CRESTVIEW — The city’s auditors are cautioning officials about deficit spending that has been propped up by utilities revenues.

Alan Jowers of Carr, Riggs and Ingram says the city’s unassigned fund balance has steadily declined.

"We're seeing annual deficits for the last four years," he said during the city council's Monday meeting. "What that means is the city is spending more than it's bringing in.

"Continued deficit spending and continued transfers from utility funds can lead to problems."

The city is nowhere near the financial straits that have led state and federal officials to threaten to take over other cities’ finances, Jowers said.

Jowers' report should be a wake-up call against fiscal irresponsibility, Councilwoman Robyn Helt said.

“What I heard you say in no uncertain terms is you have detected a trend that is not sustainable for our city to continue to operate along, and that is overspending,” Helt said.

After reaching a peak of more than $1.3 million in deficit spending in 2012, Council President Shannon Hayes said 2013’s $800,000 deficit showed “the trend did go down quite a bit.”

“At this point it's not dire,” Jowers said. “There's still time to kind of make some changes. You're not at death's door.”

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Auditor: City should cease deficit spending

Residents with concerns about transportation in Northwest Florida can attend two Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization workshops to offer input.

Meetings are scheduled for 9 a.m. July 17 in Freeport City Council Chambers, 112 W. Highway 20, Freeport, and 4 p.m. the same day in Warriors Hall, 201 Stillwell Ave., Crestview.

A survey is available on the issue here>>

The Okaloosa-Walton TPO is staffed by the West Florida Regional Planning Council, a not-for-profit agency providing professional planning, coordinating and advisory services to local governments, state and federal agencies and the public to preserve and enhance quality of life in northwest Florida.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Meeting set for input on Okaloosa, Walton transportation

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners' Fiscal Year 2015 budget reviews begin July 14 and end Aug. 12, followed by two public hearings.

All meetings alternate between the Okaloosa County Courthouse, 101 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview; and the Water & Sewer Building third floor conference room, 1804 Lewis Turner Blvd., Fort Walton Beach.

Meetings and agendas are as follows:

July 14, Fort Walton Beach

6 p.m., Overview

6:15 p.m., Inspections/Planning

6:30 p.m., Code Enforcement

6:45 p.m., Coordinated Transportation

7 p.m., Corrections

7:15 p.m., 911 Coordinator

7:30 p.m., Beach Safety

7:45 p.m., Emergency Medical Services

8 p.m., Emergency Management

 8:15 p.m., County Warning Point

July 22, Crestview

1 p.m., Medical Examiner

1:15 p.m., County Health Department

1:30 p.m., State Attorney

1:45 p.m., Public Defender

2:15 p.m., Clerk of Courts

2:30 p.m., Property Appraiser

2:45 p.m., Supervisor of Elections

3:15 p.m., Sheriff

July 29, Fort Walton Beach

8:30 a.m., Purchasing

8:45 a.m., Human Resources

9 a.m., Veterans Services

9:15 a.m., Risk Management

9:30 a.m., Facilities Maintenance

9:45 a.m., Capital Outlay Fund

10 a.m., Capital Improvement Program

10:15 a.m., Information Systems

10:30 a.m., Fleet Operations

10:45 a.m., Board of County Commissioners

11 a.m., County Administrator

11:15 a.m., Library Cooperative

11:30 a.m., Tentative millage discussion

Aug. 7, Crestview

8:30 a.m., Purchasing

8:45 a.m., Human Resources

9 a.m., Veterans Services

9:15 a.m., Risk Management

9:30 a.m., Facilities Maintenance

9:45 a.m., Capital Outlay Fund

10 a.m., Capital Improvement Program

10:15 a.m., Information Systems

10:30 a.m., Fleet Operations

10:45 a.m., Board of County Commissioners

11 a.m., County Administrator

11:15 a.m., Library Cooperative

11:30 a.m., Tentative Millage Discussion

Aug. 12, Fort Walton Beach

6 p.m., Water & Sewer

6:45 p.m., Airports

6:30 p.m., Agriculture/Extension

6:45 p.m., Tourist Development

7 p.m., Convention Center

The first public hearing after the reviews is 6 p.m.Sept. 4  in Crestview; the second is 6 p.m. Sept. 15 in Fort Walton Beach.

Talks also include a tentative millage rate discussion at the end of the fourth budget meeting.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners sets budget reviews

The Okaloosa County Democratic Women’s Club's annual membership drive is July 17 at Joey’s Italian Grill, 1027 E. John Sims Parkway.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m., with dinner served at 6:30 p.m.

Guest speaker Kim Ross, president and founder of Rethink Energy Florida, will discuss fracking in the state.

The cost to attend is $25, and for an additional $5 you can become a DWC member.

Contact Trish Rowe, 678-0871, by Monday to make a reservation.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Deadline approaches for joining Democratic women's group

CRESTVIEW — The North Okaloosa Republican Club is planning two forums for Okaloosa County commissioner, county clerk, and school board candidates.

The July 30 forum will feature commissioner and clerk candidates; the July 31 forum will feature school board candidates.

Both events begin with a 5:30 p.m. meet and greet, followed by the 6:30 forum, at Warriors Hall, 201 Stillwell Blvd., Crestview.

The public may submit questions to norcoffl@outlook.com no later than July 20.

Contact JB Whitten, 610-1176 or norcoffl@outlook.com, for details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Republicans schedule candidate forums in Crestview; questions being accepted

CRESTVIEW — The Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization will submit a request for a Navarre road project to the state Department of Transportation even though its Wednesday meeting failed to garner a quorum.

The Navarre Community Access Road project lost five of nine points when its ranking criteria was reevaluated, but it was the lone community to submit a request for Transportation Regional Incentive Program funds. It met the criteria for a TRIP money.

TPO staffers and county officials worked their phones to summon alternate representatives to the meeting, but even when Okaloosa County Commissioner Wayne Harris was reached and arrived, the board was one member shy of a quorum.

Though it was hoped a missing member could vote to approve the Navarre request by phone, senior TPO planner Mary Beth Washnock reminded Chairman James Wood that a quorum was still required to make a motion to approve the request.

Navarre’s request was saved by Department of Transportation official Ray Kirkland, who was in the audience and advised the TPO that the request could still be submitted by the July 15 deadline and approved retroactively at a future meeting.

REVISING QUOROM CRITERIA

Wood suggested that the TPO revise its definition of a quorum, which is the minimum number of members that must be present to make a meeting valid.

It was the second meeting in a row in which no business could be conducted because of lack of members in attendance.

Washnock said her staff could certainly look into revising the number of members that constitute a quorum, but the measure would have to be approved by local TPOs, including the Okaloosa-Walton organization.

Wood suggested an alternate solution might be to increase the number of alternates who could be summoned if needed.

“We frequently have this problem in the summer,” Wood said.

Because of inability to conduct business, the TPO did not approve requesting a federal TIGER Planning Grant to perform a feasibility assessment and economic impact study supporting restoration of Gulf Coast passenger rail service between New Orleans and Jacksonville.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Transportation planning group may revise quorum criteria after 2nd meeting cancellation