This is a WZEP Editorial. I’m Art
Dees.
DeFuniak Springs has a real
dilemma. Voters want to elect a
city clerk. It is an important
job. We may even think we elected a
good one but getting minutes timely has been a really big challenge. City Clerk Susie Campbell-Work has
submitted her resignation so a new election is mandated by the city
charter. I hope only qualified
candidates will apply. I would,
however, much rather see this become a staff
position if we can’t get the job done right though the election
process.
I hope candidates take the position
seriously. Can you spend the
time? Are your note-taking and
computer skills adequate for writing minutes? Will you be committed to the job? I really believe the time has come to
make this a staff position.
Consider the candidates and consider the option of staff for the election
on April 13, 2010. I believe you
can affect changes in staff much faster and much easier than an elected
position. Let’s get this resolved
and on track.
The DeFuniak Springs City Clerk is not
the Finance Director, which is a staff position responsible to the City Manager
and to the City Council. This is also not the same position as Clerk of Courts
for Walton County.
DFS Council Meeting
DeFuniak Springs Planning Director Greg Scoville presented an item for an adoption hearing. The request was an ordinance to allow staff to make decisions on minor site plans reviewed. The change was a request from staff and approved to come back before the council last fall. This will allow staff to make decisions on certain aspects without having to take the matter to the council, saving time and costs. Council approved.
The Walton Clerk of Courts Relay For Life Team recently held a fundraiser event at the community center and it was so popular, they want to hold a second one. Council approved waiving the fees since the scrap booking event’s profits will go to charity. The council also waved the fees for a community event by the Sheriff’s Office.
There will be an election in April to select someone to fill the City Clerk position. Since the former Clerk resigned before half the term was filled, the position has to be voted on. The council agreed to put a proposal on the ballot to ask voters if they will agreed to make the current elected city clerk seat an appointed position. The reason is due to the now limited duties and because the seat has been vacant most of the last 10 years. The residents have turned this down before, but the problem of filling the City Clerk seat remains. IF someone runs for the office and wins, they would serve for one year. If the voters turn down the request, the process will continue with trying to find someone to run for the seat each term. If the voters agreed to make the switch to the appointed position, this will take effect if no one runs. If the voters approve and someone runs and wins, then they will serve for a year and then the appointed position will take over.
The council received information
about the enterprise zone and agreed to a staff recommendation to reject the
bids for a used pickup truck. Council agreed to a contract renewal for FDOT road
maintenance and approved an agreement with
The council agreed to a new firefighter position. This is part of the Fire Department master plan. Now that Chief Coley is being shared with the county, the additional shift is needed. The position would not cause an additional cost due to the chief’s salary being shared with the county.
The firefighters and police officers have been earning holiday time and comp time. Because of rollovers and banking of time, City Manager Kim Kirby talked about limiting the time to 40 hours and making it a use it or loose it. She also suggested making President’s Day a holiday instead of Washington’s Birthday.
Kirby said, with the 11th Street project, they have been working with the county and need to buy asphalt. The blacktop will cost $81,000.
B&G Club Teen Center Event
Tickets are on sale now for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast DeFuniak Springs Teen Center’s second annual Steak and Burger fundraising event. Individual tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Walton County Tax Collector’s Office or Teen Center. Proceeds from the event will support the annual operating costs of the Teen Center.
The Steak and Burger event will take place on Thursday, March 11 at 6 PM at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center. The event will feature a presentation on the accomplishments of the Teen Center, a presentation by the “Youth of the Year,” as well as what the future holds for the Club. The University of Alabama’s Team Chaplain and former NFL Player, Jeremiah Castille, is the keynote speaker for the evening and will share his personal story on what it takes to be a champion.
The goal of the event is to raise funds to help the Teen Center become self-sustaining. One of the successful attributes of Boys & Girls Clubs models across the country is their ability to operate through community donations and fundraisers. Each center is responsible for raising funds to pay for the operating expenses of the Club, which currently at the Teen Center consists of staff salaries.
David King, Chairman of the Walton County Advisory Board for the DeFuniak Springs Teen Center and Member of the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast says the event is an opportunity for the community to come and learn about the programs taking place at the Teen Center. King says the community has been vital to the success of the Club and they want people to come and see how their support is directly impacting the individual lives of local teens.
