Board of County Commissioners · Tuesday, January 28, 2025 · 9:00 AM · SWA BCC Boardroom, 31 Coastal Centre Blvd. Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
County Commission
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners meeting on January 28, 2025 has 33 items that affect Santa Rosa Beach (32 countywide), including Expenditure Approval List, FDLE 2023 JAG-C Grant Award Agreement and Amendment No. 1 and Exercise of 2025-2026 Option to Renew Lease Agreement for Elections Voting Equipment Storage.
Why it matters
Items marked countywide apply to all of Walton County, including Santa Rosa Beach.
What happened
Development & zoning1 item
Planning Commission Public on Monster House Regulations
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Directed Planning Commission to hold a Public to discuss and determine appropriate regulations on monster houses.
Budget & taxes10 items
Expenditure Approval List
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approves payment of expenses totaling $12,708,071.68 across multiple county funds including General Fund, Public Works, Building Department, and others.
- $3,385,579.25 · General Fund
- $221,554.45 · Public Works
- $32,130.03 · Building Department
- $17,850.00 · SHIP
- $2,388.95 · N.W. Mosquito Control
- $8,827,293.25 · Fine & Forfeiture
- $91,795.79 · Public Safety - 911
- $566.36 · Section 8 Housing/HUD
- $93,756.94 · Tourist Dev. Council
- $11,919.48 · Solid Waste Enterprise
- $3,224.75 · Recreation Plat Fee
- $20,012.43 · Capital Projects Fund
- $12,708,071.68 · Total Expenditure Approval List
Amendment No. 1 and Exercise of 2025-2026 Option to Renew Lease Agreement for Elections Voting Equipment Storage
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved amendment and renewal option for lease agreement with Ken Mitchem for storage space for the Supervisor of Elections' voting equipment.
De-obligate Recreation Fees
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . De-obligates completed projects from District One Recreation fees.
- $31,161 · De-obligated from District One Recreation Plat fees for completed projects
Fine and Forfeiture Fund - Edward Byrne Memorial JAG-C Grant
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved amending 2025 budget in Fine and Forfeiture Fund for unanticipated grant revenue.
- $39,490 · Unanticipated grant revenue in Fine and Forfeiture Fund for Edward Byrne Memorial JAG-C Grant
Fine and Forfeiture Fund - Edward Byrne Memorial JAG-D Grant
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved amending 2025 budget in Fine and Forfeiture Fund for unanticipated grant revenue.
- $7,916 · Unanticipated grant revenue in Fine and Forfeiture Fund for Edward Byrne Memorial JAG-D Grant
General Fund - Citizens Corps Grant
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved amending 2025 budget in General Fund for unanticipated grant revenue.
- $10,000 · Unanticipated grant revenue in General Fund for Citizens Corps Grant from Volunteer Florida
Use Budgeted Contingency Funding for Thriftway Property Purchase
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved use of budgeted 2025 Contingency funding to offset the Thriftway property purchase.
Second Option to Renew Contract for Auctioneering Services
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved Second Option to Renew Contract No. 22-017 with Jeff Martin Auctioneers, Inc. for Auctioneering Services extending the agreement one additional year and approved advertising future solicitations before the final one-year renewal expires.
Federal Appropriation Priorities
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Approved federal appropriation priorities.
for Uniform Method of Collecting Non-Ad Valorem Assessments
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Adopted (2025-07) to elect to use the Uniform Method of Collecting Non-Ad Valorem Assessments.
Roads & infrastructure4 items
Funding Agreement for Westbay Parkway Project Design - St. Joe Company
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved Funding Agreement between Walton County and The St. Joe Company for State of Florida Department of Transportation Grant No. G3210 for 50% match funding for the design of the Westbay Parkway Project.
- $2,500,000 · 50% match for the design of the Westbay Parkway Project from State of Florida Department of Transportation Grant No. G3210
State of Florida Department of Transportation TRIP Contract for Westbay Parkway Project
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) Contract No. G3210 (FPN: 453941-1-34-01) for the design of the Westbay Parkway Project and authorized Anna Hudson to administer the grant.
First Option to Renew Contract for Guardrail Installation and Repair Services
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved First Option to Renew Contract No. 24-04 with Grading & Bush Hog Services, Inc. for Guardrail Installation and Repair Services.
