“The first point is, I wanted to give honor to my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ,” said Echols, who is a retired Air Force veteran and a former Crestview Planning and Development Board member. “Without him, I would not be here.”
Echols then thanked his wife, Judy, and their children, grandchildren and Godchildren, as well as his loved ones in Georgia and his first church family in Florida.
Echols is sworn into office by Mayor Pro Tem Doug Capps. Echols’ wife, Judy, holds the Bible and City Clerk Natasha Peacock, standing to the right of Capps, holds the microphone while Councilor Dusty Allison looks on from behind the dais. (Photo by Tony Judnich)
The new councilor then praised “Old Glory” and the United States.
“Ever since I’ve been in the military and been serving, it’s always been about the people of this country,” Echols said. “I think we serve a great country. The things we see today are not of this country. We’re greater than that. We’re better than that. And for that reason, I’m looking forward to representing the people in Precinct 2.
“I want to be an advocate for you. I want to be a voice for you, and I want to hear from you, and I’ll do the best I can to represent you here on the City Council.”
Precinct 2 covers the city limits south of Interstate 10. Echols was appointed by the council on Jan. 20 to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of former Precinct 2 Councilor Ryan Bullard.
Bullard, who was elected to his four-year term in November 2022, resigned from the council on Dec. 31 after citing increasing professional obligations, personal responsibilities, and ongoing health considerations. The unexpired term expires in November.
(L-R) Crestview City Attorney Jon Holloway, City Clerk Natasha Peacock, Councilor Dusty Allison, Councilor Sylvester Echols, Mayor Pro Tem Doug Capps, and City Manager Jessica Leavins. (Photo by Tony Judnich)
Echols was one of seven people to apply for the open council seat and was one of three finalists who were interviewed by the council.
Mayor J.B. Whitten and councilors Brandon Frost and Shannon Hayes had excused absences from Monday’s swearing-in ceremony and the regular council meeting that followed.
The 1-mile segment runs between Live Oak Church Road, which is just north of the Shoal River, and P.J. Adams Parkway. The widening of this four-lane segment to six lanes is in the Florida Department of Transportation’s draft five-year work program and is slated to begin in the state’s 2028 fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2027.
The 1-mile segment of State Road 85 between Live Oak Church Road and P.J. Adams Parkway. (Map by Dan Bontrager)
The County Commission unanimously approved the $10 million allocation last Tuesday.
According to county Public Works Director Scott Bitterman, the estimated total construction cost of the widening project is $36.2 million.
Bitterman
In addition to its $10 million contribution, the county has purchased a pond site, located on the southeast corner of SR 85 and Live Oak Church Road, that will capture stormwater runoff from the wider SR 85. The county also plans to acquire a stormwater management property near the SR 85-P.J. Adams Parkway intersection.
According to Bitterman, the SR 85 widening project would help the county realize the full benefits of the overall, more than $200 million southwest Crestview bypass, the county-led portion of which is anticipated to open to traffic by the end of March.
Construction of the FDOT’s portions of the bypass is scheduled for completion in mid-2027. They include a new Interstate 10 overpass and interchange that will stand east of the existing Antioch Road bridge over I-10.
He was 91. Blocker’s daughter, Donna Proehl, said her father had lived at the Shoal Creek Rehabilitation Center while battling health issues for the last 15 months.
Proehl, who now lives near Lynchburg, Virginia, shared fond memories of her and her father exploring the great outdoors in the Crestview area when she was growing up.
“My dad took me fishing when I was young,” she said this morning. “We fished on the Yellow River, just me and Daddy. We went hunting in the woods. He was with me when I shot my first squirrel.”
Proehl said her father was instrumental in helping her brother, Joe Dan Blocker, set up his CB radio business, and that her father always worked in construction to support the family.
“Sometimes he would be off in different states, and we would see him on weekends,” Proehl said. “Mom always picked up the slack when he was gone. He was a general contractor until his health started failing and he couldn’t do it anymore.”
