By DOTTY NIST
Community members recently learned more about the group “A Better South Walton,” (ABSW), its work and progress at a series of public meetings.
ABWS is a nonprofit organization with the goal of seeking more effective governance and local representation for south Walton County.
The meetings were held on May 9, May 11, and May 12, the first of those at Rosemary Beach Town Hall and the other two at Grand Boulevard, Suite 101. The Herald/Breeze attended the first of the meetings, which filled the town hall to overflowing.
Along with information on ABSW, a short history of Walton County was provided, and also the results of a survey taken of residents for their input on expectations for government and services and how well those are currently being met. Highlights were also presented from a feasibility study undertaken by the group and its consultants regarding incorporation of south Walton County.
Board members for ABSW include: David Pleat, president; Dave Rauschkolb, vice president; Mike Huggins, treasurer; Jacquee Markel, secretary; and directors David Bailey, Leigh Moore, Jennifer Steele, and Jim Rester.
Consultants for the group include Jon C. Moyle, Jr., and William F. Underwood, II.
Three “Davids” addressed attendees at the meeting, David Pleat, David Bailey, and Dave Rauschkolb.
“We all care about this unique and wonderful community,” Pleat told attendees as the May 9 meeting kicked off.
He then posed the question, “Is there a better way of governance?”
Now-urbanized areas in south Walton County as a result of population increase were highlighted in the short history session.
Pleat later expressed the belief that the method of governance for the area must evolve.
Bailey discussed the feasibility study that is a requirement in order for the legislature to consider approving a voter referendum on incorporation of the area as a municipality. Even more important is the study’s role as “a plan for our community,” he noted.
Bailey said group members had discussed the incorporation possibility with county and state staff.
He said the study indicates that incorporation would be feasible and would provide significant benefits.
The financial impact of incorporation would depend upon which revenue assumptions come true, Bailey continued. He stated that, at best there would be no additional ad valorem tax impact on residents south of the bay, and at worst, the tax impact would be an additional 0.295 mill, which was quantified as less than $200 per year for a $600,000 house.
Bailey said the group anticipated that the legislature would approve “state shared revenues” that would be capable of funding the new municipality without residents having to pay ad valorem taxes over what they currently pay to the county. It was explained that state shared revenues consist of sales taxes currently collected locally that go to the state, part of which are returned to help fund local governments.
Bailey listed a number of benefits for incorporation, among those self-determination, control of one’s own destiny, a “seat at the table” as a municipality, and greater access to grants.
“We believe our top priorities will be the top priorities of that government,” Bailey said.
He commented that the group had identified planning and code enforcement as top priorities for the new government, with a new comprehensive plan and land development code to be developed within the first two years of incorporation. Bailey indicated that another focus would be infrastructure improvements.
Pleat told the gathering, “It’s a very long process.” He said there would be many more meetings. The feasibility report would be finalized in September 2016 and would be available online, Pleat noted.
He gave the timeline of November 2016 for presentation of the report and draft city charter to the Florida Legislature, with city council members to be elected in 2017 upon success of the local voter referendum on incorporation.
Petitions for the referendum are available for signing.
Pleat outlined ways community members could help with the effort, including, along with signing petitions, volunteering, and donating funds.
“We’re here because we’re passionate about this community,” Dave Rauschkolb told attendees.
“It’s about choice and consequences…we need to make the right choice together,” he continued.
“I just felt like we needed more of a voice,” Rauschkolb commented.
He added that Walton County had become a county in the 1800s and that the government had been set up for a rural community, while the area south of the bay now has different needs as a result of growth since that time. Rauschkolb urged for the referendum to give residents south of the bay a choice on incorporation.
In a question and answer session that followed, one question was what would be the name for the new city. This had not been determined.
In response to another question, Moyle said city council members could be elected either on a single-member-district basis or at large as provided for in the city charter or in a city ordinance.
As a city, the area south of the bay would remain part of the county just as Walton County’s three other municipalities, DeFuniak Springs, Freeport and Paxton are. In response to a question about the possibility of splitting the south end from the county, Pleat responded that such a split would be virtually impossible and that his had not been a goal for the group, nor had there been a desire to deprive the county of a needed ad valorem tax revenue stream from the south end.
He envisioned the county as an “integral partner” to the new city.
In response to another question, Bailey revealed that he had previously worked for the City of Pensacola for five years had initially been somewhat skeptical of the possibility of incorporating south Walton County. He currently serves as town manager for Rosemary Beach. Bailey said he had come to the conclusion that the area south of the bay, as an urbanized area, needs a government set up to deal with the set of issues facing such a community.
Underwood commented that, while there would be increased availability of grant revenues to the area as a city, those funds had not been factored in to the financial calculations that had been discussed previously. Grants would not be needed for the new government to “stand on our own feet,” he said.
In response to the question whether the city would be able to stop funding the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC), Pleat said the decision on that would be “totally unrelated” to incorporation. However he saw the relationship between the new city and the TDC as an important one.
Following questions on growth management, stormwater drainage, and recycling, Pleat’s response was that these were the type of issues that the new government would be able to address.
Additional information and incorporation petitions are available on the website www.abettersouthwalton.org.