The Freeport Merchants Association (FMA) met last week at the Arcadia Luxury Apartment Clubhouse on U.S. 331 in Freeport. The meeting, hosted by FMA President Bill Blanken, focused on allowing local merchants to meet and hear from candidates running for Walton County Commission Districts 2 and 4, which will be on the ballot in the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Mid Bay News attended the “meet-and-greet” breakfast and compiled some of the key campaign priorities shared with merchants in attendance.
Merchants Listen Attentively
Interested in infrastructure, candidate priorities, and Walton County’s future, local merchants gathered to hear brief remarks from the candidates. While there was no formal question-and-answer session, candidates spent time visiting with attendees during the buffet breakfast provided by Caring and Sharing, a local nonprofit organization.
Here are some key points shared by candidates who attended the event.
Glidewell Highlights County Growth and Progress
District 2 Commissioner Danny Glidewell, who is completing his second term, addressed the crowd by sharing his deep roots in Walton County. He noted that he and his wife recently celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary and were married at First Baptist Church of Freeport when the city’s population was only about 400 people.
He emphasized the impact of growth and change.
“Freeport is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down,” Glidewell said. “So you need commissioners who know how to do the business of the county and know how to make all this work.”
Glidewell pointed to Walton County’s safety record and economic strength.
“We’re the safest county in the state,” he said.
He also highlighted property values.
“We have the highest property values of any county in the Panhandle by far. Walton County has a fifth of the population of Escambia County. We’re worth $50 billion. They’re worth $33 billion. That’s because of good decisions.”
Addressing local merchants, Glidewell said one of his priorities is supporting local businesses and ensuring they have opportunities to succeed.
His first promise, he said, was “making sure that you have a place to do your business.”
He then discussed infrastructure priorities the Board of County Commissioners would address during a potential third term, including roads, parks, and other public improvements.
Attempting humor, Glidewell asked, “If you’re a business here and you’re not trying to make money, please raise your hand.”
After a brief pause, two hands went up. They belonged to representatives from Caring and Sharing.
The crowd laughed.
“Everybody’s trying to make money,” Glidewell said. “The county government should be here to help.”
Warren Whitaker, Glidewell’s opponent in the District 2 race, was unable to attend and sent his regrets in advance.
Johns Emphasizes Representation, Safety, and Recreation
Candidates present for the District 4 race included incumbent Commissioner Donna Johns and challenger James Calkins. Candidate Jim Bagby was unable to attend and also sent his regrets.
Johns, who is completing her first term, spoke about her background and long history in Walton County. A retired Air Force veteran, she has lived in the county for the past 25 years.
She explained that her involvement in county government began years ago when residents felt they lacked adequate representation.
“We were not happy with the lack of representation that we had years and years ago,” Johns said. “So what we did was go to a lot of redistricting meetings to see if we could get the lines redrawn, and we were successful.”
Once the district boundaries were redrawn, residents discussed the need for someone to represent the area.
“No one wanted to run,” she said. “And it’s a tough job.”
For Johns, running for office became a call to public service.
Her motivation, she said, is simple: helping people and getting things done.
Johns highlighted the development of Paradise Park as one of her proudest accomplishments, noting its accessibility features and green space for residents.
Overall, she stressed the importance of representing community goals and needs.
Johns Discusses Safety and Infrastructure
Johns also emphasized public safety and infrastructure improvements.
“Safety is of utmost importance to me,” she said. “I want to make sure that we have lights where we need lights and sidewalks where we need sidewalks.”
She also pointed to the county’s shortage of recreational space.
“Per the Land Development Code, for every 1,000 people, you’re supposed to have 6.45 acres of green space. We’re lacking in that. We need more ball fields.”
Johns said there has been significant demand for additional athletic facilities. She noted that the bid process for a new ball field at Helen McCall Park is underway and that, once completed, the park will have seven ball fields.
She acknowledged delays in the project but emphasized persistence.
“Sometimes things take a long time, but you have to be persistent,” Johns said. “And I’m pretty good at being persistent.”
Johns Addresses Traffic Challenges in Freeport
Johns also discussed the challenges that accompany Freeport’s rapid growth, particularly traffic congestion along U.S. Highway 20.
“We’ve got to do some stuff with the traffic,” she said. “I’ve talked to some people about Highway 20. There’s really not a way to widen Highway 20, unfortunately, because of all the businesses there.”
She explained that widening the roadway would likely require purchasing numerous businesses along the corridor.
“I think they would have to go in and buy out all the businesses, and that’s just not feasible,” Johns said. “But they are talking about doing a lot of turn lanes.”
Johns concluded by emphasizing her open-door policy and commitment to listening to residents.
“I love my job, and I’d like to keep it,” she said.
Calkins Focuses on Beach Access and Tax Relief
James Calkins, the other District 4 candidate in attendance, used his remarks to discuss beach access, economic development, and property taxes.
Although relatively new to Walton County politics, Calkins previously served as a county commissioner in Santa Rosa County.
He thanked Freeport merchants for their contributions to the local economy and stressed the importance of supporting small businesses.
Calkins said he has lived in Walton County for nearly two years. Shortly after arriving, he became concerned about public beach access.
“I noticed all these ‘No Trespassing’ signs everywhere, and I said, ‘This is wrong,'” Calkins said.
He described traveling to Tallahassee to support efforts to repeal legislation connected to Walton County’s customary-use disputes.
“We had some good representatives already fighting to repeal a bill that started all this in 2018, so I showed up to every single meeting, and we fought to repeal the bill,” he said.
Calkins acknowledged that the issue remains unresolved.
“There’s a lot of special interests that are trying to fight to keep it the way it is now,” he said.
Beach Renourishment and Economic Development
Calkins also reflected on his experience as a Santa Rosa County commissioner and highlighted beach renourishment projects.
“We did beach renourishment. We made it work,” he said.
According to Calkins, adding sand to public beaches helped address concerns about shoreline access.
“We are going to take back our beaches in Walton County, and that’s my top priority,” he said.
Calkins also discussed his background as the owner of a beach-chair rental business and his efforts to attract economic development projects to Santa Rosa County.
One of his goals, he said, was filling the county’s industrial park.
According to Calkins, accomplishing that goal required collaboration, persistence, and the ability to move projects forward.
Property Taxes and Homestead Exemptions
Before concluding, Calkins shared details about his family, Christian faith, and career. He also addressed a proposed property tax reduction that is expected to appear on the November ballot.
Unlike some current county officials, Calkins voiced strong support for reducing property taxes on homesteaded properties.
“If you notice, out of 67 counties, Walton County is the least dependent on homestead property taxes,” Calkins said. “According to our budget, only 4.05% of our budget comes from homestead property taxes.”
He praised Gov. Ron DeSantis for supporting the proposal.
“Walton County is one county in the entire state that can absolutely afford this big reduction in homestead property tax,” Calkins said. “I will be fighting to get it completely gone because we can afford it here in Walton County.”
