FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa County Tax Collector’s Office is centralizing driving tests for new driver licenses to its Niceville branch, 506 Highway 85 N., effective immediately.

Road testing had been available at offices in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville.

A road test is one part of the process to obtain a driver license for the first time.

"After analyzing our existing operations, we determined that road testing was a time-consuming function that took multiple agents off the counter,” Tax Collector Ben Anderson said. "Going to one location with one employee dedicated to that service will help all of our customers realize shorter wait times for all services.”

Road tests are available by appointment only. Call 651-7300 or see "Road Test Online Scheduler" under "Helpful Links" at www.OkaloosaTax.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa driving testing ends for Crestview location

Okaloosa County officials are closer to recovering some of the cash from former tourism director Mark Bellinger’s illegal purchase of a four-bedroom house Destin.

The federal government sold the house in Kelly Plantation on March 8 for $620,000, said attorney Greg Stewart, special counsel to the county.

“It appears that the net sale proceeds after commission and closing costs due the United States government will be approximately $573,000,” Stewart said in an email to the Daily News. “That does not appear to include the past cost of maintenance of the property, which would further reduce the net sale proceeds.”

County Administrator Jim Curry said he was pleased the home finally had sold.

“With the market conditions like they’ve been, I’m glad it has moved,” he said.

Bellinger bought the house at 4384 Stonebridge Road in August 2011 for $747,000 with money from a BP oil spill grant. He disguised the purchase as a multi-city “Boast the Coast” advertising campaign on an invoice from Lewis Communications, an advertising firm that previously contracted with the county.

Bellinger lived in the spacious, golf course community home with his wife. Authorities later discovered $6,258 in stolen furniture inside.

Stewart said the county’s next step will be to petition the U.S. Justice Department for 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale, minus the maintenance costs.

He said he is “hopeful” the request will be approved.

According to Curry, BP officials have said they want the county to recoup the oil spill grant money and use it for its original intent, which was to boost tourism in the area.

County officials also could soon dispose of the 40-foot $710,000 Marquis yacht that Bellinger bought with bed tax money in December 2011.

The 2011 Marquis 420 SC has been for sale since last summer. The county recently received an offer from Ralph Fernandez of Coconut Grove for $458,000.

Read a copy of the offer.

The broker-to-broker sale would include a 10 percent broker fee, bringing the county’s net proceeds to $412,000.

County commissioners are expected to vote on the offer at their meeting Tuesday.

“It costs us to continue to maintain it,” Curry said. “It costs us to continue to keep insurance on it. It’s probably the right thing to do to dispose of it and get those funds returned as well.”

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bellinger’s house finally sells (DOCUMENT)

CRESTVIEW — Having a bigger campaign fund than opponents in this year’s municipal elections didn’t guarantee incumbents more votes.

If having more campaign money than challengers means certain reelection, Charles Baugh Jr.'s $8,354 should have trounced winner Mickey Rytman's $3,523.95. And Joe Blocker's $624.23 should have been no match to Benjamin Iannucci III's $2,041.28.

But when Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux announced the final results Tuesday evening, Rytman, who sat stunned by the announcement, had defeated Baugh with 762 votes to 536. Iannucci fell to Blocker 494 to 424.

"Anything's possible when you deal with voting," Iannucci said.

Incumbent City Clerk Betsy Roy — out-funded $3,994.48 to $3,384.55 by her opponent — faced a tough battle against real estate agent Wanda Davis. Roy trailed Davis 446 to 414 when the results of early voting and absentee votes were coupled with results from four out of the city's seven precincts. Roy won, 581 to 557.

Baugh and Iannucci are relative newcomers to Crestview, while Blocker, Davis and Rytman are Crestview natives. Roy has lived in Crestview since 1995.

Also elected was Crestview native Shannon Hayes, who defeated transplant Bill Cox to assume the Precinct 2 seat being vacated by retiring Councilman Tim Grandberry. Hayes, who raised $2,570 to Cox's $1,120, is the son of the late council member Sam Hayes.

"I know Dad is smiling up there," Hayes said after the results were announced.

City Councilman Tom Gordon, a Crestview native, said that over the last two elections, he has seen a trend of voters turning incumbents out of office.

"Two years ago, the Crestview citizens sent a clear signal of  'out with the old and in with new,' Gordon said. "Looks like Tuesday night's results were an echo of two years ago."

