CRESTVIEW — The city's Technical Review Committee will meet 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 5 at City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

The agenda includes approval of the April 7 minutes, three reviews as listed below, and consideration of other business as necessary.

REVIEWS

•Site development for American Self Storage III, consisting of a two-story, 36,400-square-foot storage building and a one-story 8,668-square-foot storage building to be located on their existing property at 1501 James Lee Blvd. East, PIN #(16-3N-23-0000-0011-0010). Requested by Mark Siner, PE of Choctaw Engineering, Inc., agent for the property owners. LPA 15-11.

•Site development plans for Advanced Family Medical Center, a one-story, 5,130-square-foot medical building located on a one-acre parcel at 327 Medcrest Drive, PIN #(29-3N-23-0441-0700-0020). Requested by Randy Hilburn, PE of Westerra Development, Inc., for the property owner.  LPA 15-08.

•Site development plans for Ken Patel Drainage Improvements, consisting of adding a retaining wall, stormwater retention and fill located in front of LaRumba Mexican Restaurant's property. Requested by Scott Jenkins, PE of Jenkins Engineering, Inc., for the property owner.  LPA 15-10.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 items on Crestview Technical Review Committee meeting agenda

FORT WALTON BEACH — Rick Perry, former Texas governor and potential presidential candidate, will take the stage as keynote speaker during the Okaloosa County Republican Executive Committee’s annual Lincoln Dinner.

Festivities are 6-10 p.m. Tuesday, May 12 at the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, 1500 Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. The public is invited.

Oleg Atbashian, author of “Shakedown Socialism” and creator of the satirical political website ThePeoplesCube.com, will share experiences of being a propaganda artist in the Soviet Union, his immigration to the U.S., and his dismay when he heard the same message as the Kremlin in New York's intellectual circles. Sept. 11, 2001 was his turning point.

 Tickets are $60 per person; $50 for Century Club and students. A Chairman’s Reception (meet-and-greet with Perry) will be held in the Oasis Room from 5-6 p.m.; tickets are $250 per person.

Seating for this fundraiser is limited, so order tickets early at OkaloosaGOP.com and Facebook.com/OkaloosaRepublicans if you wish to attend.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa GOP hosts Rick Perry next week

CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Crestview Association/Community Redevelopment Agency director will be a contracted rather than city government position.

New City Councilmen Bill Cox and JB Whitten, sitting in their first Community Redevelopment Agency meeting April 13, cast votes in favor of lessening city bureaucracy.

Moving to make the $40,000-a-year position a contracted job, Cox said, "Micromanagement is not the way to go …. Don't show a lack of confidence in someone who hasn't even been hired."

Administrative Services Director Teresa Gaillard, presenting information about "one extraordinary applicant" for the Main Street/CRA director, said the applicant wishes to work under contract rather than as a city employee.

"The problem is that contract workers cannot be controlled as tightly as city workers," said Gaillard, to whom the position would report.

CRA board member Mickey Rytman agreed. "To me as a manager, I want to have some degree of control over my employee," he said.

City Clerk Betsy Roy said the CRA's "strict funding mechanisms" can be used to control a contract employee.

"I understand the management thing, but we can get our hands on too tight sometimes," reappointed CRA Board President Shannon Hayes said. "If there's something in the contract that we need to make sure we have better control (of the worker), we can get with our attorney and get that in there."

Public Works Director Wayne Steele said the city has had success with contract labor, which can save the city money because contracted workers do not receive city benefits.

"We have a lot of contract labor and it does work," Steele said.

The motion passed 3-2, with Rytman and board member Joe Blocker voting nay.

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 Community Redevelopment Agency director will be contract worker

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Tax Collector’s Office will host workshops for the 2015 tax certificate sale.

“Representatives from the Tax Department will be educating citizens on the annual tax certificate sale where winning bidders can earn between 5 percent to 18 percent interest," Tax Collector Ben Anderson said.

“These workshops are a great place for us to share valuable information about the sale.”

Each 6 p.m. workshop is scheduled as follows:

•Tuesday, May 12, Uptown Station, 73 Eglin Parkway, Suite 111, Fort Walton Beach

•Thursday, May 14, 506 Highway 85 N., Niceville

•Tuesday, May 19, 302 N. Wilson St., Crestview

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa tax certificate sale workshops set

CRESTVIEW — The Voting System Citizen Advisory Board will meet 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at the Supervisor of Elections office in Fort Walton Beach.

The board looks at options for replacing voting equipment.

Contact Paul Lux, 689-5600 or plux@co.okaloosa.fl.us, for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa's new voting equipment to be reviewed

FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa County Commission will conduct an executive session immediately before the Board of County Commissioners' scheduled workshop and regular meeting on Tuesday.

Commissioners will discuss ongoing litigation — Okaloosa County v. LaGrange Aero Inc., et. al. — during the 5 p.m. executive session, which is closed to the public. The meeting is in the County Commission Meeting Room on the Water & Sewer Administration Building's third floor. County Commission Chairman Nathan Boyles, Vice Chairman Kelly Windes and Commissioners Wayne Harris, Carolyn Ketchel and Trey Goodwin, County Administrator John Hofstad, County Attorney Greg Stewart and a certified court reporter will attend the meeting.

Following the closed session, the board will reconvene in open session in the Board Chambers to take action, if necessary.

A workshop to discuss a bingo ordinance is at 5:30 p.m., and the regular meeting follows at 6 p.m.

The Water and Sewer Administration Building is located at 1804 Lewis Turner Blvd., Fort Walton Beach.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County Commission sets executive session

CRESTVIEW — The Community Redevelopment Agency has unanimously approved two applications for façade improvement grant funds.

The board approved property owner Kathy Ellis' request to remove 1960s façade stones, replace them with period-authentic brick, and replace rotted wooden doorways and windows on a former thrift store at 113 Main St. N. The $9,700 grant covers half the project's $19,400 cost.

In addition, the board approved a $10,000 grant for improvements to a vacant lot at 147 N. Main St. Crestview Property Services requested the funding for a $27,000 project that will transform the lot to a downtown outdoor food court.

Boyles noted in a letter to the board that the property may conceal a buried 1918 cement marker designating the spot Okaloosa County's geographic center, the Old Spanish Trail's highest elevation, and the origin of Crestview’s nickname, the Hub City.

Façade improvement grants — which may not exceed $10,000 each — can pay up to half the costs of projects that improve Main Street's appearance.

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 board OKs $19,700 for façade improvement grants

CRESTVIEW — The Historic Preservation Board has received a $7,300 gift from a member of its 2001 board.

Former board president and Mayor Jerry Milligan presented the check from retired banker Marland Wordell to the City Council at its Monday meeting.

The money was designated for use by “the Historic Preservation Board to be used to continue its work in the historic preservation of downtown Crestview,” Wordell stated in a letter to Council President Shannon Hayes.

Milligan said Wardell was particularly enthused about a proposal to recreate the former Crestview depot, which was demolished in the 1970s.

He asked, if the board saw fit, to apply some of the funds toward that project, Milligan said.  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Retiree's $7,300 gift could go toward Crestview depot recreation