CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Thomas called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. at Two Trees Restaurant in Fort Walton Beach .

PRESENT

Councilman Dutch Payne - Cinco Bayou

Councilwoman Brenda Bush - Crestview

Mayor Craig Barker - Destin

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

Councilwoman Fay Miller - Laurel Hill

Mayor John Thomas - Mary Esther (President)

Mayor Randall Wise - Niceville

Commissioner Heyward Strong - Valparaiso

County Commissioner Elaine Tucker - Okaloosa County

ALSO PRESENT

Tina Smith, Deputy Town Clerk - Shalimar

NOT PRESENT

Mayor Gary Combs - Shalimar

MINUTES

Commissioner Strong informed the board that he had made a few small changes to the minutes.  At the top of page 4, he wanted the information contained in his motion to be a little more detailed regarding the September Quarterly Executive Board Dinner Meetings.  Councilman Payne moved to approve the minutes from the July 7, 2003 Executive Board Meeting as written.  Commissioner Strong seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

TREASURER'S REPORT

Mayor Glover gave the Treasurer’s Report as follows:  The balance as of July 31, 2003 is $2,678.34.  One check had been written to Two Trees for lunches.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

HB133 Update – Mayor Thomas reported that this bill has passed.  Mayor Barker stated that he heard the same thing.  Commissioner Strong reported that the bill never made it past the legislature and the league will be fighting the issue again next year.

OCLOC Logo – Councilman Payne relayed that Cinco Bayou’s Deputy Clerk, Monika Gillette , designed a couple different logos.  Councilman Payne passed these ideas around so that everyone could add their comments.  He will forward these remarks to Ms. Gillette for alteration and bring the updated logo to the next meeting.

Clean Water – Mayor Barker stated that all of the cities should have received Destin’s resolution in the mail.  County Commissioner Elaine Tucker disclosed that she had received a letter from County Manager, Chris Holley, explaining that he had received letters from some of the mayors in the county outlining the cities’ ideas for cleaning up the water and that the cities want to double boater registration fees.  She stated that she felt the county should not be approached until the league had found answers to all possible questions.  She is also concerned with the idea of only looking at one funding source.  She has been researching on-line information on the Clean Water Act which includes grant programs that are available.  Commissioner Heyward Strong suggested that they form a committee to research the issues and, once a plan is set, bring their package to the county.  All cities will forward their clean water resolutions to Destin and someone from Destin will present the entire package to the county. His idea for the committee members is County Commissioner Elaine Tucker, Mayor Craig Barker, Mayor Glenda Glover, and Councilman Dutch Payne.  Mayor Barker explained that he spoke with someone from Monroe County on several occasions, researched the Clean Vessel Act and met with State of Florida experts for 6 hours to discuss this issue.  After all of his research, he, along with everyone he talked to, felt that the additional registration fee was the best way to fund this issue.  The City of Destin decided that the county needed a mobile pump out facility.  Commissioner Tucker stated that it is going to be difficult to get the residents of Crestview to agree with this extra fee.  Mayor Barker made a motion that the 4 members of the committee will meet and have most issues resolved by the September meeting, then this topic will be presented to the County.  Commissioner Strong seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.  Also, any documents that are forwarded to a municipality’s district county commissioner should also be courtesy copied to Commissioner Tucker.  Mayor Barker will contact the committee members to set up a meeting.  Mayor Barker will also supply Commissioner Tucker a copy of the information that he has already given to Commissioner Burkett.

NEW BUSINESS

The September meeting as scheduled will fall on Labor Day so the Board decided on rescheduling it for Tuesday, September 2, 2003 at 12:00 .  Mayor Glover confirmed this with the restaurant and it is available.

Since Mayor Carroll left the Executive Board and Mayor Thomas moved up from Vice President to President, the board has not had a Vice President.  Mayor Thomas suggested to the Board that Mayor Glover become the Vic e President and remain the Secretary/Treasurer.  This was voted on and all agreed.

Mayor Thomas suggested that the League pay for County Commissioner Tucker’s lunches to show appreciation for her repeated participation.  Councilman Payne moved that the League pay for the lunches and all agreed.

