Kendall Creighton of Save Our Soundside, a former staff member in Al Gore’s Office of Environmental Policy, pictured last summer at a local political rally. South Santa Rosa News file photo.
Environmental activists associated with the local Save Our Soundside organization are facing potential legal consequences after sharing manipulated footage from a Santa Rosa County Land Development Code Task Force meeting. A county task force member describes the edited videos as “gross” and “disgusting” misrepresentations of him and his profession, and he’s hired an attorney to take action.
Local businessman Kelvin Enfinger, who was appointed to Santa Rosa County’s Land Development Code (LDC) Task Force, spoke out during yesterday’s county commission meeting, expressing concern about the behavior of fellow LDC member Dara Lynn Hartigan, a realtor and president of the Save Our Soundside (SOS) organization.
The Save Santa Rosa page, which frequently shares manipulated footage attacking Conservatives and community leaders, is tied to Save Our Soundside Treasurer Kendall Creighton of Gulf Breeze, who worked in former U.S. Vice President Al Gore’s Office of Environmental Policy and on his failed campaign as the 2000 Democratic Nominee for President.
During the 2024 election cycle, the Save Santa Rosa page wrongfully accused Sandra Maddox, a write-in candidate, of wearing a shirt supporting the incumbent she was challenging; however, the person labeled as Maddox on that photo was actually Debbie Spears of Pace.
Hartigan’s SOS organization via social media often shares the manipulated attack videos posted to Save Santa Rosa.
Enfinger, a fifth-generation Santa Rosan and Vice President of Greenhut Construction Company, told the board he has retained an attorney to pursue legal action. “Do you believe this type of behavior is appropriate from someone appointed to serve in an advisory role,” he asked, stating he would like Hartigan to make a public apology at the beginning of today’s LDC task force meeting or for the board to reconsider her appointment.
Enfinger told commissioners the recently shared edited videos shared by Save Santa Rosa “falsely represented” him and painted him and his industry in a “negative light.”
Those videos were edited, removing some of Enfinger’s comments from video footage of a LDC task force meeting discussion about clear cutting. Enfinger says he was also called a pro clear-cutting developer and that is not his occupation.
“I’ve never developed one piece of property,” Enfinger told South Santa Rosa News, explaining his company constructs medical buildings, schools, etc., including a free-standing emergency room located in Navarre.
District 1 Commissioner Bobby Burkett said to Enfinger “I do not believe you’re for clear cutting…I’m sorry that things got misconstrued for you. Thank you for what you stand for. You’re doing a good job. Keep it up.”
District 2 Commissioner Kerry Smith, who nominated Hartigan for the LDC task force, watched the videos and described the matter as “problematic,” noting how footage of Enfinger had been manipulated. “You do not talk that fast. You did not sound aggressive in the meeting.”
Smith also complained that Save Santa Rosa has targeted his other LDC task force appointee, Michael Patterson of East Milton. “This is maddening.”
Today’s LDC meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. at the County Administrative Complex, located at 6495 Caroline Street. The meeting will be live streamed and later available for replay via http://santarosa.fl.gov
