By BEN GRAFTON
Freeport City Clerk Gary Wittison opened the business portion of the City Council meeting of Jan. 22 meeting by reporting that key pads have been installed on both entrances to city hall. He continued by reporting that proposals have been received for security cameras needed to overlook sensitive area such as utility billing and the council room. Cameras in the Water and Sewer Departments are out of service and proposals will be obtained to up-date these. More information will be available for discussion at the next meeting.
Wittison also announced that the surplus fire department tanker truck will be auctioned on Jan. 29.
Parks Director Dana Weiler presented an information packet to Council members and asked them to review the material. The packet included a request to approve moving ahead with an archery program proposal. Councilwoman Kasey Cuchens spoke in favor of the archery program which was approved by the Council. Weiler told the Council that the concession stands cannot be used unless they are cleaned. Prices to clean, pressure wash and sanitize the concession stands will be about $1,200. The Council approved the cleanup program.
Tater Morrison, president of Freeport Youth Sports, Inc. gave Council members a statement of estimates for $7,154 proposed as “sweat equity” contributions made to the Freeport Regional Sports Complex in 2014. However, the statement did not provide supporting documentation for the estimates. The Council told Morrison to go ahead with preparations for the coming baseball season and that some way would be worked out for use of the complex, but it asked that a better proposal be provided to the Council at its next meeting.
Jo Ann Rocque of Carr, Riggs & Ingram presented copies of the draft Freeport annual audit report to Council members. She identified page numbers in the report that contained specific information that Council members should review. These pages contain financial highlights, comparison of actual vs. budget expenses, an analysis of water and sewer financial operations, an examination of bonds, an analysis of impact fees and an analysis of the retirement plan. Rocque will schedule individual review meetings with each of the Council members. The final report will be available in about two weeks.
Anna Hudson of Preble-Rish Engineering reported that work is underway on design for Business U.S. 331 sewer lift stations. Work is also under way to provide information to Northwest Florida Water Management about 2015-2016 potential water projects and capital improvement priorities so that they can work on funding with Federal and State sources. In addition, draft copies of revisions of city design standards have been forwarded to the Water and Sewer Departments for review.
Councilwoman Janice McLean advised the Council that meetings with Hudson have been scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each month. These will keep McLean, Sewer and Water Department personnel current with ongoing work and problems.
Engineer Jody Solomon of Praestare Engineering, Inc reported that 90 percent of Freeport’s utility line relocation work on U.S. 331 is complete, but that completion of the overall project is not expected until December 2015. At the present time Solomon expects the Freeport work will come in at $40,000 – 50,000 under budget.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Brannon summarized activity with the Northwest Florida League of Cities. An advocacy meeting was held in Valparaiso. Another ethics training session has been set up for Feb. 26 – times and locations to be provided later. Council members should make sure to register for any alerts that may come out. She also told the Council that every Monday during legislative sessions they can call in and listen to find out what is happening and what bills are being presented. She told the Council that information on legislative action can be found on the League’s WEB site.
McLean reported that Freeport has five outstanding loans that could be considered for re-financing. The Council expressed concern about the impact that re-financing might have on future loans, and about how future utility rates might affect the re-financing issue. McLean will have a meeting this week in Freeport with a Rural Development staff member to discuss procedures for getting a loans from that organization and about how Cobank – a part of the United States Farm Credit System – fits into this.
In a realignment of Council member’s oversight assignments following transfer of the Freeport Fire Department to Walton County, Mayor Russ Barley asked Councilman Eddie Farris to take on oversight for streets and special projects.
