CRESTVIEW — The City Council will not pursue a settlement to end dispute of a downtown alley's ownership.

City leaders tonight voted 3-2 to not settle with the late Purl G. Adams' family who claim ownership of property near Florida A&M University's Pharmacy School.

The topic was discussed at length after city attorney Jerry Miller gave each council member a copy of the proposed settlement he had reached with Barbara S. Adams and family.

"There is a settlement in the financial amount of $55,000 to Mrs. (Barbara) Adams," Miller said, adding the proposed agreement would ensure the city's property ownership.

Council members Mickey Rytman and Shannon Hayes wanted to settle. However, Council President Robyn Helt and Councilman Thomas Gordon opposed the notion.

"I don't think I can support paying for something that we already had access to," Gordon said.

 Helt agreed, stating she wouldn't use taxpayer funds to purchase the alley, which the city believes it owns.

Initially, Councilman Joe Blocker motioned to approve the settlement agreement, with a second motion by Hayes.

When Gordon asked what would happen if the council voted against the settlement, Miller said the alley claim would remain unsettled.

"A party could bring a civil action to obtain a judicial result," Miller said.

After much discussion, Helt requested a five-minute recess so that city clerk Betsy Roy could provide a copy of the November 1942 deed.

A warranty deed from Purl G. Adams, his wife Edna and W.R. Taylor gave the alley to the city in exchange for $10 and future considerations.

"I'm holding an official document on file with the city clerk's office … it says this city owns that property," Helt said. 

Hayes changed his stance on the issue.

"With this right here and what I am seeing, I am going to think another way," he said.  "Based on what I am holding in my hand, I say fight it. If we lose, we lose."

In a role call vote, Hayes, Helt and Gordon voted against the settlement, while Rytman and Blocker voted in favor.

The alley in dispute serves Main Street businesses that occupy buildings originally owned by Adams. Some are still owned by his daughter-in-law, Barbara, and his grandson, Purl Adams III, who claim the alley is part of their property, noting the former Alatex Building didn’t have a door to the alley until FAMU refurbished the structure.

The alley has since been renovated by FAMU, which believed it had acquired the right-of-way when the city turned over the Alatex Building to the university. Today, a new paved walk runs the alley’s length, sodded on either side, and new walkways have been laid to the rear doors of the block’s Main Street businesses.

A phone call to the Adams family was not immediately returned by press deadline.

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: Crestview council votes against settlement agreement on alley

CRESTVIEW — The next city council meeting is 6 p. m. June 24 at City Hall, Wilson St. , Crestview.

The regular agenda is as follows:

1. Approval of Consent Agenda.

a. Approval of $898.38 invoice for professional services. Requested by Allen, Norton & Blue, P. A.

b. Acceptance of low bid for breathing air compressor – City Clerk.

c. School Evacuation Emergency Shelter Agreement – Public Services.

2. Service Awards – Mayor Cadle.

3. Public Hearing: Ordinance 1495 – Military Compatibility Provisions Within Comprehensive Plan 2020.

4. Citizen Business: Discuss city code Utility Billing section 90-139, as it relates to utilities being shut off for non-payment –Khortense Dortch.

5. New Business:

a. Solid waste proposal timeline – City Clerk.

b. Florida League of  Cities Annual Conference – City Clerk.

c. Appointment of TIF Representative (Supporting Documents are in workshop packet) – City Clerk.

d. TPO Apportionment – Eric Davis.

e. Appointment of a member to the Façade Improvement Grant Review Board Committee.  This is a city council appointment.

6. Mayoral report.

7. Business from the floor:

a. yellow card submissions.

b. Impromptu yellow card discussions.

8. 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.  

All 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.  The card must be submitted to the city clerk.  Speaking time should be 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.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview city council meeting agenda announced

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott has tasked Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel with conducting a nationwide search for the new citizens inspector general. The appointee will oversee Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state’s largest insurance company and a taxpayer-backed entity. 

A selection committee comprising the chief inspector general, the inspector general from CFO Jeff Atwater’s Office and the Office of Insurance Regulation’s inspector general will coordinate the search. 

The committee's first meeting — 2-5 p.m. Thursday in Tallahassee — kicks off a series of public meetings for the search.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida seeks citizens inspector general applicants

CRESTVIEW — Upcoming negotiations with a planned shopping mall’s developers will require an additional attorney, city officials said.

City attorney Jerry Miller said that representing the city for a quasi-judicial hearing — during which the council will discuss impact fee waivers — legally precludes him from representing city Public Works staff preparing project proposals.

Watkins Retail Group, the mall developer, is expected to request impact fee waivers for the Crestview Crossings Power Center shopping center, which is planned for a 144-acre site northeast of Lowe's home improvement store.

The requests must be handled in different settings, Miller said.

