Editor’s Note: All Crestview candidates running for elected office received the same questionnaire relevant to the position each seeks. Their answers follow.

Crestview City Clerk Betsy Roy, City Councilman Shannon Hayes (District 2) and City Councilman Doug Faircloth (District 3) ran unopposed, so we did not send them a questionnaire for this voter guide.

Crestview’s municipal election is March 14. See www.govote-okaloosa.com to find your polling place.  

Name: Joe Blocker

Office sought: Crestview City Council, District 1

Occupation: Commercial construction on-site project manager, 50-plus years

Relevant experience: Supervised and managed untold number of commercial construction projects for 55-plus years, from thousands to multi-million dollar cost, from conception to completion for municipalities, counties, states and federal government projects.

Reason for seeking this position: I retired five-plus years back — and with ample time to devote to my interest in the government and moving our city forward — with the enthusiastic support of multitudes of friends and fellow citizens encouraging me to put my wisdom, knowledge and experience to work for my city.

The increase in population has also resulted in severe road congestion within Crestview. This discourages citizens (and potential ones) from traveling the area as well as increases the likelihood of traffic accidents.

How would you address this issue as a city council member?

Population growth has been a plus for our city, although no doubt has caused many hardships for some people, especially in the traffic problem.

We must realize “no gain, no pain.” I have been a voting member of Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization now for three-plus years and, believe me, I know the hard facts about this traffic problem and (am) working full force in resolving it ASAP.

Population growth has increased over the last several years, resulting in city revenue boosts through tax dollars.

With that growth has come a greater demand for public resources and businesses.

How will you use the economic surge to improve quality of life for Crestview citizens?

My goal has been, from day one, to develop and bring to our city a vast number of wholesome economic developments, mainly in the retail business, and developing resources with assets for the youth and especially our senior adults in the entertainment field. Developing businesses will result in revenue boosts through tax dollars.

Crestview — I’m fully convinced, from the research that I have been involved with the past four years — is at the stage, with correct leaders, to fully develop what was a small, rural city to a city of many means, known internationally, drawing people to this area because who we the people are. And we must meet the people’s needs in quality of services for a great life.

Name: Landrum “Larry” Edwards

Office sought: Crestview City Council, District 1

Occupation: Retired civil service; owner of Edwards Machine Shop.

Message: (Editor’s Note: Edwards did not complete the questionnaire provided but did send the News Bulletin the following statement.)

I have run for public office twice to try and make a difference for the citizens of Crestview. Without change, Crestview will still be stuck in 1950s. (With) certain people who still try to control the growth by not allowing us to have adequate roads. This has gone on since the ’70s, because no one will speak against the people who want Crestview to stay in the ’70s.

I am willing to stand up for the citizens of Crestview. An example is building the new courthouse in the middle of Crestview with inadequate roads and parking. This will not allow Crestview to advance to the future in the downtown area (due to) overcrowding.

Statements have been said that it's our way or no way; the money is in the south end of the county. They do not realize that Crestview area and the north end of the county will have the voting control in the next 10 years.

I will work and speak for the citizens of Crestview and the area around Crestview. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Council candidates talk traffic, economic growth

CRESTVIEW — Recent Mason-Dixon Polling and Research findings called the city’s government structure into question, sparking debate among city officials.

But the topics of city marketability and luring investors to Crestview were seemingly lost in the shuffle.

“I think they are all related because without an efficient government structure, investors will be hesitant to put their money there,” Quint Studer, investor, businessman and founder of the Studer Community Institute, said during a phone interview.

The institute works to improve the quality of life for Pensacola area residents, but recently turned its attention toward Crestview.

The city needs to establish a central mission and identify priority areas for its quality of life before it can begin garnering investors’ attention, Studer said in a January speech to the Crestview City Council.

Studer believes this is still a vital step and requires insight from Crestview residents at a time when the city is debating if it will complete the Mason-Dixon research.

