CRESTVIEW — The City Council has unanimously accepted two requests from the Public Works Department to cover engineering and pest control services.

Assistant Public Works director Carlos Jones — representing director Wayne Steele, who was out on medical leave — said Monday that they received plenty of response on a request for proposals for engineering consultants.

“We had nine firms that responded to that RFP,” Jones said during the city council meeting.

Jones said given the responding firms' diversity, the review committee revised the proposal's scope, selecting four firms that represented a cross section of areas of expertise.

“Several firms were needed to meet the planning and engineering needs of the city,” city engineer Fred Cook stated in a letter to the council.

CH2MHill, PolyEngineering, Seaside Engineering and Survey, and Atkins North America, will cover engineering needs such as upgrades to Twin Hills Park, water systems, sewer systems, drainage and erosion control, and roads and traffic.

“We also felt that utilizing four firms would provide more options to the city in the event that one is not able to provide the services at the time needed,” Cook’s letter stated.

With the council’s approval, Public Works will negotiate hourly rates with the four firms and prepare four respective continuing services contracts for the council’s approval. The city will only pay the firms when engineering services are actually needed.

PEST CONTROL

For pest control services, Bryan Pest Control was the only bidder to respond to Public Works’ request for proposals, Jones stated.

Its initial bid was outside the budgeted amount, but after negotiations, the company agreed to an annual cost of $3,960 to treat 15 city-owned facilities.

Bryan agreed to treat each building quarterly for $66 each, and would “take care of any problems between services at no charge,” according to a letter to the city from Allan Quigley, Bryan general manager.

A second company that planned to bid on pest control services submitted a proposal after the deadline, Jones said.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bids approved for city engineering and pest control services

CHIPLEY — The Florida Department of Transportation will hold two final recommendation meetings concerning the update to the Interstate 10 Master Plan for Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington and Jackson counties. 

The first meeting is July 31 at the Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce Drive, Crestview. The second is Aug. 7 in the First Baptist Church Youth Building, 1300 S. Blvd., Chipley.  Both meetings will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  and will provide the same information.  A brief presentation is at 5:45 p.m.  

The purpose of the Interstate Master Plan is to develop an integrated transportation system that is economically efficient, environmentally sound, and moves people and goods in an energy-efficient manner.

The plan will identify and recommend mobility enhancement alternatives that serve high speed, high volume travel, including long trips and regional commerce as well as outline a process of protecting the right-of-way necessary to accommodate future needs. Your involvement in the master planning effort will help to shape I-10 in this part of the state for decades to come.

Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact FDOT Project Manager Virgie Bowen,  toll-free at (888) 638-0250, extension 1530 at least seven days prior to the meeting.

Additional project information is on the I-10 master plan website.

For more information, follow FDOT District Three on Twitter or Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Final Interstate 10 Master Plan recommendation meetings set in Crestview and Chipley

CRESTVIEW — The initial two phases of the planned widening of P.J. Adams Parkway are on track, with construction work scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2015-16.

Further work on the P.J. Adams-Antioch Road corridor is also near the top of the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization project priorities list.

Committed projects in the Crestview area are two components of P.J. Adams Parkway widening, encompassing the first and second phases, which will widen the busy road to four lanes from State Road 85 to Ashley Drive/Villacrest Drive.

Brandi Whitehurst, public involvement coordinator for the OWTPO, said Project Development and Environment studies for the segments from Ashley Drive to Interstate 10 have also been completed.

Funding for right-of-way acquisition for those two phases is pending for fiscal year 2016-17.

Funding for construction of those phases, plus funding for design, right-of-way and construction of the final phase from I-10 to U.S. Highway 90 are not yet prioritized, according to a project priorities report provided by Whitehurst.

