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

CRESTVIEW — The Main Street Crestview Association and Community Redevelopment Agency are close to finalizing a plan to hire a dual program director.

But first, the CRA needs more information.

“My concern is exactly the same as it was in the previous meeting which is, we have not received proper notification of what request we would place before the citizens to consider,” board member Robyn Helt said.

Main Street President Ellis Connor returned before the board at its Monday night meeting, though still without information that CRA members formally requested.

The agenda read, “Ellis Connor, Main Street,” Helt said, and instead of delivering a job description and salary request, Connor provided further history of the two organizations.

CRA members said it is up to Main Street to present the proposal and formal request.

Helt said she supports hiring a director, but given previous rancor within the Main Street board of directors and among its members, the position’s duties and responsibilities must be clearly defined before she would vote to approve the request.

Board members were divided on whether the director should report to the Main Street Association or the CRA, whose district extends beyond the Main Street district.

“We are almost there,” board President Shannon Hayes said. “We need a little bit more information to be able to vote on this.”

The association would work with City Clerk Betsy Roy and other city staffers to prepare a job description to present at the Aug. 11 CRA meeting, Connor 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: Main Street and CRA director parameters almost finalized

CRESTVIEW — Countryview Park, the city’s largest, will receive a modest upgrade following patrons’ complaints.

Just one picnic table in a pavilion built to accommodate four tables provides “literally the only place to sit down in this park. There's no park benches,” Countryview Estates resident Bill Cox said during Monday's city council meeting.

“There are two practice ball diamonds without even a rudimentary player bench,” he said. “There's no water fountain.”

The water fountain, which once stood where a children’s play station is now, was vandalized and replaced many times until officials gave up replacing it, assistant Public Works director Carlos Jones said.

“We're not really using (the park) for anything. It's just kind of there,” Councilwoman Robyn Helt said. “To have it just kind of there with no particular plan to improve it or make it useful for our citizens is shameful.”

Public Works staffers are checking city inventories for equipment such as picnic tables and park benches to enhance Countryview Park. They will also consider barbecue grills and investigate a more vandal-resistant drinking fountain, Jones said.

Mayor David Cadle told the council that Okaloosa Youth Academy's woodworking program could build picnic tables for just the cost of lumber.

“That park could be a great asset to our community and it serves one of the highly developed parts of our city,” Helt 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: Lack of seating, amenities concern Countryview Park users

CRESTVIEW — The city’s auditors are cautioning officials about deficit spending that has been propped up by utilities revenues.

Alan Jowers of Carr, Riggs and Ingram says the city’s unassigned fund balance has steadily declined.

"We're seeing annual deficits for the last four years," he said during the city council's Monday meeting. "What that means is the city is spending more than it's bringing in.

"Continued deficit spending and continued transfers from utility funds can lead to problems."

The city is nowhere near the financial straits that have led state and federal officials to threaten to take over other cities’ finances, Jowers said.

Jowers' report should be a wake-up call against fiscal irresponsibility, Councilwoman Robyn Helt said.

“What I heard you say in no uncertain terms is you have detected a trend that is not sustainable for our city to continue to operate along, and that is overspending,” Helt said.

After reaching a peak of more than $1.3 million in deficit spending in 2012, Council President Shannon Hayes said 2013’s $800,000 deficit showed “the trend did go down quite a bit.”

“At this point it's not dire,” Jowers said. “There's still time to kind of make some changes. You're not at death's door.”

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Auditor: City should cease deficit spending

CRESTVIEW — New use might await a downtown building that once was an Amtrak passenger shelter.

The building — unused since the railway’s Sunset Limited transcontinental service was suspended east of New Orleans in 2005 — was boarded up for several years. Crestview Public Works employees removed the boards last year when then-City Council President Robyn Helt said they made the building look ramshackle.

Now, "the hope is it will be incorporated into the (planned) linear park between Main Street and Twin Hill Park,” Helt said. The city is accepting proposals for a pedestrian and bicycle connector.

Passersby periodically use the building as a rest stop; some eat on wrap-around benches at either end of the building.

The shack could serve any of several purposes, depending on what planners and residents recommend, Helt said. That could mean a food service, welcome center or public restrooms.

There’s even the potential for the building to resume its original function.

Local and regional Transportation Planning Organizations have recommended Florida officials join those in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana in requesting the return of Gulf Coast rail passenger service.

A Crestview stop would serve Emerald Coast destinations including Destin and Fort Walton Beach.

One function the shack doesn’t serve is an overnight shelter for transients or the homeless, Crestview Police spokesman Lt. Andrew Schneider said.

“We have not received a single complaint. We haven’t had any incidents reported in the last several months,” he said. “We very rarely see a transient. It’s just not a comfortable building.”

Routine patrols have not detected unlawful or unusual activity at the shelter, Schneider said.

“We do security checks when we pass by,” he 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: Amtrak shelter could get new life in linear park