CRESTVIEW — State Rep. Matt Gaetz said his Okaloosa Accountability initiative will use residents’ input to drive the political process.
The goal is to "… cull ideas, with community input, and create by the end of the year a community agenda," said the Republican who serves District 4, which includes Crestview.
“We’ve been doing this for the past two years” since the Mark Bellinger scandal, Boyles said. The Tourism Development Council's former director committed suicide in May 2012 after misusing public money and property, according to county officials.
With the TDC's financial management being a top issue on AccountabilityOkaloosa.com, “nobody wants to endure any other scandals,” Gaetz said.
The county is already a step ahead, Boyles said.
“We’ve made complete top-to-bottom changes on the county accountability issue,” he said. “It’s been an incremental effort to restructure the way the county handles its finances.”
“I appreciate any assistance that anybody can provide to the continuing process of creating and maintaining the accountability of government at all levels,” Boyles said.
Contribute ideas for the initiative at www.accountabilityokaloosa.com and log in through Facebook, or call Gaetz's Shalimar office, 833-9328.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Commissioner: Government sought public input before Gaetz initiative (VIDEO)