CRESTVIEW — The Crestview City Council released this agenda for its 6 p.m. meeting on Aug. 26 at Council Chambers.

REGULAR AGENDA

1.      Approval of Consent Agenda:

a.       Approval of the minutes from the August 12, 2013 Council meeting.

b.      Approval of invoice in the amount of $4,275.15 for professional services. Requested by Allen, Norton & Blue, P.A.

c.       REVIEW of Site construction plans for “The Enclave”, a 55 lot single family residential subdivision, to be developed on 43.35±acres, located off of Navajo Trace.   Requested by Kermit George, Southern Engineering Group, and Agent for Bluewater Investors, LTD, Property Owner.  LPA 13-13.

d.      School Evacuation Emergency Shelter Agreements – Public Services.

e.       Exercise Equipment Purchase for Allen Park – Public Services.

2.      Employee Service Awards – Mayor Cadle.

3.      Public Hearing:

a.       Ordinance 1497 – An ordinance annexing 1.38 acres located on James Lee Blvd East.  (PIN 16-3N-23-0000-0039-0010) Requested by Teramore Development, LLC, property owner, by Josh Hufstetler, Vice President; Represented by Jennifer Bell, Project Engineer – Admin Services.

b.    Ordinance 1499 – Amending Ordinance No. 1441, Restating The City Of Crestview General Employees' Retirement Plan, as subsequently amended; Amending Section 1, Definitions, By Amending “Credited Service”; Amending Section 4, Finances and Fund Management; Amending Section 14, Maximum Pension; Second reading;  Requested by City Clerk.

c.   Ordinance 1500 – Amending Ordinance No. 1440 Restating The City Of Crestview Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement Plan, as subsequently amended; Amending Section 1, Definitions By Amending The Definition Of “Credited Service”; Amending Section 4, Finances And Fund Management; Amending Section 15, Maximum Pension; Second reading;  Requested by City Clerk.

4.      Citizen Business:

a.       Discuss Wilson Street issues – Jim Godwin.

5.      New Business:

a.       Introduction of the new the Economic Development Councils new Executive Director, Nathan Sparks and their quarterly update.

b.      Solid Waste Contractors presentations.

c.       Solid Waste Contract Bid Approval.

d.      Ordinance #1510 – Solid Waste Contract first reading.

e.       Ordinance #1511 – Permit Fees; first reading.

f.       Rezoning Map Updates and Advertising and Public Participation Costs – Requested by Admin Services.

g.      Retirement Fund Study – City Clerk.

6.      Mayoral Report.

7.      Business from the Floor.

a.       Yellow Card Submissions.

b.      Impromptu Yellow Card discussions.

8.      Adjournment.

Note:  Citizen Business is business that was submitted by a citizen or group of Citizens no later than the Wednesday prior to the meeting to the Clerk's office for approval.  Supporting documents must be submitted at this time to be on the regular agenda.    All New Business is for staff and elected officials only, and must be submitted for approval no later than the Friday one week prior to the meeting.   Those not listed on the regular agenda who wish to address the council should fill out a yellow card.  The Card must be submitted to the City Clerk.  Speaking time should be five minutes or less, large groups may designate a spokesperson.  All remarks should be addressed to the Council as a whole and not to individual members.  All meeting procedures are outlined in the Meeting Rules and Procedures brochure available outside the Chambers.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council releases Aug. 26 agenda

CRESTVIEW — City Council President Robyn Helt, saying taxpayers shouldn't be expected to "make up the slack" if the city can't live within its means, has offered a proposal for a balanced budget.

Helt's plan, presented during a Monday budget workshop, would come at the expense of four police officer positions funded by a Justice Department Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, grant.

Retaining the policemen would cost the city $194,960. Helt said the city had made no plans to fund the positions when the 2010 three-year grant expires this fall.

If integrated into departments' budgets and approved by the council, Helt's proposal would fund Police Chief Tony Taylor’s request to move his department's dispatch center from P.J. Adams Parkway to police headquarters in the Whitehurst Municipal Building.

It would also fund Taylor's CPD accreditation efforts; Library Director Jean Lewis' request for $20,000 in patron computer upgrades and $25,000 for book acquisition; and $74,843 to cover a small portion of backlogged street repaving.

In addition, Helt's plan would erase the current deficit in preliminary budget proposals, which department heads have whittled down to 533,000, while avoiding a millage rate increase.

Funding sources

Funding would come from a combination of budget savings, including no longer asking taxpayers to pay $276,988 for city employee dependent health insurance.

Other funds would come from not providing new funds for the four COPS-funded police officers and implementing a 5 percent increase in water rates.

By city ordinance, water rates should be reviewed annually, but haven't been in 14 years, Helt said.