Voter Theresa Lambert raised another possibility.

"I want to see the locals back in charge," she said. "Most of those people on the council aren't from here. They don't know this place like we do."

Whether voters focused more on defeating incumbents or putting lifelong residents into office is questionable, but one quantifiable fact concerned Gordon: only 10.5 percent of the electorate determined the election's outcome.

"It's hard to fathom how 90 percent can possibly be satisfied with 10 percent making the decision for them," Gordon said. "If you don't vote, don't fuss."

   •••

THE COSTS OF OFFICE

Crestview city clerk

Salary: $55,000

Campaign contributions*/expenditures:

Wanda Davis: $3,994.48/ $2,091.54

J.T. Kinsey: $1,450/ $1,446.08

Betsy Roy: $3,384.55/ $3,119.30

      •••

Crestview city council

Salary: $5,040

Campaign contributions*/expenditures:

Precinct 1

Joe Blocker: $624.23/ $273.63

Landrum Edwards: $395.60/ $100

Benjamin Iannucci III: $2,041.28/ $1,306.45

Precinct 2

Bill Cox: $1,120/ $1,002.94

Shannon Hayes: $2,570/ $2,320.14

Precinct 3

Charles Baugh Jr.: $8,354/ $6,950.48

Mickey Rytman: $3,523.95/ $1,413.64

      •••

Laurel Hill mayor

Salary: $2,400

Campaign contributions*/expenditures:

Robby Adams: $325/ $308.68

Mike Blizzard: $692/ $395.08

      •••

Laurel Hill city council

Salary: $1,200**

Campaign contributions*/expenditures:

Larry Hendren: $40/ $10

Johnny James: $33/ $10

Joan Smith: $20/ $10

*Includes monetary and in-kind contributions

** Laurel Hill city council members have voluntarily waived their salaries to allow the city to pay down its debt.

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: Campaign finances no factor in political success

CRESTVIEW — A downtown parking lot on Wilson Street hasn’t attracted many users since its Feb. 25 ribbon-cutting, but city officials think that will change as word spreads that the car park is available.

"I drove by during the day and counted five cars in the lot," Assistant Public Works Director Carlos Jones said Monday evening.

Florida A&M Rural Diversity Healthcare Center, JobsPlus and City Hall are about a block away. Main Street shops, restaurants and other businesses are just a few minutes' walk away. Downtown events — such as the upcoming Triple B festival and the Spanish Trail Cruisers' Average Joe Car Show — can benefit from the parking lot, which also is a staging area for Okaloosa County Transit buses.

"And I would imagine as the (FAMU pharmacy) school gets busier and more businesses move downtown, (the lot)’ll take off," Jones said.

The paving project also included formerly gravel and dirt lots around the county Elder Services office and the Sharing and Caring food bank next to the main parking lot, producing 76 parking spaces.

Acquiring suitable property for the lot was difficult. A parcel behind Desi's Restaurant was one option before the owner took it off the market following questions about his selling price, which was higher than the property's appraised value.

The Community Redevelopment Agency, funding the project through a Community Development Block Grant, scrambled to find space before the grant expired. Work began on the Wilson Street lot just north of Elder Services last October.

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: Additional downtown parking lot opens

CRESTVIEW — When the new City Council meets April 1, three of the five members on the dais will be new.

Defeated incumbents and candidates vowed to remain involved in civic affairs, joining a distinguished list of previous elected officials active in the community.

Appointed by the city council last year, City Clerk Betsy Roy held on to her position following stiff competition by real estate agent Wanda Davis, winning by 24 votes.

Davis said she received so much support from voters that she wants to continue her quest to "take back" the community from perceived "outsider" intent on changing the city’s character.

"As a Realtor who sells in Crestview, I know people buy homes in Crestview because we're Mayberry. Mayberry R.F.D. — that's us," Davis said.

"I want my town cleared up. I heard some remarks from behind that (city council) desk that made me hurt. Will they be seeing me? You bet! I hope the people that are in there are ready to make some positive changes."

Outgoing Council President Benjamin Iannucci III, defeated by retired construction project manager Joe Blocker, also promised to remain active as a citizen.

"I won't stop going to meetings. My involvement with the city is not going to stop," Iannucci said. "I'll keep going to the meetings and I'll let them know when I disagree with the direction they're going and I'll let them know when I agree with them."

