CRESTVIEW — A public-private effort that would improve city infrastructure while bringing two residential developments and a retail and restaurant center — reportedly with national chain establishments — here has ground to a halt a week before earthmovers were set to begin work.

At issue is a disagreement over sewer impact fees. The developers say they were promised the fees would be waived, but the city says it couldn't do that because Florida law states the fees are "pledged revenues to the state for environmental protection," according to city attorney Jerry Miller.

An agreement among the city, Beach Community Bank — which owns the land under consideration for the shopping center — and D.R. Horton, a nationwide residential developer, was announced in May 2012. The bank acquired the property, which includes the site of a former flea market beside Lowe's and stretches east to State Road 85 across from Hospital Drive, in foreclosure.

The planned Redstone Commons, a low-density, single-family subdivision, and Bishop’s Landing, an assisted living facility, would locate on S.R. 85’s east side off Redstone Avenue and behind Wal-Mart, respectively.

D.R. Horton workers had planned to break ground next week, the developer’s spokesperson said, at a Feb. 25 Crestview City Council workshop.

The shopping center development is already under contract, Scott McCormick, Beach Community Bank’s vice president, said.

"The project would help draw in national clients in the restaurant and retail industry," he said.

In August 2011, Public Works Director Wayne Steele said there was no reserve capacity in an existing 8-inch sewer line that runs from the Redstone Avenue area down to the Rasberry Road sewage lift station. Unless a larger line was laid, no future development would be possible in the area, he said.

Under the agreement, the bank and developers would pay for the installation of a 14-inch sewer line in exchange for a tax cap. Neither Steele nor documents submitted for the workshop on the matter discussed waiving the sewer impact fee.

"This has been in the works for almost two years," Mayor David Cadle said. "They (the developers) expected this thing (the shopping center) to open in the latter part of this year. The city and the developer are trying to come to an understanding on how to proceed that would be beneficial to both parties."

Council members at the workshop were unanimous in desiring a rapid and successful outcome of the dilemma. City Finance Director Patti Beebe agreed to immediately calculate the available finances within the structure of the city's debt for possible incentives and submit her finding to Miller.

"We understand there is a very strict timeline," Council President Ben Iannucci III said. "We definitely want to make this work the best way we can."

While the city can’t waive sewer impact fees "because the money is encumbered," it could offer incentives such as an ad valorem tax break for five years, or sewer tap-on fees could be waived, Cadle said.

"I think it'll work out," he said. "The people of Crestview want this."

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 retail, restaurant development halted after confusion

Editor's Note: Voters of municipal elections on March 12 will decide several positions in Crestview and Laurel Hill governments.

To help readers make informed decisions at the polls, the News Bulletin will publish profiles of each candidate running for these offices through March 2.

Each candidate was asked to answer the same questions and received the same amount of space to respond. Candidates appear alphabetically.

BILL COX

Personal:Married to Debbie; four adult children. Member of the Audubon Society, Choctawhatchee Audubon and National Wildlife Federation. District sales manager, Dietz Supply Company.

Relevant experience:

I have 12 years' supervisory and managerial experience at General Motors Corporation and Navistar International, followed by 20 years outside industrial sales.

I served three years on Columbia-Tusculum Community Council in a Cincinnati, Ohio community. I am familiar with Robert's Rules of Order. I currently serve on the city of Crestview Board of Adjustment.

Other education/experience: I am a graduate of Anderson High School, Cincinnati, Ohio. I attended University of Cincinnati Evening College, Industrial Management. I served in the Marine Reserves. I have held a private pilot single engine land certificate since 1990.

Reason you seek this position: I have a desire to serve to help improve the quality of life experience here in Crestview for all citizens.

Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: I will encourage greater citizen turnout at council meetings, including newer arrivals to Crestview who are concentrated in Precinct 2.

Working together, we can make Crestview the city we are all proud to call home. 

