At the request of Walton County Democratic Party Chair Margie Jordan and other community leaders the Walton County Board of County Commissioners took up the issue of the Confederate Flag hanging at the County Courthouse. The Board voted in 2015 to keep the Flag flying as a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the confederacy. Ms. Jordan requested an immediate vote from the Commissioners but Commissioner Tony Anderson made the motion to put the issue to the voters in the form of a referendum in this year’s elections in November. “To say the least, this is an extremely emotional issue”, Mr. Anderson said. “I know there are people in this room that are in favor of taking the flag down and there are others in this room who are in favor of leaving it up. I’m not sure of any other way to do this than to have a referendum on it. I think the referendum will show that the people of Walton County want this taken down.” Anyone who thinks this is an easy decision is wrong. We should do this in fairness to all Walton County citizens,” he said. District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones seconded Anderson’s motion, saying “ This decision will allow for everyone to voice their opinion in a “democratic” society. “No one can represent the will of the people until the will of the people is known”.
District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander agreed. “A referendum is the only way we will ever put this to bed and hear the will of all the people,” said Comander. “We are elected to hear the people we serve. Putting it on the ballot is the only way.” The motion passed 3-2 with District 1 Commissioner Bill Chapman and District 3 Commissioner Melanie Nipper casting the no votes.
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