Before getting down to official business, Escambia County Commission Chairman Wilson Robertson took a moment to crush a child’s vision of Christmas and blow the whole Santa-scam out of the water.
Commissioners began their Dec. 8 meeting with a holiday-themed appearance by Santa, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. The winter-wonderland crew handed out candy and invited the board to sing along on a rendition of “White Christmas†— only commissioners Marie Young and, a very reserved, Gene Valentino joined in.
Chairman Robertson then informed the gallery that Santa Claus was, in fact, former WEAR Channel 3 anchor Dave Daughtry. Fellow commissioner Grover Robinson accused his cohort of breaking the “Code of Santa Claus.â€
Robertson protested, explaining that he had checked the chamber for children prior to giving away the big secret. Members of the gallery then pointed out that there was a child seated near the front.
“Oh, I missed one over there,†Robertson said, searching for a recovery … “Well, I tell you one thing, he came all the way from the North Pole.â€