She said her father was married twice, and that both of his wives have died. Proehl’s brother now lives in North Carolina.
As a longtime council member, “Daddy was always questioning everything,” Proehl said. “He had no problem rocking the boat. He had no problem giving his opinion ever.”
She said her father will be cremated and that the family will have a private service.
Blocker at a Crestview Veterans Day Parade. (Photo courtesy of the city of Crestview)
Crestview Mayor J.B. Whitten, who served as a city councilor from 2015 to 2019 and has served as mayor since April 2019, said Blocker “was straight up.”
“You always knew what was on Joe’s mind,” Whitten said. “He never held back, and he was very honest. It didn’t make a difference if people agreed with him or not. He was upfront and told the truth.
“He was a really good friend. My wife and I went to his 90th birthday. I was surprised at his age: I thought he was in his mid-80s.”
Many city officials visited Blocker when he was in the rehabilitation center, the mayor said.
Blocker’s death “is a loss to the city,” Whitten said. “He was a great supporter of the city. He will be missed.”
Tim Bolduc, who served as Crestview’s first-ever city manager from February 2019 until last April, recalled Blocker casting the swing vote that led to Bolduc getting the job.
“I’ve always said I would of never made it to Crestview without Joe’s support,” Bolduc said. “Joe was the swing vote. It was a 3-2 vote” by the council. “I always appreciated him putting his confidence in me.”
He said he and Blocker shared the same values and relied strongly on their faith.
“He always stood up for what he believed in,” Bolduc said. “He was hard on me and made sure (city officials) did what we were supposed to do. He was a great public servant, and he served his community for a really long time. No matter what anyone else thought, or whether they agreed with him or not, he voted his conscience. I know where Joe is, but my heart is sad for the family.”
In a November 2024 news release issued shortly after Blocker announced his resignation, city officials said they were grateful for Blocker’s years of service.
Blocker “has made invaluable contributions to our community throughout his tenure,” city officials said. “A lifelong resident of Okaloosa County, Mr. Blocker is a retired businessman with over 50 years of experience in the commercial construction industry.
“His extensive management background and commitment to education in leadership and government operations have equipped him to effectively represent the people of Crestview. With a strong belief in thorough preparation and prioritizing the community’s needs in decision-making, Mr. Blocker has made a lasting impact.”
At a special meeting, the council voted 4-0 to appoint Peacock as the clerk. She topped two other finalists: Amanda Ojeda, who owns a childcare center in Pensacola and has an extensive administrative background, and NyKole Krivda, who recently served as the vice president of the Hillsborough County Black Chamber of Commerce and also has an extensive administrative background.
A total of about 25 applicants sought the city clerk position, Crestview City Manager Jessica Leavins said.
After the council interviewed the top three candidates on Tuesday, Councilor Brandon Frost noted that Peacock was the only candidate to say she has city clerk experience. He also said that the city likes to promote from within.
Councilor Shannon Hayes said being a city clerk is not something a person learns in a few months.
“Natasha has demonstrated and expanded her knowledge with further education,” said Hayes, who praised her 13 years in the clerk’s office, mostly as deputy city clerk.
“You all bring different qualities to the table,” Councilor Doug Capps told the candidates. “I feel Natasha is the most qualified.”
Peacock’s ability to efficiently and accurately fulfill public records requests also impressed council members.
Peacock began serving as the interim city clerk after former City Clerk Maryanne Girard submitted her resignation last November. Girard, who became Crestview’s first council-appointed city clerk on Nov. 15, 2021, resigned after citing “a troubling erosion of trust and respect” between her and some council members in recent months.
Earlier last year, the council had Girard undergo public records training after city officials received some complaints about her handling of public records requests.
In her application letter to the council for the city clerk position, Peacock noted that she processes five to 25 public records requests daily.
“When you appoint me as City Clerk, you are making an investment in continuity, stability, and excellence,” Peacock said in her letter. “I am not a candidate who will need time to learn your systems, build relationships, or understand your community’s unique needs.”