"Ordinance allows public safety impact fee waivers, and water and sewer impact fee credits," Miller said. "Easement issues are not quasi-judicial. It is a complicated matter."

The city awaits Watkins' applications, Public Works assistant director Carlos Jones said.

"Everything is going by plan as far as we know," he said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview needs additional attorney to advise staff for mall project

CRESTVIEW — Establishing a Tax Increment Financing district is the best way of funding a proposed P.J. Adams Parkway-Antioch Roadbypass corridor, local officials say.

"We could look at taking a portion of future ad valorem revenues coming into the city so we could set them aside for transportation improvements," attorney Mike Chesser said.

Under the plan, proposed TIF districts would encompass Okaloosa County’s northern half at county level, and the entire city of Crestview except for the Community Redevelopment Agency district, which already has a funding source comparable to a TIF.

TIFs would not result in increased taxes, officials said, but would direct any additional taxes raised above an established baseline toward the district.

The Crestview City Council on Monday expressed favor for the concept and unanimously directed city planning staff to continue researching the idea.

A TIF would be a proactive way of locally raising funds and using them to attract matching state or federal funds, officials said during Monday’s city council meeting. As road improvements funded by the TIF attract more development, more ad valorem taxes would flow to the city and expand TIF dollars.

"What this does is put you on a long-term plan to solve a transportation issue," said Dr. Rod Lewis, of the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development at the University of West Florida.

Crestview’s TIF could generate as much as $33 million over 20 years, Haas said. The county TIF would add $47 million.

The $80 million raised locally would allow the P.J. Adams project to qualify for a $60 million bond at a 5 percent discount rate, Crestview city planner Eric Davis stated in a briefing memo.

Now that State Road 123 expansion has been funded, "The Number 1 priority for the (Transportation Planning Organization) of Okaloosa and Walton Counties is open," Davis said.

To assure the P.J. Adams bypass moves into that slot, the city must demonstrate it has a plan to help support the project, Davis said.

"P.J. Adams is our No. 1 priority in this county," Public Works director John Hofstad said. "It's a $100 million project but our budget in Public Works is approximately $15 million a year. It's going to take a multi-jurisdictional effort."

Council President Robyn Helt cautioned that other funding sources should also be researched, especially considering funding for S.R. 123 "miraculously appeared" after regional legislators pushed for it.

Though the often-discussed bypass project has been inching its way toward the top of the county's projects list, funding is unavailable and construction might not occur for 20 or more years.

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: Financing district could fund P.J. Adams Parkway expansion

LAUREL HILL —  The city council has added two more road projects for the West Florida Regional Planning Council.

City officials have suggested resurfacing Earl Campbell Road and adding sidewalks for New Ebenezer and Robbins Road.

The regional planning council has contracted with the Florida Department of Transportation to gather input from rural areas.

Since 2010, regional planner Christie Johnson has met with city officials to take suggestions and give updates on which roads the county and the FDOT have planned for road repairs or additions.

One recent result of FDOT’s rural work program is Laurel Hill's main road, Johnson said during Thursday’s city council meeting.

"State Road 85 was on the list last year with resurfacing," Johnson said. "From what I understand, it’s almost complete."

The project should be complete within two weeks, she said.

According to a handout available at the meeting, four projects that FDOT will work on in five years are as follows:

•Adding a right turn lane on the corner of Galliver Cutoff and State Road 4 in Baker.

•Modifying the U.S. Highway 90-State Road 4 intersection in Milligan.

•Adding turn lanes on State Road 4 for 14th Street in Baker.

•Replacing the Yellow River Bridge crossing U.S. Highway 90.

Projects could move up or down the priority list due to circumstances like paving conditions, Johnson said.

A second map handed out at the meeting featured roads that county officials requested of FDOT. The county may consider applying for a 50-50 grant to cover the cost.

"The County Incentive Grant Program is a possible funding opportunity for the county to fund road projects on state roads or projects that relieve congestion on state roads. There is a 50 percent match requirement," Johnson said in an email.

The handout included two lists featuring county roads’ resurfacing and paving needs. Ludlum Road, Steel Mill Creek Road and New Ebenezer Road were included on both lists. 

Council chairman Larry Hendren suggested the county portion of Earl Campbell Road be considered for resurfacing.

City attorney Dan Campbell suggested that Thomas Road be removed from the "paving needs" list.

"I don't know why people want to pave Thomas Road; nobody lives on it and nobody uses it," he said. "That money should be put on New Ebenezer Road rather than paving a road up to Alabama that nobody uses … that's $404,000."

Councilman Johnny James agreed, asking if it were possible to add sidewalks to New Ebenezer. Johnson said she would bring the matter before county officials.

"Some of the kids walk along New Ebenezer all the time," James said at the meeting.

The suggestions will be brought before county officials, who will perform cost estimates on each, Johnson said.

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 council suggests roads for grant-funded repair