DESTIN — The next general monthly meeting of the Okaloosa County Democrat Executive Committee is 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at Democratic Headquarters, 215 Mountain Drive (Suite 105) in Destin.
All Democrats and friends are welcome to attend.
For more on the group visit http://www.okaloosademocrats.com.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Democrats meeting planned next week
FORT WALTON BEACH — Usually, the final day to receive a 4 percent early payment discount on property tax bills is the last day of November.
But that falls on the Sunday after Thanksgiving this year, so State Statutes allow the early payment discount deadline to be extended one business day through Dec. 1.
Customers paying by check can drop off payment in any branch location's “drop box” or in the lobby where Tax Collector staff will be staged to receive those payments on Nov. 24, 25 and 26. The nearest location is 302 Wilson St. N. #101, Crestview.
Mailed tax payments must be postmarked by Nov. 30 to receive the 4 percent discount.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Deadline extended for Okaloosa property tax bill discounts
CRESTVIEW — JB Whitten has pre-filed to run for the Crestview City Council's at-large group 1 seat in the 2015 municipal elections.
Whitten, the North Okaloosa Republican Club's former president, said he decided to run for the office after receiving Councilwoman Robyn Helt's assurance that she did not intend to seek re-election.
“I like Robyn and I like what she’s been doing,” Whitten said. “I contacted her and said, ‘Hey, are you going to be running again, because I like what you’re doing and if you (are), I’ll stay out of the race.’”
Helt said she feels Whitten is a fellow fiscal conservative. “I told him it would make me feel better that there is someone else who’s a conservative and was willing to step up to the plate.”
Whitten said three major issues he wants to address are improving roads and transportation while helping Crestview continue to attract business to provide more jobs. “All of these things are tied together,” he said.
Infrastructure improvements should focus on Ferdon Boulevard and P.J. Adams Parkway, he said. “We’ve got to figure out what to do to speed that process up,” Whitten said. “We’ve got to break the code and figure out how to get people interested at state level because these are state roads we’re talking about.”
To avoid a conflict of interest, Whitten has stepped down as NORC's president. In addition, he said he is scaling back volunteer work for the American Red Cross and stepping down as manager of the local Seniors Against Crime office to focus on his campaign.
Whitten served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and taught high school American government for 12 years.
“That’s kind of what got me motivated about politics,” Whitten said. “You teach American government and it really gets you motivated about the functions of government.”
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Resident qualifies for City Council run
CRESTVIEW — City Councilman Joe Blocker's proposal to require the council to review and sign off on city invoices is "ridiculous," City Councilwoman Robyn Helt said.
Blocker moved during Monday’s council meeting that all of city attorney Jerry Miller's invoices be submitted to the council for approval.
He said many constituents have questioned the city’s legal expenses and those who lack access to computers and smart phones can’t monitor Crestview’s legal expenses.
“That’s ridiculous,” Helt said. “A citizen doesn’t have to have an iPhone or an iPad or a computer to come to the city and get public records at any time.”
City Clerk Betsy Roy said that if the motion — which Councilman Mickey Rytman seconded — passed, “I can tell there’s going to be a lot of late fees.”
Roy said following the city charter, she and Council President Shannon Hayes already co-sign all city vouchers, or checks. Requiring the entire council to review each invoice will delay payments, she said.
City Councilman Tom Gordon said Blocker’s motion singling out Miller’s fees would violate the attorney’s contract with the city and could result in litigation.
“Hopefully he represents us well when he sues us,” Gordon said facetiously.
Faced with that potential and Helt’s accusations of the council wanting to “micromanage” city operations instead of promoting efficiencies, Rytman withdrew his second.
Blocker’s motion failed for lack of another second.
After discussion, Miller said he felt the exchange indicated he didn’t have the full council’s confidence despite two and a half years as city attorney.
“Continuously this has been a scab that has been picked for a while now, but not once have I been asked by a member of the council to explain an item on my bill,” Miller said. “It is disturbing to me. In my view, I expect better than that.”
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Councilwoman: Blocker proposal 'ridiculous' (VIDEO)
LAUREL HILL — The Okaloosa County Teachers Federal Credit Union asked the City Council to consider a comprehensive plan revision to allow a branch office in a neighborhood.
Municipal planner Pat Blackshear’s request to place the matter on next month’s council agenda touched off a robust discussion involving city attorney Dan Campbell, residents and credit union representatives.
Blackshear on Thursday distributed a proposed draft amendment to Laurel Hill’s comprehensive plan, saying, “What this would do is allow the use of this property for a branch credit union and no other use.”
The credit union acquired property on Fourth Street off State Road 85 in a foreclosure. Except for a wheelchair accessible ramp, the house's appearance wouldn’t change, Melanie Fulton, the credit union's representative, said.
Still, resident Mary Bradberry said, “retail doesn’t have to move in your neighborhood. There’s plenty of other areas for retail growth.”
The credit union — which can't afford to build a new branch office — wants to operate from property it already owns, Fulton said. “If we're not able to use that property, the chance of us opening a full-time branch probably wouldn't happen,” she said.