Ongoing streetmaintenance should include paving 5 miles of city roads annually on a 20-year rotating schedule, but less than a mile has been paved this fiscal year due to funding cuts.

Councilman Shannon Hayes criticized the suggestion that city workers would have to pay for dependents' health insurance.

Helt sympathized with them, but pointed out that many taxpayers have also had to shoulder their own families' insurance costs and shouldn't also have to fund those of city workers' families.

"Did I lose another four positions tonight?" Taylor asked at the end of the meeting.

Helt said though her proposal includes not picking up funding for the expiring COPS grant, nothing was definite and she was open to further suggestions.

"We can't always make decisions that make people popular," Helt said. "I'm not in a popularity contest. I'm here to do a job."

Want to go?

The next City Council budget workshop will be 3 p.m. Aug. 28 at City Hall. Council members encourage residents’ input.

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: Proposal would retain firefighters, cut police, fund streets

CRESTVIEW — The City Council will continue debating the merits of four companies bidding to run the city's garbage collection services.

After Rory Cassedy defended his company, Allied Waste Services’, proposal, the council agreed on Monday to defer any decision until all bidders could present proposals during the council’s Aug. 26 meeting.

Allied ranked third out of four companies scored by a review committee comprising Public Works Director Wayne Steele, City Clerk Betsy Roy and Finance Director Patti Beebe.

The committee scored the bidders in 15 areas under technical, managerial and financial categories. The top-scoring company was Waste Pro, the city's current waste contractor.

The contract period expires Oct. 1. Bidders were vying for a five-year contract to handle Crestview's solid waste and recycling programs.

Cassedy protested the committee's ranking, noting Delaware-based Allied, Gulf Breeze's waste contractor, submitted the lowest residential and commercial services bids of $15.49 and $19.59, respectively.

Florida-based Waste Pro's current monthly charges are $19 for residential customers and $24 for commercial.

Waste Pro's proposed charges are $17.25 and $23, a savings of $21.12 and $12 annually, respectively, if the company is selected again.

Also bidding were Inland Services Corporation, a Texas-based company, and Waste Management, which previously held the city's contract.

Waste Management proposed the highest monthly charges of $24.38 for residential service and $30 for commercial.

"I feel they have priced themselves out of bid consideration," Steele stated in an evaluation letter to the council. Cheapest isn't always best

Roy noted that though Allied offered the best prices, "this does not mean the lowest bidder is the best choice for the city of Crestview."

The committee had many factors to consider in making its recommendation to the council, Roy said, including customer service.

Councilman Tom Gordon, who often simplifies issues into household terms, concurred, observing that he can buy a hamburger for a dollar, but if he wants a tasty hamburger, he expects to pay more.

The city would also realize more than $10,000 in franchise fees under Waste Pro's proposal than it currently receives, for $150,670 total, Roy said.

The evaluation committee members unanimously praised Waste Pro's performance during the five years it has held the city's garbage contract.

"In the past five years with Waste Pro, I have only received 17 documented complaints from citizens about their trash service," Steele wrote. "Before, we were averaging five per day."

The ultimate decision rests with the council, which in the past has sometimes ignored the recommendation of advisory panels.

Comparing bids A three-person city committee ranked four bidders for Crestview's solid waste and recycling services contract. Bids are as follows:

Bidder    Res.    Comm.    Fee (annual)    Scores (out of 75)

Allied Waste    $15.49    $19.59    $141,588    55/65/66 = 62 average

Inland Waste     $17.68    $23.68    $163,221    60/64/60 = 61.33 average

Waste Mgmt.    $24.38    $30    $208,317    60/65/63 = 62.66 average

Waste Pro    $17.25    $23    $150,670    72/72/73 = 72.3 average

Want to go? The Crestview City Council will hear presentations from bidding solid waste removal and recycling companies at its 6 p.m. Aug. 26 meeting.

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 weighs garbage collectors' contract proposals

LAUREL HILL — The Laurel Hill City Council has approved an annual mowing contract of $11, 324 with Transfield Services.

The council unanimously approved the contract during a special meeting on Monday. Councilman Johnny James made the motion with Councilwoman Betty Williamson’s second.

The council earlier this month deferred the contract vote after Councilman Clifton Hall stated that proposed costs — $7,354 annually — were inadequate and estimated costs needed to be further researched.

Transfield is responsible for mowing and trash pick-up on both sides of State Road 85 within city limits.  

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 council approves mowing contract

CRESTVIEW — A potential $1.3 million FEMA grant could ease some firefighters' job security fears and alleviate some budget pressure on the city, Fire Chief Joe Traylor says.

