Under proposed changes to the law governing county parks, beachgoers would be prohibited from swimming more than 300 feet from shore. Also included is a ban on swimming, diving, surfing or watercraft use within 150 feet of the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier. Beach Safety Director Tracey Vause said the proposal stems from a trend that has caused major problems the past few years. “There are some folks who want to swim well beyond the second sandbar during red flag conditions,” Vause said. “That’s when they choose to do it.” When those “extreme swimmers” go beyond the second sandbar, they are more than a football field’s length from the beach and more difficult for lifeguards to reach, he added. Vause said other beachgoers often spot the swimmers and, thinking they’re in distress, call 911. What follows is a huge response involving lifeguards, EMS, fire and rescue and law enforcement. Sometimes the swimmer who sparked the call doesn’t need or want help, he said. “These people refuse to come in because there’s no ordinance that says they can’t do it,” Vause said. “There’s no law against it.” He said he has seen the “unnecessary response” unfold several times a day during the height of the summer season. “What we want is to at least keep (swimmers) inside that 300-foot limit,” he said. Vause added that keeping swimmers closer to shore also avoids putting lifeguards at unnecessary risk. Vause modeled his proposal on an ordinance in Volusia County. He said Walton and Escambia counties have similar restrictions. Okaloosa County commissioners are scheduled to discuss the proposed changes at a public hearing Jan. 22 in Fort Walton Beach. The proposed swimming restrictions were first presented to the board Dec. 18 as part of a long list of changes to the law that governs county parks. That list included tougher litter regulations that would make it illegal to leave tents, chairs and other personal items on the beach overnight. The board balked at approving any of the proposals, and postponed discussion until Jan. 22. Some commissioners have questioned whether increased swimming restrictions can be enforced. “How does a lifeguard determine the 300-foot point?” Commissioner Nathan Boyles said. “The Gulf of Mexico is not a swimming pool, and I’m not sure it’s our job to treat it as such. I think you have to allow folks to make their (own) decisions, both good and bad.” But Vause said too many beachgoers think they’re in good enough shape to make it to the second sandbar and back safely when they’re not. “Your typical, average swimmer is not capable of swimming home,” he said. “Statistics show that well over half aren’t capable of doing it.” Those swimmers’ decisions put lifeguards at risk, particularly when the surf is rough, Vause said. He likened the proposed restrictions to those that exist at major skiing destinations. “If you go to the slopes in Aspen, there are slopes you can’t go on unless you can demonstrate a certain level of skill,” Vause said. Commission Chairman Don Amunds said he understands the safety concerns, but doubts that a 300-foot limit can be enforced on a crowded beach during the summer. “I don’t know how you would regulate it,” he said. “Would you tie a string to the back of their swim trunks?” Amunds said he is “not a fan of trying to overgovern,” and that most people are going to do what they want. Boyles said the best solution might be for lifeguards to continue communicating their concerns to beachgoers, reminding them not to swim past the first sandbar. In addition to the 300-foot rule, proposed revisions to the parks law bans the use of rafts, floats, boogie boards, belly boards and other flotation devices more than 300 feet from the beach. Under the existing law, when double-red warning flags are flying, no one except for surfers with leashed surfboards can enter the water. That provision would remain unchanged, but the proposal would make it illegal to ignore the direction of lifeguards and law enforcement officers. Vause said he thinks the new rules could be enforced if the county publicizes the new restrictions through news releases and on Facebook and park signs. Under the proposed litter restrictions, beach visitors would be prohibited from leaving personal items on the beach between midnight and 8 a.m. County Public Works Director John Hofstad said the county has been seeing more chairs, tents and other items being left behind. “You’re coming down here with a family and a group and you want to stake out your little slice of paradise, and I get that … but it creates problems for us,” Hofstad said. “First and foremost, the beach cleaner does not have open access to the beach because he’s having to run an obstacle course out there.” Abandoned items also cause problems for endangered species during their nesting season, which runs from March to October. “We are under a federal mandate from the Fish and Wildlife Service that you have to maintain an open corridor for these endangered species, namely turtles, to be able to access the beach during their nesting season,” Hoftstad said. “Those types of items — beach tents and canopies — create obstructions. That could get us into some hot water with the feds.” Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn. Copyright © 2012 http://www.nwfdailynews.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Some Okaloosa officials leery of restricting swimmers in Gulf

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County property owners have until Dec. 31 to get a 3 percent discount on property taxes.

“We collected 73.5 percent of this year’s property taxes by Nov. 30 because citizens utilized the 4 percent early payment discount offered during that month,” Tax Collector Ben Anderson said. "I want to encourage those who missed that opportunity last month to recognize the significant savings benefit of the 3 percent discount available in December.”

