CRESTVIEW — The next meeting of the Crestview City Council is 6 p.m. Aug. 12, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

Agenda items are listed below.

1. Approval of Consent Agenda:

a. Approval of the minutes from the July 22 workshop and council meeting.

b. Approval of $4,440.56 invoice for professional services. Requested by Allen, Norton & Blue, P.A.

c. Approval of Site construction plans for Crestview Commons, a new commercial mobile food vendors center on a .057 acre parcel next to 113 N. Main Street, PIN No. 17-3N-23-2490-0009-052A. Requested by Kermit George, P.E., Engineer. LPA 152-16

d. Approval of site construction plans and elevations for a 17,600-square-foot new commercial building with 11,600 square feet in retail space and 6,000 square feet in restaurant space. Location is a 2.95±-acre parcel at the Ferdon Blvd. South, and Redstone Avenue West, PIN No. 29-3N-23-0000-0013-0000. Requested by Mark Siner, P.E., of Choctaw Engineering, Inc. LPA 13-19.

e. Approval of site construction plans for Gulf Power Company, Inc.'s proposed new 6,417-square-foot office building, a new 10,000-square-foot covered parking area, new storm water management system and relocation of the fueling station. Location of the project is a 1.4±acre portion of the 20±acres parcel at 1655 S. Ferdon Blvd.,PIN No. 20-3N-23-0000-0124-0000 and 20-3N-23-0000-0118-0000. Ashley Jansen, of the Gulf Power Company, Inc., is the agent for the property owner. LPA 13-20.

f. Approval of site construction plans and elevations for a change of occupancy for the Judge Ben Gordon Family Visitation Center, Inc. Location of the project is a 0.40±acre parcel at 618 Seventh Ave., PIN No. 08-3N-23-1370-0003-0050. The existing 1715-square-foot building will require some moderate remodeling, with the majority of the work being done on site. Randy Hilburn, PE, of Westerra Development, Inc., is the Agent for the property owner. LPA 13-21

g. Approval of site construction plans for The Crestview Manor, Inc. proposed new parking lot on their parcel located at 1849 E. 1st Ave., PIN No. 16-3N-23-0000-0004-0000. Mark Siner, P.E. of Choctaw Engineering, Inc. is the engineer. LPA 13-22.

2. Public hearing:

a. Ordinance 1496 – An ordinance annexing the 4.78 acre enclave parcel lying north of the current Gulf Power office, south of Aplin Road and east of Ferdon Blvd. Requested by Gulf Power Company, property owner, by Michael L. Burroughs, vice president. LPA 13-15.

3. Citizen business:

a. Crestview Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) – Mark Brown.

b. Tax Increment Financing district, or TIF – Mike Chesser.

4. New business:

a. Ordinance 1499 – General retirement plan first reading and Ordinance 1500 – Police and Fire Retirement first reading.

b. Ordinance 1497 – An ordinance annexing 1.38 acres located on E. James Lee Blvd., PIN 16-3N-23-0000-0039-0010. Requested by Teramore Development, LLC, property owner, by Josh Hufstetler, vice president; Represented by Jennifer Bell, project engineer, LPA 13-16. Together with request for scheduling workshop and public hearing for ordinance 1497 – Admin Services.

c. Review request letter from N. Ferdon Development LLC, property owner, by Reed Nelson, managing member, for the reduction of water and sewer rates from out-of-city rates to in-city rates in conjunction with the annexation of the future Taco Bell Site on N. Ferdon Blvd.

d. Approval of bid recommendation for solid waste removal – City Clerk.

e. Safer Grant II – Chief Traylor.

f. Redistribution of reimbursement funds – Chief Taylor

g. Realignment of Clerk/ Finance office – City Clerk

5. Mayoral report.

6. Business from the floor.

a. Yellow card submissions.

b. Impromptu yellow card discussions.

