CRESTVIEW — Eight independent fire departments —  Almarante, Blackman, Baker, Dorcas, Holt and North Okaloosa Fire Districts — serve North Okaloosa County's unincorporated communities.

But some officials say consolidating districts could provide efficiencies and savings for north county taxpayers.

'IT MAKES SENSE'

“For many, many different reasons, it makes sense,” Okaloosa County Commissioner Wayne Harris, a north county representative, said. “You cross-utilize resources. You can buy in bulk and you get a better deal.”

“The economy comes in mass purchasing of gear, trucks and insurance,” NOFD Chief Ed Cutler said. “Insurance would be a tremendous savings."

“Our local fire districts struggle with compliance costs mandated by the state legislature,” said Commissioner Nathan Boyles, who also represents North Okaloosa. “The annual audit alone can cost a small district $6,000 to $12,000, reducing scarce funds needed for operations.”

“Consolidation could reduce total overhead costs and increase operational funds without raising taxes.”

FIRE CHIEFS' POSITION

Some fire chiefs like the idea of consolidation.

“A north-end fire department would be awesome,” Dorcas Fire District Chief John Polinsky said. “We could put the people where they’d need to be and have them a few miles down the road.”

Okaloosa County Emergency Services Director Alvin Henderson, a former volunteer firefighter and son of a volunteer firefighter, said he’d be glad to facilitate a conversation with north county chiefs and district boards.

“I’m sure if they would be interested in investigating that structure and doing due diligence on pros and cons to provide the Board of County Commissioners, I’d be more than happy to work with them,” he said.  

Not all north county districts support consolidation as enthusiastically.

“It has its benefits, but it has some disadvantages too," Almarante Fire District Chief Charles Carroll said. "Before I would rally around the flagpole, I would certainly want to do a lot more research about it.”

'IT WOULD WORK WONDERS'

In some ways, north county fire companies are already linked together. A countywide 9-1-1 emergency system summons the relevant fire department. With mutual aid agreements, firefighters from one district often help colleagues in a neighboring district. And firefighters occasionally train together.

Consolidation supporters say formalizing training, purchasing and administration into a unified fire district has many advantages.

“No single fire district has enough because of budgets,” Cutler said. “That’s why we rely on mutual and automatic aid.”

“We have some different equipment in each of the districts,” Harris said. “If you put them together, you would have a lot of great resources.”

“It would work out a lot better and save the taxpayers some money,” Polinsky said. “It would work wonders.”

A STATE MATTER

Despite the advantages, the county is not considering creating a unified fire department, both north Okaloosa commissioners said.

“This is important: Okaloosa County is not interested in getting into the fire protection business,” Boyles said.

“That would add hundreds of employees to the county payroll,” Harris said. “It would open up all kinds of issues.”

Besides, Harris said, “It would have to be legislatively mandated. The county has no control of fire districts. That comes out of Tallahassee. You have to sell it to the state, as well as the individual districts.”

There is also a matter of hometown pride.

“Consolidation can be a sensitive issue,” Boyles said. “Communities in my district take pride in their volunteer departments.”

DUE PROCESS

There currently is no effort to consolidate firefighting resources, but Henderson said if firefighters and residents wanted to explore the potential, his office would help — and ensure the initiative preserves each district’s identity.

“A full merger or consolidation, there’s many ways to structure it,” he said. “Part of that due process is to really analyze what they’re currently doing and then look at ways they could be more efficient and, in some cases, advance the services they can provide.”

Boyles said if the discussion goes forward, residents should be involved.

“Our fire districts do a good job with the limited resources available to them," he said. "Consolidation is an issue that the individual districts and the communities they represent must find consensus on.”

Cutler said he understands the importance of preserving each district's identity, but ultimately, the mission is protection.

“It’s not about your department or my department," Cutler said. "It’s about taking care of the residents of the community.” 

