By DOTTY NIST
Walton County is set to begin official consideration of the use of a special magistrate in place of the Walton County Code Enforcement Board (CEB).
The topic was on the agenda for the March 10 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting at the South Walton Annex. It was brought up by Walton County Attorney Mark Davis, who recalled that his office had previously been directed by the BCC to research the possibility.
Davis told the commissioners that the proposal would require two public hearings, since it would constitute a change to the Walton County Land Development Code. It would first be required to go before the Walton County Planning Commission, he said.
District 1 Commissioner Bill Chapman moved to advertise hearings for the proposal and send it before the planning commission. His motion was seconded by District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones.
While public comment on the proposal would be taken at the upcoming public hearings, half a dozen citizens took the opportunity to go ahead and address the BCC on the special magistrate possibility. All public comment on the possibility was negative.
CEB Chairman Tom Stein told the commissioners, “I thought we had a pretty good record.” Stein said he could not remember many, if any, of the CEB’s decisions being overturned, and that few of them had been appealed. Stein said it was his belief that as “experienced local citizens,” the CEB members were “best equipped to make these decisions.”
“What’s the argument that we need the magistrate?” Stein asked.
District 5 Commissioner Cindy Meadows said she would like to know the answer to that question as well, and what the cost for the special magistrate would be.
Paxton area resident James Nipper said he agreed 100 percent with Stein. “We need a jury of our peers,” he said. Nipper added that he would not think it fair not to have a board to make decisions of this nature but instead one person “who can be swayed.”
Zachary McArdle, a south Walton County resident, and Blue Mountain Beach resident Linda Hildreth echoed Nipper’s comments in favor of a jury of one’s peers.
DeFuniak Springs resident Bruce Ward reminded the commissioners that they are elected by the people and that they have the requirement to “serve the interest of the people.”
Paxton area resident Jonas Walker observed that replacement of the CEB with a special magistrate would put a great deal of power into the hands of one person.
With public comment concluded, a vote was taken on Chapman’s motion. It was approved with aye votes from all commissioners in attendance.
In another CEB-related matter, the BCC also voted 4-0 not to proceed with a court appeal of a Jan. 15 code board decision. This had involved an alleged violation in connection with a sky-diving business operated by Paxton residents James and Melanie Nipper. The CEB had found the Nippers not in violation.
The appeal had been requested by county staff.
