CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Clerk’s Office will no longer perform weddings.

The office will continue to issue marriage licenses, in accordance with Florida Statutes, at the Okaloosa County Courthouse, 101 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview; and the Okaloosa County Courthouse Annex Extension, 1940 Lewis Turner Blvd., Fort Walton Beach.

The decision to cease weddings at the clerk's office became effective Jan. 1. 

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to stop same-sex marriages in Florida; same-sex marriage licenses will be issued starting Jan. 6.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: No more weddings at Okaloosa clerk's office

LAUREL HILL — The City Council unanimously agreed to seek bids to repair inoperative equipment serving water well no. 3.

With the loss of the well constituting an emergency, city officials brought in Thomason Well Drilling of Fort Walton Beach to initiate repairs because of the company’s familiarity with the Laurel Hill equipment.

Excavations determined the well’s motor had burned out. Thomason also recommended replacing the 30-year-old pump, which could fail soon, Council Chairman Larry Hendren reported.

“We need to get that well back up because if that second well goes down, people aren’t going to have water,” Hendren said. “It is an emergency.”

Thomason said replacing the 25-horsepower motor and check valve would be $6,160. Replacing the pump would bring the repair to $9,830.

“I recommend we go ahead and do both of them while we’re at it,” Councilwoman Willie Mae Toles said.

“The pump might go at any time,” Councilwoman Betty Williamson said. “I agree we might as well do it.”

Both former Mayor Joan Smith and former council candidate Mary Bradberry advised soliciting at least three bids.

Hendren revised his original motion for an emergency repair to instead seek three bids. If Thomason is not the lowest bidder, the company would be paid for work already done, he said.

Hendren said as of Tuesday two bids have been received and a third bid was expected.

Though Toles asserted, “We're looking at people that’s been without water,” Mayor Robbie Adams said at the moment, water customers are being served as usual.

“We have two wells and they both feed to our tank,” Adams said. “We’re just working off one right now.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill City Council approves emergency well repair

LAUREL HILL — Saying she “would prefer not to be a party to dissension,” Mary Bradberry has withdrawn her name from consideration for a vacant seat on the Laurel Hill City Council.

Bradberry and Daniel Lane were nominated by sitting council members to fill the seat vacated in November 2013 by Clifton Hall. Since then the council has tied when voting for a fifth member.

Earlier this month, Bradberry’s name was temporarily removed from the list while city attorney Dan Campbell verified she lived within city limits. Around the same time, resident Scott Moneypenny submitted an application for the seat.

“I moved here to be a positive member in this community, not to divide this community,” Bradberry said. “This is more drama than anything I ever thought would happen in this little town and I’m not going to be a part of it.”

During the last two months, accusations of racism in the selection process were leveled. Council President Larry Hendren denied the accusations, saying only qualification to serve on the council was considered.

“I don’t see race. I see people,” Bradberry said. “I see a quiet community where I would love to be a part of it, not plastered all over the front page of a newspaper.”

Bradberry said she would remain an active part of the community and continue to offer input to city leaders.

“I will still attend the (city council) meetings because it’s the people that I love. I love the people I have met here,” Bradberry said. “I will always attend the meetings and I will always have my say, because it affects me and it affects my family.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bradberry withdraws from consideration for Laurel Hill council

LAUREL HILL — The City Council barely tabled discussion on filling its vacant seat, with Councilwomen Willie Mae Toles and Betty Williamson voting as they walked out of Thursday’s meeting.

The council has been deadlocked on filling the seat Clifton Hall vacated in November 2013, with Toles and Councilman Johnny James, both black, voting for Mary Bradbury and Williamson and Council Chairman Larry Hendren, both white, voting for Daniel Lane.

Since the November meeting, city attorney Dan Campbell questioned Bradbury’s residency, indicating her home may be outside city limits, which would disqualify her from representing the city.

At Campbell’s recommendation, Bradbury was removed from the candidates list while the residency issue is settled. Bradbury was out of town when the decision was made.

Resident Scott Moneypenny filed an application for the vacant seat. Moneypenny, like Bradbury, regularly attends council meetings.

Bradbury said she was not notified that her residency had been questioned, even when she was visiting city hall on another matter.

“Nobody said nothing,” she said. “I bought property here because I want to be part of this community.”

MOTION TO TABLE

Hendren moved to table discussion of the matter until Jan. 8 to give Campbell, who is recuperating from surgery, time to finish his research.

Then Toles claimed racism was involved.

“I didn’t know (Bradbury's) name was taken off and I’m a city council member,” Toles said, although the revised list of candidates was published before the scheduled Dec. 4 council meeting, which Toles missed.

