Panama Pete
Beach Comber
Isn't there some sort of hearing coming up for the commissioners to decide about this? If they rule against johnson, can criminal charges be sworn out?
When is this hearing and will it be open to the public?
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Oops He Did It Again - I Hear
- Thread starter WileCoyote
- Start date
When is this hearing and will it be open to the public?
wrobert
Beach Fanatic
Isn't there some sort of hearing coming up for the commissioners to decide about this? If they rule against johnson, can criminal charges be sworn out?
Public Hearing on the budget is Feb 26 in DeFuniak Springs at 4PM. That should be a Tuesday.
No matter what the BCC votes to do, it does not change the status of any violations or possible violations of Florida Statute. Those statutes also list what the penalties are, and if they are civil or criminal.
As per statute, the Clerk of Court, Martha Ingle, has notified Governor Crist as per the attached letter. Maybe that will point you in the correct direction for your research. The letter is a public record.
wrobert
Beach Fanatic
All of these new people jumping in here asking all of these very interesting, but seemingly silly questions.
This is Florida. Any meeting between two or more public officials in which official action MAY be taken is by law a public meeting and subject to the open meeting laws of the State of Florida.
And if it is a public hearing, then by the definition of the word public, it would be open to such.
Pardon my silliness, but if this is the case, and the Defuniak paper is accurate, wouldn't the meetings the sheriff had to get this track approved be subject to the open meetings law? If so, when were these meetings held? If this is true, then what is the purpose for tuesday's meeting? Hate to ask so many questions, but you seem to be the resident expert on these matters.
wrobert
Beach Fanatic
to the open meetings law? If so, when were these meetings held? If this is true, then what is the purpose for tuesday's meeting? Hate to ask so many questions, but you seem to be the resident expert on these matters.
I believe that someone will be asking that very question Tuesday.
Alicia Leonard
SoWal Insider
Pardon my silliness, but if this is the case, and the Defuniak paper is accurate, wouldn't the meetings the sheriff had to get this track approved be subject to the open meetings law? If so, when were these meetings held? If this is true, then what is the purpose for tuesday's meeting? Hate to ask so many questions, but you seem to be the resident expert on these matters.
"The Herald" article was quoted as saying, "The board never held a vote on the project." Meaning it was not an approved project, before it was started.
Johnson maintains that he received the BCC's approval but not a vote from the board.
The meeting on Tuesday should clarify what was approved, not approved, what funds were appropriately encumbered and which funds were not,in the money's returned to the Clerk of Courts. Hope this helps.
Last edited:
The Watcher
Beach Fanatic
Here is a copy of the article:
Walton Sheriff's Office returns funds several months late
The nearly $700,000 should have been returned to Walton County by Oct. 31, prompting the county to notify the governor
Andy Meinen
Thursday February 21st, 2008
Comment on this Story | Read Comments
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? The Walton County Sheriff?s Office returned nearly $700,000 in funds from last year?s budget to the county, about four months after it should have been handed back.
Martha Ingle, the county?s clerk of court, sent a letter to the governor last week saying that the Sheriff?s Office failed to return the money by the state mandated Oct. 31 deadline. But the Sheriff?s Office contends the money had already been approved for ongoing projects and should not have been returned.
?This is the first time they (the county) have asked us to do this,? said Capt. Eddie Farris. The money was encumbered, or earmarked, for several projects the Sheriff?s Office was working on, Farris said.
However, there is some question as to whether the money for the projects had been properly approved by the county.
The Sheriff?s Office returned $311,431 for 911 equipment and $345,824 for a defensive driving track that Walton County Finance Director Bill Imfeld said were never budgeted.
?In order for funds to be encumbered they must be against authorized projects,? Imfeld said. ?I have no knowledge of this issue having formally been put before the County Commission for budget considerations.?
When the Sheriff?s Office spends more than $200,000, Florida law states that the County Commission has to vote and approve it, Imfeld said.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson said in a news release that he asked the commissioners ?individually and received their approval to move ahead with plans? to spend the more than $345,000 on a new defensive driving range.
?He (Johnson) is not trying to hide anything,? Farris said.
Johnson is scheduled to speak to commissioners about a budget amendment on Tuesday at the county courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.
Johnson stated in a letter to the commission last week that money for four other projects ? totaling $83,669 ? was going to be returned along with the funds for the 911 equipment and the driving track. In all, the department was supposed to hand back $740,924.