Changing the comprehensive plan requires a “change in circumstances,” such as a highway being rerouted, to change existing zoning, Campbell said. “I don't want the city to go out on a limb on a special exemption and get in trouble with the state of Florida,” he said.
Former mayor Joan Smith reminded credit union representatives that space at reduced rent has been offered in two city locations, including the 1905 Gallery on State Road 85. “It would be a good opportunity to get a start and then grow,” she said.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Residents challenge credit union's rezoning request
CRESTVIEW — Whoever wins the Okaloosa County School Board race will be sworn in later this month alongside incumbent Melissa Thrush and newly elected board member Lamar White.
The race came down to 93 votes on Tuesday and was too close to call. Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux said the .09 percent difference between the votes required an automatic recount.
Throughout Tuesday night, no more than a 1,000-vote difference existed between Joe Slusser and Rodney Walker. At one point, just 33 votes separated them.
Walker was elected to the Okaloosa County School Board in 1994 and was subsequently re-elected five times. During his tenure, including this year, the Fort Walton Beach resident often served as the board chairman.
Slusser — the Okaloosa County Jail chaplain who recently retired from teaching at Shoal River Middle School in Crestview — previously served in a variety of educational roles in Kentucky.
The two men went into a runoff in Tuesday’s election after neither got a clear majority of the votes in the three-way competition during August’s primary.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: School board race too close to call
CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County students' mock election results generally aligned with registered voters' decisions, according to the Supervisor of Elections website.
In county high school voting, Jeff Miller beat Jim Bryan for U.S. Congress, Rick Scott earned a second term as governor, and Pam Bondi outdistanced other attorney general hopefuls.
However, in the kids' vote, Joe Slusser took a substantial lead over Rodney Walker for Okaloosa County School Board, with 3,222 votes to the incumbent’s 1,613.
In the actual election, unofficial results indicate votes were so close a recount will be necessary.
High school voters overwhelmingly approved the medical marijuana amendment 3,672 to 1,256.
Though official “yes” votes topped “no’s,” it wasn’t by a sufficient margin to pass, proving a point elections officials try to make voters understand.
“Every vote counts every time,” said Bridget Richard Krebs, Supervisor of Elections voter education and public relations coordinator.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Supervisor of Elections: Junior voters', adults' decisions similar
CRESTVIEW — On Monday, the City Council will negotiate the salary for its newest department head position.
City leaders, voting 4-1, tapped Teresa Gaillard, Crestview's Geographic Information System mapping analyst and planning technician, to be the administrative assistant/growth management director.
The job includes overseeing the Community Redevelopment Agency and Main Street Crestview Association official, preparing ordinances, resolutions and council meeting and workshop agendas and evaluating and recommending administrative changes.
See last night's Twitter stream for more information>>
Gaillard has worked with the city since 2003, and has 20 years' experience in varying levels of management, she said. Gaillard has been an engineering computer-aided design drafting specialist and supervisor for companies in Destin, Milton and Pensacola, among others, according to her resume.
Eric Davis, Crestview's planning official in the Growth Management Department; Eddie James, an overnight stocker at Wal-Mart in Destin; and Jason O'Daniels, DeFuniak Springs' code enforcement and environmental compliance officer, also applied for the job.
For three hours, city leaders asked individual candidates to share their views on impact fees, the city's improvement areas, and to rate their own work ethic, among other things.
Gaillard said she's heard some developers say Crestview's "the most expensive place to develop … (but) some say that's the cost of doing business"; that she believes some city employees are inefficient "40 percent of the time"; and that she has an 11 work ethic on a 10-point scale.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council eyes hire for newest department head
CRESTVIEW — Group 1 at-large Crestview City Councilwoman Robyn Helt says she will not seek re-election in the spring.
Helt said she had been “wrestling with” the decision, which came down to family health concerns.
“I was on the fence for awhile,” Helt said. “I’ve been a little disappointed in the turn our council has taken over the last few months. I didn’t want to leave the citizens without a fiscal watchdog on deck.”
Helt has a reputation for demanding fiscal accountability in city government and resisting efforts to spend unbudgeted money. She also champions making government more efficient and accessible to residents.
Despite leaving the council, Helt said she would remain an active observer and citizen participant in city government and will speak up when it's necessary.
“I have enjoyed the job and I have enjoyed doing what the citizens have put me in office to do, and I’ll certainly still be active in the community and staying on top of issues that affect me as a business owner and a citizen,” she said.
“I’m not going anywhere, but I just have to shift my focus for a little bit."
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Helt won’t seek re-election to Crestview City Council
CRESTVIEW — This week, Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles will host “Hops with Heroes," a constituent event for military veterans.
The event is 5-7 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Oscar E. Wilson American Legion Post 75, 898 E. James Lee Blvd.
“My recent visit to the 6th Ranger Training Battalion inspired me to host my next constituent event in honor of our military veterans," Boyles said. "I look forward to the opportunity to meet with our veterans, to see how the county can better serve and support our active military missions and our veterans."
Boyles is the District 3 commissioner, which includes areas in north and south Okaloosa County.
He regularly hosts "Cold One with the Commissioner" events, and buys the first round of drinks for each veteran (and each supporter of our veterans) who attends.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Boyles' next constituent event focuses on military issues
