CRESTVIEW — City Clerk Betsy Roy introduced the preliminary 2016-17 budget, noting city revenues are expected to rise with the improvement of property values.

Roy predicted "a conservative 3 percent increase in tax revenue over last year," and also expects state sharing revenue, such as fuel and locally generated sales taxes, will increase.

While the budget is still undergoing a few tweaks, it will most likely fall in the $29 to $30 million range, she said, which is roughly the same as the current fiscal year's budget.

Meeting in a June 30 workshop, the City Council discussed a few generalities before meeting with individual department heads over the next several weeks.

The next public budget workshop will be July 14, followed by a special meeting on July 25 to set the tentative millage.

Councilmen gave no indication if they will raise, lower or keep the millage at its current rate, but, Roy told them, "Remember when it's set it can go down but not up."

Public hearings on the new budget are tentatively scheduled for Sept. 9 and 22, but a series of workshops to hash out the final budget will be held before then.

"The goal is, everything is settled long before those public hearings so we don't need to have meeting after meeting after meeting," Roy said.

The 42-page budget binders Roy distributed at the Thursday meeting contain each department head's requested budget.

"If they requested it, it's in this budget," she said. "If it's personnel, capital equipment, whatever, it's in this budget."

While past budgets have been balanced by transferring money from the utility fund to the general fund, Roy said the city's improved financial shape won't require that next year.

"We're in good shape," Roy said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Preliminary 2016-17 Crestview budget introduced (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — The Community Redevelopment Agency Board unanimously approved a contract with the Petermann Agency for “comprehensive administrative and operations management services.”

The contract with the city, which includes a monthly $9,875 retainer, was reworked to board member JB Whitten’s satisfaction. Whitten had previously voted against the proposal because there was no guarantee the city’s current CRA director, Brenda Smith, would remain the Petermann team’s lead.

The revised contract includes a provision assuring any change of team lead would first require CRA approval.

Smith’s extended contract with the CRA board expires Friday. She will continue in virtually the same capacity, including keeping a city hall office, but as head of the Petermann Agency’s Crestview team.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Community Redevelopment Agency OKs Petermann contract

FORT WALTON BEACH — A coalition of Northwest Florida churches has set three forums for Okaloosa County candidates.

The forums begin with 30-minute candidate meet-and-greets.

The first forum — for school board districts 2 and 4, and superintendent of schools — is 7-9 p.m. July 28 at Ocean City Church, 428 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach.

The second — for Okaloosa sheriff and District 1 commissioners — is 7-9 p.m. Aug. 11 at Victorious Life Worship Center, 5973 Victorious Life Place, Crestview.

The third — for District 4 state Representative and District 1 state Senate seats — is 7-9 p.m. Aug. 25 at Gateway City Church, 216 Eglin Parkway NE, Fort Walton Beach.

In a media release, the coalition stated the purpose of the forums is completely educational, and it does not endorse candidates or political parties.

"Our desire is to promote good citizenship, primarily within the Christian community in Okaloosa County. All of the citizens of Okaloosa County are welcome to attend our candidate forums," the coalition stated.

For more information, contact Ocean City Church, 862-4012.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Churches schedule three Okaloosa candidate forums

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview City Council will have a workshop at 5:30 p.m. June 30 at city hall, 198 Wilson St., N.

Here is the meeting's agenda.

1. Call to order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Open workshop

4. Public opportunity on council propositions

5. Workshop discussion

6. Comments from the audience

7. Adjournment

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Here's what the Crestview City Council will meet about June 30

CRESTVIEW — In addition to kids, joggers, walkers, soccer players, fishermen, picnickers and flocks of water fowl, Twin Hills Park could soon have a place just for dogs.

The Community Redevelopment Agency Board unanimously told the Main Street Crestview Association committee tasked with developing a dog park to begin fundraising.

 Presenting a preliminary plan for the park to the board during a June 24 workshop, chairwoman April Meier reported the results of the committee’s market research.

“People in our market and our city do want a dog park,” Meier said.

The committee, working with city Public Works officials, identified a half-acre site along U.S. Highway 90 for what they tentatively called the “Crestview Bark Park.”

MEETS CRITERIA

In addition to committee members Rae Schwartz and Ted Wickman, “we have a whole cadre of volunteers who want to help us do fundraising for it,” Meier said.

Meier said the dog park site met her committee’s criteria, which included:

●Sufficient size

●Not being near residences “because dogs may bark”

●Not encroaching on areas of frequent activity, such as the children’s park

A dog park will benefit both dogs and their owners, Meier said.

“Dogs become more socialized and people become more socialized,” she said. “We envision a park that builds relationships between residents and their dogs.”

EQUIPMENT

The park would include training and exercise equipment, such as “sit and stay” benches, agility courses and hoops to jump through.

“Dogs will socialize in pack format if they don’t have anything else to do,” Meier said.

Schwartz said owners would have to register their dogs before they receive a swipe card allowing admission to the park.

“It will help us have information about the dog,” Schwartz said. This would include medical and vaccination records.

Charging an annual user fee, such as $25 for residents and $35 for people from outside of Crestview, would help cover maintenance costs, Meier said.

Such “buy-in” also creates a sense of ownership, she said, leading most dog park users to voluntarily help maintain the facility.

“They act to police the park and keep after dog owners who forget to pick up their poop,” Meier said.

GRANT MONEY

CRA Director Brenda Smith said the district expects to receive state approval by July 1 to begin using recently awarded recreation grant money, some of which can be applied toward dog park lighting, benches and shade sails.

Board members praised the committee for its thorough research.

“I commend you for what you’ve done,” board President Joe Blocker said. “But you ain’t done enough: we don’t have a dog park yet!”

