MINUTES OF THE OKALOOSA COUNTY

LEAGUE OF CITIES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Thursday, March 6, 2003

 

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Carroll called the meeting to order at 12:01 at Cinco Bayou Town Hall .

 

PRESENT

Mayor Sara Carroll - Cinco Bayou (President)

Mayor Craig Barker - Destin

Mayor Glenda Glover - Fort Walton Beach (Secretary/Treasurer)

Councilwoman Fay Miller - Laurel Hill

Mayor John Thomas - Mary Esther (Vice-President)

Councilman Al Swihart - Niceville

Mayor Gary Combs - Shalimar

Commissioner Heyward Strong - Valparaiso

County Commissioner Elaine Tucker - Okaloosa County

 

ABSENT

Councilwoman Brenda Bush – Crestview

 

ALSO PRESENT

Helen Spencer, City Clerk - Fort Walton Beach

Tina Smith, Deputy Town Clerk - Shalimar

 

MINUTES

Mayor Combs moved to approve the February 6, 2003 Board of Directors’ minutes as written.  Commissioner Strong seconded motion and it carried unanimously.

 

TREASURER'S REPORT

Mayor Glover gave the Treasurer’s Report as follows:  the past balance was $3,140.63.  Activity during the last month includes a couple of small deposits for lunches, a deposit of $150.00 from The City of Destin for their membership dues and a payment of $64.00 today for lunches.  The current balance is $3,239.75.

 

Mayor Thomas moved to approve the Treasurer's Report as given.  Mayor Carroll seconded motion and it carried unanimously.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Web Site Contract/Agreement

Mayor Glover asked the board if one of the town attorneys should review the web site contract before it is approved and signed.  All of the web site details were laid out at the February meeting and recorded in the minutes.  The minutes also stated that a one-year contract would be drawn up.  The contract was signed by both parties.  It was suggested that the newest agendas not be accessible to everyone so a link will be e-mailed to all board members.

 

The next question about the web site is the domain name.  Since oloc.org is already taken, the next suggestion is ocloc.org.  Mayor Barker moved to approve the domain name www.ocloc.org.  Mayor Combs seconded motion and it carried unanimously with no discussion.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Board Meetings/Quarterly Dinners

Mayor Carroll asked the board members if they wanted to continue having the lunch meetings on the months of the quarterly dinners.  She stated that she had never known any business to take place at a dinner meeting.  The board agreed that it is a better idea to keep the monthly scheduled meetings and cancel, as necessary, for holidays, etc.

 

Mayor Glover moved to change these meetings to the first Friday of the month and have it at Two Trees Restaurant at the Fort Walton Beach golf course.  Councilman Swihart seconded the motion and it moved to a discussion between the board members because there were a lot of members that wouldn’t be able to attend a Friday meeting.  Commissioner Strong asked if Monday would be better for everyone.  Mayor Glover stated that she would check with Two Trees restaurant regarding having it on Monday and, possibly, preordering lunch so that it will be ready when the meeting starts.  All information Mayor Glover finds out will be forwarded on to Tina Smith and will be posted to the new web site.  If everyone is able to preorder their meals, the menu will also be uploaded to the site for reference.

 

After discussion, the motion for the meetings was changed to the first Monday of the month if Two Trees is available.  The motion carried unanimously.

 

Enclosed in the handouts was a copy of a resolution with a cover letter from the City of Mary Esther dated March 6, 2003 regarding the impact that FY 03/04 proposed budget cuts will have on State Libraries.  Mayor Carroll relayed that, according to the daily newspaper, the library issue has already been decided.

 

Commissioner Strong briefed the board that Joel Blackwell’s Training had to be canceled for March.  Councilman Strong stated that they would like to see if the 2 ˝ hour training session could be done during Niceville’s June 19 OCLOC dinner meeting from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m.   Councilman Swihart will get back to the board.