The Sheriff?s Office had returned $697,848 as of Wednesday, according to the clerk of court?s office.
Farris said that the remaining balance of $43,076 had already been spent, but it is unclear on what.
Messages left for Farris and Johnson seeking follow-up comment were not returned.
In its news release, the Sheriff?s Office questioned Ingle?s reasons for sending the letter to the governor.
?The Sheriff was not contacted by Ms. Ingle prior to her writing the letter and does not know what her motivation was in writing such a letter,? according to the news release.
But Ingle said it?s simply a matter of policy.
?We?ve always had the policy to notify the governor? when funds are not returned, she said.
Leftover money from all the offices of constitutional officers has to be returned to the county by Oct. 31, Ingle said.
Daily News Staff Writer Andy Meinen can be reached at 654-6905. <- PREVIOUS 1 2
Walton Sheriff's Office returns funds several months late
The nearly $700,000 should have been returned to Walton County by Oct. 31, prompting the county to notify the governor
Andy Meinen
Thursday February 21st, 2008
Comment on this Story | Read Comments
DeFUNIAK SPRINGS ? The Walton County Sheriff?s Office returned nearly $700,000 in funds from last year?s budget to the county, about four months after it should have been handed back.
Martha Ingle, the county?s clerk of court, sent a letter to the governor last week saying that the Sheriff?s Office failed to return the money by the state mandated Oct. 31 deadline. But the Sheriff?s Office contends the money had already been approved for ongoing projects and should not have been returned.
?This is the first time they (the county) have asked us to do this,? said Capt. Eddie Farris. The money was encumbered, or earmarked, for several projects the Sheriff?s Office was working on, Farris said.
However, there is some question as to whether the money for the projects had been properly approved by the county.
The Sheriff?s Office returned $311,431 for 911 equipment and $345,824 for a defensive driving track that Walton County Finance Director Bill Imfeld said were never budgeted.
?In order for funds to be encumbered they must be against authorized projects,? Imfeld said. ?I have no knowledge of this issue having formally been put before the County Commission for budget considerations.?
When the Sheriff?s Office spends more than $200,000, Florida law states that the County Commission has to vote and approve it, Imfeld said.
Sheriff Ralph Johnson said in a news release that he asked the commissioners ?individually and received their approval to move ahead with plans? to spend the more than $345,000 on a new defensive driving range.
?He (Johnson) is not trying to hide anything,? Farris said.
Johnson is scheduled to speak to commissioners about a budget amendment on Tuesday at the county courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.
Johnson stated in a letter to the commission last week that money for four other projects ? totaling $83,669 ? was going to be returned along with the funds for the 911 equipment and the driving track. In all, the department was supposed to hand back $740,924.
The Sheriff?s Office had returned $697,848 as of Wednesday, according to the clerk of court?s office.
Farris said that the remaining balance of $43,076 had already been spent, but it is unclear on what.
Messages left for Farris and Johnson seeking follow-up comment were not returned.
In its news release, the Sheriff?s Office questioned Ingle?s reasons for sending the letter to the governor.
?The Sheriff was not contacted by Ms. Ingle prior to her writing the letter and does not know what her motivation was in writing such a letter,? according to the news release.
But Ingle said it?s simply a matter of policy.
?We?ve always had the policy to notify the governor? when funds are not returned, she said.
Leftover money from all the offices of constitutional officers has to be returned to the county by Oct. 31, Ingle said.
Daily News Staff Writer Andy Meinen can be reached at 654-6905. <- PREVIOUS 1 2
?He (Johnson) is not trying to hide anything,? Farris said.
Who are we kidding? He's been hiding for years behind a wall of spokesmen/women, unanswered phones and non-existent office hours. I guess Farris is just the latest.
Johnson is scheduled to speak to commissioners about a budget amendment on Tuesday at the county courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.
Does anyone want to wager as to whether johnson will actually show? I bet he doesn't have the cajones to show but will send farris or someone else.
:rofl:
Who are we kidding? He's been hiding for years behind a wall of spokesmen/women, unanswered phones and non-existent office hours. I guess Farris is just the latest.
Johnson is scheduled to speak to commissioners about a budget amendment on Tuesday at the county courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.
Does anyone want to wager as to whether johnson will actually show? I bet he doesn't have the cajones to show but will send farris or someone else.
:rofl:
wrobert
Beach Fanatic
Right now I am thinking he will show up. This is a pretty big issue. Getting in front of it is the only way I see to respond. But that is just me.