CALL TO ORDER

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

PRESENT

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 Gary Combs - Shalimar

Commissioner Heyward Strong - Valparaiso

County Commissioner Elaine Tucker - Okaloosa County

ALSO PRESENT

Tina Smith, Deputy Town Clerk - Shalimar

Mack Gay – Institute for Senior Professionals

NOT PRESENT

Councilman Dutch Payne - Cinco Bayou

Councilman Al Swihart - Niceville

MINUTES

Commissioner Strong briefly went over 2 changes to the minutes.  The minutes of the September 2, 2003 Executive Board Meeting were accepted as amended.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Mayor Glover gave the Treasurer’s Report as follows:  The balance as of September 30, 2003 is $2,527.01.  One check has been written to Two Trees for lunches.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

HB133 update – Commissioner Strong maintained that there will be nothing new on this issue until next year.

OCLOC Logo – Councilmember Payne is handling this issue along with his City Clerk.  He is out today so there are no new updates.

Clean Water Project – County Commissioner Tucker stated that there is no news to report on this issue.

Eglin Representative – Mayor Thomas stated that he discussed the issue of becoming a representative with a former Eglin representative, Col. Jimmie Smith.  Col. Smith would be glad to be a representative again but Mayor Thomas wanted to get the board’s approval before officially asking him since the board had already chosen Bill Thornton.  Because of this conversation with Col. Smith, Mayor Thomas did not send the letter to Mr. Thornton or his boss.  Shalimar’s Clerk, Tina Smith, pointed out the e-mail copy from Mr. Thornton that was attached to everyone’s agendas.  Mr. Thornton has respectfully declined becoming part of the league noting his already “full plate”.  With this in mind, the board agreed that Mayor Thomas contact Col. Smith and ask that he become Eglin’s representative for the Okaloosa County League of Cities.

Mayor Glover reported the top 5 legislative priorities for next year that were decided at the last Legislative Group workshop last Thursday.

NEW BUSINESS

Commissioner Tucker informed everyone that the TPO/MPO Meeting will be this Wednesday at 4:00 at the Niceville Community Center .  She reported that she feels the local TPO/MPO is trying to combine with Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties .  Mack Gay stated that they are now working on an interlocal agreement for Hwy. 98 work because the proposal of combining the 3 counties did not pass.

Mayor Thomas suggested that, instead of having a committee to decide the new president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer, the board should be able to jot down their nominees and they will be tallied by him and Mayor Glover.  Mayor Glover suggested letting Clerk Smith count the votes.  Clerk Smith will inform the 2 absent board members via e-mail that the vote will be on the agenda for the November meeting and the new officers will be announced at the next quarterly League of Cities dinner in December.

Mayor Combs asked that the quarterly dinners be moved back a month to January, April, July and October.  Mayor Thomas stated that the by-laws would need to be changed.  Commissioner Strong recommended that everyone take this idea back to their councils/commissions.  This will be on the November meeting agenda.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS FROM CITIES

Cinco Bayou – Councilmember Dutch Payne was not in attendance.

Crestview – On November 1 from 2:00-7:00 the Crestview Main Street Association is going present the downtown fall festival.  Admission is free and there will be booths and sidewalk sales from the businesses and various organizations.  Also, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and there will be prayer vigils at some of the local courthouses. 

Destin – The Destin Seafood Festival was this past weekend and it was a remarkable success.  The City moved the location and Mayor Barker feels it worked out better for traffic conveniences.  The City of Destin held a Beach Renourishment Support Rally over the weekend which was a success and Commissioner Tucker stated that it was all very positive.  The city is set to establish the erosion control line through a resolution tonight which will be sent off to the state requesting that they establish the erosion control line laid out in the resolution.  The Clean Water Committee tried to meet but there were conflicting schedules so they will definitely try to meet and come up with the final plan before the November meeting.  Commissioner Tucker asked Mayor Barker about the bulldozed dunes on Noriega Point.  Mayor Barker stated that he wasn’t aware of the change but he will look into it and get back with her.

Fort Walton Beach – The deadline date for accepting City Manager applications is October 8.  The city has received many up to this point and the staff will go through them and pick out the top 10 qualified applicants.  The decision will then go to the Fort Walton Beach City Council.  A big gala is scheduled for December 6 which will be held downtown.  It will be an all day affair and there will be a Christmas Tree lighting at dusk.

Laurel Hill – The Hobo festival worked out great with 58 venders, a battle of the firefighters, and a horseshoe throwing contest.  The Laurel Hill City Council has approved the enlargement of the City Hall.  Additions will include a larger meeting room, a new bay for the firefighters and more storage space.  The City has received a FEMA grant for the Fire Department for their communications system.  This will help solve their problems with communicating down to the central area in Crestview.

Mary Esther – The largest concern taking place in Mary Esther is the proposed median closures.

Niceville – Councilmember Al Swihart was not in attendance.

Shalimar – All of the police cars are now outfitted with color video recorders.

The Cherokee Road Right turning lane and Clifford Road Stormwater mitigation is now complete and was all paid for with general funds and ad valorem.  Also, Cherokee Park is approximately one month from completion.  Some of the remaining work is cleaning up; shoveling, grading, etc.  Mayor Combs has contacted someone from the 68 EWS to lead a community service project on October 17 at the park.  Mayor Combs wants all cities to be informed that if they have any community service-type work to be done they should contact the bases.

Valparaiso – Commissioner Strong briefed that the city is paving roads using a new process that Pensacola has been using for 2 or 3 years.  The process should save the city significantly.  Commissioner Strong then reported new information from the Northwest Florida League.  The City of Valparaiso had their final budget meeting where they reduced their millage rate.  Commissioner Strong attended the National League of Cities meeting and read off some of the issues that were discussed.  He informed the board that they are working it so that once the OCLOC decides their legislative priorities and agenda, they get a resolution from each city in Northwest Florida .  From there they will send the resolutions out to the Legislative delegation, the governor, speaker of the house and president of the senate so that everyone is well-informed.  He also reported that one of the issues up for a vote is not taxing sales on the internet and redefining the internet to include phone sales.

Mayor Thomas suggested to Commissioner Strong that, in the future, if he has anything other than a City report, he ask to be put on the agenda.

Councilmember Bush informed everyone that Alva Campbell, Mayor Pro-Tem for Defuniak Springs, has passed away.  He has been very involved in municipal organizations for years.  Councilmember Bush moved that the board send his family a card or flowers.  Mayor Barker seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.  Councilmember Bush will get Clerk Smith the address for the flowers.

Okaloosa County –

Wastewater Workshop at October 14, 2003 at 9:00 at Water and Sewer Building

Beach water safety workshop on October 21, 2003 at 2:00 at the Water and Sewer Building

Eglin Air Force Base – There was no representation from Eglin A.F.B.

NEXT MEETING

The next scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, November 3, 2003 at 12:00 p.m.

ADJOURN

Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:58 p.m.