 

Laura Houchens, the NW District Director for the Florida Association for City Clerks, asked Mayor Carroll about making a presentation for the board regarding the illegalities of city clerks soliciting for door prizes.  Mayor Carroll declined the presentation at the time so that she could ask the board.  The board feels that each city and/or their attorneys should know what they can/can not do.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS FROM CITIES:

 

Cinco Bayou – Cinco Bayou now has a resident Computer hooked up in their town hall.  Mayor Carroll stated that if it was decided that it needed to be restricted, Cinco Bayou would just get rid of it.  She also mentioned that the town will be charging for the use of the Cinco Bayou boat ramp.  The traffic patterns have torn up the roads so the fee for the ramp will help pay for resurfacing.  Users of the docks will get a ticket to put on their dash once they pay.  Commissioner Tucker asked about their bat houses.  Mayor Carroll informed the board that the bat houses are so successful that they plan on getting another one.

 

Crestview – Not present

 

Destin – Mayor Barker also briefed the board on their State of the City address which was an hour and 45 minute movie and a total success.  They mailed out movie tickets and served cokes and popcorn.  If your city has to do a state of the city address the movie is a great idea.

 

Fort Walton Beach – Mayor Glover stated that they have an election next Tuesday.  She also briefed the board regarding the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial that will be March 22 at 9:30 .  All of the towns will get invitations.  Also, on Sunday, Fort Walton Beach will be having the bagpipe section of the Jazz ensemble at the Fort Walton Beach Landing. 

 

Laurel Hill – Councilwoman Miller briefed that they have 4 people running for 3 seats in the upcoming election.  Also, while working on a project for Legislative Day, Councilwoman Miller discovered that Laurel Hill was founded in 1905 which makes it the only city that was incorporated when Okaloosa County was formed.  She would like to start planning a Centennial celebration for 2005.

 

Mary Esther – Mayor Thomas stated that they have been having problems with their water.  The individual they had heading their water department sent some false reports to Pensacola . Mary Esther has decided to go commercial.  Mayor Thomas also briefed the council that there will be designated parking for the memorial with shuttles to the ceremony.

 

Niceville – The city of Niceville sent their landscaping crew up to Crestview to help out with the memorial.  They also received a $480,000 storm water runoff and purification grant.  They are putting it in behind the present Hardee's.  The skateboard park and track is almost ready to open.  Councilman Swihart also briefed that he has not been able to attend the board meetings because he has been vacationing.  He will try to get the mayor to attend when he can not.

 

Shalimar – Mayor Combs will be leaving for the Netherlands so he will miss the Veteran’s Memorial but Shalimar will definitely have someone from the town attend.

 

Valparaiso – Commissioner Strong briefed that Niceville is on the final phase of a CDBG grant for a water tank.  He also stated that their police upgrade package is done.  If any of the small cities needs the upgrade, this particular company has it about half the price than he has seen anywhere else. 

 

Okaloosa County – Workshops coming up:  April 8 – Solid Waste, April 29 -- Budget, May 13 – Storm water.  Commissioner Tucker will be in Tallahassee March 25-27.  Commissioner Tucker voiced that she was briefed yesterday that Eglin AFB/Hurlburt Field/Duke Field has the highest percentage of deployed servicemen of any base in the world.  Our communities really need to make an effort within our cities to try and help the people that are left behind.  Commissioner Tucker stated that these bases will take any help they can get.

 

Mayor Glover communicated that Fort Walton Beach will start working on a Disturbance of Peace resolution for the bars at the boardwalk.  She will take it to Governor Bush, if necessary.

 

Mayor Glover also stated that the city has purchased the old sound restaurant property for a park and the local Rotary club took over the project.

The information for the next meeting will be posted on the new web site.

 

Eglin Air Force Base – Not present

 

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be held on Monday, April 7, 2003 at 12:00 p.m.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:03 p.m.

 

E-mail comments and questions here