By LINDA ANN McDONALD Correspondent

At last week’s Sopchoppy City Council meeting, Martha Evans, a former longtime Sopchoppy council member who had to resign the post when her daughter, Ashley Schilling, was promoted to city clerk, voiced concerns about the level of professionalism and conduct demonstrated by members of the council.

“There are processes, and there is a reason they exist,” Evans said. “The council does not get exempted. There needs to be consistency.”

Evans made the comments at the meeting on Monday, Oct. 12.

Evans’ comments stemmed from a disciplinary matter involving her daughter: At a budget hearing in August, Schilling became angry during a discussion of the Public Works Department, walked out of the meeting after yelling a vulgar epithet towards Public Works Director Seth Green.

The letter read by Sopchoppy Public Works Director Seth Green:
At the budget workshop on August 31st, the City Clerk disrupted the meeting and directed vulgar language at me. In her apology to the council, she blamed her outburst on my alleged mistreatment and claimed I marginalized her role as City Clerk because she is a woman.
That claim is false. Our disagreements are about how my department should be run; her gender has no bearing on our differences. There are no documented incidents from my career with the City that support her claim. Since she made this accusation, she should present the evidence to support it.
The Wakulla Sun reported the City Clerk’s accusation on October 8th. I understand the newspaper was reporting her claim, not making it. Still, the accuation has cast suspicion on my character and reputation. I respectfully ask the City to clarify in the Wakulla Sun that no evidence has been presented to the Council to support the City Clerk’s claim and that no prejudice has been witnessed during my career with the City. If the City is unwilling to issue that clarification, I hope the paper will publish this statement, so the record includes my response.
If I did something wrong, show it and hold me accountable. I will answer for my conduct.
Miss Schilling will not be allowed to use a baseless accuation as a shield for her unprofessionalism or as a weapon against my reputation without consequence.
I’ll do whatever is necessary to protect my name and reputation. Little in life matters more to me – you only get one good name.
I won’t surrender mine to a lie. 

Schilling subsequently apologized to council members for her behavior and outburst, but blamed Green for undermining her.

Green has previously declined to comment, but at the meeting Green rejected Schilling’s claim that he had marginalized her in her role because of her gender, calling the accusation false.

“Our disagreements are about how my department should be run; her gender has no bearing on our differences. There are no documented incidents from my career with the city that support her claim. Since she made this accusation, she should present the evidence to support it,” Green said.

He requested the city place a clarification in The Wakulla Sun stating that there is no evidence to support Schilling’s accusations against him.

Green went on to defend his professional reputation.

“I’ll do whatever is necessary to protect my name and reputation. Little in life matters more to me. You get one good name. I won’t surrender mine to a lie,” he said.

Following adjournment of city council meeting, current Vice Mayor Lara Edwards and Evans were witnessed in a tense verbal exchange.

During the encounter, Evans was heard asking her son-in-law, John Schilling, to intervene, repeatedly stating, “Get her away from me. Get her away from me.”

Edwards then asked Evans, “Why couldn’t you just confront me?” Edwards subsequently directed a remark toward Schilling, who is a state trooper, asking, “What are you going to do? Pull me over?”

As the exchange continued, Evans, noticing that Edwards was holding a water bottle, remarked, “There is probably wine in there.”

Edwards responded, “It’s only water. I’ll dump it on top of your head. There is only water in here.”

“You better stop or you will be plastered on the front of the newspaper too,” Evans retorted. “Look at this lack of professionalism. This is what I’m talking about, lack of professionalism.”

Witnesses reported that the incident remained verbal and concluded shortly thereafter.

Schilling, who is formally appealing the disciplinary action against her, is being represented by Tallahassee attorney Tiffany Cruz. A special meeting to take up Schilling appeal is set for 6 p.m. on Nov. 2.

Early voting gets underway in Wakulla on Saturday, Oct. 24, through Oct. 31.

There are two early voting locations: the Supervisor of Elections Office, 3115 Crawfordville Hwy., and the Sopchoppy Room at the Wakulla Community Center, 318 Shadeville Road. Voting is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Election Day is Nov. 3 and you must vote at your poll. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Story by
LINDA ANN McDONALD
Photos by
GERALD BROWN

Florida Wild Mammal Association (FWMA) held its annual fundraising event Feathers and Fur Masquerade Ball – Moonlight in the Wild at the Historic Sopchoppy Gymnasium on Saturday, Oct. 17.
More than 150 guests were on hand to celebrate, with elaborate forest-themed decorations that turned the Sopchoppy Gym into a moonlit canopy.

Guests dressed beautifully, masked mysteriously, and added just a touch of the wild.
To break the ice, guests were provided with an Owl Keeper’s Passport, complete with travel notes, to travel around the forest, promoting mingling, conversation, and the opportunity to win prizes.
The Silent Auction Gallery included wildlife themed art, generous gift baskets, and exclusive vacations to bid on. Along with masquerade attire awards, and inspiring wildlife stories, guests were wonderfully swept away to enjoy the night.
An elegant meal including creole shrimp and jerk chicken was prepared by personal chef Luanne Pink, and an impressive charcuterie board was presented by Kayla Essary. Both cooks worked under now retired Chef Eric Fritsche, who worked at the Governor’s Club in Tallahassee. The Kast Net donated homemade cupcakes.
Fritsche’s wife Donna played an integral role in the event’s organization and success.

