LAUREL HILL — The City Council has declined to fund $2,975 of engineering services for Sunnyside Avenue repairs. City leaders said the Niceville engineer, Charles Bolen, lacks Florida certification.

Bolen's plans received scrutiny after the Okaloosa County Public Works Department agreed to help the city repair Laurel Hill School's main access route. Since plans weren't signed or sealed by a Florida-licensed engineer, county officials advised city officials not to proceed with Bolen's plans, city leaders said.

Using Bolen's plans would present liability concerns, Mayor Robby Adams said Thursday before the council's 3-2 vote.

Still, Councilman Clifton Hall, who recommended Bolen for the task, was adamant about paying Bolen.

"I strongly suggest that we pay this man; he did his work," Hall said. "If you do this (decline payment), it will be something immoral and wrong."

The council agreed to use Bolen's plans when the project was handled solely by the city, Hall said, adding that the county's involvement does not allow the city to back out of an agreement.

Councilwoman Betty Williamson agreed. However, Hendren, Willie Mae Toles and Johnny James voted against paying Bolen.

Bolen, who has a Mississippi engineering license,  said he was disappointed by the council's decision and was unaware the council discussed the issue Thursday.

He said Adams informed him by letter, a month ago, that the city would not reimburse him.

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: Laurel Hill City Council declines paying engineer for services

CRESTVIEW — The city may provide janitorial services for city-owned buildings. To compare costs, the City Council has unanimously agreed to have Public Works solicit bids for a cleaning service.

After the city's contract with Southern Management expired Oct. 1, department heads transferred $40,000 in designated janitorial funds from their budgets to Public Works' budget. Public Works assistant director Carlos Jones requested the City Council’s permission on Monday to hire two part-time janitors and buy cleaning supplies with the money.

Council President Robyn Helt recommended the department obtain bids from janitorial companies before the council considers the request.

City Councilman Tom Gordon said if the city is intent on cutting costs, staff could clean their own workspaces, as many businesses do.

Lately, Public Works staffers have been diverted from their usual duties to clean facilities such as the library and city hall, Jones said.

Library Director Jean Lewis said library staffers serve more than 500 patrons a day, so it would be impossible for them to do all the necessary cleaning.

Cleaning high-traffic areas, such as city hall's lobby, requires professional cleaning equipment and experience, City Clerk Betsy Roy said.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview officials weighing cleaning service options

CRESTVIEW — The City Council has unanimously approved department heads’ request to divide city employees’ Christmas party observances.

The city’s budget includes $2,500 for one midday party for all employees. The annual tradition is a morale booster, Council President Robyn Helt said, adding she didn’t want to see employees segregated by department.

Fire Chief Joe Traylor expressed concern about paying for a party when employees must take 32 hours of furlough. "Would it be better to give a gift card so an employee can buy what they need?" he said.  

Councilman Shannon Hayes moved to spend $5,000 to buy some 220 employees a $20 gift card. The extra $2,500 could come from the city's contingency fund. He moved that the city spend $6,000 after Councilman Joe Blocker suggested a $25 gift card would be more generous.

Helt and Councilman Tom Gordon voted nay, defeating the motion; Mickey Rytman was absent. Gordon suggested holding an after-hours potluck that employees could attend with their families.

Blocker then moved to divide the budgeted $2,500 among the departments for separate observances, which passed unanimously.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council OKs departmental Christmas parties

CRESTVIEW — A report by consultant David Penzone recommends several ways that the city can trim pension costs, which for 2014 are more than $2 million of the city’s $29 million budget.

Funding city employees’ pension benefits represents 27.7 percent of the public safety employee payroll budget and 25.9 percent of the general employee payroll.

During the council's Monday meeting, Penzone, a Pensacola-based consultant, said Crestview's pension situation compares “really well" to other cities, but he made some suggestions to trim costs.

Among Penzone's recommendations are:

•Eliminating overtime when defining employees' salaries, calculating pensions on the workers' base salaries only

•Limiting the maximum retirement benefit to 80 percent of the average final compensation instead of the current 100 percent

•Extending normal and early retirement by five years

While the city should consider making changes by Jan. 1, Penzone said that’s impractical, and suggested phasing in changes by the 2014-15 fiscal year.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Consultant advising on how to cut Crestview pension costs

CRESTVIEW — After approving funds Oct. 14 to support the city's two bus routes through the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the City Council passed a motion Monday to fund the routes only through January.

The Board of County Commissioners initially demanded the city pay for half the buses’ operating costs or risk losing the service.

When the city scraped together the money — counting on as-yet undetermined gasoline tax increase revenue — commissioners changed parameters and said the routes would only operate through January 2014.

Though the $13,125 city contribution approved during Monday evening's council meeting is significantly less than the original $48,125 demand, council members expressed frustration with the increasingly complicated situation.

"After February, what happens?" Councilman Tom Gordon asked City Clerk Betsy Roy.