As interim clerk, Peacock was paid $27.05 an hour, according to Leavins. Peacock’s pay rate for serving as the city clerk will be negotiated.
Bullard, who was elected to his four-year term in November 2022, resigned from the council on Dec. 31 after citing increasing professional obligations, personal responsibilities, and ongoing health considerations.
Bullard
Precinct 2 covers the city limits south of Interstate 10. The unexpired term expires in November.
Seven applicants sought to fill the Precinct 2 seat. On Tuesday, the council interviewed the three finalists before unanimously choosing Echols over Louis Rodriguez and former City Councilor Andrew Rencich.
“The things I want you to know about me, first is, I’m a Christian,” Echols, who has served in multiple leadership roles with the First Church of God in Christ since 1998, said in his opening presentation to the council. “I believe in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and I think without him, I would not have life at all.”
Echols also said he is the husband of one wife of 45 years, and that they’ll celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary on Feb. 16. The couple has three children and six grandchildren and has lived in Crestview since 1998.
“We came here from a little north of here, place called Minot, North Dakota,” Echols said. “So we came here with the intent that we would much rather shovel sand than shovel snow. I came here by way of the Air Force. I served in the Air Force for 27 1/2 years” and retired in 2020 with a total of 47 years of military, Department of Defense contractor, and civilian service.
‘Listening with understanding’
Echols, who as a councilor will no longer serve on the city P & D Board, said serving seems to be a point of nature for him.
“I have a deep, deep desire and passion for the long-term growth, public safety, and budgetary health of Crestview,” he said. “When appointed, I will serve with integrity and transparency, listening to the residents, working with fellow members of the council, working with the city clerk, working with the staff and the city as well as the residents, to make a balanced decision of all the things that we need in Precinct 2” and “for the entire city.”
Echols said he learned via his time with the military “that the best skill that you can have is the skill of listening: listening with understanding before you make a decision, making sure you have all the facts to come up with the best solution.”
While being interviewed by the council, Echols was asked by Precinct 1 Councilor Dusty Allison to share his favorite part about Crestview.
Allison
Echols replied by saying people in the Hub City care for each other, such as by holding open a store door for others and allowing other motorists to get out in traffic on State Road 85. He said while Crestview is growing fast, it retains a small-city atmosphere that he cherishes.
In answer to another question from Allison, Echols said his goals as a councilor are making sure local children are safe in their schools and the city is adequately prepared for major storms and other disasters.
Handling criticism
Communicating with residents and being transparent and readily available are ways a councilor can become successful in the community, Echols said in reply to a question from Group 1 (At Large) Councilor Shannon Hayes.
Hayes
In response to a question from Group 2 (At Large) Councilor Brandon Frost, Echols said his approach to transparency includes reaching out to residents about issues such as traffic on SR 85 and the location of the city’s red-light cameras.
Frost
And in reply to a question from Precinct 3 Councilor Doug Capps, Echols said as a councilor he would handle criticism by being respectful of it and not disrespectful of the person making the criticism.
Capps
At the end of the special meeting to interview the three finalists, the council selected Echols in a 4-0 vote.
Before the council made its selection, Frost said that Echols cares about kids’ safety and public safety and is transparent.
“Every time I’ve talked with him, he’s always been polite, knowledgeable and willing to learn,” Frost said.
Also before the council’s final decision was made, Allison noted that Echols attends nearly all of the City Council meetings, and Hayes said Echols has been taking notes at the meetings and “is very well-spoken.”
Rodriguez has pre-filed to run for the Precinct 2 seat’s next full four-year term. That contest will be decided by city voters in the Nov. 3 general election.
Rencich served as Crestview’s Group 2 (At Large) councilor from early 2019 to late 2024.
The city pays $420 per month, or $5,040 annually, to each of the five councilors. Each councilor also receives $5,000 in discretionary funds from the city each year.
