A yes vote was to approve the motion.
Request by Jeff Goldberg, Walton County Emergency Management director, for approval of a local state of emergency declaration in connection with Hurricane Ian, strictly for the purpose of enabling the county to apply for FEMA reimbursement of any storm-related expenses associated with Walton County Emergency Operations Center operations and similar costs, with the agreement to be effective Sept. 21 through October 1.
A motion for approval by Glidewell carried unanimously: Tony Anderson – yes; Mike Barker – yes; Danny Glidewell – yes; Boots McCormick – yes; Trey Nick – yes.
Request by Goldberg to approve and authorize the BCC chairman to sign an interlocal agreement to provide legal authority for the county’s debris removal contractor to remove debris from roadways in Freeport, DeFuniak Springs, and Paxton during emergency events and seek FEMA reimbursement for this work. Goldberg indicated that the agreement was in line with past practice.
A motion for approval by Glidewell carried unanimously.
Request by Michele Burns of CareerSource Okaloosa Walton for approval of an updated two-year plan in connection with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, setting forth policies and procedures for the workforce development programs implemented by CareerSource.
A motion by Glidewell for approval of the plan carried unanimously.
Request by Shane Supple of Walton County Recreation and Parks for approval of a contract with Truist/Qlaborate for a point-of-sale system for concessions at the county-owned Eagle Springs Golf Course and Recreation Center in an amount not to exceed $70 per month. Supple explained that this is a system specifically designed for food and beverage sales that would provide the ability for orders to be taken by phone from the golf course and that currently these sales are available by cash only.
A motion for approval by McCormick carried 4-0: Barker – yes; Glidewell – yes; McCormick – yes; Nick – yes; Anderson – abstaining due to a conflict.
Request by Buddy Wright of Walton County Public Works for approval of a change order on East Indian Creek Ranch Road Roadway Improvement Project (Phase 1), along 0.44 mile east of the existing bridge at Bruce Creek, increasing the contract amount by $81,507, putting the contract price at $3.4+ million.
Wright explained that this was a reconciliation change order to close out the project and that the additional dollars were related to some additional sod, silt fencing, and removal of some unsuitable materials. He confirmed that Phase 2 would be the bridge improvement project, which had been submitted for the capital improvement budget.
A motion by Glidewell for approval of the change order carried 4-0: Anderson – yes; Glidewell – yes; McCormick – yes; Nick – yes; Barker – abstaining due to a conflict.
Request by Wright to use funds from the vessel registration account in an amount not to exceed $10,400 for removal of a derelict vessel from Hogtown Bayou.
Carrying unanimously after BCC and staff discussion was a motion for approval by Nick.
Update and request for direction and Ellis Road Roadway and Drainage Improvements Project in Miramar Beach.
There was a motion for approval by Glidewell for approval of the project plans.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Presentation by Doug Pritchard about proposed improvements to the CR-20A multi-use path in south Walton County to address path flooding and renovate the surface of the path at a cost of $927,000 for correction of flooding and $373,000 for the additional improvements to the path, with funding to come from the Tourism Department budget.
There was a motion by Anderson for approval to move forward with the flooding elimination project, with details on the other project to be brought before the BCC at a later date.
The motion carried unanimously.
Request by Tony Cornman, interim county administrator, for approval to reschedule the Nov. 24 BCC land use meeting to Nov. 22 in conjunction with the BCC regular meeting on that date. This was due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
A motion for approval by Glidewell carried unanimously.
Request by Brian Kellenberger, Walton County Beach Operations director, for approval of a change order on the community/nature center building at Kellogg Park project to increase the size of the building from 800 square feet to 1,600 square feet and increase the $147,240 price for design/permitting, bid support and construction administration on the project by $22,380.
A motion for approval by Glidewell carried unanimously.
Update and request for direction by Kellenberger on a pilot program for lighting on a segment of the multi-use path (between CR-83 and CR-283 at a cost of approximately $200,000
Approved after BCC and staff discussion and public comment was a motion for approval by Anderson.
