Freeport City Council discusses staffing issues

By JEFFREY POWELL
A sparsely attended Freeport City Council meeting was held on Oct. 22, at the Freeport City Hall. The meeting began with a prayer and pledge of allegiance.
The first order of business was an informal briefing held by Walton County Commissioner Sara Comander, her colleague Rick Wilson and Walton County School District representative Henry Martin. Collectively the group told the council of an initiative that would brind fiber optic access to everyone in Walton County. They stressed the need to be connected to the internet both for personal as well as business reasons. The group hoped that Freeport would join the sheriff’s office and several other government entities in trying to bring this effort to fruition. This is a $20 million project that would only cost the county $1.5 million. The council said they would look at the program and get back to Comander.
Freeport Parks and Recreation Director Dana Weiler informed the council that repairs on the irrigation system were about half completed. She informed the group that she was seeing sprinkler heads work that she had never seen before. She also alerted the council to an erosion problem causing damage to a drain and parking lot. Weiler was instructed to obtain three quotes for the work and get repairs underway.
Under new business, Mayor Russ Barley brought forth the need to advertise the City Clerk position. Current City Clerk Gary Mattison has recently submitted notice of his intent to retire on or before Dec 1. Mattison has been experiencing medical issues and the council fully supported his decision. He may stay on temporarily in a part-time capacity.
Shortly after this announcement a speaker from the audience expressed his dissatisfaction with the time it takes for the council to fill open positions. There are currently a meter reader’s and parks and recreation assistant’s positions open. The council also announced they had just filled a billing clerk slot. Barley assured the speaker that the council would expedite the process.
Also under new business, Councilwoman Elizabeth Brannon spoke briefly about a proposed CR-30A intermodal transportation innovation program (ITIP) which may come to Walton County. ITIP focuses on the development of intermodal, sustainable and advanced transportation solutions that will contribute to reduce traffic and parking congestion along CR-30A. The group would have an operation hub in Freeport. Brannon told the council she would keep them apprised of any further development in this program.
The next Freeport City Council meeting is on Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.