One of the next steps in that research is a “quality of life” survey sent to residents. Its findings could help in creation of a metric to measure the city’s most important factors to quality of life.

Establishing priorities will be difficult for the city without this insight, Studer said. The task of tackling all problems becomes challenging without these established priorities as points of focus, he added.

“It’s important to figure out what residents are saying,” Studer said. “I still think they need to [complete the study].”

“The city needs benchmarks and the ability to know where they want to go with them,” Community Redevelopment Agency Director Brenda Smith said in a phone interview, agreeing with Studer’s position. Smith and the CRA were responsible for bringing Studer and Mason-Dixon Polling and Research to the city.

Studer stands by the research and supports the city moving to a council-manager structure of government to streamline growth, he said. This would also allow the government to work more effectively toward achieving goals, according to Studer.

A manager focuses on the day-to-day issues of running the city, such as administrative tasks, coordinating between department directors, developing an annual budget and educating elected officials.

“Larry [Harris of Mason-Dixon] had many concerns that the city was at risk and those had to be addressed before surveying people,” Smith said in response to how a potential shake-up would affect Crestview’s intent to lure investors.

The city is being forced into rapidly accepting outside changes, City Attorney Ben Holley said after hearing the findings and recommendations from the Mason-Dixon research.

“They can slow down,” Studer said in regard to this response. “But what’s the right amount of time to give yourself? If you take too long, you end up just where you started at.”

Crestview might explore conducting its own resident survey, according to a conversation with Mayor David Cadle.

Smith expressed concern that such a study would not be independent and questioned who would manage and write the survey.

“What are they going to be measuring?” Smith said. “If it’s not done properly you’ll just get people saying they aren’t happy in general or don’t like the park or something.”

Regardless of who conducts the next phase, economic development and business growth could be hindered if a citizen survey isn’t conducted and quality of life focal points aren’t established at all.

Instituting these changes without a restructuring of government, as Studer said, would make it difficult to meet goals.

Studer still expressed interest and hope in Crestview but cautions about slowing the process of research and reform implementation too much.

Smith, too, views abandoning the Mason-Dixon research and potentially the Studer Community Institute as a step backward for growth.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Economic growth hinges on resident survey, experts say

CRESTVIEW — Mason-Dixon Polling and Research’s recent recommendations call for Crestview to establish a council-manager style of government.

Mayor David Cadle and multiple City Council members support the idea, but why? And what would Crestview’s government look like with the addition of a city manager?

Here, we answer those questions.

THE CURRENT SYSTEM

Knowing how Crestview’s government is currently structured helps in understanding what potential changes could look like and what effects they would have.

In Crestview, department heads answer directly to the City Council. The city’s various departments include public services, growth management, library services, a community redevelopment agency and several more entities. Answering directly to the council means these individuals have, in effect, five bosses.

“The system now is disjointed, although weekly department meetings have helped a lot,” Cadle said. Before he became mayor, regular meetings with department heads weren’t happening, he added.

This also complicates budget adoption, according to Cadle. Department heads individually prepare their budget and present it to the city clerk, who then conducts review meetings before generating a final budget. The clerk presents this finalized budget to the council for approval.

The police and fire departments directly report to the mayor, rather than the entire council.

COUNCIL-MANAGER STRUCTURE

“If the city were a business, I would serve as the CEO and the mayor and council would be like the board of directors,” Michael Beedie, Fort Walton Beach’s city manager, said.

A manager focuses on the day-to-day issues of running the city, such as administrative tasks, coordinating between department directors, developing an annual budget and educating elected officials.

“When elected officials are department heads, they aren’t necessarily trained in how to run those departments,” Beedie said. “They may or may not have experience in operations.”

However, a manager is trained in those roles. They also have experience in running a city, much in the way a CEO would have experience in running a company.

This reduces the responsibilities of elected officials, allowing them to focus on representing their citizens, according to Beedie.

A manager also takes the place of the clerk in the budgeting process, allowing that individual to focus on other tasks such as public records.