Meier said she and her committee have already begun brainstorming fundraising ideas, including selling paving bricks residents can buy in memory of beloved pets, going to online crowd-funding sources, holding dog wash events, accepting donations and holding run/walks.

“If we’re going to build a dog park, it’s going to be an awesome dog park!” Meier said.

______________________

IN THE DOG PARK

A Main Street Crestview Association committee tasked with researching a dog park in Twin Hills Park made these recommendations for the facility:

●Separate big dog and small dog areas

●Secured card-swipe gate entrance, with owners required to register their dogs and prove vaccinations

●Annual membership fees to fund maintenance

●Covered gazebo for dog park events

●Dog agility and exercise equipment

●Benches for owners

●Possible water feature for dogs to play in

A Main Street Crestview Association committee tasked with researching a dog park in Twin Hills Park made these recommendations for the facility:

●Separate big dog and small dog areas

●Secured card-swipe gate entrance, with owners required to register their dogs and prove vaccinations

●Annual membership fees to fund maintenance

●Covered gazebo for dog park events

●Dog agility and exercise equipment

●Benches for owners

●Possible water feature for dogs to play in

IN THE DOG PARK

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Community Redevelopment Agency OKs fundraising for 'Bark Park' (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — After a detailed presentation by Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard, the City Council gave its consensus that she should continue the process of evaluating how the city offers out-of-city utility services.

Gaillard estimated the city currently provides water and sewer services to between 300 and 400 addresses that are not within the Crestview city limits.

Most of these properties are just outside the city but are not served by Okaloosa County services. Most are in the area east of State Road 85 around Aplin Road and East Chestnut, Gaillard said.

But short of actually comparing each address to a map, identifying who is in the city and who's right outside of it is difficult, she said.

"There's not a viable way to track the out-of-city customers that are out of our utility billing area," she said.

Another problem is though the city requires property owners who request Crestview city utilities to agree to be annexed into the city when their property becomes contiguous, the agreements are between individuals and the city, not the property and the city.

So when an owner sells his property, unlike the water and sewer hookups and service, the annexation agreement does not transfer to the new owner.

"When it comes time to annex, we're not interested with the person who's gone," Public Works Director Wayne Steele said. "Our interest is with the property. The language needs to be changed within the municipal service agreement, and tie it with the property."

But that, city attorney Ben Holley said, might violate state law, which requires the person that is the owner of the property to be in the agreement.

That will be among questions Gaillard said will be researched following the council's unanimous consensus that she prepare information on how she plans to approach reworking the annexation and out-of-city service procedures.

"What I'm needing in order to propel our city forward, that will affect the modernization of our procedures, I'm requesting in-depth research to modernize the documents, work with land attorney, and examine rates charged," she said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview to evaluate out-of-city services

NICEVILLE — The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors will host an Okaloosa County candidate forum.

The event is 5:30 p.m. June 30 at Niceville High School, 800 E. John Sims Parkway. Candidates running for county commission, school board, superintendent, property appraiser, county clerk and tax collector have been invited to participate.

Northwest Florida Daily News editor Bob Heist will moderate the event, and candidates will have one minute to make opening remarks, answer several predetermined questions, and give a one-minute closing.

Unopposed candidates will have the opportunity to speak to constituents for five minutes.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Realtors host Okaloosa candidate forum

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview City Council will meet 6 p.m. June 27 at city hall, 198 Wilson St., N.

Here is the meeting's agenda.

WORKSHOP AGENDA

1. Call to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Open Workshop

4. Public Opportunity on Council propositions

5. PAWS

6. Presentation of new Website

7. Out of City Utility Services

8. Comments from the Audience

9. Adjournment

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 three 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.

If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Council with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, he or she will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

The City Council of the City of Crestview, Florida does not discriminate upon the basis of any individual’s disability status.

Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the American With Disabilities Act to insure access to and participation in the meeting should contact the Office of the City Clerk at (850)682-1560 prior to the meeting to make appropriate arrangements.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council agenda: June 27 workshop

PANAMA CITY — Bay County Commissioner and Panama City businessman George Gainer has been elected to the Florida Senate, representing District 2.

In a testament to his broad support, Commissioner Gainer was the only candidate to file for the Northwest Florida Senate seat when state qualifying ended at noon Eastern Friday.

“I am humbled and honored to have been elected without drawing another candidate to run against me,” Gainer said. “From the first day I announced my candidacy, I have worked to visit with as many voters as possible throughout the district. They have my pledge that my door is always open to them and I will do my absolute best to serve them with honor in Tallahassee.”

Commissioner Gainer will be sworn into office in November. He will continue to serve on the Bay County Commission until Nov. 8.

Gainer is a lifelong resident of Northwest Florida. He was born in Jackson County, lived as a youth in Washington and Bay counties and raised his family and started his business in Panama City. George and his wife Jan have six children and 12 grandchildren.

The District 2 seat is currently held by Senator Don Gaetz, who is leaving because of term limits.

“I look forward to working with Senator Gaetz to provide a smooth transition for the residents of Northwest Florida,” Gainer said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: George Gainer elected to Florida Senate

SHALIMAR — Area residents may register for a new weather alert program that is replacing the current Code Red Weather Warnings System July 1.

The new system, Alert Okaloosa, uses a program called Everbridge and will be enacted July 1. Current Code Red users will have to reregister for it at https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736724689#/signup.

All residents who wish to be notified for tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flash flood warnings may add their contact information. They may also set notification times.

Alert Okaloosa will only alert the areas impacted by an emergency or weather warning and works on TDD/TTY phones for the hearing impaired.

Residents who don't have Internet access may contact Okaloosa County Public Safety at 651-7150 for assistance.

For more information, go to http://www.okaloosafl.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Alert Okaloosa weather program replaces Code Red system