7. Adjournment.

*Note: "Citizen Business" is business that was submitted by a citizen or group of citizens no later than the Wednesday prior to the meeting to the Clerk's office for approval. Supporting documents must be submitted at this time to be on the regular agenda.

"New Business" is for staff and elected officials only, and must be submitted for approval no later than the Friday one week prior to the meeting.

Those not listed on the regular agenda who wish to address the council should fill out a yellow card, which must be submitted to the City Clerk.

Speaking time is five minutes or less. Large groups may designate a spokesperson. All remarks should be addressed to the council as a whole and not to individual members. All meeting procedures are outlined in the Meeting Rules and Procedures brochure available outside the chambers.

Crestview Community Redevelopment Agency agenda

The next CRA meeting is 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

The agenda is listed below.

1. Approval of the July 8 CRA meeting minutes.

2. Discuss budget items – Main Street Crestview Association.

3. Request to pay invoices for portable toilets provided for downtown events.

4. Any other items as deemed necessary by the CRA Board.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council and Community Redevelopment Agency agendas

CRESTVIEW — As city department heads search for ways to trim their budgets, the Public Works department has found one area where expenses can be reduced: street lighting.

The city's street lighting bill ranges between $30,000 and $33,000 a month, Public Works Director Wayne Steele said.

He said his department is preparing a grant application that would retrofit the city's high-pressure sodium streetlights with cost- and energy-efficient LED lighting.

"It'll be additional income for next year that we'll need for balancing the budget," assistant director Carlos Jones said.

Working with Gulf Power, the city has installed four LED streetlights on Industrial Drive between U.S. Highway 90 and Stillwell Boulevard to test the technology.

But there might be even more savings to be found, Steele said. To complete the grant application, Steele's department did a survey of all of the city's streetlights, finding 1,738 "cobra head" lights.

But, he said, Gulf Power bills the city for 2,855 cobra heads — the type of common streetlight that, from below, resembles a cobra's flared neck.

In reviewing lighting bills, Steele also found other inconsistencies.

"They charge us different prices for the same light in different places in the city," Steele reported to the City Council.

Steele said Gulf Power is working closely with the city to address the discrepancies. The utility will compare the city's streetlight assessment map with its own lighting information.

"They've stepped in to partner with the city," Steele said. "We have a good relationship with Gulf Power. We found discrepancies that need to be addressed and they're working with us."

"We are working with the city of Crestview to determine not only ways to help the city save money, but also to work out these discrepancies," Gulf Power spokeswoman Natalie Smith said.

Steele also said Gulf Power moved to immediately stop charging the city its own franchise fee on monthly bills.

Though the utility reimburses the fee to the city, "I'd rather the city keep their money rather than give it to Gulf Power for a month and then get it back," Steele said.

Council President Robyn Helt praised Steele for his tenacity in investigating the inconsistencies, researching the grant and working with Gulf Power to rein in city expenses.

Want to go?

The next Crestview City Council 2013-14 budget workshop is 3:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at City Hall and is open to the public.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview council and Gulf Power fixing streetlight billing

LAUREL HILL — Okaloosa County commissioners are expected to vote soon on whether to use county resources to complete work on Sunnyside Avenue, city leaders say.

In March, the council allocated $75,000 to repair and repave the road leading to Laurel Hill School from State Road 85. The city, which seeks county officials’ assistance in providing labor and equipment, would cover the cost of materials needed.

 While awaiting response, city employees and Councilman Clifton Hall have worked on a couple of Saturdays to prepare Sunnyside for repaving and the addition of new stormwater drainage pipes.

Last month, Hall requested that the council seek a different contractor to continue the work. The agenda item was removed pending the commissioners’ vote on whether to finish the road’s repairs. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill council anticipates commissioners’ Sunnyside vote

LAUREL HILL — City Council members have voted 4-1 to delay renewing a mowing contract with Transfield Services after Councilman Clifton Hall questioned estimated expenses.

The city had contracted mowing services with the Florida Department of Transportation until last year, when the DOT contracted Transfield Services for mowing and trash pick-up, City Clerk Nita Miller said.