The final phase of the bypass — from U.S. 90 roughly following the Yellow River until meeting Old Bethel Road near Deer Valley Estates and continuing to S.R. 85 north of Crestview High School —  currently ranks 35th on the OWTPO’s project priorities report.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PJ Adams widening on track, rest of bypass makes projects list

The American Legion Post 235 in Fort Walton Beach and the North Okaloosa Republican Club are giving area residents two chances to question local political candidates. Forum dates and times are listed below.

•6:30 p.m. July 24, American Legion Post 235, 105 SW Hollywood Blvd., Fort Walton Beach. Registered candidates for: Okaloosa County Commission Seat District 4 — Trey Goodwin, Henry Kelley and Donnie Amunds — and candidates for clerk of courts — J.D. Peacock, Charles Baugh and Dan Spence — are expected to attend the Okaloosa County Republican Club event. Cost is $15 per person, which includes drink and gratuity. All club members, registered Republicans and their invited guests are welcome. Details: Club President Don Adams, 586-1325.

•Okaloosa commissioner and clerk forum, 5:30 p.m. July 30, and school board, 5:30 p.m. July 31, Warriors Hall, 201 Stillwell Blvd., Crestview. Events start with candidate meet and greet, followed by forums at 6:30 p.m. Submit questions to norcoffl@outlook.com by July 20. Details: JB Whitten, 610-1176 or norcoffl@outlook.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Political forums give citizens chance to quiz Northwest Florida candidates

CRESTVIEW — A proposed fire services fee that could add hundreds of dollars to residential water bills and cost some businesses almost double their property taxes doesn't sit well with Councilwoman Robyn Helt.

The Crestview Fire Department could fund its $3.5 million annual budget by monthly assessing as much as $28.16 to every city residence, according to Tallahassee-based Government Services Group consultants.

Businesses, institutions and commercial properties would receive square foot assessments. An 8,000 square-foot commercial property could be assessed as much as $1,760 atop its annual tax bill.

‘$20,000 OF SIMPLE MATH’

Helt took issue with the $20,000 cost of the report, which, GSG senior project manager Jeff Rackley said, was based on data from the fire department and city clerk’s office.

“Honestly, all of that is information the city has at its disposal any given day,” Helt said. “This looks to me like $20,000 of simple math the city could have figured out.”

By using GSG’s methodology, which Rackley said the Florida Supreme Court has accepted in previous cases, the city could avoid challenges to the levy of the additional fee, Fire Chief Joe Traylor said during a Wednesday workshop.

BUSINESS DETERRENT

The proposed fire assessment would deter business growth, Helt contended. For example, based on the Crestview Wal-Mart’s 200,000 square footage, its fire assessment would be $54,000 a year, substantially higher than its 2013 $29,586 city tax bill, she said.

The assessment would undo the council’s efforts, such as eliminating some impact fees, to lure businesses to town, Helt said.

“For a TJ Maxx or a Ross, that would be cost-prohibitive and make them look elsewhere if they are considering Crestview,” Helt said. “And what about the mom-and-pop start-ups?”

Councilman Tom Gordon said his interest in the fee was that it would spread the cost of fire protection equitably over all property owners and lower the millage rate for tax-paying homeowners.

“The only way I can support the assessment is if it gives the taxpayer an overall lower cost of living in the city of Crestview,” Gordon said. “If you cause the cost of business to go up where there is no ad valorem rate adjustment, they’ll raise prices or go somewhere else.”

FAIRNESS FOR ALL

Council President Shannon Hayes agreed with assessing all property owners, saying 57 percent of homeowners pay no city taxes.

“These people who have been getting a free ride for years and years and years are finally going to have the opportunity to contribute their fair amount,” Hayes said.

“Let’s talk about the 57 percent,” Helt said. “Some are retired or disabled; they have practiced fiscal restraint. …We shouldn’t look for loopholes to get around protections like the homestead exemption.”

Helt advocated the city “reduce spending and increase efficiencies” instead of adding more to residents’ tax burden.

“Just this one report alone cost $20,000 for very simple math that we could very easily come up with on our own,” she said.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Helt questions Crestview's proposed fire assessment fee