Okaloosa County’s courthouse in Crestview might be old, but this year it wasn’t quite old enough to score state funding for a major renovation.

That's state Rep. Matt Gaetz’s explanation for why the county’s $5 million request was left out of the state’s 2016 budget. Gaetz said he advocated for Okaloosa County’s request but was told the Crestview courthouse — built in the early 1950s — wouldn’t make the cut.

County officials had hoped to add the $5 million to $10 million already budgeted for the restoration and expansion of the courthouse.

The courthouse saw its last major improvements in 1962. Some of its major mechanical systems are running on vintage equipment. Other challenges include a lack of space and security gaps that force the judiciary, prisoners and the public to share the same areas.

In the spring the county worked with an outside consultant to design a courthouse that included major renovations and an addition. It would have added courtrooms, office space and left limited room for future growth.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa courthouse excluded from state budget

CRESTVIEW — County taxpayers will soon have to buy as much as $1.2 million in new vote tabulators, software and related equipment.

Though state law requires all voting be done by paper ballot by 2020, Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux said he will ask the Board of County Commissioners to purchase new equipment this year.

“The current equipment we’re using is 18 years old,” Lux said. “In the last election we had a noticeable failure of some of that equipment. The equipment has a lifetime of about 10-12 years.

“It’s computerized. Are you still using the computer you bought in 1997?” Lux said.

Lux said his office has been cannibalizing spare voting machines for parts because “Even the repair components don’t exist anymore. The memory cards we use, the manufacturer has gone out of business.”

Tuesday, Lux’s equipment review board received presentations from Election Systems & Software and Dominion Voting Systems.

The board — composed of the political parties’ representatives, BCC members, the League of Women Voters and poll workers — will make a purchase recommendation to the county commissioners next month, Lux said.

“The voters’ experience is not going to change drastically. They’re still filling in ovals on a paper ballot,” Lux said.

The tabulators, however, will detect errors and prompt voters to correct their ballots before it is accepted. Common mistakes include voting for more than one candidate for an office, or not completely blackening an oval, Lux said.

If the BCC approves the purchase, Lux plans to have the new system implemented by mid-November. He estimates the cost will be between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

“Those are preliminary numbers,” he stressed, adding that the equipment can be financed over several years. “It’s not like the county’s got to swallow that bitter pill all in one piece.”

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New Okaloosa County voting equipment could cost as much as $1.2 million

CRESTVIEW — City attorney Jerry Miller will continue to represent Crestview's interests — for at least another week. Maybe.

With Miller leaving the Pleat, Perry and Ritchie law firm to go into private practice as of June 30, the City Council voted 2-3 not to reassign the city's contract with PPR to his new practice.

Under its contract, which by its vote the council did not terminate, Pleat, Perry and Ritchie will still provide representation for Crestview. That could include contracting with Miller to continue serving as the city’s attorney, City Clerk Betsy Roy said.

“Now the ball is in Pleat and Perry’s court,” Roy said.

Councilmen Joe Blocker, Mickey Rytman and JB Whitten cast the "nay" votes.

Rytman proposed using the situation as an opportunity to put city attorney services out for bid.

Blocker has in the past been a vocal critic of PPR's monthly bills, calling for more detailed statements and demanding council approval of them, a request Miller said he was agreeable to.

Whitten questioned charges for copies of legal documents. For example, he said, a review of invoices submitted to Roy included one photocopy on Feb. 22 billed at $696.75.

Miller said he does not handle PPR billing and was not aware of the charges. However, as a private practice attorney, he will be doing his own billing and would scrutinize his invoices.

Whitten also reviewed average annual billing under the last three years respectively of Miller and his predecessor, Ben Holley's, tenures.

While Holley's average billing was $29,343 per year, Miller's firm charged an average of $78,615, but Whitten said the increase could be because Miller had to defend the city against several suits.

Councilman Bill Cox defended Miller's record of service, and said if he is terminated, the city might not be able to find a less expensive lawyer.

"Mr. Miller is among the finest of city and municipal attorneys in this state and probably this country," Cox said.

Miller said if the city chooses to put the city attorney contract out for bid, the council "should exercise its right of termination" because no "ethical attorney" would bid while another attorney still holds the position.

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 City Council votes against reassigning attorney's contract

CRESTVIEW — On Tuesday, July 14, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office employees will select two members to serve on the Personnel Standards and Review Board.

Candidates — who must not be OCSO staffers or immediate family members — should submit a 500-word/one-page biography that will be distributed to eligible electors. There are no residency restrictions but candidates must be eligible Okaloosa voters.

The qualifying period begins 8 a.m. Monday, June 29, and closes at noon Tuesday, June 30. Candidates can qualify by filing the required form with the Supervisor of Elections office at 1804 Lewis Turner Blvd., Suite 404, Fort Walton Beach, or 302 Wilson St. N., Suite 102, Crestview.

Early voting is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 6–10 in the Supervisor of Elections' Crestview and Fort Walton Beach offices.

Voting is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 in the Supervisor of Elections' Crestview and Fort Walton Beach offices.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa Sheriff's employees to vote for standards and review board members

CRESTVIEW — J.B. Whitten's next town hall meeting is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 25 at American Legion Post 75.

Residents can voice their concerns and recommendations about city matters to Whitten, Group 1 councilman, at 898 James Lee Blvd. E.

This is Whitten's third town hall meeting.

Food and drinks are available at each individual's expense. Residents who can't attend can email ideas to jbwhitten@cityofcrestview.org.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Whitten, Crestview councilman, sets next town hall meeting