SHANNON HAYES

Personal: Crestview native; graduate of Carver-Hill High School. Married to Ann Hayes of East Palatka and the father of three children, Marcellus Hayes (Saint Petersburg), Darian Hayes (Bremerton, Wash.) and Shamira Hayes (Crestview). The son of S.F.C. Samuel "Sam" and Sarah Hayes. Currently president of Crestview Board of Adjustment and Carver-Hill Historical and Memorial Society, Precinct 12 polling clerk, church pianist, men's Sunday school teacher, member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, substitute teacher for Okaloosa County School District, member of Friendly Thriftiettes Charity Club, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Army and Air Force Exchange System, or AAFES, retirees association.

Relevant experience:Thirty-two years' service as AAFES retail manager with extensive training and experience in customer service, financial, business and personnel management.

Previously OSHA certified and former AAFES EEO investigator for Southeast Region and Europe.

Recipient of the Highest Award for Achievement from Dale Carnegie Training Course, Army's Commander Award for Public Service, Army's Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service and AAFES service awards for services rendered in Haiti, Homestead AFB (following Hurricane Andrew) and Iraq, supporting the American military.

Other education/experience:Studies at St. John River Jr. College, University of Heidelburg and University of Maryland Overseas Division, Heidelburg, Germany. BA degree (Music) from Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach. Graduate of AAFES's Retail Management School, Dallas.

Reason you seek this position:  My platform is to serve all people in my hometown to the best of my ability without favoritism.

I am a listener, and a doer, always there to listen and then respond in the citizens' best interest. I believe we need to continue to increase the quality of life for all our citizens, not forgetting our youth generation. We must establish additional resources for them, such as a city swimming pool and additional recreational improvements.

I believe business growth is great for our citizens, but it must be managed as it is developing. I will be a voice to address these and other issues in a fair and impartial manner, always remembering the will of the people is my duty.

Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: I don't see any large issues at the time that the council cannot adequately address.

We all know the traffic conditions are a major problem for our city, but since they are state highways, we have no control over this issue. But we must continue to address our state legislators on our concerns of current and future traffic conditions.

One challenge will be to make sure our citizens make their concerns known to their elected officials. I will be one who will have an open line of communication with our entire community.

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: Meet the candidates: Crestview City Council, Precinct 2

CRESTVIEW — Triangle Park, situated at the south end of Main Street where it meets State Road 85, will be renamed for the local garden club that voluntarily assumed responsibility for beautifying the public park.

Speaking before the Crestview City Council at its Monday evening meeting, Thea Duhaime of the Dogwood Garden Club invited council members and the public to the formal dedication of newly named Dogwood Park on April 25.

Councilman Tim Grandberry suggested because the park is situated in a prime location to serve as an entrance to Crestview's historic heart like the Niceville intersection of S.R. 85 and State Road 20, landscaping could help define the area.

"Make it more colorful," Grandberry encouraged. "Let them know where you're at."

Councilwoman Robyn Helt praised the club's work and suggested the Community Redevelopment Agency could help fund more improvements to the park, which is frequently used by workers in the area for eating their lunch and customers waiting to have their vehicles repaired at nearby garages.

"I appreciate the club's efforts to keep it beautified," Helt said. "The city could do a little more to help you, to bolster the partnership with the club."

"Anything else we can do, we're open to suggestions or requests," Duhaime said.

In other matters, the council:

•Received a request from City Clerk Betsy Roy to start considering budget planning for 2013-14. She suggested using nights when the council isn't meeting for planning sessions. Council President Ben Iannucci III asked the council to be "open to weekend planning sessions" as well.

•Received a report from Mayor David Cadle concerning a visit from a resident suggesting the city council pass a resolution to the Florida Department of Health to allow for a trauma center to be designated in Okaloosa County.

"As you know, the closest trauma centers are in Pensacola and Panama City," Cadle said. "We need a trauma center in Okaloosa County."

•Received a report from Public Works Director Wayne Steele stating he and Community Police officer Sam Kimmons continue to work on plans for a skate park in Twin Hills Park. They are meeting with Crestview High School students to obtain input from potential skate park users so they can finalize a report for the CRA meeting planned for March 25.