Tables were decorated with intricate centerpieces to be enjoyed and later judged by guests. Throughout the forest, hidden treasures were strategically placed as surprises for guests to appreciate, as well.
Jessica Beatty, Executive Director of FWMA, said, “The event turned out gorgeous, we sold out of tickets, and I am so happy to see this wonderful turn out. I am very thankful for the volunteers and sponsors that made this possible.”
During the opening remarks, Beatty shared, “The favorite part is (wildlife) releases, they are neat, but scary, hoping they will be OK. Finding joy in everyday work, compassion joined with responsibility, is what FWMA means to me.
Gail Campbell, a volunteer for the event, said, “This is an emotional event for me. It’s coming at a time when people are moving to Wakulla to enjoy exactly what we are working for – the beauty of our wildlife. I am sure Jessica’s mother, Chris Beatty, the founder of FWMA, is here looking down at Jessica from heaven, and she is very proud. Jessica took the mantle that her mom built.”
Chris Beatty passed away in 2022.
Ken and Lee Frazier came to the event together wearing their “Spirit of the Forest” and ‘Furs and Feathers” costumes. Ken’s costume included a true African mask symbolic of the Grand Ole Spirit of Forest, and Lee wore a bird-like fully feathered costume, paying tribute to Furs and Feathers.
Creatively made of papier-mache and feathers, Charlotte Petricko and John Belcher came dressed as barn owls to show their support for the cause.
Shell Point resident Tamara Hawkins supports the event because she previously had injured birds in her yard. She also shared a fun fact about migratory birds saying, “Shell Point is the last stop for birds before migrating, and the first stop when they come back.”
Winston Oxford, a wildlife transporter who helps FWMA, said, “I support the event because I like wildlife. I think the world of Jessica and for the last 3 years, I have made 93, 98, and this year I made 94 trips transporting mostly injured pelicans. I have also helped with ospreys and bald eagles. I love to look them in the eyes and release them, it is very rewarding.”
FWMA Ambassadors Timmy the Barred Owl and Geraldine the Screech Owl were also present at the event.
Entertainment included Samantha Carlston providing live music for the event, and DJ service was provided by DJ Butch and DJ Danny Boy.
FWMA is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured and orphaned wildlife, and educating our community about the importance of protecting native wildlife and their habitats. Every rescue is a chance. Every recovery is a promise. Every release is a new beginning.
The Owl Keeper’s Pledge: I pledge to respect and protect our wild neighbors, care for the habitats they call home, and inspire others to help wildlife thrive.
FWMA provided a heartfelt thanks to sponsors and supporters of the event. This magical evening is made possible by the generosity, time, and dedication of our caring community.
Since 1994, FWMA has been dedicated to helping the sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife along Florida’s Forgotten Coast through its animal rescue and wildlife education efforts. FWMA is a registered non-profit that receives no local, state, or federal funding.

Reba Mason, who founded Wakulla Community Theatre back in 1991, and who also directed the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah with the community choir, passed away in Tallahassee on Oct. 8.
Mason was 83 years old.
Her obituary appears on Page 9 of this issue.

Voters in the City of St. Marks will have two city commission races on the November ballot:

For Seat 3, the choice is between Corey Ingram and Crystal McGrath.

For Seat 4, the candidates are Jeremy Alday and Billy Bishop.

Only voters in St. Marks can vote on these races.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN

Editor

John Meister, who played Santa Claus during the Christmas season at Esposito’s in Tallahassee and locally, was recently arrested for 16 counts of possession of child porn by the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office.

At the time of his first appearance on Oct. 8 before Wakulla County Judge Brian Miller, bond was set at $160,000.

Meister was unable to post that bond. His criminal defense attorney, Joshua Zelman, filed a motion to reduce bond. At a hearing last week on Tuesday, Oct. 13, Wakulla Circuit Judge Layne Smith agreed in a reduction to $1,000 per count, or $16,000.

Meister has since been released from the Wakulla County Jail.

According to the arrest report, the sheriff’s office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Meister was potentially in possession of child porn.

In March, detectives from the sheriff’s office and Homeland Security visited Meister’s home for a knock-and-talk. Law enforcement ended up seizing electronic devices.

In April, a tablet was determined to have Child Sexual Abuse Material on it. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Meister identified himself to law enforcement as an active member in the Shriners Club and a retired Senior Chief with the U.S. Navy.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN Editor

Wakulla County commissioners took a step back from a battle that has gone on for years: providing public access to Lake Ellen, which is a private lake

Commissioners voted unanimously at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 5 to abandon the hand-launch boat ramp on Lake Ellen Drive that the county constructed several years ago.

Back in the early 1960s, when the Jones family developed Lake Ellen Estates, the roads in the subdivision were dedicated to the county. In the late 1960s, the state Game and Fish Department constructed a boat ramp on the lake, but it was put on private property.