Request by Melissa Thomason Walton County chief financial officer, to award American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants and direct staff to prepare the related funding agreements utilizing the county’s nonprofit agency funding policy in lieu of the policy in the county’s ARPA Subrecipient Assistance Grant Program Handbook. Staff had recommended $250,000 in funding for a Habitat for Humanity home building project in Mossy Head, $50,000 in funding for a Caring and Sharing project to provide emergency shelter and financial assistance to county residents, and $20,000 to Matrix for assistance with case management for transportation to emergency sheltering, doctor appointments employment and housing services, and other community needs.
Clay Adkinson, acting county attorney, recommended an initial motion to rescind the county’s ARPA Subrecipient Assistance Grant Program policy (in light of recent U.S. Treasury guidance that that policy would no longer be valid) and replace it with the county’s existing nonprofit agency funding policy.
A motion for approval carried unanimously.
There was a motion by Glidewell to approve staff’s recommendation for the funding agreements with the three nonprofit agencies.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Following public comment by a representative of Matrix indicating that their request had been for $200,000 and the fact that there was $30,000 remaining of the amount the BCC had approved for grants in ARPA funds to nonprofit agencies, there was a motion by McCormick to provide that $30,000 to Matrix in addition to the previously-approved $20,000.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Request by Adkinson to advertise and schedule an Oct. 11 public hearing to adopt an amended ordinance for outdoor events.
A motion to hold the public hearing carried unanimously.
Request by Adkinson for direction on how to proceed with 34.32 acres at the county-owned Mossy Head Industrial Park that the BCC had previously approved to be purchased by the Onicx Group. He said the company had indicated that they did not want to proceed with the purchase contract. Adkinson also said that property was being solicited for a new Medical Examiner’s Office for the state’s District 1 counties.
After discussion, there was a motion by Glidewell to direct staff and the BCC chairman to offer whatever is needed of the 34.32 acres as a location for the new district Medical Examiner’s Office
The motion was approved unanimously, with no advertising of the property for purchase to proceed, pending a response on the offer for the 34.32 acres for the Medical Examiner’s facility.
Public hearing on renewal of an ordinance and resolution levying a non-ad valorem tax assessment against all the hospitals in Walton County in order to provide matching funds for federal dollars used for Medicaid supplemental payments in a program that allows the hospitals to defray uncompensated costs of providing charity care to uninsured and low-income patients.
A motion for approval by Glidewell carried unanimously.
Public hearing on a letter of agreement related to the previous approval providing for the county to levy the assessments and return those funds to the hospitals.
A motion for approval by Anderson carried unanimously.
Request on behalf of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office for approval of changes to the Walton County Animal Control Ordinance, among those being reduction of stray hold from seven days to three days (not counting day of arrival and working with owners who contact staff to facilitate pick-up if more time is needed), plus microchipping of all animals brought in.
A motion by Nick to adopt the revision ordinance carried unanimously.
Request and motion by Anderson to approve and authorize the BCC chairman to sign a resolution recognizing October 2022 as Coastal Dune Lake Month.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Among items approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda were the following: A request by the chief financial officer (CFO) for approval of a revised policy for use of Walton County purchasing cards (p-cards); a request by Walton County Code Compliance to hold staff public workshops at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the South Walton Annex, to discuss potential changes to the Walton County Beach Activities Ordinance; requests by Tourism Department Administration for approval of updated Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) guidelines and application document to reflect existing make-up of the TDC, acceptance of the resignation of Scott Russell from the TDC/appointment of Brian Moffatt, managing partner of Royal Destinations, to fill the remainder of Russell’s term, which expires in December 2024; and requests by Tourism Department Beach Operations to advertise invitations to bid (ITBs) for the Eastern Lake Municipal Parking Facility Project, the Walton Dunes Regional Beach Access Project, and the Seagrove Regional Beach Access Project.