By BEN GRAFTON
At the Freeport City Council meeting of Jan. 13, Mayor Russ Barley reported that a bag containing utility department receipts was discovered to be missing. Barley said that the city has been looking into this matter, but has not been able to determine what happened to the bag and that the incident has been turned over to the sheriff’s office for investigation. In a later conversation Barley said that the bag, which apparently contained about $4,000 in receipts, became missing sometime during the period between Dec. 5 and 8, 2014. The city became aware of the missing bag when some of the utility customers inquired because their payment checks had not cleared their bank accounts.
In other business City Clerk Gary Mattison reported that progress is being made to improve the lock system for the building and he asked for and received approval to look into putting security cameras in the building and to activate outside security cameras at the sewage plant.
Mattison will provide the Council with a job description and salary recommendation for the city’s lead billing clerk.
Mattison also reported that at the next meeting Council members will be provided with a financial report, by department, that details expenditures for the month and compares them to budgeted data.
Wes Reeder and Joel Glenn of Clary-Glenn Funeral Home asked the Council to approve construction of a crematorium on a separate lot, also owned by Clary-Glenn, that is behind the existing facility on SR-20. The crematorium would be in a free-standing 40-by-60 foot building that would include a viewing area designed the same as in the funeral home. Glenn said facilities such as this could be found in similar locations in cities throughout Florida and that residents would never see smoke or smell odors from the facility. Councilwoman Kasey Cuchens expressed concern about the reaction of residents to the proposal. Councilwoman Elizabeth Brannon said she was not ready to make a decision on the proposal at this Council meeting. A motion to approve the Clary-Glenn request passed by a 4 to 1 vote with Brannon voting, “No.”
City Planner Latilda Hughes-Neel reminded the Council that Publix has a start build date of Feb. 28. One of the issues is that they want to do a sidewalk buy-out on the interior parcel of the development. Money received from this type of transaction becomes available for the city to use on its own sidewalk projects. The developer will issue a check to the city only for lot #1 which is along the interior area where truck traffic will be. The other areas will still maintain the need for a sidewalk.
Hughes-Neel reported receipt of a letter from Rep. Matt Gaetz in regard to a study on the Florida Enterprise Zone program. The Council may read this at their leisure. The study refers to improvements and it provides some recommendations for the Legislature.
It was announced that the Freeport Fire Department was officially transferred on Jan. 3 to the Walton County Fire Department.
Dana Weiler was introduced as the new Freeport Parks Director.
Cliff Knauer of Preble-Rish reported that the draft design work for revisions to the Freeport Community Center are near completion. It is expected that the project will be put out for bids in the second week of February. Knauer said that the project was expected to be complete in about 120 days from start of construction date.
Knauer also reported on three other projects. These include a review of eight lift stations. A proposal to renovate these lift stations will be presented to the Council at its next meeting. Another project is to correct problems from the end of Bay Grove to the force main on U.S. 331. A proposal to correct these problems is being prepared for review at the next meeting. Also, engineering is moving ahead on permits for force main work along U.S. 331.
A representative for the Live Oak Landing development asked the Council to consider a financing agreement for the impact fees that would be required for an expansion of the development. Councilwoman Elizabeth Brannon said she does not favor an agreement that would set a precedent for future impact fees and Council Woman Kasey Cuchens said she does not want the city to take on financing of impact fees. The request was denied by the Council.
Brannon reported talking to State Sen. Gaetz and to Rep. Brad Drake. She thanked them on behalf of the city for their work on the transfer of costs previously to be paid by the city over to the Florida Department of Transportation for construction work along U.S. 331. She also talked about work underway to restore and conserve water sheds. Brannon also said that she has talked to Lynn Tipton about an ethics class for the city.
Cuchens asked the mayor and the city clerk what the city’s practice of assigning members of the Council to, “…be over…” various departments actually means. City Attorney Clayton Adkinson responded that the council member serves as liaison between the department and the Council. Cuchens responded that she thinks a discussion about this matter is needed.
The Council discussed updating the City Charter, a process that would include a special election which it is understood would cost $1,000. The subject of a non-voting mayor would be addressed in the update. City Attorney Clayton Adkinson told the Council that in the City Code there is an ordinance that impacts updating the charter. There is also some confusion of the status of a Freeport city marshal. These points will be researched for clarification.
City Councilwoman Janice McLean recommended refinancing some of the city’s outstanding obligations in order to take advantage of lower interest rates. McLean believes that about $1,000 per month can be saved by taking this action. This subject will be on the agenda for the next Council meeting.