Fast forward to 2017, Steve Fults bought property on the lake that included the state boat ramp – and Fults closed it to the public, constructing barricades. Fults, at the time, cited concerns about his personal liability for boaters since the ramp is on his land.

The county, using the theory that the road maintenance agreement gives the public a right to access the lake, then constructed a hand-launch boat ramp at the end of Lake Ellen Drive, which runs to the edge of the lake.

There was an ongoing legal battle between Fults and the county over the location of that county ramp, including a lawsuit contending the county has no right to construct a boat ramp on the private property.

At the meeting on Oct. 5, several of the neighborhood’s residents showed up in support of closing the boat ramp.

On the agenda was a proposal to buy out Fults property for $250,000 – based on an appraisal – and built a public boat ramp.

Jimmie Duggar, noting the potential financial impacts to the county if Amendment 3 passes in November, recommended maintaining the current status to close access to the lake by the public.

Resident Sara Robinson said she was speaking for several of her neighbors who were opposed to opening the boat ramp: “My biggest concern is safety,” she said. You can’t have more than two or three people out there on the lake at a time, she said, and she tells her children they have to wait for people to get off the lake.

She also asserted that the lake is private, not public. “Keep the lake private,” she said.

Robinson noted that four people have been killed on the lake since the 1960s – those deaths involved boating and water-skiing.

Commissioner Fred Nichols made a motion to close the boat ramp, and it was seconded by Commissioner Quincee Messersmith.

Commissioner Ralph Thomas commented that it wasn’t the right time to spend $250,000 to give the public access, but indicated his belief that the county has right-of-way for Lake Ellen Drive, and that public road gives the public a right to access the lake.

“We’re walking away from it now,” Thomas said, adding: “We’re just kicking the can down the road.”

In a conversation after the meeting, Thomas said the issue has dragged on for nine years that he’s been on the board and he anticipated it would just continue. He noted the original plat of the development showed a boat ramp at that location.

Thomas said residents of Lake Ellen Estates who are not on the lakefront should get together and file a lawsuit to get a judge to determine if they have rights to access the lake.

The county used the same theory of right-of-way on a public road to build a boat ramp on Blue Dolphin Drive in Oyster Bay, near Shell Point.

But that ramp was also constructed on private land and maintenance by the county was abandoned – it was on a canal that is privately owned and the county’s right-of-way did not extend to the water. That boat ramp has signage that it is private and warns that vehicles parked on the right-of-way will be towed.

Property owners on Lake Ellen own to the bottom of the lake and are taxed on it, which makes it private, the landowners contend. The land was part of the Forbes Purchase and predates Florida statehood.

A memo in the county commission’s agenda packet notes that the question of whether the lake is private or if the dedication of Lake Ellen Drive gives the public a right to access has not been determined by a court.

At the Oct. 5 meeting, Commissioner Josh Lawhon asked if that portion of Lake Ellen Drive could be abandoned? The only property owners on that part of the dirt road are Fults and Joe Avara, both of whom have opposed the boat ramp.

County Attorney Heather Encinosa said abandonment of the road by the county is “Up to the property owners.”

Several area residents have complained about drinking and drugs at the ramp.

A recent visit to the area by the Wakulla Sun showed a barricade across the ramp and numerous signs warning visitors to “Keep out” and “No trespassing.” There were also numerous security cameras covering the lake front and road.

Wakulla County received rain and some wind from outer bands of Hurricane Isaias as the storm made landfall on Friday, Oct. 9 in Destin.

Emergency Management Director Jennifer Nagy appeared in a Facebook video with Billy Jones, sheriff’s office chief of staff, as she reported that one home had a tree fall on it. Otherwise, the county suffered minimal damage – some trees were down and there were some power outages, though power had largely been restored on Saturday, Oct. 10.

In response to the storm, Wakulla schools were closed on Friday, and the district football game against Godby was postponed until Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Also, the Boots & Bingo fundraiser for Rotary Club of Wakulla, which had been set for Saturday, was postponed until Jan. 9 at 3Y Ranch.

By LINDA ANN McDONALD

The City of St. Marks appointed Jeff Gentry to the City Commission by unanimous vote.

A resident of the city since 2008, Gentry brings a deep environmental background shaped by his 31-year career with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, from which he recently retired. He and his wife, Julie, are proud to call the community home.

His commitment to public service extends beyond his professional work, reflected in his many years of volunteer service with the local fire department.

“I have been a citizen for a long time. I have had time to unwind after retiring, and I am now focused on helping the Commission and City of St. Marks. I am looking forward to being responsible for city growth and road clean up.

“I was attracted to St. Marks because of the residents here, and getting involved and contributing to the place I live is important to me,” he said.

City Commissioner Sharon Rudd said, “It goes without saying, with your background at DEP and the way you appreciate our citizens, you are going to provide a lot of value to the City of St. Marks.”

Gentry is assuming the role after the passing of former Commissioner and community pillar, John Gunter, who passed away on Sept. 28.