Combined unincorporated North Okaloosa County fire district resources*: 

Volunteer firefighters: approximately 100

Paid professional firefighters: 22

Fire engines: 19

Brush trucks: 6

Attack trucks: 2

Tankers: 5

Rescue trucks: 5

Ladder trucks: 1

Airport fire trucks: 3

Other vehicles (excluding command vehicles): 3

*Data excludes Crestview and Laurel Hill municipal fire departments.

Sources: Department personnel and websites

FIRE PROTECTION RESOURCES

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa fire districts officials mull consolidation benefits

FORT WALTON BEACH — County Administrator John Hofstad will speak at the next Okaloosa County Republican Club meeting.

He will brief attendees on the upcoming budget process, competing budget needs, current capital projects, upcoming corrections facility needs and future economic development opportunities. Membership dues for 2016 will also be collected.

The meeting starts with socializing at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 at American Legion Post 235, 105 Hollywood Blvd. SW, Fort Walton Beach, followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

The cost of $15 per person includes dinner, drinks and gratuity. Meal choices are crab cakes with grilled asparagus and cucumber salad or grilled chicken salad. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to attend. We will also continue to collect membership club dues for 2016. 

To make a dinner reservation, call Vice President Nate Lepper, 376-2287.

For details about the club, call President Mark Franks, 240-1279.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: County Administrator to speak at Okaloosa GOP meeting

FORT WALTON BEACH — Okaloosa Tax Collector Ben Anderson says an early-payment discount of 1 percent is available for Okaloosa County property tax payers. But it won't last long. 

Monday, Feb. 29 is the last day to receive the discount on 2015 property taxes, which become delinquent if not paid by March 31.

Payments can be made at www.OkaloosaTax.com; at tax office locations including 302 N. Wilson St., Crestview; or by mailing them.

An installment payment plan is also available. Property owners can spread payments across four installments and receive a 3.375 percent discount. Visit the website for an application.

Okaloosa County Tax Collectors office branches will be closed Feb. 15 in observance of President's Day. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa property tax collector's early-payment discount ends soon

CRESTVIEW — Preparing engineering plans for an estimated $300,000 project to move city-owned utility lines out of the way of the P.J. Adams Parkway widening project received unanimous City Council approval.

“As part of the requirements for the city, we have to relocate some of our water and sewer utility lines,” Public Works Director Wayne Steele said at the Feb. 8 council meeting.

Steele requested and received the council’s approval to hire Atkins Engineering, one of the city’s contracted engineering firms, to prepare technical plans to move the lines.

The plan preparation will cost $62,421, which will be funded by savings realized by refinancing the city’s utilities bonds.

“The county is ready for the drawings now,” Steele said. “There's going to be some sewer and manholes that have to be moved but probably our biggest challenge is moving water mains. We have to put new ones in. You can't just move them.”

The wider parkway will cover existing lines, necessitating they be moved, because “you certainly don't want water lines under the pavement. You don't want sewer pressure lines under the pavement,” Steele said.

In the event of a line break, workers would have to tear up the street to get to the damaged sections if the lines were under the pavement.

Steele said the city has adequate right-of-way to relocate the lines.

The $300,000 estimate does not include the cost if the city had to relocate an existing sewage lift station, which could cost as much as an additional $700,000 to be rebuilt elsewhere. The city and Okaloosa County Public Works have been working in close cooperation to find a solution around the station.

“I'm being positive and the county has been very good partners in this and I think we can work around it,” Steele said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview approves developing plans for $300K utility work

CRESTVIEW — Marie Garcia, the Crestview Public Library's assistant director, will soon drop the “assistant” in her title.

The City Council on Feb. 8  voted 3-1 to offer Garcia the library director position; she replaces Jean Lewis, who is retiring. Councilman Joe Blocker cast the lone nay vote.

Garcia — who starts her new role March 3 — said she plans to expand on Lewis' initiatives. Those include community outreach programs such as the winter holidays' Noel Night; a monthly educational lecture series; weekly Music at the Library performances; children’s learning programs; and arts events.

Emphasizing the library’s role as an educational service and extension of local schools, and having the facility serve as the community’s arts center are among her goals, Garcia said. “The arts and the sciences are equally important to our community,” she said.