Toles said she thinks white council members are planning to drive black members from the board.

“You going to get a little white man to take my place?” she asked, claiming she saw Hendren meeting with former mayor Joan Smith at her home.

“They’re gathering around. They got a conspiracy going,” James said.

Mayor Robbie Adams said the motion was to table discussion on the matter until Campbell’s investigation was completed.

The motion carried unanimously; the councilwomen voted while exiting the chamber, after which Hendren gaveled the meeting to a close.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'THEY GOT A CONSPIRACY GOING': City leaders claim racial tension

CRESTVIEW — Jeremiah Hubbard, a North Okaloosa County native, has declared his candidacy for mayor of Crestview.

Work in ministry and as owner of Ideal Marketing Innovations, a business consulting firm, took Hubbard and his wife, Charity; daughter, Lily, 12; and son, Destin, 7, to homes in several southeast states and Oklahoma.

But when he returned to Crestview, he felt the city had barely grown from when the family left in 2000.

“Crestview was considered one of the fastest growing cities in the state,” he said. “When you come back to the city that you grew up in, we’ve seen there’s been some growth, but we haven’t grown to the potential that Crestview has.”

Noting that Crestview also supports neighboring communities, Hubbard said he believes leadership is needed to drive the city’s growth, especially in areas including technology and manufacturing.

“I believe that Crestview needs a mayor who will lead with vision and who will help position our city to be a place of commerce and industry, leading the way for a new economic boom in Northwest Florida,” Hubbard said.

To stimulate growth, the city’s infrastructure, particularly overcrowded highways, must be enhanced, he said.

“A bypass is not the immediate answer,” Hubbard states on his website, CrestviewForward.com. “We must look at ways that can create simplified solutions in a limited amount of time that will produce substantial results.”

“Should I be elected as mayor, I will work to make sure we grow as a community, take care of our first responders, have a strong economy, improve our infrastructure, have a plan for industrial development, and have the technology in place to enable our success,” Hubbard said.

“Crestview will be a place where people come because we create an environment that encourages that success is achievable.”

Hubbard is the fourth person to declare his candidacy for mayor, following City Councilman Tom Gordon, resident Landrum Edwards and incumbent Mayor David Cadle.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Hubbard prequalifies for Crestview mayor’s race

LAUREL HILL — Scott Moneypenny wants to serve as Laurel Hill's next city council member.

His candidacy replaces that of Mary Bradberry, who with Daniel Lane have been considered since November 2013 to fill a seat vacated since Clifton Hall's resignation.

As for Bradberry, “There are some issues about whether she actually lives in the city limits,” Council Chairman Larry Hendren said, adding that city leaders plan to study Bradberry’s permanent residence.

Moneypenny, a retired Marine and Navy sailor, served 26 years in the military. His last duty station was Eglin Air Force Base.

A strong sense of civic duty drives Moneypenny, he said. “It's your civic duty to support your community," he said. "No matter where I've ever been, I've supported my community."

Not enough Laurel Hill City Council members showed up to Thursday's regular meeting to make it valid, so those who did attend — Hendren and Betty Williamson — could not discuss Moneypenny's qualifications.

Thursday’s meeting was rescheduled for Dec. 11 after Hendren gave Johnny James and Willie Mae Toles 15 minutes to show up.

The council had been consistently deadlocked, with James and Toles, both black, voting for Bradberry and Williamson and Hendren, both white, voting for Lane each time the matter was raised.

Hendren has contested Bradberry's contention that the appointment process was racist. He said qualifications, not race, factored into the council's deadlock.

The city charter prevents Mayor Robbie Adams, "a non-voting member," from breaking the deadlock, Hendren said.

“There's no provisions whatsoever (to select the next council member) other than a majority vote of the remaining council members unless the next election rolls around, which happens in March.”

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Laurel Hill City Council Make-Up Meeting

WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday

WHERE: City Hall

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New Laurel Hill council candidate announced

SHALIMAR — The public is welcome to attend and participate in the Okaloosa County state legislative delegation's next public hearing.

The hearing is 5:30-7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, 10 Hollywood Blvd. NE, Fort Walton Beach.

Public comments will be heard on proposals for the 2015 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature. The deadline to be placed on the agenda or submit handouts is 5 p.m. Jan. 21. Contact Rep. Matt Gaetz's legislative aide, Amanda Neeld, at 850-833-9328 or Amanda.Neeld@myfloridahouse.gov.

The Okaloosa County legislative delegation consists of Senators Greg Evers and Don Gaetz, and Representatives Doug Broxson and Matt Gaetz.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County legislative delegation set public hearing