WZEP AM 1460 First News Tuesday 09-13-11
Kevin Chilcutt
WZEP AM 1460 First News
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
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News Segment 0
DFS Council Meeting Part 1
The DeFuniak Springs City Council opened with Council member Kermit Wright giving the invocation and noting the time remembering the nation’s loss 10 years ago, September 11th.
Planning Director Greg Scoville presented a request by Jerry Evans to operate a crematorium within the C-1 commercial restricted district. The planning Board recommended denial of the project. While the ordinance has changed to no longer allow crematoriums upon special request, the funeral home had submitted and started the request process before the change. Mayor Carpenter asked if anyone wanted to speak. No one came forth. The Council agreed to uphold the Planning Board’s recommendation. This means the special permission will not be given.
Walton Homecoming is Friday September 30 and the council agreed to block streets for the parade. It will take the same rout as previous years. The council denied a request to install a crematorium, agreed to hold a special meeting to come up with criteria for selecting the new city manager, and talked about facility fee waivers for non-profits. The Council continues to look at an industrial park at the airport and possibly at the current location of the park on Gene Hurley Road. The city and county could go into a joint venture.
Work said he does not mind cutting employees, but feels advertisements should go ahead and take place. Wayne Graham said he disagrees and wants the positions to come before the council. Work said the previous vote has stalled the process. Wright made the motion, that if the job is already approved, then it can be advertised.
Scarlett Phaneuf, with the Walton County Economic Development Alliance, gave an update. She told the Council they have restructured their board and are looking at a work plan, marketing plan and other issues to carry them into next year. She also showed a piece placed at no cost in the 850 Magazine. Phaneuf talked about projects, including a 40 job beverage company and requests sent out.
Council member Mac Work presented information about cell phone usage by city employees. Work said they took cell phones away from some who did not really need them due to being at a landline phone. Work said this saved over $4000 a year and it does not affect safety. Work asked to have the travel budget cut in half. Work said, if an employee is doing continuing education, they need to pay for it them self. The motion died from a lack of second with Council wanting more information.
News Segment 1
DFS Council Meeting Part 2
Mayor Carpenter said they have around 40 applications for City Manager and asked the Council how they wanted to move forth. Council member Ron Kelley said the job requirements called for city manager experience or equivalent. He said this is not an entry level job. Staff said there were 27 completed applications turned in. Council member Mac Work said the process did not work last time and suggested taking the top three ranked applications. Wright asked to have some type of structure in selecting, saying whatever they choose, they all should do the same thing. Kelley said his problem is with the criteria, citing the question, “how many words the applicant can type” as an example. The Council will hold a special meeting next Monday, the 19th, at 6:00pm.
Council member Wright talked about the old health department building. He said his thought was to hire someone as a city employee, someone with an electrical license and can do finish carpentry. Wright also said the engineer said they could do the project the way he planned for $460,000, or could hire a contractor for around $900,000 or build a new structure for $2.4 million. Wright asked to hire a city employee, saying a city employee can work county inmates. Wright told his fellow Council members that he can not do the job like they have set it and he does not backing away from it. The architect said they could build the new police department, changing the roof and meeting new wind codes.
The discussion turned to exactly how to manage the building project and not violate the Shunshine laws. Attorney Adkinson pointed out that the committee could only meet in the Sunshine and council member Wright could not manage aspects of the projects. Adkinson also talked about the previous questions of mold and asbestos. The Council was told there are ways to mitigate the problems.
Council member Ron Kelley suggested getting rid of the committee and allowing staff to supervise.
Chief Mark Weeks said they need to get a demolition crew in and get the building down to the bare walls. He said they need to start the next day. The architect said they would demo to find out what is there and then start the plans.
Mayor Carpenter said they need 13000 square feet and the building is actually over 16000 square. He suggested taking the south end off, the part that has caused problems.
Kirby Rushing said there is no way they can do what they are saying. He said it will cost more than they expect and this will open a can of worms. Rushing said he has been in the construction business for 45 years and they can not do it at $30 a square foot. Rushing said he has never seen the government stay within budget. Ed Joyner agreed with Rushing, but said the low $30 a square cost is by taking out the labor. Joyner also said they will have to take out permits and can only do up to $200,000 in self contracting. The attorney and Joyner also agreed there are parts that have to be contracted out.