The County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the establishment of the new board, which among other events and activities will help organize:
An America 250 grand parade near the county courthouse in the county seat of Crestview
A memorial service honoring Revolutionary War patriot ancestors
A public gala event
Educational programs in local schools
Other activities to educate young people about the history of the revolution and the principles of the nation’s founding fathers.
The U.S. president and Florida’s governor “have issued proclamations recognizing 2026 as the year we celebrate the Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States of America establishing our new Republic,” county officials said in a resolution establishing the county America 250 Commission.
At the County Commission meeting, District 2 County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, who serves as an officer of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Choctawhatchee Bay Chapter, said many of her ancestors fought for the Revolution.
Ketchel
“We often talk about our country and how divided it is today,” Ketchel said. “Do you not think it was divided during the Civil War? Do you not think it was divided during (the Civil Rights Movement)?”
However, “A lot of really good stuff has happened, and we’re a lot further than we were, and we’re not where we want to be yet but we’re going to be there, and I’m so glad to celebrate the birth of this nation,” she added.
America 250 celebratory events and activities in Okaloosa County will include those sponsored by governments, private and nonprofit organizations, and the public at large. The events and activities will “honor the men and women who fought for and died to form our first government (and) military services; and gave their all standing up to tyranny, and taxation without representation and a lack of personal and religious freedoms that came with being a colony of Great Britain,” county officials said in the resolution.
The county America 250 Commission will be chaired by the president of the Sons of the American Revolution, Emerald Coast Chapter or his designee. The vice-chair will be the regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Choctawhatchee Bay Chapter or her designee. The other 16 commission members will be:
The local member of the state of Florida America 250 Commission
Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department Director Jennifer Adams
Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers or his designee
An Okaloosa County member of the Florida State Historical Commission
A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, West Florida Chapter
One executive director/president of the chamber of commerce community to be selected by the leadership of the chambers in Crestview, Niceville/Valparaiso, Fort Walton Beach and Destin
One city mayor within the county to be designated by the Okaloosa County League of Cities
One commanding general, or his designee, representing the U.S. military community
One representative from the leadership of the Fort Walton Beach Krewe of Billy Bowlegs
Sabu Williams, president of the Okaloosa County branch of the NAACP
The district commissioner of the Choctaw District of the Gulf Coast Council of Scouting America
Five members; one appointed by each county commissioner.
The county America 250 Commission will have the authority to develop rules of business/meeting procedures, collect and spend private financial and in-kind donations, create logos/emblems/branding, request public donations and grants, recruit volunteers, form sub-committees and working groups, and provide monthly updates to the County Commission, according to the resolution.
With the council’s action, e-bikes and motorized scooters join skateboards, roller blades and roller skates as the types of “micromobility devices” that are prohibited from streets and sidewalks in the downtown area. Wheelchairs and “power-driven mobility devices” for disabled people are not prohibited.
The new ordinance aims to help make downtown sidewalks safer for pedestrians and prevent deterioration of the city’s Main Street streetscape project, according to city Development Services Director Barry Henderson.
The nearly $5.7 million project was completed last spring and consisted of various upgrades to a six-block portion of Main Street, generally between Industrial Drive and U.S. Highway 90, and to sections of adjacent streets. The improvements included new sidewalks, curbs, crosswalks, and landscaping, as well as the milling and resurfacing of Main Street.
A first-time violator of the new ordinance will receive a written warning. A second-time violator will be fined $150, a third-time offender will be fined $350, and anyone who commits a fourth or subsequent violation will face a $500 fine. Each violation is a non-criminal infraction.
The City Council authorized the agreement on Monday. The $30 million represents a not-to-exceed limit.
City Councilor Dusty Allison had an excused absence from the meeting.
Final interest rates and repayment schedules for the loaned money will be determined at the time of bond issuance, and debt service will be paid from non-ad valorem revenues or other designated funding sources, city officials said.
After the council meeting, City Manager Jessica Leavins told the Crestview News Bulletin that city officials hope to close on the loan by the end of February. Examples of funding sources that will be used to pay off the loan, she said, include city utility fund revenue and local option half-cent infrastructure surtax money.