Council meetings tend to run smoothly with the addition of a manager, according to Beedie. Since the manager controls day-to-day operations, he or she can keep elected officials informed and educated on pressing matters, while resolving smaller matters outside public meetings.

Employing a city manager also allows for more accountability, according to Beedie.

“If a mayor isn’t doing a good job, you can’t really do anything until the next election so, citizens are kind of stuck with them,” Beedie said. “With a manager, city council can hire or fire them with a majority vote.”

OTHER OPTIONS

The city has three options for government restructuring, according to Cadle. Citizens can vote to leave the structure as is, adopt the council-manager structure or adopt a strong mayor system.

In a strong mayor system, the mayor serves as the head of all departments.

This system would also alleviate pressure on department heads by creating a single supervisor, according to Cadle.

However, a strong mayor structure still puts an elected official in charge of managerial operations, Beedie said, adding this could result in a supervisor who is not prepared to manage the many city departments and pulls the mayor’s focus from citizens.

Regardless of the restructuring, Cadle has advocated against allowing the mayor to vote during City Council meetings. Fort Walton Beach’s mayor can vote if there’s a tie and in other cities, such as Mary Esther, the mayor casts a regular vote, according to Beedie.

Due to Florida’s Sunshine Laws, if the mayor were able to vote during meetings, they could not discuss the topics outside a public meeting setting.

By not being able to vote, Cadle can offer guidance and suggestions to council members, he said.

WHY CHANGE?

“Our current system worked for the city for years when our town was smaller, but it’s growing,” Cadle said. “I want us to maintain a small-town feel but we won’t be a small town much longer.”

Due to Crestview’s expanding population, day-to-day tasks have increased and departments have grown in size. Streamlining communication and having a managing professional on staff would allow more time for elected officials to better serve their citizens, Cadle added.

A meeting to explore options and discuss the recommendations of the Mason-Dixon study was scheduled for March 13.

However, that meeting will be moved to a later date to allow for research and scheduling of neighboring city managers to speak, according to Cadle.

THE ISSUE: Several officials support a recommended restructuring of the Crestview government

LOCAL IMPACT: A council-manager style of government could allow elected officials to focus on citizens and policy development while delegating day-to-day operations to a management professional.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: What if Crestview hired a city manager?

CRESTVIEW — Brandon Bolton, a utility maintenance foreman for the city of Crestview, said the city's Public Works Department has scheduled a temporary road closure.

A section of Citadel Lane will be closed 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 8 and 9 due to utility work at 229 Citadel Lane in Crestview. 

Residents may call the department at 682-6132 if they have any questions about the work.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview road closure set

CRESTVIEW—Motorists driving over the hill on South Ferdon Boulevard get a glimpse of downtown, passing trains and, recently, graffiti.

Vacant structures in Crestview have become spray paint victims over the past several months. The downtown area hasn’t been the only affected area; tagging has been seen in residential areas and on property in Laurel Hill. The occurrences have grabbed the attention of Councilman Shannon Hayes, who commented on the graffiti at a recent City Council meeting, and Crestview Police Chief Tony Taylor.

“We’re on it,” Taylor said. “We’ve been investigating it but unfortunately these are individuals likely working at night, see a police car and are gone.”

The department began noticing the influx of spray paint incidents in recent months. The tags have been seen in all areas of the city and aren’t concentrated in certain neighborhoods or sections of town. This and the content of the vandalism lead CPD to believe the graffiti isn’t gang-related.

“What we’ve seen isn’t necessarily gang tags; at least not that I’ve interpreted,” Taylor said. “The fact that they are scattered backs that up as well. In gang situations, you see more concentrated work because they are marking territory — we’re not seeing that here.”

While the tagging might not be gang-related, it still has some residents concerned.

“Crestview is just starting to expand and pull itself together,” resident Georgiana Nance said. “Having spray paint all over the city buildings sends a message we should not send.”

“[Spray paint] on random buildings is not acceptable,” Aimee Gudinas, another Crestview resident, said. She offered an alternative solution to handling graffiti in town — providing a legal means for street art within city limits.

