CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Heat youth basketball team will not receive the city's financial assistance to host a March tournament that could draw 800 overnight visitors to town.

City leaders have regretfully denied the request, citing fiscal responsibility and fairness in applying a policy to deny facility use fee waivers.

The local Amateur Athletic Unionteam hopes to host the tournament at Twin Hills Park's gym, which would cost $1,250 to rent.

"Our biggest expense is those referees," Heat representative Shevon Scott said. "We put out about $2,000 last year. Last year we lost so much money on referees."

When the council took no action on the Heat's request early in Monday's meeting, Council President Robyn Helt raised the issue again during the council reports period.

"As a council member, it pains me greatly when I see my neighbors and friends have to go to other cities to hold an event that could be held in our city," she said.

Helt passed the gavel to council vice president Mickey Rytman to make a motion that, rather than waive fees, the city cosponsor the event. She cited precedent with the Old Spanish Trail Fishing Rodeo, also held in Twin Hills Park, and other events that benefit the community.

The city's exclusive contract with the park concessions operator would bring extra revenue from 800 visitors buying food during the basketball tournament, Helt said.

But her motion failed without a second.

Rytman said granting fee waivers to one group when other equally worthy groups seek the same relief sets poor precedent.

"Our hearts are going out to you; you don't know how bad," Rytman said to Heat representatives. "As a city, it's hard for us to decide how to put one (group) before another."

"This has gotten real emotional and it feels good," Councilman Tom Gordon said. "But it's not my money. It's taxpayer money."

"As a citizen, I'll help you with something, but as a representative, I can't see breaking precedent by waiving the fees," Councilman Shannon Hayes 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: Crestview council denies youth basketball team's request for financial assistance

CRESTVIEW — A water main burst Wednesday afternoon near the Applebee's restaurant north of Interstate 10, temporarily resulting in the closure of the southbound State Road 85 right lane.

The almost 50-year-old 8-inch PVC pipe was installed in the late 1960s to service the Holiday Inn, one of the first businesses to open south of the interstate, said Public Works Director Wayne Steele at the scene.

PHOTOS: See seven photos from the work site here>>

Nearly 20 Public Works crew members are working to replace the damaged pipe. The broken section is estimated to be about six feet long.

As workers pumped water out of the excavation around the broken pipe, other workers shoveled dirt that had washed down the hill out of Applebee's parking lot.

Steele said if work progresses smoothly, the pipe should be replaced by 8 p.m.

"This is the third break in this area in two years," Steele said. "It's old and brittle pipe."

During a previous break, new valves were installed to keep many area businesses operational in the event of a break like Wednesday's.

However, some businesses, including 21st Century Oncology and the Hooters restaurant, were without water. Crestview Fire Department Assistant Chief Cedric Peterson was at the scene as a precaution.

The damaged portion is part of the water main scheduled to be upgraded in the near future through an agreement with several commercial partners to facilitate commercial expansion in the area.

However, Public Works is still collecting and evaluating bids for the expansion project. In the meanwhile, Steele said, he will prepare costs for emergency replacement of the stretch of line subject to recent breaks.

"You can only Band-aid and patch something so much and then it becomes just irresponsible maintenance," he said.

Steele did not have an estimation of the cost to replace the brittle line, but said, "It's going to be expensive."

Funding will likely come from the city's contingency fund, which was recently bolstered by some of the Gulf Power overbilling refund and interest.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Water main burst knocks out service to I-10 area businesses (PHOTOS)

Florida legislators are considering a bill that annually would lower the cost of most vehicle registrations by up to $25.

Okaloosa County Tax Collector Ben Anderson has begun removing the two-year renewal option on all vehicle registrations sent by his office, which can save $585,000 for Okaloosa County residents. Vehicle owners can choose to register their vehicle for one or two years.

Vehicle registrations can be processed at www.OkaloosaTax.com or at the Brackin Building, Suite 101, 302 N. Wilson St., Crestview. Details: 651-7300.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida vehicle registration rates may decrease

CRESTVIEW — Relief is coming for Crestview residents Charles and Vicky Strausbaugh. The couple's Sioux Circle property has been on the receiving end of a leaking nearby retention pond.

Noting, "We've got a problem that needs to be fixed," City Councilman Shannon Hayes moved to approve funding to remedy the leak. His motion was unanimously approved.

Public Works Director Wayne Steele explained the pond at the Liberty Oaks subdivision is "not perking down, it's perking out the side."

Because the pond is 13 feet higher than the Strausbaugh's property, as it saturates the ground water, the water seeps to the family's home on its way to a small nearby creek.

Water seeped into the family's garage and basement as well as their property and neighboring properties, Steele said.

"It was a lot of water," Steele said.

Steele presented two ways to mediate the problem to the City Council at its Monday night meeting.

The first solution, a "chimney drain," would require drilling a deep drain through the bottom of the pond and through the dense confining layer of soil that was preventing proper percolation.

Much cheaper than an $800,000 chimney dam, however, was an 8-foot-deep drain along the Strausbaugh's property line at a cost of about $26,000, Steele said. The council approved creating the 8-foot drain.

Funding would come from a stormwater mitigation fund already approved for another drainage project. Steele said the Strausbaugh's have been very cooperative with the city during the ordeal.

"The homeowner was very gracious," Steele said. "He has not filed for any liabilities against the city for this."

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Relief in sight for Crestview family's drainage woes

CRESTVIEW — The Community Redevelopment Agency board is considering downtown improvements it can make in its last 11 years. The district designation sunsets in 2025.