Leavins
The money to pay off the loan “is not coming from property taxes, which is great,” City Councilor Shannon Hayes said during the meeting. “So, it means we’re not going to have to raise our taxes for our citizens.”
Hayes
Established in 1998, the Florida Municipal Loan Council helps cities, counties and other local governments finance projects more cost-effectively by leveraging the benefits of larger, pooled financings, according to information from the Florida League of Cities.
Projects
Here are the projects that will use loan proceeds:
The ROC
In mid-December, the city closed on the purchase of Central Baptist Church’s Recreational Outreach Center, aka “the ROC,” for about $1.4 million. The center, which consists of a gym and a five-lane, 25-yard, 56-person capacity pool, stands at 1105 S. Pearl St.
The city has had a new HVAC system installed at the ROC and upgrades to the gym floor are nearing completion. The gym remains open for basketball games. The pool, which continues to be operated by the nonprofit Emerald Coast Fitness Foundation, remains open.
Fire Station 3
Crestview officials are hopeful that renovations to Fire Station 3 at 585 Brookmeade Drive will be completed later this year. Because of an HVAC system-related mold problem and structural issues at the station, staff members have been working out of North Okaloosa Fire District Station 84 on John King Road since last spring. The renovations are estimated to cost a little over $2.6 million.
Public works facility
City officials intend to start construction of a new public works facility before the end of this year. Plans call for it to be built by the city wastewater treatment plant, which stands next to Arena Road in the heart of the bypass project area. The estimated construction cost is a little over $20.1 million.
Among other problems, the existing public works facility east of State Road 85 and just north of Long Drive dates to the 1950s and does not provide enough space for employees and equipment, city officials said. It eventually will be demolished to make room for a planned public safety building that will house Fire Station 1 and the city police station.
The existing police station next to Old Spanish Trail Park will not withstand a strong hurricane and eventually will be demolished to provide more room for the park to accommodate the needs of the city’s sports programs.
During a budget workshop last summer, “We realized that some of these dreams” to get the projects listed above completed “may be out of our financial reach without raising taxes, (but) this City Council has been adamant that we will not be raising taxes,” Leavins said during Monday’s meeting. “So this plan (to borrow money for capital projects) that is before you is the plan that we discussed back in the summertime that doe not include any changes to the ad valorem rate.”
Hayes said he’s glad the city is making progress on the capital projects now.
“If you wait until later, you’re going to pay more” because of inflation, Hayes said.
“I just wanted to reiterate that…we are not raising property taxes to fund this loan,” City Councilor Doug Capps said.
County half-cent infrastructure surtax money will help pay for the widening work, Mixon said. With a potential allocation of $10 million in surtax funds, the FDOT could begin the project in the summer/fall 2027 timeframe, according to county information.
On another note, Mixon said construction is nearly finished on new sidewalks on the south side of Stillwell Boulevard, which runs past properties in the city limits of Crestview and in unincorporated Okaloosa County. The sidewalks run along a 0.9-mile section of Stillwell between SR 85 and Valley Road and a 0.2-mile segment between Monterrey Road and the east side of Walker Elementary School.
The networking breakfast was sponsored by the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of West Florida and took place at the Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce Drive.
Like Mixon, Crestview Mayor J.B. Whitten served as a guest speaker at the breakfast. Whitten, who approached the speaker’s podium to the theme song from “Rocky,” led off his remarks by joking that this morning was unusual because he did not wake up to an alert about a car wreck on SR 85.
Crestview Mayor J.B. Whitten greets chamber breakfast attendees. (Photo by Tony Judnich)
“Let me get real serious, because I made a New Year’s resolution: ‘Be very serious,’” the mayor said.
He went on to say that renovations to city Fire Station 3 at 585 Brookmeade Drive “have received 100% approval” and “we’re moving into the procurement phase.”