“I have noticed that the artwork on the brick buildings downtown really needs to be touched up,” Gudinas said. “That would be a good place to start. Hang some flyers on the buildings that are getting graffiti and ask for volunteers.”

Several other Florida cities have experimented with public venues for street artists to display work. Pensacola has Graffiti Bridge, which features an ever-changing display of spray paint projects and tagging. Downtown Tampa allows artists to use utility boxes at intersections as their canvas. Jacksonville has begun licensing walls of vacant buildings to painters and artists for creative displays. Palatka, known as the City of Murals, has a municipal council to regulate murals and street paintings in town.

“I think the graffiti is cool, to be honest,” resident Anna Rave said. “But it being on the side of buildings, or being done illegally, is wrong.”

Having a place where artists could legally attach their work would solve “a lot” of the graffiti problems, Rave added.

“Some of these people are talented, aspiring artists,” Taylor said. However, some of the work is far from skilled and, regardless of the artist’s ability, producing displays on vacant buildings is still illegal, he added.

A person caught spray painting a building could be charged with criminal mischief and fined at least the cost of repairs, possibly more, depending on the court system, according to Taylor. Investigators would also explore possible connections between a suspect and other pieces throughout town.

Certain stylistic similarities can be found to connect multiple acts of vandalism, Taylor said. Graffiti artists also sometimes sign work with their name, alias or initials—all of which can be used to link crimes.

Contact the Crestview Police Department, 682-3544, for any information regarding graffiti or vandalism in town.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Graffiti vandals raise concern

CRESTVIEW — A City Council workshop on Monday focused on the plights of homeless individuals and how the community can help.

Councilman J.B. Whitten invited four speakers, as well as public input, on how to address the problems homeless people face. Whitten intends to form a community resource committee for the city to address the situation.

“Going to the different churches and seeing what they’re doing is awesome,” Whitten said in response to church programs such as weather shelters and soup kitchens. However, he expressed concern that the matter is too great for lone individuals or groups to tackle and requires a coordinated effort led by the city.

“Individuals can get burned out and programs go away, but not the problems,” he said.

Those problems extend beyond homeless people seen downtown or on local roads.

Community activist David Booher described homeless camps that exist in various wooded sites. Approximately 100 people live in six known camps, according to Booher.

Booher detailed issues faced by a man who had been Baker Acted 27 times but lacked the medical care to get out of his situation.

“We have in our community a need for proper medical care,” Booher said. “This isn’t just a city problem, it’s a community problem.”

Scheduled speakers included Ann Sprague of the Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless, Sarah Yelverton of the Homeless and Housing Alliance, Fort Walton Beach City Manager Michael Beedie and Dawn Butler of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Care Center.

Each speaker discussed homeless initiatives from their respective group or agency.

Barron Evans, a former Crestview resident now residing in Niceville, called on the city to build a dedicated shelter with set regulations to manage the homeless situation.

Currently, cold-weather shelters and food kitchens are solely operated by various churches in Crestview.

Beedie discussed during his presentation a multi-phase plan in Fort Walton Beach to develop a group of facilities to provide shelter to displaced veteran services, cold-weather relief, homeless women and children and a resource center.

While Crestview has no such plan, the workshop provided invaluable information to city leaders, according to Whitten.

“Thank you for opening our eyes to a lot of issues many didn’t know about,” Mayor David Cadle said after the presentations.

Councilman Shannon Hayes encouraged residents and his colleagues to pressure Okaloosa County commissioners for additional assistance in providing homeless care.

Finally, the city agreed to house a donation box at City Hall for Crocheted Mats for the Homeless. The organization recycles plastic shopping bags into sleeping mats.

The group has expanded rapidly in recent months and enlists over 500 volunteers, according to founder Debbie Barberee.

Contact Crestview Councilman J.B. Whitten at jbwhitten@cityofcrestview.com for suggestions on how to improve the quality of life for the local homeless.