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: Triangle Park to be renamed for Dogwood Garden Club

The Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department plans to spend $2.2 million on marketing local beaches between March and September.

Okaloosa County commissioners approved the marketing strategy last week.

“This is a framework with which we wish to move forward and deploy funds,” Dan O’Byrne, director of the tourist development department, told the board. “I say it is a framework because every one of the individual action items will have to … percolate up through the county’s procurement procedures.”

Read the marketing plan.

The annual marketing strategy is one of the new requirements imposed by commissioners after discovering former tourism head Mark Bellinger’s fraud scheme last May.

The 2013 plan was drafted in the past 60 days by the county’s new advertising agency, Peter Mayer Advertising.

“The objectives for this year … are to get (Okaloosa County) back in the market,” said Ellen Kempner, vice president of Peter Mayer. “You’ve been out of the market from a competitive communications standpoint for 10 months.”

County officials halted most tourism promotions and marketing initiatives after Bellinger’s thefts were uncovered.

Kempner said the top priority is to market Okaloosa Island and Destin as top destinations during the peak and shoulder seasons.

During the peak summer season, Peter Mayer Advertising will target adults between the ages of 25 and 64 who have annual incomes of $55,000 and up and an interest in traveling, fishing, shopping, beaches and restaurants.

The agency plans to market the area across the Southeast, as far west as Texas and as far north as Ohio.

During the area’s four shoulder seasons — January to February, April to May, September to October and November to December — the agency will target senior citizens and adults between the ages of 25 and 54 who don’t have children.

The plan also calls for using $500,000 to market Okaloosa Island and Destin as a top leisure travel destination; $250,000 to sell the area to the group and meetings industry; $350,000 to revamp the county’s tourism websites; $80,000 on consumer research and $375,000 to promote the area as a Christmas destination.

Commissioner Nathan Boyles said he was pleased with new marketing strategy.

“I saw a surprising amount of cohesion in the plan that’s coming together. … And that’s something that’s been lacking in our entire approach to marketing,” he said.

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: Okaloosa to launch new tourism marketing plan (DOCUMENT)

CRESTVIEW — To a standing ovation from a crowded city council chamber, two city firefighters received the Life Saving Medal Monday evening from Mayor David Cadle and Fire Chief Joe Traylor for saving the life of a senior citizen at a Crestview nursing facility.

Firefighters Paul Lewis and Paul Wojtowicz responded Feb. 4 to a cardiac arrest call at Silvercrest Manor on Brookmeade Drive near Public Safety Station 3. The patient was not breathing and had no pulse, according to the certificate of commendation accompanying the firefighters’ award.

The responders "assumed patient care from staff members," the certificate stated, and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, until an automatic external defibrillator that had been attached to the patient advised them to administer a shock to the woman. After two shocks and another round of CPR, the patient began to breathe and had a pulse.

The firemen worked with an Okaloosa County EMS crew to keep the patient alive until the EMTs transported her to North Okaloosa Medical Center.

"The quick actions and efforts" of the firemen "directly affected the outcome of this rescue operation," the certificate stated.

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 firemen awarded Life Saving Medals for saving patient

The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee has issued subpoenas for two Okaloosa County commissioners and the president of The Zimmerman Agency to appear at its March 4 meeting in Tallahassee.

Read the subpoenas.

The subpoenas for Commission Chairman Don Amunds, Commissioner Wayne Harris and Curtis Zimmerman were issued Wednesday. It was not clear Thursday whether they had been served.

The Auditing Committee plans to question Amunds, Harris and Zimmerman, or another representative of his company, about findings in the auditor general’s recent audit of the County Commission and the Tourist Development Council. They also are expected to answer questions about former TDC head Mark Bellinger’s illegal and unauthorized expenditures from 2010 to 2012.

“I plan to honor the subpoena,” said Harris, who is being represented by Tallahassee lawyer Ronald Meyer.