Garcia said she recognizes there are challenges ahead, including internet bandwidth limitations and the need to keep pace with the growing community.

In his recent State of the City address, Mayor David Cadle said library plans eventually call for a science, technology, engineering and mathematics-centered children’s wing.

“I’d love to have a computer lab and build the children’s wing,” Garcia said. “Hopefully in the next 10 years that’ll happen. The city’s growing and we’d like to grow with it.”

Whatever the future holds, Lewis said she's confident in Garcia's abilities.

“She’ll do a wonderful job,” Lewis said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New Crestview library director shares plans, challenges

CRESTVIEW — The City Council has approved four business site development plans, including three sites on Ferdon Boulevard South and one on Ferdon North.

The developments will provide at least three new restaurants, retail stores and an oil change business, Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard stated Feb. 8 in council briefs.

"The city will receive additional property tax along with water and sewer revenue," she said. "Approval of the requests will create additional employment opportunities and provide services and retail opportunities within the city."

From north to south, the projects are:

●David's Catfish House: The Andalusia, Ala.-based restaurant will open its fourth location, a 4,800-square-foot Crestview eatery, on 4 acres behind the Ferdon Boulevard North McDonald's and CCB Community Bank. The site will have parking for 70 cars.

●Express Oil Change and Tire Engineers: 2053 Ferdon Blvd. S. 5,100 square-foot auto service center and 4,500-square-foot commercial retail store on a 1.43-acre parcel that formerly housed Okaloosa Academy.

●Crestview Crossing: 2150 Ferdon Blvd. S. The 3.8-acre developments will be built in two phases. Phase I will feature 4,600-square-foot and 9,460-square-foot retail or restaurant buildings. Phase II will consist of a 6,000-square-foot retail building.   

●Jimmy John's Sandwiches: 3301 Ferdon Blvd. S. 1,150 square-foot local branch of the Champaign, Illinois-based gourmet sandwiches restaurant on a .78-acre site

During councilmen's comments, Councilman Doug Faircloth said, "I just want to be the first to welcome Jimmy John's, Express Oil, Crestview Crossing and David's Catfish House; especially Jimmy John's and David's Catfish House."

"I agree," Councilman Joe Blocker said. "Anytime we can get more places to eat is all right with me."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 2 Crestview restaurants in development

LAUREL HILL —The City Council will consider repairing a burned-out generator that previously served one of the city’s two water wells.

Restoring the 60-kilowatt generator would cost $21,250. The city received an $11,700 insurance settlement on the damage and would have to fund the $9,550 balance.

Mayor Robby Adams said the repaired unit could be a backup to power the second well pump, or it could run City Hall and Laurel Hill Fire Department when there's a power outage.

City Clerk Nita Miller said a comparable new generator would cost between $50,000 and $80,000.

Councilman Travis Dewrell said he believes the council needs more information before approving the damaged generator's repairs.

“How big of a generator do we really need?” Dewrell said. “Maybe this is the best idea. Maybe it is the way to go.

"But we need more information to decide.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill council mulls generator repair

LAUREL HILL — Several council members and a former mayor question Councilman Daniel Lane’s proposal to add vehicle weight restrictions on city streets.

Lane has proposed posting 10 signs at entry points to city roads, declaring weight limits between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds. The goal is to prevent heavy vehicles from damaging newly repaved streets.

Delivery trucks could use the streets, but they would have to use the most direct routes from State Road 85 to their destinations and back, Lane said.

Councilwoman Debra Adams, who supports the measure, said 18-wheelers sometimes cut through city streets to shorten the distance through town.

But, Councilman Scott Moneypenny said Feb. 4, the weight restrictions would be “unenforceable unless you got (Florida Department of Transportation) out with their scales to enforce it.”

“I don't see if there's anything tangible or enforceable at all,” Councilman Travis Dewrell said. “And it shouldn't apply to residents who drive semis who are going to or from their homes. In no way, shape or form would I want to limit a resident from using the property they own in the city.”