There has been no indication from county commissioners what their stance will be after the current city contribution expires, Roy said.

City taxpayers, unlike other county and municipal residents, are expected to provide federal, state, county and now city tax contributions to the bus service, Gordon said.

"And now we're going to take funding out of our contingency fund and we're going to fund it four times?" he said. "This was never meant to be a city of Crestview busing system."

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview council funds bus service through January

CRESTVIEW — A citizens advisory panel was seated Monday evening to offer district improvement suggestions to the Community Redevelopment Agency.

New committee members are April Meier, Main Street merchant; Bill Kilpatrick, former city councilman; Linda Parker, former city councilwoman; Cal Zethmayr, Main Street representative; Pat Hollarn, former Supervisor of Elections and Historic Preservation Board appointee; David Wheeler, retired Eglin Air Force Base mission support staff member; and Doug Capps, a member of the city Board of Adjustments.

Members received information about the special taxing district, and were told about funds already designated, including the $50,000 facade improvement grant and $10,000 toward the city's centennial celebration in 2016.

The volunteers were also cautioned that as a city committee, they are subject to state Sunshine Laws.

Five appointments were made by the City Council, one appointee is from the Main Street Crestview Association and another is from the Historic Preservation Board, City clerk Betsy Roy said.

Board President Robyn Helt said the committee will be unfettered by the board and should work out its goals among its members.

Some suggested projects the committee might consider include a dog park and skate park for Twin Hills Park and a linear pedestrian park connecting the historic district and Twin Hills.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New Community Redevelopment Agency citizens advisory committee seated

CRESTVIEW — Under city attorney Jerry Miller’s caution, the city council, in what could be a precedent-setting move, has unanimously agreed to adjust a resident's water bill.

Donald Shaud — after a receiving an $815.57 bill for water service at a residence he had yet to occupy — asked the council at its Oct. 14 meeting to provide relief.

Shaud had met with the Public Works, Utility Billing and Administrative Services departments, as well as city clerk Betsy Roy's office.

Shaud and his wife, Debra, had not yet moved into the Pearl Street residence when they had the water turned on in July while renovating. The house had been vacant for several months.

By digging back from the water meter, a plumber the Shauds hired had traced the leak to a galvanized pipe behind the house. Shaud showed the section of pipe to the council.

"It wasn't my fault," Shaud said of excess water use for which he was billed. "I didn't fill a swimming pool. I didn't turn on a faucet. I had a legitimate leak."

The water and sewage department granted an $89.85 credit for sewage service, but told Shaud the city ordinance did not allow the department to refund excessive water billing.

Meter would have revealed leak

Shaud cited a statement on the back of his receipt for city water service that said if no one is at home when a city worker turns on the water, but the water meter shows a water flow, the technician would unlock the meter, but turn the water off.

City Councilman Mickey Rytman said a water technician should have known there was a leak when the meter was turned on and started spinning.

"It seems to me the city personnel turned it on and drove off," Rytman said.

Miller advised the council that while under ordinance it had no obligation to grant Shaud relief, the city "as a courtesy" could assist the resident.

Rytman, seconded by Councilman Shannon Hayes, moved to adjust Shaud's bill to reflect a three-month average water usage.

Miller cautioned the council not to provide a reason for granting the relief to avoid setting a precedent, but to treat it as a routine financial transaction permissible under the council's fiscal powers.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City attorney cautions council as it adjusts resident's water bill

CRESTVIEW — Creating a program through which area businesses can sponsor city sports teams may help players avoid a recreation fee increase.

Public Works Director Wayne Steele, whose department includes the Parks and Recreation division, has asked the City Council to raise the fees to adequately cover the program cost.

Steele has said the fees haven't been adjusted in 10 years. Last year 2,147 players participated in city baseball, men's softball, cheerleading, football, soccer and basketball teams.

Because Crestview's fees are lower than those in most neighboring communities, many players from outside the city prefer to play here.

However, the current fee structure — $60 for city residents and $65 for county residents — does not completely cover the cost of offering the sports, so taxpayers end up subsidizing the program.

Fee increase or sponsorships

Steele proposes raising the fees to $75 for residents and $95 for county players. "We have to find ways to sustain this program," he said during the Oct. 14 council meeting. "If not … this will be one of the first things that will go away" in a lean budget year.

Council President Robyn Helt suggested soliciting business sponsorships, but Steele said it would be unfair if some teams had sponsors while others didn't. Noting Crestview still has one of the county's highest millage rates, Helt said, "now we're raising rates on kids. We've got to stop it at some point."

Councilman Shannon Hayes, who had earlier moved to accept Steele's request, sympathized, but said, "Crestview is a good place for sports, but it's not free."

After further discussion, Steele said if Hayes would withdraw his motion, he would work with recreation staff to draft a sponsorship program to present in February before baseball registration begins.

Hayes agreed, but said, “Until those things happen, to sustain a program for our youth, somebody has to foot the bill."

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sponsorships might deter city recreation program fee increase