Opinion Archive

The NFL needed to make a change to the overtime rule about as much as Navarre Beach needed a new slogan. Both serve no purpose.

Just when you think you have seen it all, you haven’t. I know a lot of our readers aren’t on Facebook 24/7 like our District 4 County Commissioner. Some of you learned about Rob Williamson’s midnight raid on the sign for the first time in last week’s issue. A lot has happened since then. RW continues to plead his case on the internet and had an email campaign directed  to the county commissioners before Monday’s regularly scheduled county commission meeting. The very meeting where RW could have brought up his new found emotional connection to the former sign. An emotional connection that he did not have before he was swayed by a few on Facebook. As you will read in this issue, he was chided by his fellow county commissioners and I applaud them for that. However, I don’t personally believe it went far enough. We cannot trust a chairman that is led by emotions. Emotions are fleeting and not to be relied upon. And, you make bad decisions when you are led by your emotions. Such as, “I don’t know what came over me.” Or “It was in the heat of the moment.”

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter to you. Yesterday, I stated my position and had every intention of moving forward; however, Commissioner Williamson’s recent Facebook post demands an answer.

Remember me?

In Monday’s county commission meeting, Commissioner and Chairman Rob Williamson put the other commissioners difficult position when he removed the signs from the causeway in the middle of the night Thursday. Quite clearly he undermined the board as expressed by both Lane Lynchard and Sam Parker. He failed to defend county staff for following through with what the board asked of them. He never apologized nor did he fully admit to the severity of what he had done. He villainized the board in an attempt to come out a hero amid the illegalities of his actions.

We’ve just celebrated Memorial Day. Flags galore saturated areas, TV, and events nationwide. God Bless the Boy and Girl Scouts, et al for placing flags at graves of men and women who gave their lives that we might enjoy freedom. A thrilling sight brings tears to my eyes every year!

Typical Robbie Williamson thinking. He goes to remove a public sign at 1 am WITHOUT any tools. Now that he admitted he did it Robbie should be charged with destruction of public property.  When the new sign goes up and if someone doesn’t like it, according to Robbie, they can remove the sign. Can you picture Robbie stumbling around at night looking for tools?

Myron Rolle is no dumb jock. In fact, back in 2010, he was chosen as the second smartest player in sports by the Sporting News.

As you all are aware, Commissioner Rob Williamson removed the temporary Navarre Beach entrance sign (Hwy 98/Navarre Beach Causeway) under the cover of night on May 25. After being interviewed by Channel 3 News, he recorded and posted online his justification for his actions. The following is a breakdown of those comments, in part, followed by my own thoughts. I have attached the audio so each of you can listen for yourselves, and so there can be no accusation that I inaccurately wrote what he said.

If the sign fiasco wasn’t so serious it would be funny. I had texts from all over the country from people that use to live here asking if Navarre could just get a life. Maybe, this is the first you have heard of it, if you aren’t on social media. I think my 23-year-old daughter said it best, “Why do people think that Facebook is real?” Why would a county commissioner take a sign down based on the emotions of people on Facebook and then post “Done” like it is an official means of communication?”  We all know Facebook is fake. I’ve seen couples live what seem like fairy tale lives on Facebook and then the next thing I know, they are filing for divorce. Facebook is where the truth goes to die. People think they can say things about other people without impunity. Some people look at Facebook all day long and depending what is on Facebook will determine the outcome of their day. Obvious that was the case, unfortunately, for Rob Williamson.