Resident Kathleen Moneypenny, Scott Moneypenny’s wife, said posting weight restrictions might discourage businesses from moving into the city’s New Ebenezer Road industrial park.

“You would have to exempt school buses, county dump trucks, farm equipment,” former Mayor Joan Smith said. “You'd have a sign that's a 4 (foot) by 8 (foot) sheet just to show the exemptions.”

“It's basically unenforceable,” Council President Larry Hendren said.

Lane said he will continue to research other communities’ road weight restrictions and present further information at a future council meeting.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill proposal to limit vehicles' weight gets pushback (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — City and county officials are considering an agreement that could lead to an east-west connector, taking vehicles off State Road 85.

"Something tripped my trigger about Arena Road,” Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles, a Holt resident, said.

Linking Rasberry Road to Arena Road, through the Crestview wastewater treatment plant spray field, is possible, based on a Crestview consultant's study from several years ago, he said.

Boyles broached the idea during a recent meeting of state Department of Transportation officials in Tallahassee. Then he, Crestview Mayor David Cadle, Public Works Director Wayne Steele, city engineer Fred Cook and county engineer Scott Bitterman met in January to discuss the idea.

“We toured the spray field and looked at roads and looked at some of the road alignments,” Boyles said. “Out of that field trip came the idea that this is a project that is possible and could have a huge impact for our citizens.”

For example, Countryview Estates residents could go shopping at Lowe’s and Publix “without ever touching 85,” Boyles said.

“From Baker or Holt or northwest of Crestview, you could hop onto Arena Road at Antioch, then proceed to Highway 85,” he said. “It’s an alternate back-and-forth route.”

Boyles said the project — estimated to cost between $6 and $8 million — could be funded by the DOT’s revolving loan fund, which allows municipalities to do improvements and make small payments back at low interest rates.

He hopes to bring the interlocal agreement before county commissioners at their next meeting, and will present it to Cadle and the City Council, probably in March.

“I think it would instantly be a very busy little road,” Boyles said. “You’d bypass all the stoplights and congestion on 85 and would reduce the congestion to the folks that are traveling 85.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview, county mull agreement to relieve S.R. 85 traffic

LAUREL HILL — After a 3-2 vote of the City Council, the town may soon have guidelines in place for future purchases and awarding professional contracts.

After consulting with city attorney Dan Campbell, Council President Larry Hendren introduced a proposal to establish a city policy for the "purchase of commodities and contractual services."

"I talked to Dan and we think we should follow state guidelines," Hendren said.

Campbell and Hendren recommended the city adopt the Florida Administrative Code's policy which has a scale of categories depending on the value of the purchase or contract:

• Up to $2,499: Obtain one verbal or written quote

• $2,500-$19,999: Obtain two telephone or written quotes

• $20,000-$35,000: Obtain three written quotes

Purchases over $35,000 "must be formally competitively procured," which could include potential components such as legal reviews, contract development, a pre-bid conference and a formal request for proposals, depending on the estimated value of the contract.

Councilwoman Debra Adams suggested the city adopt the state guidelines as written, saying, "If it's good enough for the state, it's good enough for us."

However, Councilman Travis Dewrell recommended lowering the dollar threshold in each category to better reflect the city's actual budgeting and typical spending.

"Use the same verbiage but change the dollar amount," Dewrell said.

Councilman Scott Moneypenny agreed, and suggested adding provision for emergency purchases or repairs, such as the recent failure of one of the city’s well pump generators.

"This administrative code makes sense; just scale it down to our level," he said. "For something like the well, we should also have an emergency clause in there. You can't leave people without water."

Adams moved to develop a Laurel Hill ordinance following state code. The motion passed 3-2 with Moneypenny and Dewrell voting nay.

Hendren said he would prepare the ordinance for the March council meeting, giving Dewrell and Moneypenny time to research category breakdowns more appropriate to Laurel Hill’s needs and modify the code at that time.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill considers purchasing code