Walton County Commissioners Recognize Three Superlative Employees During Meeting

Walton County, FL, 08/26/26 – At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Walton County Board of County Commissioners, Kaleb Blankenship was recognized as the Employee of the Quarter and Randy French as the recipient of the Exceptional Customer Service Award for Quarter 2. Beach Operations Director Josh Ervin introduced both men and offered praise for their dedication and strong work ethic, noting that it was an honor to recognize the men for their outstanding work every day.

Kaleb Blankenship is a Maintenance Technician with Beach Operations. Recently, during the Memorial Day Weekend. The Ed Walline Regional Beach Access had a clogged toilet and the floor was covered in waste. The toilet and all the plumbing behind the wall and in the chase had to be removed and replaced. To reach the damaged area, it meant that vent tubes and drains had to be cut out for access. Kaleb immediately removed everything that would hinder the completion of the project and he completed the task before the workday ended. His quick response allowed one of Walton County’s busiest Regional Beach Accesses to remain open for the holiday. This was just one example of the commitment that Blankenship demonstrates every day.

Randy French was recognized as the Exceptional Customer Service Award recipient for Quarter 2. Randy is also part of the Beach Operations Team, where he serves as an Assistant Crew Leader. Recently, Beach Operations received a call from a distraught vacationer whose enjoyable family day had taken an unexpected turn for the worse. After a beautiful morning, skies were suddenly replaced with dark clouds and thunder. Beach-goers rushed to pack their things and find cover until the conditions improved. During this, a young mother accidentally dropped her house keys between the deck boards of the enclosed beach access dune walkover. She was unable to retrieve the keys herself and was facing the potential of her entire family being locked out of their rental property. 

Randy was working nearby and offered immediate assistance. With limited time, minimal tools on hand, and inclement weather approaching, Randy carefully disassembled a section of the dune walkover and was able to locate the keys, which

had fallen into the sandy vegetation beneath the wooden structure. Thanks to his quick thinking and resourcefulness, the keys were recovered and returned to the grateful family.

County Administrator Brian Kellenberger thanked them and noted that the award nominations came from their peers. “To me, that’s probably the best award a person could receive. So, thank you for your hard work.”

Commissioners also recognized longtime employee Coastal Branch Manager Linda Thompson, who is retiring after 26 years of service. Library Director Caitlin Cerise praised Thompson’s tireless dedication and said her retirement will be a great loss to their department. “Linda has impacted generations of Walton County residents,” said Cerise, explaining that Linda began as a library clerk in the Walton–DeFuniak Library and subsequently earned a Master’s degree in library and information science, then moved to the Freeport Public Library and eventually moved on to manage the Coastal Branch Library, always displaying a “calm and caring presence.”

Ms. Thompson thanked Cerise and the Commissioners for their support and the opportunity to work in the library system here. “It’s really about bringing our community together…It’s a place where they can come and learn, socialize and have fun,” she said. Thompson also thanked the Friends of Coastal Branch Library volunteers and its president, Victoria Sellers, for their assistance and support. She thanked Commissioner Dan Curry for his recent appearance as ‘Uncle Sam’ in support of the library’s summer reading program. He thanked her and told the Board that if they go to the library, they ‘will not leave without a library card.’ 

Commission Chair Brad Drake thanked Ms. Thompson for her service, saying, “We’re going to miss you.”

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