The tax collector’s office can accept Visa for all payments now. However, a 2.5 percent, or a minimum $2.50, bankcard fee applies when using a credit or debit card.

Alternatively, a free e-check payment option is available at www.OkaloosaTax.com.

Florida Statutes set early payment discounts of 4 percent if paid in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February.

The office — at 302 N. Wilson St. Suite 101, Crestview — will close New Year's Day, but payments can be made at the website.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dec. 31 deadline set for 3 percent property tax discount

CRESTVIEW — Friends, family and the American Red Cross are helping Cecil Milstead, 50, after a Dec. 19 fire destroyed his home.

Milstead was running errands when family, friends and fire officials called him with the news: his north Hathaway Street home of nearly 20 years was in flames.

Since the incident, which caused $14,000 in damage, friends, family and the American Red Cross have provided necessities.

The Red Cross arranged for a week’s stay at a local hotel and gave Milstead $200 for food, medication and other necessities. 

Friends and family have donated clothes and money. 

"I have got plenty of clothes; for the most part, I'm good," Milstead said.

Employees at the Crestview Public Services Department, Milstead's former employer, mostly contributed Wal-Mart shopping cards.

Milstead — who’s staying with his brother in Holt — expressed gratitude for the community’s help.

"I lost everything … I don't know what I would have done without them," he said. "It’s good to have friends like that."

Most of all, he is thankful he is alive.

"I thank the Lord for me not being inside the house, (while it was in flames)," he said.

Milstead — who recently started drawing disability and social security benefits — said he couldn’t afford homeowners insurance premiums.

To make matters worse, thieves took advantage of the situation, stealing a dishwasher and a fire-damaged lawnmower and bicycle from his yard, he said. He reported the incident to police.

"You have to be real sorry to steal from someone whose house has just burned down," Milstead said.

Still, he considers what might have happened if he were home during the incident.

"For two nights, I had nightmares about it," Milstead said, adding he imagined being engulfed in flames.

"I would stay awake two, three hours at a time. I couldn't sleep because I was dreaming about it," he said. 

Milstead will obtain a city permit to demolish the structure he once called home. He plans to replace it with a doublewide mobile home.

"I'm going to start from scratch and build myself back up," he 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: Community assists man whose home was damaged by fire

FORT WALTON BEACH — Okaloosa County commissioners have chosen a Palm Beach County company to conduct a national search to hire the next county administrator.

The county will pay the firm, Colin Baenziger & Associates, a fee of $21,500 to advertise the job, recruit candidates nationwide and narrow that group to a smaller number of finalists.

The company was one of six that submitted proposals to the county.

“They were all reputable, high-quality firms,” county Human Resources Director Kay Godwin said. “(Colin Baenziger & Associates has) done a lot of executive recruitment for the public sector. … Their methodology was right on target and something that I thought would work well for us.”

Godwin said she also was impressed with the company’s 45 percent minority placement rating.

Colin Baenziger & Associates will begin in the next few weeks by conducting one-on-one interviews with county commissioners about what they want in an administrator.

“The first step will be for them to gather information about our community,” Godwin said.

After developing a job description, the company will advertise on multiple national platforms. She estimated that the entire search could take 90 days to four months to complete.

“We really want to have a decision by May so that person can come to work and be part of the budget process,” Godwin said.

County Administrator Jim Curry, who will retire by the end of October 2013, has said he would like to walk his successor through the 2013-14 budget development process.

Curry, who has worked for the county for 35 years, entered the Florida Deferred Retirement Option Program, or DROP, in 2008. Under state rules, he must leave his post within five years of entering the program.

Curry was hired as an Okaloosa County corrections officer in 1978. Three years later, he was named director of the Corrections Department and served in that position until 1997. Curry served in the county’s No. 2 position from 1997 until 2005, when he became county administrator.

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: Firm tapped to find next administrator

CRESTVIEW — The North Okaloosa Fire District board of commissioners will delay considering the fire chief's removal until the board's attorney has more information.

In an October meeting, commissioners asked NOFD Jonathan Holloway to seek the state attorney general’s office input on revising a department-wide disciplinary policy.

The issue arose when commissioners were unclear of the department’s disciplinary structure.

"There isn't a specified structure for disciplining the chief; we also didn't have one with the office administration," Commissioner Craig Shaw said.

Commissioner Todd McGirr at the NOFD's Thursday meeting asked why the policy was needed.

"Why would we want a policy when it is our decision anyway?" McGirr said.

Craig assured him that other policies would be considered soon.

Holloway said he had only recently sent a memorandum stating the situation and said the office was looking into the matter.  

Holloway said he should receive a response within the next 30 days.

 Agenda items involving the disciplinary policy and the chief's removal were then motioned by Commissioner Craig Shaw and unanimously passed by the board.

