything about Walton County.

A friend who is connected to law enforcement told me these facts, not about the election but when I was telling him how much I had helped our cops by pledging money to this group as a reult of a telephone solicitation.:angry: If these points are indeed true, I am not sure I give their endorsement much weight.:roll:

 

[Yahoodie]

Re: F.O.P Endorsement of Rick Brown for Sheriff

The Fraternal Order of Police is a brotherhood, whose members are law enforcement officers.
You are correct, the F.O.P. does not have a chapter in Walton County but that does not mean its members know nothing about the county. Many of them are local people just like you and me and of course they know about Walton County and they know how the WCSO has been run. Many of them also know the different candidates.
They know what it takes to be a good law enforcement officer and what it takes to lead a department, whether it is in Walton County, Leon County, Okaloosa County or any county .
These law enforcement people believe that Rick is a fine law enforcement person and that he is the best choice for Sheriff.
Their opinion is one to be appreciated and not taken lightly, they know what kind of position they are endorsing, they know what the job involves and they know Walton County even though many but not all of them live elsewhere.
Our law enforcement people are scattered all throughout the panhandle and many work in one county and live in another...

 

[eagle11rb]

I was an FOP member. !) These is no FOP Lodge in Walton County. 2) FOP members of other counties know about candidates in their own county and have no idea about candiates in othe counties, and dont really care becasue they dont vote in other counties. 3) The State Lodge endorses based on the local lodge recommendations other wise if the State Lodge does endorse they are just picking a name that someone might mention. So if they did endores it doesnt carry much weight or meaning in Walton County.

 

[The Watcher]

Fop

This is great news for the Brown campaign. However, correct me if I am wrong on these points:
1. FOP is a union
2. No law enforcement group in Walton County is unionized
3. No one from the group knows anything about Walton County.

A friend who is connected to law enforcement told me these facts, not about the election but when I was telling him how much I had helped our cops by pledging money to this group as a reult of a telephone solicitation.:angry: If these points are indeed true, I am not sure I give their endorsement much weight.:roll:

An endorsement from this Law Enforcement Group (Union) would probably mean something if:

1) Rick Brown was still in the race (his numbers are poor).
2) FOP represented WCSO Officers (no current official representation from FOP or PBA). There is some individual representation as officers can join either group for pre-paid legal and other assistance.
3) FOP were active in Walton County, they are not, only PBA is, as they rep many of the employees of the Prision and State (FDLE, DOC/Probation, etc.)
4) on a side note, I know that Rick is an active member of FOP, why wouldn't they endorse their ONLY member running as a candidate? He asked them for their help, he's a member, it makes sense. Little too late.

I am happy to see Rick get some support, he is a good guy, just not close to Sheriff material.

 

[The Watcher]

Your support

Florida State Fraternal Order of Police endorses Rick Brown for Walton County Sheriff!

Well, folks, it is official today so I am told; Florida State Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed Rick Brown for Walton County Sheriff!

This group of over 22,000 members statewide takes its endorsements seriously and had its local organization invite all Sheriff Candidates to a meeting. They ALL were INVITED to attend and give their reasons why they were the best choice.
This endorsement of Rick by his fellow law enforcement officers, including those who first met him at that meeting, is a strong one.
It takes a good officer to know another. I choose to trust those who know this "business" from the inside to tell me which person they would like as the Sheriff. It is certainly good enough for me.

Your support for Rick is obvious and you are entitled to it. However, please find more meaningful reasons to support a candidate aside from an endorsement by a Union that holds NO WEIGHT in this county. Sure, they are very powerful in other areas, not here. This endorsement may as well come from the Local Association of Dog Groomers (LADG).

Don't get me wrong, Rick Brown is a fine Deputy. It stops about there. Sure, he's a "nice guy", I've heard this and said it myself. Being a fine Deputy and a nice guy does not cut it in the world of Sheriff's Elections. Rick lacks any business experience, he has never had budget responsibilities and he is also the only candidate running that is an FOP Member. Why wouldn't they support him? Maybe he will start to try an unionize the departement for them.

Sorry, it's too late for Rick.