Increasing rates when it’s debt-free and financially stable may seem like odd timing, but it’s part of North Okaloosa Fire District’s plan for future stability.

CRESTVIEW — With its debt erased, bills paid off and money in the bank, the North Okaloosa Fire District looks toward the future, which means nudging up its assessment to assure financial resources are available.

For the first time in five years, the district has implemented a modest increase in its annual residential and business assessments. The new 2015-16 fiscal year assessment goes into effect Oct. 1.

The Almarante, Baker, Dorcas and Holt Fire Districts also implemented small assessment increases.

NOFD’s 3 percent increase, permitted by state regulations to let districts keep up with inflation, amounts to $2.89 a year, or $99.10 total, for a single-family residence. Commercial rates will rise $7.23 to $248.41.

NOFD Commission Chairman Craig Shaw said it would have been unconscionable to raise rates until the district got its fiscal house in order.

“We wouldn’t vote for an increase until we’d gone through all the finances and gotten everything straightened out and created efficiencies,” Shaw said.

The district’s annual budget is about $1.15 million.

Maintenance costs have also been cut, NOFD Chief Ed Cutler said, by having several NOFD firefighters certified in repair and maintenance of emergency vehicle.

“We do a lot of our own in-shop maintenance,” Cutler said, adding that the certified mechanics built NOFD’s brush truck out of a hand-me-down state forestry service truck. “The guys take pride in this equipment.”

PLANNING TIME

“We do a lot with a little,” Shaw said. “The fact that we’ve squeezed all the inefficiencies out of the system is the time to start planning.”

Shaw said district taxpayers — who represent most of unincorporated North Okaloosa County — can continue to expect sound fiscal management from a fire service that just a few years ago was struggling to meet payroll.

Shaw, now in the first year of his second term on the commission, said the board has re-funded the district’s capital equipment account by about $50-60,000 a year.

“That’s our savings account for new trucks,” NOFD Chief Ed Cutler said. “It saves the taxpayers money because we can pay cash.”

“We’ve never bought a brand-new truck,” Shaw said, adding new fire engines can cost more than $600,000. “We always shop for the best deal, but when you find a good vehicle, that’s when you want cash in hand because the deals won’t last long.”

Vickie Sanders, whose northeast Crestview home is in the district, said she doesn’t mind the slight assessment increase as long as it enhances fire protection services.

“I would’ve minded six years ago when their finances were a mess, but now that they got things straightened out, I’m glad they’re planning for the future,” Sanders said. “It’s only 3 bucks a year more, anyway.”

REPLACEMENTS

Buying a replacement fire engine for one of its two 1988 trucks is a high district priority for the next fiscal year, Shaw said. Replacement parts for old trucks are often impossible to find, he said.

“We’re at a point now where we have four stations and four engines and a reserve (engine),” Cutler said. That meets minimum Insurance Services Organization — ISO — requirements.

The agency also has a brush truck for rural woods fires, a tanker, two emergency response vehicles, and two airport crash trucks, which, when not at Bob Sikes Airport’s Station 82, stand by when airport tenants such as L3 Crestview Aerospace or Sunshine Aero are testing aircraft.

Its ladder truck, which can direct water directly on top of a fire in a large structure such as a barn or airport hangar, also needs replacing, Shaw said. The 1972 model “needs to be in a museum,” he said.

Through a combination of professional full-time firefighters and volunteers, NOFD staffs Station 82 24 hours a day, and provides part-time support at stations in Milligan, Auburn and on John King Road in Crestview.

NOFD also provides mutual aid responses to area fire districts, including the Crestview Fire Department.

NEW ASSESSMENT

North Okaloosa Fire District assessments will rise Oct. 1 for the first time in more than five years. Here are sample increases:

Type   Current/2015-16

Single-family residential  $96.21/$99.10

Commercial $241.18/$248.41

Vacant land $12.83 to $89.63/$13.21 to $92.32*

Trailer parks $320.71 to $2,629.83/$330.33 to $2,708.73**

*Vacant land is assessed by acres, up to 35 or more acres.

** Trailer parks are not capped. Rate above 100 units is 1 times the lowest rate per 10 units.

Source: North Okaloosa Fire District

LOCAL FIRE DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS

For single-family residences

District  Current/2015-16

Almarante $76.31/$78.64

Blackman $104.15 (unchanged)

Baker $70.75/$73.80

Dorcas $87.79/$90.42

Holt $42.41/$43.70

North Okaloosa   $96.21/$99.10

Source: Okaloosa County Property Appraiser’s Office

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa Fire District saving to replace old, worn out fire engines

CRESTVIEW — Unless it changes its collective mind by its Sept. 9 budget meeting, the City Council agreed by consensus to a 1.1 mils millage rate increase and to the finalized 2015-16 budget.

Councilman JB Whitten dissented during the Thursday night budget workshop, while Council President Shannon Hayes and Councilmen Joe Blocker and Bill Cox agreed.

Councilman Mickey Rytman resigned his seat Thursday.

“It's easy when we sit here and say, 'We need this money,' to forget where it's coming from,” Whitten said. “It's coming from the citizens.”