With new commissioners McGirr and Rollin Rathbun, the board started the meeting by voting in new positions. McGirr, who defeated Franklin Sauls in the September election, was voted in as treasurer. Craig Shaw, the previous treasurer, was voted in as chair. Willie Terrell was voted in vice chair and Dan Bowers Jr. was voted in as secretary.

At the end of the meeting, Bowers made a motion to help the district save money.

"I make a motion for the board members to be treated as non-employees in regards to their stipend," Bowers said. 

All the commissioners agreed, passing the motion unanimously.

Bowers explained that each commissioner would save the district money by paying the taxes from their stipends. Each commissioner makes $250 a month. 

"It's not a lot of money, but it's enough that can go back into the department," Bowers said.  

READ MORE: See "Related Links" at top left of this article.

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: Commissioners drop discussion of chief's removal until further notice

CRESTVIEW — A calendar of downtown celebrations may include Earth Day if Crestview City Council President Ben Iannucci III and Public Works Director Wayne Steele’s efforts are successful.

Iannucci said he and Steele have discussed emulating DeFuniak Springs’ successful Earth Day celebration. The topic came up while they mulled incorporating green technology and practices into city services.

Local companies pursuing conservation and energy efficiency initiatives could share such innovations at a downtown Earth Day festival, Ianuuci said. Demonstrations of energy generating and conservation equipment could line Main Street at such an event.

“We would invite vendors to come in and companies that want to display things. It’s a lot of education. Invite groups to set up booths the way we do with a lot of the things we do on Main Street.”

Iannucci said he and Steele discussed including the city’s garbage contractor if a Crestview Earth Day festival becomes a reality.

“We talked to Waste Pro about things they would be able to do,” he said. “They have new technologies out there, such as natural-gas-powered garbage trucks. We had discussed having a garbage truck where we’d open up the back end and everybody can bring in their recyclables and toss them in.”

The event would be open to the public, Steele said.  

Jason O’Daniels — DeFuniak Springs’ code enforcement and environmental compliance officer, who organized his city’s April event — has offered to help Crestview leaders produce a similar festival. Demonstrating green technologies showed residents in the neighboring city how the practices can save taxpayer and personal dollars, he said.

“I had so many different types of vendors last year,” O’Daniels said. “I had Alabama A&M University bring a biodiesel reactor down. It took raw waste vegetable oil, ran it through the whole process and produced diesel oil at the end and ran a generator.”

Companies demonstrated solar power applications for residences, a wind turbine that generates power in as little as a half-mile-an-hour breeze, and “a guy running his car, lawn mower and weed whacker off of propane.”

“I wanted to make sure I encompassed everything so I even had a soybean-based spray insulation company that reduces energy consumption for heating and cooling,” O’Daniels said.

Embracing green technologies is key to a successful conservation program he said.

“You can become energy (efficient) and self-reliant — municipal and personal — but it takes so many ways,” O’Daniels said. “You can’t put all your eggs in one basket. At our Earth Day event, we were showing how this is achievable.

Working with Gulf Power, DeFuniak is poised to cut its street lighting bill by 70 percent, O’Daniels said.

Crestview officials anticipate potentially displaying current technologies that residents and the city can use to save energy — and money.

“Well, we just agreed to recycle a building from Gulf Power,” Councilman Tom Gordon said somewhat jokingly. He was referring to the city’s acceptance of a donated building that could become a city recycling center.

The Crestview City Council on Dec. 10 unanimously approved Ianucci’s request to form a committee to discuss a downtown Crestview Earth Day festival.

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: Earth Day 2013 might be celebrated with Crestview street festival

CRESTVIEW — With local officials projecting northwest Crestview will be the city’s next area of growth, the City Council took steps toward preparing for the quadrant’s expansion by approving a new water system.

Meeting Monday evening in its first business meeting of the year, the council received a report from Michael Bomar, vice president of Tetra Tech municipal water system consultants. The city had directed the company to develop a master plan for Crestview’s water system. Improving service to the growing northwest quadrant enclosed by Old Bethel Road was one of Tetra Tech’s recommendations.

Bomar presented bids for the system’s two components, which he said came close to or below Tetra Tech engineers’ estimated cost.

Speegle Construction submitted the low bid, $2 million, for Part I, encompassing drilling the city’s new Well No. 9 and building a water tank for it.

However, Tetra Tech was able to strip from the bid “value engineering items … that we do not feel will decrease the level of service for this project,” Bomar stated in a letter to the city.

Removing items including a generator and its soundproofing enclosure, and providing a shingle roof instead of a metal roof on the well house, reduced the bid by $91,840.

Evans Contractors Inc., submitted the winning bid of $428,830 for Part II, the construction of a network of water mains. The council unanimously accepted both bids.

Council President Ben Iannucci III asked Bomar if the cost would’ve been less if only one contractor did the work.