He promised to continue supporting the Family Entertainment Center arts and sports complex he proposed.

In Laurel Hill, Mayor Joan Smith was defeated in her bid to return to the city council but likewise promised to remain involved in the community.

"I don't have the problems some people do about losing. I've got nothing to be ashamed of or hide," Smith said. "I'm just proud that we have a council that is workable."

Smith and Iannucci said that they would be able to accomplish more as private citizens without the restrictions placed on elected officials.

"You don't realize until you're on the council how handcuffed you are with certain things you can or cannot do based on (Sunshine) laws," Iannucci said. Open-meetings laws, in most cases, ban secret meetings among public officials.

"Our hands were tied sometimes," Smith said. "I like working together: People working together, that accomplishes so much. I'm proud of what we accomplished, and I'll do whatever I can to help our city."

Election Results

Unofficial results with all seven precincts reporting.

Crestview voter turnout: 1,324 of 12,652, or 10.5 percent.

Crestview City Clerk

Wanda Davis 557

J.T. Kinsey 163

Betsy Roy 581

Crestview City Council, Pct. 1

Joe Blocker 494

Landrum Edwards 353

Benjamin Iannucci III 424

Crestview City Council, Pct. 2

Bill Cox 540

Shannon Hayes 742

Crestview City Council, Pct. 3

Charles Baugh Jr. 536

Mickey Rytman 762

Laurel Hill voter turnout: 115 of 341, or 33.7 percent

Laurel Hill Mayor

Robby Adams 69

Mike Blizzard 46

Laurel Hill City Council (top two winners will be seated)

Larry Hendren 91

Johnny James 83

Joan Smith 33

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: Defeated candidates vow to remain involved in their communities

CRESTVIEW — North Okaloosa Fire District firefighters swarmed over the agency's newest fire truck Wednesday afternoon.

Escorted by Chief Ed Cutler, the class A category pumper glided to the runway bay doors, where about 10 firefighters waited.

As soon as the fire engine was offloaded from the flatbed trailer on which it traveled from Deep South Fire Trucks in Collins, Miss., the men surged forward.

"It's nice. It's real nice," firefighter Ray Clemens said as he opened an equipment hatch. "Camera phones are getting lots of use today."

The truck cost $92,000, district commissioner Craig Shaw said. When new, the truck was valued between $250,000 and $300,000.

NOFD funded a capital account with $50,000 a year over the last two years to pay for it, Shaw said. The account’s balance will help equip the vehicle.

"We've been working hard to save money and we paid cash," Shaw said. "There is no debt."

The truck has fewer than 9,000 original miles on it, with fewer than 700 total service hours. Through negotiations with Deep South Fire Trucks, NOFD received $5,000 worth of equipment enhancements, including a water cannon and a front extended bumper with a hose hook-up.

The 1996 apparatus was "as new as used can be new," Shaw said, noting that most used fire trucks are worn out and cost the agency that buys them more in repairs than they paid for the truck.

Deputy Chief Danny Worrells said he and his firefighters liked the top-mounted pump controls that allow the operator to survey a fire scene and respond accordingly. Some fire trucks have side-mounted controls, meaning the truck’s body can obstruct the operator's view of the scene.

For now, the new fire engine will remain at the airport station while firefighters train on it. Its acquisition will help the district meet community fire-safety standards by having a fire truck at each of NOFD's stations, including the John King Road, Milligan and Auburn Road stations, and a truck in reserve.

"It gives us the ability to pull a truck out of service and make repairs and do things right," Cutler said, noting without that flexibility, repairs sometimes must be rushed to hurry a truck back into service.

VIDEO: See "Related Media" at top left of this article.

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: $92K fire truck addition ensures all NOFD stations have protection

CRESTVIEW — Though the City Council agreed to provide logistical support for the April 26 and 27 Relay for Life, some city leaders have expressed concern that spending more than $1,000 at a time when city workers have lost their jobs is unwise.

The council on Monday voted 3-2 to approve Relay for Life organizers' request to shave $1,161.32 from the local American Cancer Society fundraiser’s expenses. Councilman Thomas Gordon and Council President Benjamin Iannucci III voted nay.

Requested city contributions included a metal trash container; equipment and labor to hang banners and mark the track; and have Public Works staff stand by during the overnight event. Relay organizers also requested the city waive its $500 rental fee for Old Spanish Trail Park’s amphitheater.