Under the proposed contract, the company would provide mowing and trash pick-up twice a month for eight months on both sides of State Road 85 within city limits.

Hall, who has experience working with heavy machinery including tractor equipment in his contracting business, said service cost estimates were lower than expected.

The approximate cost of Kubota tractor use,$15 an hour, and the company’s listed salary, $7,354.12, were too low, Hall said Thursday, adding the latter should be closer to $11,000.

"I don't want to support this and then have something come up later and prove that we were wrong," Hall said.

Council members Larry Hendren, Willie Mae Toles and Betty Williamson supported Hall's motion to delay contract renewal.

Councilman Johnny James, who opposed the delay, had no concern about the proposed contract’s terms.

A revised contract will be presented for approval at next month's council meeting, 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at city hall. It will be discussed during a budget workshop at 6 p.m. Thursday at city hall.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill city leaders delay mowing contract renewal

Updated 8/18/2013, 3:34 p.m.

CRESTVIEW — City department heads have submitted their respective 2013-14 preliminary budgets but city leaders say they still must trim upward of $1.1 million.

City Clerk Betsy Roy said she and Finance Director Patti Beebe have been working with the department heads to submit a balanced budget, but "unfortunately, we're not there yet."

Though the city council agreed to set a higher tentative millage rate for creating the next fiscal year's budget, members at Wednesday's workshop expressed keeping the rate as is.

Under the tentative millage of 5.8466, and with the budgets as submitted, the general fund deficit would be $906,000. Under the current millage of 5.5966, the deficit would be an estimated $1.1 million.

Council members made budget-reduction suggestions including:

•Closing the library and parks an extra day each week

•Reducing city employees workweeks to 32 hours

•Using Community Redevelopment Agency funds, not general fund money, for Twin Hills Park operations and police patrol services in the CRA district

•Hiring a city purchasing agent and grant writer

•Establishing better control of city assets.

Among the suggestions was reducing Fire Station 3's staff or possibly closing that fire station.

With talk of increased county, school and gas taxes, the last thing Crestview residents need is an increase in their property taxes coupled with a loss of services, Council President Robyn Helt said.

"I am not for an increase in the citizens' millage rate, period," she said. "I don't care what we have to do. The citizens are not going to continue to pay for the government to do its job inefficiently."

Helt said it is up to department heads to trim their own budgets.

Department heads expressed willingness to collaborate to produce a balanced budget, but acknowledged that after years of trimming, there's little left to cut.

"Things are going to have to be spoken about frankly and deliberately," Fire Chief Joe Traylor said. "Now we know where we need to go and we'll get there."

…

Draft budgets

Preliminary budgets were submitted Wednesday for the 2013-14 fiscal year starting Oct. 1. These budgets will be revised and adjusted during upcoming budget workshops.

Department                              2012            2013

GENERAL FUND

Mayor's Office                        $91,979       $94,446

City Clerk                                $236,763     $170,306

Finance Department                (new)           $306,110

General Administrative           $1,078,556  $938,208

Administrative Services          $649,199     (eliminated)

Planning & Zoning                  (new)           $334,362

Permitting                                (new)           $276,652

Public Works                          $403,105     $394,320

Fleet Maintenance                   $156,259     $156,869

Police Department                   $4,279,308  $4,358,527

Fire Department                      $3,846,306  $3,892,750

Parks & Recreation                 $486,730     $399,969

Streets                                     $1,418,391  $1,424,842

Library                                    $660,979     $656,640

Code Enforcement                   (new)           $74,957

Community Center                  $34,425       $30,137

Building Facilities                   $764,611     $895,309

UTILITY FUND

General Administrative           $3,845,893  $2,211,279

Public Services                        $405,960     $395,117

Customer Service                    $601,493     $359,491

Water Department                   $923,334     $1,321,957

Sewer Department                   $212,163     $258,330

Wastewater Treatment             $922,936     $970,395

Maintenance                            $895,218     $943,934

Storm water                             $302,190     $331,477        

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article said Councilmen Thomas Gordon and Mickey Rytman offered a list of budget-reduction suggestions. Although Gordon and Rytman made suggestions, it's important to clarify who said what. Rytman did not suggest reducing city workers' hours to 32 per week. This version of the article simply offers the suggestions, which are not formal proposals.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City leaders to department heads: trim up to $1.1 million from budget