WANT TO HELP?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Solutions sought for city's homeless residents

CRESTVIEW — “Great risk” was the central theme during a Monday evening Crestview City Council meeting.

The council, city leaders and department heads heard qualitative findings and recommendations from Larry Harris of Mason-Dixon Polling and Research. Harris’ research was the leading tool in a redevelopment assessment of Crestview, funded by Pensacola businessperson and consultant Quint Studer.

Harris, based on consultation and research, recommended Crestview adopt a council-manager form of governance. This form of government creates an administrator role held by a nonpartisan individual to conduct day-to-day administrative tasks using prior knowledge and experience.

Elected officials under a council-manager government would focus on policy planning and development, while the manager would focus on facilitating and supervising public programs.

Harris conducted a study of Crestview’s political and legislative standing and discussed these findings with various experts from across the country.

Harris' recommendation of shifting to a council-manager structure—used by over 3,500 municipalities across the country—was based on a review of literature and best practices outlined by the Florida League of Cities, Center for Florida Local Government Excellence, Florida City and County Management Association and the International City/County Management Association. 

Furthermore, Harris held in-depth interviews with elected city officials, department heads, business owners and community leaders, and regional and state economic development professionals.

Mayor David Cadle and several, unnamed council members support the structure change. Several department heads, also unnamed, expressed “anxiety and concern about the current structure,” according to the report.

Additionally, several business owners and community leaders viewed Crestview’s current model as a threat to progress and their business future.

“The city of Crestview’s current form of government and existing organizational structure and operations present a substantial risk to the ethical, efficient, effective provisions of [city] services and the stewardship of taxpayer funds,” the studies summary of findings read.

What are the stakes?

“The risk to health, life and safety,” Harris said.

“The square mile of blight around [Crestview] city hall, every pile of garbage is standing water and that’s Zika when it makes it up here,” Harris said. “[Crestview] has buildings with collapsed roofs, with broken-down fences, occupied dwellings with bedrooms with plywood boards on them but [Crestview] doesn’t have building codes, which is another risk to life and safety.”

The research supported creation of a Charter Review Commission, which would facilitate creation of a new city charter.

Additionally, it supported establishment of an administrative board to advise and oversee city structure, procedures and operations management in anticipation of a new charter. This board would consist of the mayor, a single member of City Council and a certified city manager consultant.

The transition to a council-manager government would require a voter referendum, which could be completed via mail ballots, according to the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux. This would prevent the city from having to wait for elections in 2018.

No issue or matter was up for a council vote during Monday’s meeting and they opted to decide on the review commission during a March 13 meeting. The delay would provide the council additional opportunity to consult with regional cities that use a council-manager government, such as Fort Walton Beach.

“[Mason-Dixon and Studer Institute] are trying to push us to do something,” City Attorney Ben Holley said, pointing at Harris. He advised the council to take its time to further research and explore the findings of the study.

Cadle agreed that more research was necessary for a post-meeting interview.

“We have to get it right this time,” Cadle said, referencing previous failed attempts to modify the city structure. Cadle cited his desire for community input on the matter but didn’t comment on what forum or setting such an input would occur.

“My purpose (Monday) was to put on the public record that the city is at risk based on empirical research and the opinions of experts in the field,” Harris said. “They need to have a sense of urgency and make that priority one. [Crestview] voters deserve better.”

Melissa Simpson, a Crestview resident and local Realtor, urged leaders to consider what Harris discussed during the meeting’s public comment portion. Simpson feared residents would leave for other areas if problems aren’t resolved.

Joe Barley, another Crestview resident, opposed the changes proposed through Harris’ research. He argued that the people in the town make it a place worth living in.

The City Council’s meeting to discuss its next course of action will be at 6 p.m. on March 13, in the council chambers of City Hall.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story stated that numerous organizations endorsed the council-manager structure of government for Crestview, based on Larry Harris' statement. That is not the case and we have updated the article.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City a 'great risk' and liability, researcher says

CRESTVIEW — The City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance to temporarily ban all medicinal marijuana practices within city limits.