The Teen Center currently has over 100 members on its roll with approximately 40 teens attending daily after school. Programs at the Teen Center are focused on developing academic skills, character, and healthy lifestyles. The Teen Center serves middle and high school aged youth.
If you are interested in purchasing tickets, sponsoring the Steak and Burger Event, or providing a silent auction donation, please contact Fundraising Chair Mike Morris at (850) 850.585.1718 or mmorris@chelco.com.
Structure Fire
A structure fire in northwest Walton County send a number of agencies and units to the scene. The fire was called in around 1:45pm Monday at a home on Clear Springs Road off Highway 85 near Lake Rd. The resident said she could see smoke after the power went out. Firefighters arrived to find smoke in the structure. Eventually the smoke was cleared and the likely cause was a heat/air unit.
Chamber Opposes Offshore Drilling
The Walton Area Chamber of Commerce says a bill filed in the Florida Senate supports the awarding of leases for offshore oil drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. The Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, along with many organizations in Northwest Florida, has consistently fought to keep offshore or near shore drilling from the Eastern military mission line waters of the Gulf. The Military Mission Line defines a testing and training range that is crucial to the operation of the military in Northwest Florida and is a critical national asset. Six major military installations in Northwest Florida provide a yearly economic impact of $17.5 billion and 220,000 direct and indirect jobs to the area. Statewide the military has an economic impact of $59 billion (nearly equivalent to the state tourist industry), yet the offshore drilling proponents argue that only $2.2 billion will be generated from the awarding of offshore drilling leases in state waters. The Chamber says the proposition makes no fiscal sense.
The Walton Area Chamber asks you to contact the legislators and tell them to keep offshore drilling out of the area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico. The Chamber says military bases are too important to the economy to risk for so little revenue.
Senator Don Gaetz says families are facing tough times and the state is facing tough choices. He says the 2010 Session of the Florida Legislature could be the most important in recent history. Decisions will be made affecting the economy, jobs, health care, education, taxes and spending and what he says is an increasingly overbearing federal government. Gaetz says he wants to know what you think. He has a Critical Issues Survey. To take the Critical Issues Survey, go to www.gulf1.com and click on the red button on the front page link.
In
High School Baseball Tuesday,
March 9 Ponce de
Leon hosts Bethlehem 4 and 6 pm In
High School Softball Tuesday,
March 9 Ponce de
Leon hosts Bethlehem 3 and 4 pm Support Children in
Crisis by playing in the 4th annual Children’s Neighborhood Charity
Golf Tournament Friday, March 12th at the Fort Walton Beach Golf
Club. Check in and lunch is at 11:00 with a noon shotgun start. Cost is $75 per person. There will be
prizes and awards. All proceeds go
to benefit The CIC Children’s Neighborhood. Come join in, have a day of fun with
Children in Crisis, a part of your local community. For more information or to
register call 850-864-4242 or visit www.childrenincrisisfl.org.
The DFS Woman's Club and
Pizza Hut are sponsoring the Third Annual Chautauqua 5KRun/Fun Walk Saturday
March 13, 2010. Registration time is 7 a.m., start time is 8 a.m. The
registration fee is $20 on the day of the race. You can request a registration
form via email at: dfswomansclub@gmail.com or you can call Chris Guzowski at
892-5615. The DeFuniak Springs
Little League Parade and Season Opening is Saturday, March
20th. The parade starts at 8
am. Opening ceremony is at 9 am. Battle
of the Badges! At the Boys and Girls Club Teen Center in DFS. It’s the Walton
County Sheriff’s Office against the Walton County Correctional Officers. Friday,
March 26th at 5:30 pm. The winning team will play the teen center
team. $2 admission at the door. $5 entry for shooting competitions. Concessions
will be available on site. Proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the
Emerald Coast. Please
contact Camile Cox at ccox@waltonso.org or 951-4949 with any
questions.
Hear local sports at 6:50 am, 7:20 am and 12:20 pm and FRN
sports at 7:50am & 3:45 pm.
James Charles Walker, Sr., age 73, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida passed away Thursday, March 4, at North Okaloosa Medical Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Watkins Funeral Home and Crematory.