"I support it (the relay), but opening a Pandora's Box to do it — the next thing you know, every nonprofit will be asking us to provide staff," Gordon said.

Councilman Charles Baugh Jr. agreed, but suggested due to the impending event date, the council approve the request.

"We have had to unfund positions and lay people off, and then to be asked to put $1,100 of taxpayer money into the event — we have to weigh the costs," Iannucci said. "If we do it for one, how do we say 'no' to another non-profit?

“What makes one 501(c)3 more important than another?"

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 councilman questions Relay, other nonprofit support

CRESTVIEW — Residents may soon be able to keep a wider variety of pets, including pot-bellied pigs and some fowl, pending approval of proposed revisions to Crestview's animal control ordinance.

In addition to such pigs, revisions would allow residents to keep up to six fowl — except for noisy roosters, gobblers or peafowl — which can provide fresh eggs for families and insect control, City Planner Eric Davis said at the City Council’s Monday workshop.

Council members discussed revising the city animal ordinance to mirror the county ordinance. That would simplify inspections for the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS, which contracts animal control services with the city and the county, City Clerk Betsy Roy said. Its animal control officers occasionally are unsure if they are in city or county jurisdiction when conducting an inspection, she said.

When Davis suggested dropping Crestview's ordinance and adopting the county animal control laws, Roy said if the city hired another contractor, Crestview would have no animal ordinance to enforce. In addition, county rules — some oriented toward particularly rural districts — allow a wider variety of animals, including cows, which are incompatible with urban areas.

Councilwoman Robyn Helt said she favored the city maintaining its own animal control regulations. At her suggestion, Davis agreed to revise some of the proposed ordinance’s sections to eliminate potential loopholes.

Davis will present the revised ordinance at a future meeting of the council.

Last fall, a resident addressed the city council about keeping pot-bellied pigs as pets, citing the animals' cleanliness, affection and mild temperament as reasons to revise the ordinance that prohibits them.

Under council direction, Davis researched other municipalities' animal control ordinances. His draft of revisions used Pensacola’s ordinance as a model.

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: City officials consider revisions to animal control ordinance

CRESTVIEW — It was mostly out with the old, in with the new as three new members were elected to the Crestview City Council. Council President Benjamin Iannucci III and Charles Baugh Jr. were defeated by Joe Blocker and Mickey Rytman respectively.

Both Baugh and Iannucci are relatively new Crestview residents, while Blocker and Rytman are lifelong citizens, an issue that was raised during a recent candidates forum hosted by the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce.

In the race for a third council seat being vacated by Tim Grandberry, Shannon Hayes, son of the late councilman Sam Hayes, defeated Bill Cox to represent precinct 2.

"I know Dad is smiling up there," Hayes said after the results were announced.

Betsy Roy managed to hold on to her position as Crestview city clerk following stiff competition by Wanda Davis, winning by 24 votes after trailing by 32 when the first results were announced.

In Laurel Hill, Councilman Robby Adams defeated challenger Mike Blizzard to take the mayor's seat, which is being vacated by Joan Smith who ran for city council. She was defeated by current Council Chairman Larry Hendren and former councilman Johnny James.

Thanking the voters for their support, Rytman said he didn't expect to defeat incumbent Baugh.

"It was the first time I ever got out on the street and held up signs," Rytman said. "It was a good feeling to hear so many people blow their horns."

Hayes said he wants to get out and talk to the citizens "and see what the issues are." One of his first goals is to resolve the ownership issue of the alleyway behind the Alatex Building, he said.

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

Election Results

Preliminary counts with all seven precincts reporting.

Crestview voter turnout: 1,324 of 12,652, or 10.5 percent.

Crestview City Clerk

Wanda Davis 557

J.T. Kinsey 163

Betsy Roy 581

Crestview City Council, Pct. 1

Joe Blocker 494

Landrum Edwards 353

Benjamin Iannucci III 424

Crestview City Council, Pct. 2

Bill Cox 540

Shannon Hayes 742

Crestview City Council, Pct. 3

Charles Baugh Jr. 536

Mickey Rytman 762

Laurel Hill voter turnout: 115 of 341, or 33.7 percent

Laurel Hill Mayor

Robby Adams 69

Mike Blizzard 46

Laurel Hill City Council (top two winners will be seated)

Larry Hendren 91

Johnny James 83

Joan Smith 33

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview council gets three new faces