City leaders voted Monday, with little discussion, in front of 17 residents who offered no public comment.

HOW THE BAN WORKS

The moratorium takes place immediately and will last until Sept. 1, unless the city approves to end the ban sooner. The ban will cover growing, cultivating, manufacturing, distributing and selling of medicinal marijuana in the city, according to Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard.

“No business license shall be approved for dispensaries during the moratorium and no applications shall be accepted,” Gaillard read from the ordinance.

The ban will allow the city to assess and investigate the effect marijuana and its industry will have in the city, according to Gaillard.

Ordinance 1615, in its second reading in front of the council, passed with little fanfare — no members of the public spoke regarding the measure. This contrasted with heavy council discussion during the ordinance’s initial reading in January.

The moratorium puts Crestview on par with several other cities and counties across the state. Although voters approved a state amendment allowing for medicinal marijuana in November, local municipalities can block the decision.

Many local governments have opted for such a ban until summer, when the state is required to establish specific regulations and guidelines pertaining to medicinal marijuana.

OTHER BUSINESS

Also during Monday’s meeting:

• Mayor David Cadle announced the retirement of Crestview Fire Chief Joseph Traylor. “Chief Traylor has been a tremendous asset to this city,” Cadle said. “He has raised the standards of that department as one of the finest fire departments in any area across the country.” Traylor has served as the Crestview fire chief since 1993. He previously spent 28 years in the Air Force and was the deputy fire chief for Eglin Air Force Base. “I hate to see all that institutional knowledge go; he knows where everything is,” Cadle joked during the announcement. “If I ask him about something 20 years ago, he goes over and pulls out a newspaper clipping about it.” April 30 will be Traylor's final day as chief.
• City leaders approved $25,000 for a Crestview Police Department request. The CPD needed three police vehicles — two were budgeted in refurbishing funds but the third was an unexpected cost due to a recent traffic accident. The squad car was totaled during the accident and insurance paid out about $3,000 but CPD still required about $25,000 to ensure its replacement. The council OK’d the amount using an account established for such unexpected incidents.
• The Main Street Crestview Association formally announced, and displayed in front of the council, the $62,000 private donation check it received in December for construction of a dog park. There is no estimated timeframe or overall cost currently associated with the project, according to Public Services Director Wayne Steele.
• Cadle gave a brief speech regarding Black History Month, urging all residents to join him in recognizing and celebrating the “outstanding achievements and contributions to our nation” of African-Americans.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City Council bans medical marijuana

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Housing Authority's Section 8 waiting list will open soon for area residents interested in applying for subsidized housing.

Applications will be available at the front desk 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays March 20-24 at the CHA office, 371 W. Hickory Ave.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program is for low-income families who meet eligibility requirements.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Section 8 applications available soon

LAUREL HILL — The City Council has finalized an application for a $600,000 development grant.

The application requires the city to map out projects it would use funds toward if the grant were awarded. The scope of those projects is then compiled and plotted on a 1,000-point scale. The higher the score, the greater impact the projects will have on the city and the better chance of receiving the grant.

The city’s original plan yielded a score of 307 and was based solely on various road improvement projects. The council opted to revise that plan to improve the score before submittal.

The modified plan replaced project areas and included funding improvements to the city’s water infrastructure. City leaders approved the updated plan after changes bumped the grant score to 568, according to City Clerk Nita Miller.

If awarded the grant, road improvements will be made to areas of Third Street, Steel Mill Creek Road, Second Avenue and Eighth Street. Water lines along Miller Street and Stokes Road would be renovated as well, Miller said.

“[The city council] also agreed to make a $25,000 match that improved the score to 593,” Miller said. The match would be an infrastructure investment of city finances into the projects if the grant were awarded.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development focuses on funding for areas of low to moderate income. Florida receives between 18 and 26 million dollars each year to award to local municipalities, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill seeks $600,000 grant