The Council agreed to move forth with gutting the inside and then decide what needs to be done.
The Council adopted an ordinance to change the way it holds run-off elections. They also agreed to advertise for adoption of a moratorium on utilities rate increases. The increases are currently built in and this would stop them from automatically taking place.
The Council turned down a request by Hulbert Field to use the airport for night maneuvers. The Council feared landing a C-130 or other heavy craft could damage the runway. Staff will check with the Air Force and find out what they plan to do and how it would affect the runway, then bring the matter back at the next meeting.
News Segment 2
331 Accident Sends 5 To Hospital
A single vehicle accident on U.S. 331, north of the New Harmony Road, ended with the custom van almost in Turkey Creek. Six people were involved and five were transported, two by air ambulance.
Early Monday afternoon Liberty Volunteer Fire Department and Walton Fire-Rescue EMS were dispatched to the possible rollover accident after the Ford van traveling north on U.S. 331 just past Highway 2A, for unknown reasons crossed the center line and drove onto the west grassy shoulder. The van, with out of state tags, struck a pine tree and continued sliding rotating on the shoulder, coming to a stop upright, after striking the bridge guard rail.
AirHeart was called to transport a 1-year-old pediatric patient and Gulf Flight was called to transport an adult. Three other patients, including another 4-year-old pediatric patient, were taken to North Okaloosa Medical Center. The driver, Jason Lynch of Guntersville, Alabama, was wearing a seat belt and is listed with no injuries. Charges are pending the investigation.
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An 18-year-old Shalimar teen is listed with only minor injuries after a rollover accident on State Road 85. He was wearing a seat belt. The teen stated he was looking at his cell phone and drifted into the median, causing his vehicle to rotate and overturn one and a half times. Charges are not listed.
An accident on the I-10 ramp caused little lane restrictions as the load of scrap metal spilled on the grassy shoulder. A tractor trailer rig left the roadway and overturned Monday morning. The load spilled and caused a mess that took several hours to clean up.
News Segment 3
Looking for the arrest report? http://jailpublic.co.walton.fl.us
This is the new jail search page. Use the drop down calendar to find dates.
WCBCC Agenda
The Walton Commissioners are to meet at 3:00 PM for a special meeting
to discuss Code Enforcement Board meetings and procedures. The meeting and the regular meeting at 4pm, will both be at the South Walton Courthouse Annex.
Approval of Consent Agenda
1. Approve Expenditure Approval List (EAL)
2. Approve Minutes of August 23, 2011 Regular Meeting
3. Request to accept the Certificate of Application for the JAGC Grant for the Walton county Department of corrections Technology Enhancement Project
4. Approve to surplus various items from several different Walton County offices
5. Approve Surplus Equipment Request from the Clerk’s Office
6. Approve Records Disposition Request from the Clerk’s Office
7. Approve Continuing Services Contract with Government Services Group for the Fire Rescue Assessment Program, Daughette Canal Capital and Maintenance Assessment Programs, Four Mile Village Assessment Program, Imperial Lakes Assessment Area Capital Assessment Program, and Leisure Lake Assessment Program for a three year term
8. Approve Contractual Services Agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Administration, and North Walton County Mosquito Control District for required disbursement of State funds
9. Approve and allow the Chairman to sign a Certificate Regarding Matching Funds for the Federal Election Activities Grant in the amount of $6,589.42 for the Supervisor of Election’s Office and provide the matching funds in the amount of $988.4110. Approve the Hazard Analysis Contract between Walton County and State of Florida Department of Emergency Management as requested by the Sheriff’s Office
11. Approve Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement for Public Relations Services between Curley & Pynn/Public Relations Management, Inc. and the TDC for an additional one year term