Cox proposed the new 6.9466 mils, an increase from the current 5.8466 millage, as necessary to keeping the city on firm financial footing. It includes a 5 percent pay raise for city employees.

The budget does not include a consultant- and state-recommended increase in water and sewer rates, which have not increased since the 1990s.

The tentatively approved budget includes an $800,000 information system for the Police Department to replace a failing 2002 system that is not upgradable.

Consideration of the system generated debate between Whitten and Hayes.

“Do we need top-of-the-line to do what we need to do?” Whitten asked.

 “If you want something cheap, are you going to be willing to replace it next year, and the year after that?” Hayes asked. “You get what you pay for. We paid for a system that has no upgrades and now it's almost completely useless.”

Police Chief Tony Taylor said he had evaluated multiple systems and could not find one as dependable, comprehensive and flexible as the proposed SunGard Public Sector System.

The first of two required votes on the proposed millage and budget will be Sept. 9. The budget and millage must be passed by Sept. 30 to go into effect Oct. 1.

WANT TO GO?

The Crestview City Council will hold several upcoming public meetings:

• 5:30 p.m. Sept. 3, to interview city attorney candidates

• 5:05 p.m. Sept. 9: first millage and budget approval

• 6 p.m. Sept. 14: Regular council meeting to include discussion of Confederate Park and its flag, will be held at Warriors Hall.

• Previously announced Sept. 1 and Sept. 8 meetings are cancelled.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council agrees to increased millage, budget

CRESTVIEW — For the first time since 1998, the Community Redevelopment Agency plan has undergone a comprehensive rewriting and is poised to carry the agency through its remaining 10 years of existence.

On July 13, the CRA board approved eight of nine “action items” prepared by CRA/Main Street Director Brenda Smith, who assumed her duties in May.

The next step before Smith can begin implementing the plan is for it to be approved by the City Council as a new ordinance.

“We went from a lot of programs in the 1998 plan and we reduced it to six specific projects,” Smith said.

APPROVED PROJECTS

At a July 13 meeting, the CRA board approved these proposals:

• Develop a contract with the Main Street Crestview Association to maintain national and state historic certification and to administer the downtown redevelopment program and the building rehabilitation program

• Forward the proposed CRA plan to the Local Planning Agency for review and recommendations

• Apply for two $50,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grants to build a dog park in Twin Hills Park and develop a link to the park from downtown

• Pursue a Community Development Block Grant to build a business development center downtown

• Pursue alternative energy charging/fueling stations in the district

• Implement a CRA logo, and vision and mission statements

• Appoint Dr. Margareth LaRose-Pierre, dean of the Florida A&M University Crestview campus, and Patty Cook, of Career Source Okaloosa-Walton, to the CRA board.

• Develop an online community development course.

CREATE A DESTINATION

“The desire is to create a destination,” Smith said. “That’s what the CRA is supposed to do: it’s supposed to change the area, to make it where people would say, ‘This is where I want to be.’

“You have to get people to come to Main Street and get involved.”

 She cited as an example of tangible improvements the often discussed recreation of Crestview’s train depot, which was torn down in the 1970s.

By being included in the CRA plan, the depot — which proponents have envisioned as a combination Crestview history museum, boutique and restaurant — would be eligible for CRA funding should money become available.

“I think this is a good start,” Smith said. "It’s a good, out-of-the-box way to jump-start downtown.”

Former county supervisor of elections Pat Hollarn, chairman of the centennial committee and a member of the former depot committee, said she was excited by Smith’s plans.

“This is so wonderful to see after all these years of working on things like this,” Hollarn said.

COMPREHENSIVE, CREATIVE, PROACTIVE

CRA board member and Councilman JB Whitten also praised Smith’s plans.

“This is very comprehensive, very creative, very proactive; exactly what we hired her for,” Whitten said.

The only project not approved by the board was acquiring the former Piggly Wiggly store property at Beech Avenue and Wilson Street for a possible small park with a bandstand.

“Eight out of nine proposals got accepted. It is a positive step forward,” member Bill Cox said.

Regarding the old Piggly Wiggly property, “I would hope somebody would buy it and operate a successful business and keep it on the tax rolls,” Cox said. “That would be a win-win.”

Smith praised the board members, who, as the City Council gave the plan final approval.

“In everything I have proposed to go forward on this plan, they have been very supportive,” Smith said. “That council is blazing forward with these CRA proposals. They’re making my job easier.”

“Imagine the frustration of trying to deal with a council that doesn’t want to move forward,” Hollarn said. “You have to start practical. You can’t start with a castle.”

THE CRA PLAN

The new Community Redevelopment Agency plan’s six component programs are:

• The Main Street Crestview Association

• Economic revitalization and marketing

• Commercial development incentive and marketing

• District parking, land application and signage

• Obtaining grants and matching funds

• The 2016 Crestview Centennial program.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview's 'out-of-the-box way to jump-start downtown'

PENSACOLA — A total of 31 officers have recently learned to lead after graduating from the The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute's Leadership Academy in August.