Public Works Department Quarterly Report October-December 2024
Presented. Deputy Public Works Director Scott Caraway presented the report and discussed departmental accomplishments. No action taken by the Board.
Utilities1 item
with CH ELCO for Grayton Beach Municipal Parking Facility
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved (ROW) with CH ELCO to provide underground electrical service to the Grayton Beach Municipal Parking Facility.
Public safety1 item
FDLE 2023 JAG-C Grant Award Agreement
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved grant award agreement to procure digital forensics equipment for investigations, safety restraint chairs for the jail, and equipment modifications for school resource deputies.
- $39,490 · JAG-C Grant Award for digital forensics equipment, safety restraint chairs, and school resource deputy equipment
Parks2 items
Concession Stand Rental Agreement with South Walton Little League Corporation
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved Concession Stand Rental Agreement with South Walton Little League Corporation for operation of the concession stand effective March 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025.
Beach Access Signage Replacement Project Advertisement
Passed 3–0 · unanimousApproved. Approved advertising an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for Beach Access Signage replacement project with proposed sign design changes.
Other14 items
Amendment No. 1 to Agreement with Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Passed 4–0 · unanimousPassed on the . Approved amendment to Agreement No. 23PLN70 with Florida Department of Environmental Protection to extend the agreement and update the Vulnerability Assessment Including Municipalities.
Engineering Department Quarterly Report October-December 2024
Presented. County Engineer Chance Powell provided overview. No action taken by the Board.
Walton County Economic Development Alliance Quarterly Update/Report
Passed 3–1 · splitApproved. Economic Development Alliance Director Uriah Matthews provided overview of the EDA quarterly report.
Contract with Coastal Parasail, Inc. for Managed Vending Services
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Authorized the Chair to sign Contract No. 25-01 with Coastal Parasail, Inc. to provide Managed Vending Services at designated regional and beach accesses.
and Amendment for Boating on Waterways
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Scheduled for February 25, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at South Walton to amend Walton County Code Chapter 24 concerning boating on waterways. Board consensus included adding attendants, moving fish cleaning station, limiting permits to non-Walton County residents with $1,000 permit fee per vessel, implementing launch fees for non-residents, and removing captain's license requirement.
- $1,000 · Permit per vessel fee for non-Walton County residents for boating
Library Advisory Board Appointments and Term Changes
Tabled 4–0 · unanimous. Continued to February 11, 2025, Regular Meeting. Attorney Adkinson recommended corrected ballot form be presented at future meeting.
Affordable Housing Committee Appointments and Term Changes
Tabled 4–0 · unanimous. Continued to February 11, 2025, Regular Meeting (part of consolidated agenda items 31-35).
Design Review Board Appointments and Term Changes
Tabled 4–0 · unanimous. Continued to February 11, 2025, Regular Meeting (part of consolidated agenda items 31-35).
Planning Commission Appointments and Term Changes
Tabled 4–0 · unanimous. Continued to February 11, 2025, Regular Meeting (part of consolidated agenda items 31-35).
Zoning Board of Adjustments Appointments and Term Changes
Tabled 4–0 · unanimous. Continued to February 11, 2025, Regular Meeting (part of consolidated agenda items 31-35).
Appointment of Tiffany Edwards to Tourist Development Council Seat 8
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Approved appointment of Tiffany Edwards to fill vacant Seat 8 on the Tourist Development Council.
Low Speed Vehicles
Passed 3–1 · splitApproved. Adopted establishing standards for the operation of low speed vehicles, amending Walton County Code Chapter 20 to create Article VI with Sections 20-95 through 20-96 pertaining to operation of low speed vehicles and penalties and enforcement, effective February 1, 2025.
Special Executive Session - Peace of Paradise, LLC vs Walton County Case
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Approved scheduling and advertising a special meeting for an Executive Session regarding Peace of Paradise, LLC vs Walton County, Case No. 21CA196.
Special Executive Session - Parked Properties, GA, LLC vs Walton County
Passed 4–0 · unanimousApproved. Approved scheduling and advertising a special meeting for an Executive Session regarding Parked Properties, GA, LLC c/o Marvin Peavey vs. Walton County, 2021-CA-438.
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