Traylor will pursue the grant, following the City Council’s unanimous vote Monday to grant permission. If he’s successful, the money would be awarded this fall, he said.

Under its Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant is available.

The grant is offered to cities with SAFER grants that have ended, but in which the firefighters hired under the program have been laid off or are threatened with layoffs.

Crestview would fall under the second category, Traylor said.

"People haven't been laid off but there is the threat of layoffs," he said.

The two-year grant requires no matching funds, as the city's first SAFER grant did, Traylor said. It would provide $1.3 million divided over two years to fund 12 existing firefighter positions.

"If we could get this, we could really end our budget discussion right now," Councilman Shannon Hayes said.

Traylor said he hopes that as the economy recovers, the city's growth increases its revenue to cover the 12 firefighters' salaries.

"If we keep our employees, there is a direct public safety benefit," Traylor said. "If we lay them off, our community is not as safe."

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 fire chief: $1.3M grant could save firefighter jobs

CRESTVIEW — The historic downtown district will follow the latest urban dining trend this fall when Crestview Commons opens on Main Street.

The City Council on Monday approved a proposal for an outdoor eatery featuring up to three mobile food services with permanent restrooms, landscaping and patio dining.

Crestview Commons will be on a currently vacant lot owned by Main Street attorney Nathan Boyles beside Foster Families of America thrift store. The project will allow innovative restaurateurs to introduce new cuisine ideas while offering patrons diverse dining choices, he said.

"Young gourmet chefs often can't afford $200,000 to start a brick-and-mortar restaurant," said Boyles, a Main Street Crestview Association member.

Some council members praised Boyles' project and his previous contributions to Main Street, including opening his office courtyard to a weekly farmers market.

"I've seen the projects you have done downtown and I have to commend you on how they look," Councilman Tom Gordon said.

"I think it would be a great benefit to the city," Councilman Shannon Hayes said.

Councilman Joe Blocker questioned the aesthetics of downtown food-preparation vehicles and cast the lone "nay" ballot in the 4-1 vote approving Crestview Commons.

"A trailer's a trailer, no matter how you sugarcoat it," Blocker said.

Crestview Commons passed all of the city's development stages, including approval by the fire department, the Technical Review Committee and the Local Planning Agency.

The process took more than a year, during which a similar project in Pensacola went from concept to opening in a matter of months, Boyles said.

Crestview's review process "stymies forward-looking projects," he said.

"We have outdated and outmoded codes that do not address the changing times," Boyles said. "Frankly, it's the young generation that's going to be the savior or sound the death-knell of the downtown district."

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: Proposed Crestview Commons follows mobile eateries trend

Okaloosa County officials have increased the fall advertising allocation for area beaches from $100,000 to $300,000 due to low bed tax revenues. The funds will be added to the original $2.2 million marketing plan designed to advertise local beaches from March to September.

Peter Mayer Advertising of New Orleans, the county’s advertising firm, drafted the plan, which calls for marketing Okaloosa Island and Destin as top leisure destinations, selling the area to the meetings industry, revamping the county’s tourism websites and promoting the Emerald Coast as a Christmas destination.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County to boost fall tourism marketing

CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Crestview Association has received unanimous approval for three project requests, but funding for a full-time program manager has been deferred.

Association President Ellis Conner presented the non-profit organization's annual budget request to the CRA board, which City Council members comprise, Aug. 12.

Among its approved requests, Main Street asked the Community Redevelopment Agency to renew its $50,000 annual funding for the downtown Façade Improvement Grant program. Although it’s not a Main Street program, the association provides grant recommendations to the CRA. Business grant recipients receive up to half the cost of façade improvements, up to $10,000.

Conner also presented Main Street's request for $10,000 per year over the next three years to fund Crestview's 2016 Centennial Celebration events.

A further $15,000 was requested to maintain existing streetscape improvements. Some of the $3 million project components, notably some dying landscaping, need upkeep, Conner said.

No manager funding

The board agreed to consider the association's request for $38,000 to hire a full-time program manager after the city's budget process is complete.

The last program manager lost his job when funding for the position approved in November 2010 was abruptly denied in January 2011.

CRA board member Tom Gordon suggested hiring a contract program manager so the CRA would not have to fund an estimated $18,000 in city employee benefits.

Gordon also asked whether Main Street could match CRA funds toward the position. Noting its resources are limited, Conner said the program could possibly contribute up to $5,000.

The Main Street program must have a full-time manager to retain accreditation with the Main Street Florida program, which has recognized it with several awards.

The CRA is not funded with Crestview taxpayer money. It is supported through an Okaloosa County sales tax-increment process.

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: Some Main Street budget requests receive Crestview CRA approval