The graduates represent criminal justice agencies from across the state and serve in leadership roles within their agencies.

Seminar participants met for four weeks at the Pensacola Police Department.

Graduates learned skills necessary to support the needs of their agencies and the community as they prepare for future challenges.

The goal of the Florida Leadership Academy is to prepare first-line supervisors in criminal justice organizations to exemplify the character and integrity expected of criminal justice professionals, and to examine the various components necessary to being an efficient leader.

The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, established within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and affiliated with the state university system, was established in 1990 by the Florida legislature to address the need for an innovative and multi-faceted approach to the education and training of criminal justice professionals.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa law enforcement and corrections employees attend leadership training

CRESTVIEW — Trash collection fees will increase for some city commercial customers, but only those who overstuff their garbage containers.

WastePro, which holds the city trash collection contract, reports it is over its annual disposal budget by $11,000 and there are still four months to go in the year.

The reason? Some commercial customers contract for a too-small container and they try to overstuff it, paying the same for extra trash disposal as customers who follow the rules.

“The first seven years (of WastePro’s city contract) we really haven’t had a problem with overages,” WastePro Division Manager Greg Martin said. “But our cost is not fair anymore.”

Martin said his company has seen a marked increase in overflowing trash containers this year than previously.

As a result, WastePro often has to make multiple pick-ups beyond the scheduled stops for those customers.

“It becomes unfair,” Public Works Director Wayne Steele said. “We are hauling off a lot more than they are paying for.”

EXTRA PICK-UP, EXTRA COST

Steele, whose department is the city’s WastePro liaison, said charging extra for the extra pick-ups is precluded by city ordinance.

“The ordinance should be changed to require the customer to go to a larger dumpster, but then you get calls from the business owner saying, 'Oh I don't want to do it,’” Steele said. “It's not everyone but you have some that are habitual.”

Steele said by law, the container’s lid has to be firmly closed to prevent animals from getting into the trash and causing a health risk.

City councilmen were sympathetic to WastePro’s request and following a motion by Councilman JB Whitten, voted unanimously to increase the extra pick-up fee from $10 to $25 per yard.

City staffers will draft the new ordinance, which will be presented to the council in a future public meeting for action.

“This request will not affect the normal costs, just costs regarding extra pickups,” City Clerk Betsy Roy wrote in a council brief pertaining to the request.

Roy and Steele said commercial customers can avoid the extra cost by either not filling their containers to overflowing, or ordering a larger container to accommodate their needs.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview commercial trash fees may rise for some

CRESTVIEW — The city council will meet next week to select the Mae R. Coleman Citizen of Year.

The meeting is 5:30-6 p.m. Aug. 10 at city hall, 198 Wilson St., N., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview council to select Citizen of the Year on Aug. 10

CRESTVIEW — Residents expecting an indication of how Crestview will address budget shortfalls and deferred maintenance won't receive much satisfaction after Monday’s budget workshop.

However, they will learn at least one expense has fallen, City Clerk Betsy Roy said. “We have lower (health) insurance rates, so that’s going to help the budget,” she said.

Current projections show without city employee raises, the general fund budget, which includes city departments and most services — such as police, fire, public works and the library — will rise $8,873,674 to $15.3 million in the 2015-16 budget year, but Roy said those figures may change.

“We’re still working through the budget process,” she said. “Everybody’s going back and reanalyzing: ‘What can I live without?’ ‘What do I absolutely have to have?’ There may be things they can put off for another year.”

However, Roy and several department heads have warned the City Council that by deferring equipment upgrades and putting off maintenance to machinery and roads, the city is getting into a situation where it will be unable to catch up.

Department heads also realize the council is responsible for managing taxpayers’ dollars, Roy said. “That’s their job,” she said. “They have to look out for the money.”

The next public budget workshop is 3 p.m. Aug. 20 at Crestview City Hall on Wilson Street.

The city’s preliminary general fund budget for the next fiscal year, starting Oct. 1, is as follows. (Change from the 2014-15 budget appears in parenthesis)* 

●Total general fund: $15.3 million (+$873,674)

●General administration: $1.4 million (-$109,753)

●Mayor’s office: $90,367 (-$9,545)

●City Clerk: $261,384 (-$1,957)

●Public Works administration: $373,976 (-$4,688)

●Maintenance: $177,476 (+$29,385)

●Police: $4.1 million (+$41,311)

●Fire: $3.8 million (+$313,917)

●Leisure Services: $470,108 (+$38,604)

●Streets: $1.76 million (+$389,270)

●Library: $689,237 (+$12,489)

●Code Enforcement: $119,164 (+$12,423)

●Community Center: $31,514 (+$3,094)

●Building/Facility maintenance: $1 million (+$103,959)

●Finance: $262,018 (-$5,084)

●Planning and Zoning: $446,775 (+$88,764)

●Building and Permits: $273,042 (-$28,515)

*City Clerk Betsy Roy said some departments are re-evaluating their requested budgets.

These figures do not include city employee raises.

CRESTVIEW'S 2015-16 BUDGET

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview continues 2015-16 budgeting process

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview's two-decade Confederate battle flag saga ends