Now, board members have Economic Development Council Vice President Kay Rasmussen's analysis of their master plan. The CRA's existing plan, last updated in 1998, gives the board wide leeway to enhance the district, she said.

Feasible "activity programs" include building rehabilitation; downtown marketing and promotion; public-private partnerships such as with the Main Street Crestview Association; a downtown amphitheater; vehicular traffic pattern improvements; and single family infill housing, Rasmussen said.

"Anything you want to do, you can do," she said.

The plan supports programming events to draw people downtown, recommending at least two festivals a year, a goal already surpassed by events including the Triple B Festival, the Average Joe Car Show and the Fall Festival.

Projects under consideration, including a linear park linking the historic district with Twin Hills Park and a community garden, received Rasmussen's enthusiastic endorsement.

Residential base

During a CRA workshop Thursday, consultant Jack Dorman, stressed the importance of establishing a downtown residential base, which will require a land use code change.

"We've got to have a downtown that doesn't close at 5 o'clock in the afternoon," he said. "There has to be residents and residences that don't close after sunset."

Florida A&M University officials have expressed concerns about the lack of affordable student housing, Mayor David Cadle said. Dorman said a zone change would allow student housing, such as apartments above downtown businesses.

Having a three-story downtown building with commercial on the first floor, offices on the second and residential on the third could "triple the rental potential, but right now we can't offer that," city planner Eric Davis said.

Board members expressed enthusiasm for the potential to realize many of their goals.

"I'm overwhelmed by your presentation, but in reality we can make it happen," board member Joe Blocker said.

WANT TO GO?

The Community Redevelopment Agency's next meeting is 5 p.m. Feb. 24 at Crestview City Hall

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Mixed zoning, downtown residences among suggestions for downtown improvements

CRESTVIEW — Residents' opposition to sections of a proposed animal control ordinance has convinced the City Council to revise currently recommended regulations.

As a result, the ordinance, which would bring Crestview's animal code in line with Okaloosa County's, will be revised during a March 10 workshop.

Several residents on Monday expressed concern for these current provisions:

• The animal control officer could enter private property, even in non-emergency situations, without a warrant

• The city could determine the number of pets to keep

• The prohibition of pot bellied pigs and egg-laying hens

Resident Dr. Jean Mitchell spoke in favor of a provision that others disagreed with. Mitchell said she was pleased to see it would be unlawful for a pet owner to tether the animal to a stationary object.

"The ordinance as written will allow for a runner, trolley or pulley system," Mitchell said.

However, resident Wendell Beatty, who has previously spoken in opposition to parts of the proposed ordinance, said government dictating how an owner restrains pets infringes on individual freedoms.

"Please let the owner determine how they restrain their animals," Beatty said.

Council members agreed with some of the concerns.

For example, residents could violate the code if their dogs or cats had a litter of young that suddenly increased the number of pets over the maximum, Councilman Mickey Rytman said.

Council President Robyn Helt noted that urban chicken raising is becoming more popular, and said she supported it.

Because revising the ordinance to address residents' concerns would also require revisions to the city's land use code, the council agreed to look at both documents during the March 10 workshop.

Council members ask that residents share their concerns in advance of the workshop so City Clerk Betsy Roy can work their suggestions into a revised ordinance.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Crestview City Council Animal Ordinance Workshop

WHEN: 5 p.m. March 10

WHERE: City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Opposition to animal control ordinance sparks workshop

CRESTVIEW — The recent ice storm illustrated the need for an emergency situation communications protocol, city leaders said.

Leaders praised continuous news feeds and traffic updates from media including the News Bulletin's Twitter and Facebook sites and Crestview radio station WAAZ/WJSB, but said during the storm, that was the only way they were kept abreast of developments.

"I was getting ice storm information from Facebook and news reports, but wasn't hearing from other officials," City Council President Robyn Helt said.

"We're all grateful for the news reporting," Helt said, but in some storm situations, there is the possibility that reporters "can't always get information."

Though Public Works Director Wayne Steele emailed city leaders several situation reports during Jan. 26, Fire Chief Joe Traylor said rapidly evolving events that kept his firefighters busy precluded the opportunity to issue updates to city leaders.

"It's important we have a plan in place so people can focus on their jobs but have a person who can brief the council," Helt said. "I learned about what was happening the way others did: through the news."

Helt encouraged department heads to produce a protocol that could be initiated in emergency situations to keep city leaders informed of developments.

"I just want to be sure we don't have a deficiency in our mode of communication in the city," 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: Ice storm generates need for emergency communication plan

LAUREL HILL — The city and residents would benefit from abandoning a 20-foot easement, the City Council said.

The city has not maintained an easement between 4th and 3rd Streets, between Sunnyside and Chicago Avenues, in 50 years, Councilmember Larry Hendren said. 

"The city has never claimed (the easement), never cleaned it up and it has no benefit to the public," city attorney Dan Campbell said.

 Abandoning the easement also would benefit the city, Mayor Robby Adams said.

"It would be deeded back to the adjacent landowners, so we will actually receive taxes on it," he said.

Property owner Tony Weekly likes the deeded-back-to-adjacent-landowners part.  

"I own property on both sides of the easement: four lots on one side and five lots on the other. They would join if that easement wasn't there," he said.

All nearby property owners must sign a petition before city officials can adopt an ordinance to abandon the easement, Campbell said. 

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City officials: Abandoning easement would boost tax revenues