A request was made that everyone either arrive at the restaurant at 11:30 or establish a regular menu item.  A decision was made that either everyone will arrive at the restaurant early enough to place their order before noon or get their order to Deputy Clerk Smith and she will order for you.

Patriot Law – Mayor Thomas received a letter regarding the Patriot Law.  Commissioner Strong didn’t feel this issue is something for the League to become involved in.  Councilman Payne seconded his opinion and everyone else agreed.  Mayor Thomas will respond to the letter. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS FROM CITIES

Cinco Bayou – Councilman Payne reported that his cities’ budget is finally done.  Cinco Bayou is in the process of working on a grant for major reconstruction of one of their boat docks.  Also, their grants are moving on Glenwood Park and Laguna Park but they are trying to hold off on any construction until after school starts. 

Crestview – Crestview has set its tentative millage rate at 6.999 mils.  August 11, 2003 is their first budget workshop.  The city has a new traffic light on Hwy. 85 North just before the high school, 4 new banks are currently being built and the city is getting a CVS Pharmacy at the corner of Hwy. 85 and Hwy. 90.

Destin – Mayor Barker stated that his esteemed City Manager will be leaving along with her husband, the Fort Walton Beach City Manager.  Over the last year, Destin has instituted e-government initiatives that should help out with the transition but Mrs. Silverboard will definitely be missed.  Destin has passed a resolution agreeing to a distribution methodology that they might use to split CRA TIF funds and now it is awaiting the County’s response. 

Fort Walton Beach – Fort Walton Beach ’s City Manager is also leaving and will also be missed.  Mayor Glover informed the board that they will be starting their budget meetings on Wednesday.  Their council decided to appoint an ad hoc committee for their museum to see if the museum can be utilized more effectively.  The committee will bring ideas back to the council by December.  Mayor Barker commended Mayor Glover for the changes that have been made downtown Fort Walton Beach .

Laurel Hill – Councilwoman Miller reported that they are busy with the budget.  The cities’ Hobo festival is the 1^st Saturday in October and, at this point, it seems it will be much bigger and nicer than in previous years.  There has been nothing started on the library issue.

Mary Esther – Mary Esther did not receive the grant for their library and will resubmit it.  They have added a “no right turn on red” restriction at the end of Doolittle and they have lowered the speed limit on Hwy. 98 to 40 MPH.  The city has finished their budget and established their tentative millage rate.

Niceville – Niceville is still working on resurfacing John Simms Pkwy. and the contractors have removed all of the trip cables at the traffic lights so the lights are on timers.

Shalimar – The OCLOC dinner (scheduled for September 18) will be pushed back a week to September 25 because Mayor Combs will be out of town the week of the 18^th.  Shalimar would also like to get a tentative head count because the restaurant they have reserved can only hold approximately 130 people.

Valparaiso – Commissioner Strong reported that Valparaiso received their Water tank grant.  They are also in the middle of their budget cycle.  The city has rented the Chamber building to a Child Development Center , starting September 1.  Also their first resurfacing project is underway.

Okaloosa County – The county is also in the middle of their budget workshops.  The final budget hearings will be held on September 2 and September 16.  Someone from BRAC will definitely be doing a presentation at the next quarterly dinner meeting.  Commissioner Tucker reminded everyone that the Air Force Base will not give the cities anything for, at least, the next 4 years so don’t even ask.  All of the negative newspaper articles are hurting this area.  The next BRAC meeting will be on August 29 at 9:00 at the OWCC building on Green Acres in Building 1.  Mayor Thomas commented to Commissioner Tucker the mosquito spray trucks are doing a great job.

Commissioner Strong asked that board members pass on to the attendees of the Florida League of Cities conference, to please vote against the issue that will be coming before the forum.

Mayor Thomas received a letter regarding the boards’ support of Julio Robaina.  He stated that in the letter it said that this type of information can not be distributed to the nominating committee.

Starting at this meeting, the OCLOC will start paying for Commissioner Tucker’s lunches.

NEXT MEETING

The next rescheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 2, 2003 at 12:00 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:21 p.m.