CRESTVIEW — Relief may be near for Okaloosa Lane residents tired of slipping and sliding in wet weather, and bouncing over ruts and motoring through dust clouds when it's dry.

A small, critical stretch of the road, which links U.S. Highway 90 with Redstone Avenue at Riverside Elementary School, is still unpaved.

Soon after the school opened, the section from Redstone behind Riverside Elementary was paved. However, the segment from Serenity Lane at the boundary of school property to Aplin Road, is still dirt. Efforts to pave it have been in the works for three years, County Commissioner Wayne Harris said.

The county is acquiring right-of-way from property owners on either side of the road now that 60 percent of the engineering planning is complete.

The road is heavily traveled by school buses and parents carrying students to and from the two schools, and serves residential neighborhoods that line the lane’s east side.

The segment includes a dramatic dip that frequently gets washouts.

A top priority

Paving the last quarter-mile of dirt lane is one of his top priorities, Harris said. There's hope the project might be completed within a year to a year and a half, he said.

"We are trying to elicit the property owners' support in acquiring right-of-way," Harris said. "I think most, if not all, but one or two are in favor of fixing this major problem."

Because of hazardous conditions caused by washouts, and the lack of a sidewalk for children walking to and from school, paving the road is a safety issue, Harris said.

Moreover, he said, it will enhance property values for neighborhoods the road serves.

The paving and accompanying drainage engineering work is budgeted at $2 million, county Public Works Director John Hofstad said. Part of the cost is for acquiring property needed for drainage and a sidewalk.

Engineering plans had to be revised when the original design didn't meet with the Northwest Florida Water Management District's approval, Harris said.

"We have the money to do it, and if we prevail in acquiring all of the R.O.W., we can, as they say, 'git 'er done,'" Harris said.

However, affected property owners must agree to donate or sell needed right-of-way to the county before the project can move forward, Harris said.

"One person can hold up that road," Harris said. "If one person says 'no,' then we can't do that road at all."

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa Lane paving could be next as engineering studies end

CRESTVIEW — Revising the city's permitting fee schedule would help bridge disparity between fees collected and the Building Permitting and Inspections Department’s actual expenses, city building official Jonathan Bilby said.

For several months, Bilby has been conducting a comprehensive overhaul of his department's fee schedule.

His proposal, presented to the City Council during a workshop Monday, includes increases that would bring Crestview's permitting and inspections fees more in line with other Okaloosa County communities.

Bilby's research began after it became apparent that fees currently charged to developers were insufficient to cover the expense of reviewing plans and inspecting construction.

"We had a significant shortfall and we realized we were relying on tax revenue," Bilby said.

Taxpayer funds — an average of $65,000 per year over the last four years — made up the difference.

Bilby said he analyzed regional permitting fees and found the fee for a 1,200-square-foot building ranged from more than $300 in Crestview to $1,200 elsewhere in the county.

The proposed new fee schedule is "a more fair, across-the-board fee structure," he said, and represents the median of regional fees.

Councilman Thomas Gordon questioned the wisdom of raising fees.

"If we're trying so hard to encourage businesses to come in, do we want to raise permit fees?" he said.

Council President Robyn Helt said she wondered whether the city is needlessly requiring permits for small projects "that don't amount to a hill of beans."

She cited an $81 permit she purchased to put a prefabricated shed in her backyard to house her lawnmower.

"Are there other things like that that we're charging for that could be eliminated and save city inspectors a burden and the resident the burden?" Helt said.