“The reason we broke it out is to save the city money,” Bomar said, explaining contractors generally have a specialty, such as drilling, and would in turn substitute the project’s other components, charging the city for the project management and the actual work.

The work would likely start within 30 days of signing the contracts with Speegle and Evans, Bomar said.

In other matters, the city:

• Unanimously approved a social media policy for city employees that will govern use of such Internet sites as Twitter and Facebook.

• Unanimously approved a request by Catherine Dortch of the Concerned Citizens Group for city support of its annual parade honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King. City attorney Jerry Miller recommended the group be added as an additional insured entity on the city’s liability insurance.

• Unanimously approved Mayor David Cadle’s recommendation to appoint Warrant Officer Joann Durm to the Crestview Public Housing Authority board, replacing long-time member Sgt. George Stakely, who recently resigned.

• Unanimously approved a revised returned-check policy requested by City Clerk Betsy Roy. The new policy will protect utilities customers who passed a bad check from having their service turned off on a weekend or holiday when they can’t make a proper payment because city offices would be closed.

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: Council approves new water system for northwest Crestview

CRESTVIEW — Networking with other cities’ elected leaders and learning innovative ways to meet Crestview’s challenges are some benefits of attending out-of-town conferences, city council members said.

For long-distance travel, though, council members would like some of their expenses reimbursed.

Meeting in a Dec. 10 workshop to discuss travel expense reimbursement, council members said having Crestview represented at events like the regional and state League of Cities meetings has increased the city’s stature.

However, travel expense reimbursement money was excluded from the 2012-13 city budget, so city leaders must fund their own expenses. For trips no farther than Tallahassee, they willingly assume the expense, Councilman Charles Baugh Jr. said.

 “If we’re gonna grow (as a city), we gotta go (to league meetings),” Councilman Tom Gordon said.

Reimbursement discussion originated in October when Council President Ben Iannucci III requested reimbursement for nearly $600 in expenses, including $239.27 for a one-night stay at the Florida League of Cities conference hotel in Kissimmee. He learned there was no budget item for travel reimbursement.

“We have done a lot as council members to have representation on various boards,” Baugh said. “People don’t ask me ‘Where’s Crestview?’ anymore, but now they know that Crestview is one of the largest cities we have in Northwest Florida because of our representation on the board.”

Travel reimbursement could come from the city’s contingency fund or another line item if necessary, Finance Director Patti Beebe said.

The Florida League of Cities can also reimburse some travel expenses, Baugh said. He offered to set aside a quarter of his councilman’s compensation to help cover his travel expenses.

City Clerk Betsy Roy said her office would review past travel expenses, examine the mayor’s budget and other budgets and bring recommendations for reimbursement options before the council for consideration.

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 mulls travel expense reimbursement

CRESTVIEW — Gulf Power has a new, unwanted building that could become a recycling facility for the Hub City. The City Council on Monday unanimously approved accepting the electric utility’s gift.

There’s just one catch: The city must dismantle and move the building.

The structure — originally a warehouse on Cadle Drive in southwest Crestview — comes with no other conditions, Public Works Director Wayne Steele said.

The 3,552-square-foot building is 96 feet long, 37 feet wide, was never occupied, has metal trusses, a metal roof, plywood walls and HardiePlank composite siding.

The cost to dismantle the building would not affect the Public Works budget, Steele said. The Okaloosa Correctional Institute’s inmate labor would dismantle and store components at Public Works until the council decides where to place the building and determines its purpose.

“We have been proactive in our recycling initiative. It would serve well as a recycling facility,” Steele said. “My recommendation would be to move it to behind the hospital by the fire building” on Brookmeade Drive.

Councilman Tim Grandberry praised the donation and Steele’s suggestion, and moved to accept the donation upon approval of the city attorney. Council President Ben Iannucci III, a proponent of introducing more green initiatives to Crestview, pronounced the suggestion as “Great!”

In other matters, the council:

• Unanimously approved an ordinance waiving collection of traffic impact fees for a 24-month trial.

“It’s a very big step to move our business development forward,” Iannucci said.

• Unanimously approved renewing Crestview’s annual dues to Sister Cities International for 2013. The action followed a two-week visit last month by 36 Noirmoutier, France guests.

• Unanimously approved placing an ad in a Crestview city map the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce will publish.

• Unanimously approved a contract for officiating services at Crestview Recreation Department sports events. Hub City Sports Officials’ $56,300 winning bid is $8,700 less than the budgeted amount.

The services had not been previously submitted for competitive bidding, Steele said.

• Unanimously approved having consultant Jack Dorman study the city’s military compatibility update to the comprehensive plan.

A workshop on the issue is at 8 a.m. Feb. 9 at city hall.

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: Gulf Power donates building to city