Clay

I submitted the following as one of my first blogs.  Even though the election is now over, and perhaps especially now that the election is over, it still applies.  If your candidate(s) didn't win, give this some thought, and get on with your life:

Bitterness, hatred and the desire for revenge slowly but completely corrode from within the vessel which carries them.  They are the fuel of an agonizing process of self destruction, and a certain recipe for discontent.

Righteousness heals, strengthens and sustains.  Do not go forward blindy, oblivious to reality or in a pollyanna fashion, but cherish and nourish those things that are good within themselves: Among them are truth, honesty, self respect and compassion. 

Voters, like juries, usually get it right.  Historically, they see through the smoke screens and make their decisions based on their common sense.  And, if there is one thing that tends to tick them off, it is being lied to.

Mike Taylor indicated that his wife can't even shop in Clay County because our crime is so out of control, and that of all places, she shops in Jacksonville.  The old timers I know, and the rest of the folks who shop routinely in Clay County, are rolling their eyes, and suggesting that Mike and his wife move to Jacksonville where they will feel safer.<

Fleming Island Real Estate Agent Mike Taylor says he wants to be Sheriff of Clay County, Florida.  Taylor, 42, says he worked in law enforcement for about 18 years, although he left that field for a few years to work in the insurance industry.  He then worked primarily as a body guard for Florida governors, which comprises most of his of his law enforcement career.  Prior to working in law enforcement, Taylor was a Mormon Missionary, serving in Peru.  Taylor has not worked in law enforcement in the recent past, but his real estate license remains active.

Taylor picked up the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, which has been at impasse with the current Sheriff, Rick Beseler.  Beseler, 54, has trimmed Sheriff's Department spending, sending two million dollars of unused money back to county taxpayers, but angering union bosses who demand more benefits and protections for their members.  Some other union bosses sympathetically sided with the FOP, but reportedly, rank and file union members are increasingly siding with Beseler.  Also, a special magistrate has ruled in Beseler's favor.  According to Florida Department of Law Enforcement statistics, despite its fiscally conservative approach, the Clay County Sheriff's office has a lower rate of most serious crimes, per capita, than that of surrounding counties.

Rumor has it that a concerned citizen has video of people emptying the folio racks taking everything.  Politics aside....what parent would not try and snatch all of those papers up if it contained that information about your child?

My child graduated from FIHS 2 years ago.  He/She did not know Adam Taylor or the girls mentioned (or so she/he thought).  After reading the Folio article with all of the details about the girls and sports they played, transferring to other schools, my child was able to identify all of the alleged victims based on the information provided in the Folio.

So it might have been Adam Taylor's parents picking up all of the issues or it could be parent(s) of the girl(s) involved.  I know if my daughter could be identified by the article, I would have been snatching those papers up too.

Well, I just read the live blog with Gary Newman.  I really respect that man, and I certainly wouldn't have a problem with him as sheriff.

I made it clear in my previous posts that I think we currently have a great sheriff, but if the voters choose not to re-elect Sheriff Beseler, then we must have Gary Newman.

I recently replied to "Proudmama" who wondered if Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler actually arrested his own step-son, or if somebody else did it for him. 

Sheriff Beseler enforces the law without playing favorites.  He would, and did, have his own family member arrested.  Please don't get hung up on who made the physical arrest.  The sheriff approved of it and didn't make any special provisions for his family member after the fact.

When I go about my daily activities, I'm careful not to break the law, whether it is driving over the speed limit or something more serious.  I know that I will not be able to go to Sheriff Beseler and get it thrown out as a favor, or any other special treatment for that matter.

There is the text of a letter circulating on these blogs, purportedly writtten by Clay County Sheriff Candidate Mike Taylor, personally blaming Sheriff Beseler for a recent article in a local newspaper.  The article concerns Mike Taylor's alleged involvement in silencing criminal complaints against Mr. Taylor's son.  According to the article, the parents of the alleged indicated that they went public to stop Mr. Taylor from winning the election, because they do not believe that he has the judgement to be Sheriff.

If Mike Taylor actually wrote that letter, now that is telling in and of itself.  Would he actually publicly proclaim to know for a fact that the article about his personal judgement was the product of the Sheriff himself, even though the parents of the alleged victims have already taken credit for it? 

The public needs to know that immediately following a recent incident, Sheriff Beseler arrested his own step-son.  Now that's law enforcement... putting public safety ahead of his personal interests.  Seriously, folks, Sheriff Beseler may be the most honest, capable Sheriff that this county has ever had.  He doesn't make excuses, he just does the job.  GO SHERIFF BESELER! 

 http://www.folioweekly.com/documents/coverstory.pdf 

Many people have asked what I was referring to in my previous entry when I talked about the judgement of Sheriff Candidate Mike Taylor at the expense of crime victims.  Just click on the link above to get the full story.

I hope this helps.

Thank you for the kind comments concerning my previous entries.  It is great to know that most people don't disagree with that which is common sense.

Folks, until now I have avoided saying who my choice is for Clay County Sheriff, because I wanted you to figure out for yourselves who is best.  I still want you to do that, but this is why, in my humble opinion, Sheriff Beseler should be re-elected:

He is an honest, knowledgeable and consistent law enforcement Officer.  He has a masters degree, specialized training, 30 years of law enforcement experience, and he has proven to be a good sheriff over the past three and one half years.  Crime clearance rates are double that of the statewide average, and the per capita crime rate has decreased.  Traffic fatalities are down.  The Sheriff's Office is fully accredited by the State of Florida.  When he ran for sheriff the first time, he campaigned on reducing costly duplication, including eliminating accreditation by two agencies with nearly identical standards. He returned millions of dollars to the taxpayers by being fiscally conservative. He is proactive, factual and positive.