Because of an HVAC system-related mold problem at the station, the station’s employees have had to work out of North Okaloosa Fire District Station 84 on John King Road since last spring.
Chamber Chairman Emeritus Tom Moody, left, celebrates his birthday with Chamber Chairman John Feeney. (Photo by Tony Judnich)
Whitten also gave an update on “The ROC,” which is the Recreational Outreach Center at Central Baptist Church and consists of a gym and a five-lane swimming pool. In December, the city closed on the purchase of The ROC for about $1.4 million. The facility stands at 1105 S. Pearl St.
“The HVAC system is being replaced in The ROC,” Whitten said. “So, you can see we’re actually going to have air conditioning in the gymnasium when you play ball during the summertime,” unlike at the city’s Twin Hills Park gym. “What a novel idea! So anyway, we’re doing renovations over there, but we already have people in there starting to play ball. In fact, I’m going to join them after this. We’re going to have a pickup game.”
“I’ve had several inquiries from citizens about, ‘What are these little black poles with the black camera that are popping up in all the rights of way?’” District 4 Commissioner and Commission Chairman Trey Goodwin said at the meeting.
Goodwin
He also noted that “a few concerned citizens” at the county Legislative Delegation meeting in December asked state legislators to consider further regulations to try to secure or protect the data that is collected through LPRs.
“I think the concern that was expressed was not so much that law enforcement had access to (such data), but that it was being (collected) by private contractors,” Goodwin said.
The county Sheriff’s Office has deployed 79 LPRs throughout the county. The LPRs are provided by an Atlanta-based contractor called Flock Safety and differ from red light camera and school zone speed camera systems, which solely detect traffic violations.
Uses of the S.O.’s LPRs
About 6,000 law enforcement agencies across the nation use LPRs, according to Flock Safety information. In Okaloosa County, the Sheriff’s Office views each of its LPRs as a “manpower multiplier” that have often been used to help solve cases of stolen vehicles and other stolen items, Autrey said.
Autrey
The S.O. also has used LPRs to help find missing people, investigate a kidnapping incident, and track down shooting suspects, he said.
A vehicle approaches a Flock Safety license plate reader on Aplin Road on Tuesday. (Photo by Tony Judnich)
A LPR is “a way to kind of identify where vehicles are going,” Autrey said. “In one instance, I read where a mother had called in (to the OCSO) and said that her 15-year-old daughter was taken without permission by an uncle, and she was under the impression that the uncle was headed north, I think to the Boston area. And by using LPRs, they actually tracked them down in Ocala, so in a different direction.”
All the information obtained by the LPRs that are used by the S.O. is owned by the S.O., he said.
Flock Safety “has been pretty open in their statement that they do not release data unless it is the owner (such as the S.O.) that allows it” to be released, Autrey said.
He added that Flock Safety LPRs are part of a cloud-based service. Flock Safety officials say they have never had a breach in the information obtained by the readers and that they do not sell the information, Autrey said.
The permits for the LPRs used by the S.O. were rights-of-way permits approved by county staff and did not need the County Commission’s approval, county officials said.
Eyes on officers, too
District 3 County Commissioner Sherri Cox suggested that having S.O. logo signage on the LPRs that the S.O. uses would help ease residents’ worries about the devices.
Cox
She added that she’s concerned about the LPRs keeping track of the movements of local law enforcement officers.
“The fact that our (local law enforcement vehicles) are marked very clearly and that information is available for a third-party vendor (Flock Safety) bothers me a good bit,” said Cox, who added she plans to talk with Sheriff Eric Aden to hopefully have her fears put to rest.
According to Autrey, cameras used for traffic operations in the county do not read or log any specific vehicle information, including license plate data, nor is any of the video recorded or stored for future reference.
Besides the LPRs used by the S.O. along county roads, there are LPRs used by state officials along state roads and LPRs used by city law-enforcement officials along city roads.
For example, Crestview Police Chief Steve McCosker said today that he believes there is a total of 10 Flock Safety LPRs along city streets within Crestview’s city limits.