12. Approve Amendment No. 4 to the Agreement for Advertising Services between Loeffler Associated, Inc. (LKM) and the TDC for an additional year term
4:05 PM Greg Kisela, County Administrator
1. Support Services
a. Award RFP 011-033 Car Fire Simulator
2. Starsky Harrell, Public Works Director
a. Award Bid 011-029 South Side Remediation
b. Request permission to purchase a 1998 F-800 Bucket Truck from CHELCO
in the amount of $12,000
c. Request permission to advertise for a Public Hearing to consider a budget
Amendment for funding for the Widening of State Road 83 (US 331) Project
to be held September 27, 2011
3. Administration
a. Request to apply for a TIGER III Grant for a design/build project on State
Road 83 (US 331) from State Road 20 to Owl’s Head Plantation and allow
matching funds to come from renegotiation of an existing road paving loan
which utilized pledged gas tax revenues
b. Consider a Joint Resolution of the Coastal Counties of the NW FL
Panhandle requesting support for certain federal legislation pertaining to BP
fines
4:15 PM Lynn Hoshihara, County Attorney
2. Request to move forward with scheduling and advertising a Public Hearing before the Planning Commission to consider an Ordinance relating to Development Agreements
3. Request to ratify action taken by the BCC on February 14, 1984 to relinquish a 2.78 acre parcel on the north bank of Lake Powell back to the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management due to the lack of development for recreational purposes
4:20 PM Public Hearing
1. Consider an Ordinance regulating Firearms and Ammunition
4:30 PM Dawn Moliterno, Tourist Development Council Executive Director
1. FY 2010-11 TDC Strategic Plan
2. TDC Building Analysis
3. Federal Shoreline Protection
4. TDC Spring 2011 Product Definition Study
5. Sports Feasibility Study
6. Update4:35 PM Commissioner Cecilia Jones, District Five
4:50 PM Vice-Chairman Commissioner Scott A. Brannon, District One
1. Planned Improvements to Douglass Crossroads Park
4:55 PM Chairman Larry D. Jones, District Three
5:00 PM Public Comments – please limit comments to five minutes or less
1. Request from Eva Barsoum regarding Riley’s Bayview Subdivision on Bayshore Drive in Miramar Beach
5:05 PM Planning and Development Services
1. Award RFP 011-030 Consulting Services for Post Disaster Redevelopment Plan
Legislative Items:
Small Scale Amendments (11)
Quasi-Judicial Items:
12. Bullets & Bones Sportsman Club
13. Daughette Docks
14. Naturewalk at Seagrove PUD Amendment
15. Walton County SLERS Project, Peach Creek Location
16. Walton County SLERS Project, Gaskin Location
Sports - Listen to WZEP for national and local sports. Email us your local sports stories and scores.
In High School Volleyball
Tuesday, September 13
Walton hosts Crestview 4, 5, 6 pm
Freeport at Chipley 5 and 6 pm
Thursday, September 15
Walton at Freeport 5 and 6 pm
Join us here on WZEP on Wednesday for the Jimbo Fisher Show. From 6-7 pm we’ll hear from FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher about how the season is going and how he’s going to approach this weekend’s game.
The FSU Seminoles will battle #1 Okalahoma on Saturday, September 17th. Pre-game starts at 5 pm. Kick-off at 7 pm. Join us right here on WZEP. Go Noles!
Boys and Girls Club Rockathon starts Friday evening at 7 pm and will go until Saturday at 1 pm. Come by and help send 8 teens to a Teen Leadership conference in Ft. Lauderdale by making a pledge or a donation. WZEP will be onsite on Saturday morning. Come on by and check out the teen center and all the activities throughout the event. The teens at the Boys and Girls Club challenge you to a game of Volleyball!!!
Obituaries - Listen in the morning, just after noon and the 4pm hour.
Dorothy Cheryl Watson, age 66, of DeFuniak Springs, passed away Thursday, September 8, at North Okaloosa Medical Center. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 13, in the chapel of Davis-Watkins Funeral Home beginning at 2 p.m. Committal services will follow at Magnolia Cemetery. Flowers are being accepted. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.daviswatkins.com. Arrangements and services are under the direction of Davis-Watkins Funeral Home.
NOTE TO OTHER MEDIA: If any of these are the basis or imputers for a story you write or develop, please credit WZEP AM 1460 professionally by indicating "as reported on WZEP AM 1460."
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