With big three, county tries to 'put a finger on the pulse of the community' (UPDATED with VISION PLAN)

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — After a year of research, officials at Northwest Florida State College have pin-pointed three characteristics that are the heart of Walton County. Now, commissioners are looking into adopting the characteristics to build a vision for the county.

Tom Tomerlin, assistant professor of economics at the college, told the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday night that after meeting with community members and leaders he ranked the top three priorities in the county as vitality, environment and community character.

“This is a culmination of community outreach efforts where we really tried to put a finger on what the pulse of the community is – what the community thought was important,” Tomerlin said. “We saw that all the community gelled together with these three qualities of life issues.”

The vision statement is a result of meetings and workshops over the past year. It is not a detailed blueprint of Walton County’s future, Tomerlin said, but is a concise statement of objectives intended to keep the county “in line with what stakeholders would like for their community.”

Read the vision plan

He explained that the vitality of the county should consist of encouraging developing environmental resources, engaging in emerging technology and pursuing economic diversity.

Tomerlin said looking at the environment in Walton County also was important. He said community members thought it was important to promote the county’s natural beauty and to continue in exploring new ways to better serve the military and military service industries.

His last point, community character, reflects the people of Walton County. He said developing and strengthening public-private partnerships, and pursuing conservation of historic sites were some of the more important issues he found in his research.

Commissioner Sara Comander made a recommendation to the board that they look over the details of the research and adopt it as Walton County’s vision statement.

“I would like this document to be adopted so we can all be on the same page,” Comander said to the board. “I think this can help with economic development, planning schools and the future of the area.”

In other business:

• Commissioners approved a resolution to amend the budget for unanticipated revenue for the Darlington Community Center Renovation Project for $10,000.

• A resolution to amend the budget to recognize the cost and reimbursements associated with completed roadwork projects covered by FEMA for the March 2009 storms in the amount of $2,357,044 was approved.

• Commissioners approved the Clerk of Court’s surplus equipment request.

• A resolution for 2010 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Funding for Beach Nourishment was approved.

• Commissioners approved a request to extend current contract with Carr, Riggs and Ingram for one year.

• Commissioners approved the US Department of Interior Joint Funding Agreement for continuing the hydrologic data collection on the Choctawhatchee River near Bruce and Shoal River near Mossy Head.

• Commissioners recognized the Youth Ambassadors from Miss Walton County and DeFuniak Springs Tuesday night.

• A one-time, emergency repair for Mountain Valley Road for $9,500 or less was approved by Commissioners. The road requires maintenance to allow emergency vehicles entry onto the roadway.

• A request to waive the standard advertisement in lieu of the approaching grant deadline for Long Road and 8 Mile Cemetery Road was approved.

• Christy Johnson with West Florida Regional Planning Council was given approval by the board for Florida Department of Transportation’s Rural Work Program Transportation Improvement Needs, which consists of resurfacing projects for 2012.

• A request to sell an abandoned well that has been in the county’s possession since March 2009 was approved and given to Mike Standley as requested by Regional Utilities.

• Commissioners adopted a Preliminary Rate Resolution for the Annual Fire Rescue Services Assessment Project for $25 per household, which is the same as the previous year.

• Commissioners adopted a resolution amending the budget by $40,000 from the Section 8 HUD Fund Reserves for Fiscal Year 2009-2010.

• A request for a public meeting Friday, July 30, at 2 p.m. in DeFuniak Springs to discuss solid waste services and litigations within the county was approved and put on the county’s calendar.