Story by JEFFREY POWELL
The Freeport City Council held its second regularly scheduled meeting of the month on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. All council members were present as were approximately 15 members of the general public.
The meeting began with Freeport Mayor Russ Barley recognizing Council Member Eddie Farris who had recently been named the Walton County School System Educational Support Professional of the year for his work at Freeport Elementary School.
Under the engineering heading Dewberry Project Manager Alex Rouchaleau discussed ranking several projects intended to be submitted as legislative appropriations projects. Those projects were ranked as follows. Sewer expansion on U.S. 331 followed by water system expansion. Third was a turn lane which would allow traffic to turn south off of SR-20 onto East Bay Loop near the Freeport City Hall. The fourth project would address flooding issues near the Bear Creek bridge on East Bay Loop Road. Hammock Bay developer Jay Odom commended the council for choosing the SR-20 turn lane due to safety issues brought about by stopped traffic during peak traffic times.
Dewberry President Cliff Knauer gave a Department of Transportation (DOT) update which included improved stripping at the intersection of U.S. 331 and Business 331. He also spoke concerning issues on Blue Ridge Parkway which many people use as a short-cut to the Publix complex. Knauer had spoken to county officials about shoulder repairs as well as stormwater issues at the intersection of the busy roadway and SR-20.
Under new business Mayor Barley discussed getting quotes for security cameras which would cover the Freeport Veterans Memorial and the City Hall. This request came on the heels of recent vandalism to one of the displays on the memorial walkway. Someone had pried the gun off of the bronze statue which was dedicated at last year’s Memorial Day ceremony. Citizens have been asked to report any knowledge they might have concerning the crime to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
Councilmember Farris asked City Clerk Becky Podraza to put together a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on the city’s web site which will help citizens access information concerning the city. Podraza agreed that would be a helpful tool and said she would start on the effort as soon as possible.