Amunds and Zimmerman could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The Zimmerman Agency of Tallahassee is a marketing and advertising firm that held a lucrative contract with the TDC for about 20 years.

The state’s Auditing Committee, made up of six state representatives and five state senators, oversees the Auditor General’s Office.

In addition to the three subpoenas, the committee has sent letters to 10 people requesting they voluntarily appear before the committee March 4. Those people include County Administrator Jim Curry, County Attorney John Dowd, County Clerk of Court Don Howard, former TDC attorney Steve Hall and Lewis Communications Vice President Ellen Wingard.

Read some of the letters.

Lewis Communications, based in Mobile, Ala., is the advertising firm that issued the check Bellinger used to buy his $747,000 home in Destin. The four-bedroom home was paid for with money from a BP oil spill grant.

The Auditing Committee had planned to subpoena Lewis Communications, but changed that plan because it would have taken too long to file the subpoena through the Alabama court system, said George Levesque, general counsel for the Florida Senate.

Attorney Gus Fontenot of Mobile, who represents Lewis Communications, said Thursday he is not sure if Wingard or another company representative will attend the committee meeting.

Also included on the committee’s list are Warren Gourley, chairman of the TDC; Bobby Nabors, a Fort Walton Beach City Councilman and TDC member; and former TDC members Kathy Houchins, Patricia Hardiman and Nick Nicholson.

Gourley, Nicholson and Houchins said they are willing to appear.

“I responded that I’ll absolutely be there,” Houchins said. “I will welcome the opportunity to answer their questions and lend them my opinion if they ask for it, and maybe even if they don’t ask for it.”

Houchins is one of four TDC members who were asked to resign Feb. 5 by county commissioners. She opposed stepping down but complied because she said she wants the county to move past the controversy.

Gourley has refused to resign. He said he welcomes the chance to talk with the Auditing Committee.

“I don’t believe they understand how (the TDC) was structured,” he said. “We were volunteers. We did not sign checks. We did not see invoices.”

Nabors said he is “still working out the details” of whether he will attend the March 4 meeting.

“What I want to avoid is going over there and sitting all day for nothing,” he said. “If they legitimately want to have a conversation with us, then I’m agreeable to that. … There’s no reason for us to go over there and get politically demonized.”

State Rep. Matt Gaetz does not sit on the Auditing Committee but participated in its Feb. 11 hearing on the TDC scandal. He said he is not sure if he will attend the next meeting.

Gaetz said he doesn’t believe the Auditing Committee will be pleased to hear that Okaloosa County commissioners on Tuesday declined to fire Dowd.

“That would have been an obvious step toward healing and moving forward,” he said.

Gaetz has pushed for Dowd’s removal at previous meetings.

“Every day that John Dowd continues to be employed by the county is a day that taxpayers have to be concerned,” he said.

Gaetz said Dowd provided legal opinions and helped draft contracts with Zimmerman and Lewis that “subjected taxpayers to untold liability.”

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: State subpoenas Harris, Amunds and Zimmerman about TDC funds

Editor's Note: Voters of municipal elections on March 12 will decide several positions in Crestview and Laurel Hill city governments.

To help readers make informed decisions at the polls, the News Bulletin will publish profiles of each candidate running for office in each edition of the newspaper through March 2. Today, we profile three candidates running for Crestview City Council's Precinct 1 position.

Each candidate was asked to answer the same questions and received the same amount of space to respond. Candidates appear alphabetically.

JOE BLOCKER

Personal: Wife Jackie, two children, three stepchildren. Member of Woodlawn Baptist Church, where he volunteers teaching an adult co-ed Sunday school class and serves as deacon. Has served as a member of Gideon's International Ministry for the last 28 years.

Relevant experience: A retired commercial construction onsite project manager for 50-plus years. As a resident, businessperson and property owner for more than 50 years, I feel that I am uniquely qualified to fill this position. Working in the commercial construction industry, I have experience working with a vast number of city, county, state and federal officials over the years. Being recently retired, I feel that I have the time and experience to make a difference for the citizens of Crestview.