Bilby agreed to review the small home improvement permits, but cautioned that eliminating them might cause problems, such as an improperly secured shed blowing into a neighbor's home during a hurricane.

He asked the council to review his proposed fee schedule and consider approving it in time for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Building official: permitting fee overhaul would fix shortfall

CRESTVIEW — City officials have not raised the city's water impact fees, despite water consultants Tetra Tech and CH2MHill’s recommendations.

Following Okaloosa County's example, Public Works Director Wayne Steele has another idea: call the fee by another name.

The county has begun referring to its impact fees as "capacity replacement fees." City leaders have said they like the idea.

"I like that terminology," Councilman Shannon Hayes said during Monday’s city council meeting. "Sometimes just changing the wording changes somebody's mindset."

Under the council's direction, Steele will consult with city attorney Jerry Miller about changing the city's fee vocabulary to adopt the county's phraseology.

"'Impact fee' has a bad taste in some people’s mouth, but as utility providers, we have to find a way to sustain our long-term infrastructure,” Steele said. “It is the best option for new development to pay for itself."

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

Impact

BRIAN HUGHES | News Bulletin

Crestview Public Works Director Wayne Steele, left, assists resident Mack Brooks with a concern about drainage problems on his property. In future, "capacity replacement fees" might fund some city infrastructure improvements.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council to consider renaming impact fees

LAUREL HILL — The city clerk’s office has retained three contractors’ estimates to repair the “Welcome to Laurel Hill Florida” sign, which collapsed June 28 following strong winds.

Other licensed and insured contractors can call city clerk Nita Miller, 652-4441, to offer a bid.

A hit and run in January first affected the brick and mortar sign near city hall, Miller said.   

"We're thinking the sign was backed into by a duel-wheeled vehicle," she said, adding she noticed tire tracks leading to the sign and damaged shrubs nearby.

The sign still stood after that incident, which was reported to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, but strong winds June 28 led to its collapse, Miller said.

Florida Municipal Insurance Trust Company, affiliated with the Florida League of Cities, insures the sign, city officials said.

"The deductible is $2,500; the company told us we could get up to $10,000 for it,” Miller said.  

No timeline has been given for the sign’s replacement.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill accepting estimates to replace welcome sign

CRESTVIEW — Mayor David Cadle recognized three of Fire Station 3’s original 12 firefighters during Monday’s city council meeting. The presentation coincided with the five-year anniversary of the opening of Crestview's newest firehouse on Brookmeade Drive.

FEMA’s five-year Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grant funded employment for Matthew Baker, Matthew Cunningham and Paul Wojtowicz, who were sworn in July 2, 2008 and attended the meeting. The grant made it possible to staff the facility, which serves the town’s east central area.

Eighteen firefighters are assigned to Station 3. Of the original 12 firefighters, Michael Smith, Nicholas Stowell, Joshua Vargason and Corey Winkler, who still serve the city, couldn’t attend the presentation.

The city, which has finished its matching portion of the FEMA grant, is obligated to keep the firefighters on the payroll for at least one more year. However, their jobs are safe beyond that, Fire Chief Joe Traylor said.

"The loss of those 12 employees would have a direct negative impact on the amount of homeowners insurance and commercial insurance for citizens who are served by the firefighters that work out  of that station," he said.

The city is midway paying off a $900,000 loan to construct Station 3, using impact fees of $200 per single-family home and $200 per 1,000 square feet of commercial space.

Half of the fees collected is designated to support police; the other half is designated for the fire department, Traylor said, adding, "but because it is a public safety building, all funds go to that building."

Traylor described the inner operations room as a "building within a building," explaining it serves as an emergency operations center for Crestview's fire and police departments.

The reinforced concrete walls and metal roof should withstand a "Katrina-like event," Traylor said.

Want to visit?

Contact the Crestview Fire Department administration, 682-6121, to arrange tours of Public Safety Building 3 or any of Crestview's other fire stations.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview's Brookmeade public safety building celebrates 5 years