Other education/experience: Unanswered.

Reason you seek this position: The trying economic times we are facing demand someone who is in touch with the community and understands its needs.

My goal — and reason for seeking this council seat position — is to restore trust and confidence in our elected and appointed leaders. As your city council representative, I will serve you by passionately advocating for your needs and ensure that our neighborhood is fully represented on the Crestview City Council.

With your trust and support, we can make this vision a reality.

Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: Restoring trust and confidence in our elected and appointed leaders. 

LANDRUM "LANNY" EDWARDS

Personal: Married to Winnie Edwards; two children.

Relevant experience: I am a citizen of the city of Crestview. I spent four years in the Navy. I retired from civil service at Eglin Air Force Base. I have been a business owner for over 20 years in the city of Crestview.

Other education/experience: High school civil services and management courses.

Reason you seek this position:  I have a strong desire to serve the city of Crestview and its citizens without any hidden agenda.

Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: I hope to stop the wasteful spending that is going on in the Crestview area — spending that does not benefit the people of Crestview.

I will work on getting a bypass around the city of Crestview, even if I have to walk to Tallahassee and talk to the representatives and the governor.

I will work on improving the downtown parking for the city of Crestview.

BENJAMIN J. IANNUCCI III

Personal: I am a single father raising two children: son, Benjamin J. Iannucci IV, and daughter, Natalia J. Iannucci. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, and a Master of Aeronautical Science and begin my Doctorate of Business Administration in October 2013. I belong to the Boy Scouts of America and serve as a Tiger Cub Den Leader for Den 5, Pack 799 in Crestview.

I am the city representative to the Military Sustainability Partnership Executive Committee, Okaloosa Economic Development Council, Northwest Florida League of Cities, and the Okaloosa Library Cooperative. I also am a member of the Professional Inspired Leaders of Tomorrow, the Military Affairs Committee, and serve on the Florida State Energy and Environmental Quality Legislative Committee, and the Federal Action Strike Team.

I am a passionate athlete, participate in many athletic competitions, and am a coach at various youth and adult sports activity events, including Crestview City T-ball/baseball.

In 2012, I launched my business, Iannucci 3.0 Inc., in which I teach leadership development, teambuilding, strategic planning, soft skills training, life development, coaching, corporate leadership consulting, and athletic consulting.

Relevant experience: Led successful effort to reduce taxes in the city, and was elected City Council president for my results. Led countless teams in military and civilian jobs, managed $200M+ projects, and built my own business in leadership development.

Most importantly, I bring integrity to the role. I will say what I believe to be correct. I always keep my head up; always push forward and I will succeed because I live my life and do my job with integrity, character and passion.

Other education/experience: I spent three budget cycles on the council where I have lowered taxes — the first time in over 20 years. I have developed long-term projects and goals that increase jobs, services and revenue, which will lower taxes even further by bringing a large retail center in 2013. Spearheading effort to build a sports complex within the city. I solidified the passing of the business incubator program, bringing small business to our downtown area.

Reason you seek this position:  Crestview is my home, I’m raising a family here, and built my business here. I am excited by the future of Crestview and I want to continue to play an active role in shaping that shining future.

Every decision I make, every action brought before me I decide what I truly feel is best for the city, not for me.

I have been told that I’m the youngest member to serve, and that I’m a voice of reason as we grow. I believe in accountability for a person’s actions, including my own. I bring what this council has not had in many years: leadership.

Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: My top priority is planning. I have already begun developing processes that will allow this city to operate more efficiently both financially and operationally.

In the past, this city has had no forward-thinking leadership and operated without oversight or uniform direction. There has never been any strategic planning until I came on board and starting working with the rest of the city council.

We put together a prudent and accountable planning process for all our expenditures, for all of our projects, and for the basic operations and future planning that will in turn allow the city to lower taxes as we operate with improved efficiency.

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: MEET THE CANDIDATES: 2 challenge Crestview council incumbent