I Think, Therefore I Blog » Council liveblogging

Lockout apartments (9:01 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:01:53 +0000

Kisela says that part of the boarding-house problem is a clear violation and will be dealt with promptly–code enforcement has already been directed to do so.
Bagby asks Capt. Greg Gaddis if a citizen filming someone smoking dope would justify police going in. Gaddis: “How would they know it was dope? … I can’t answer for a judge.”
And on that note, we wrap up. Good evening, all.

Planes over Destin (8:53 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:00:13 +0000

Kisela says that Eglin’s future missions may lead to planes going over Destin harbor. He says that if the council wants to object, they’ll have to deliver an objection to Eglin by the end of the week. He says he only learned this in a recent verbal report.
Bagby makes a motion to that effect.
Some of the council are a little unclear just what the issue is, or why planes flying overhead should automatically be banned and just how they’d go about objecting.
Bagby: “I’ve lived by air force bases … I love that sound but when you hear that sound 24/7 it’s not as fun as it seems.”
Seevers: “it sounds like freedom to me.” And without more specifics on height, frequency, etc., she’s not comfortable with voting yes.
Wood: “A lot of my neighbors are concerned about airport noise–my first vote on airplane noise is not going to be against the military I’ve served for 20 years.”
Bagby: He thinks all that’s at issue is asking the military to pick a flight path over the bay, not over the harbor–but he concedes there’s not much information to construct an objection on at this point. Ultimately, he withdraws his motion.

Terry Eisler on high schools (8:50 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:52:21 +0000

Eisler says it’s different from when he and Marler went to school: More traffic, for instance. And that should be considered.

Next a woman bringing up the boarding houses: When you call the police about a problem, what address do you give them for an accessory unit? “When you tell them there are people smoking out in front of my nine-year-old … when they pull up a half-hour later, the smoke is gone … It’s really, really bad and it’s getting worse. My kid’s terrified to walk home from school … I’m begging you, we need help.”

Another councilor returns (8:44 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:49:34 +0000

Cyron Marler, former City Councilor, thanks the city Recreation Department for a fine Founders Day (he served as MC, as he’s done in the past), including a smooth move to the Community Center when the rain began.
“On the two matters that have just been spoken about …”
•Marler says he raised this issue back when the accessory units were developed on these homes, and the worst has come to pass. And he thinks code enforcement can do more.
•On the high-school discussion, he’d like to see the students’ views considered: Do they want a neighborhood school? Are they happy where they are? Marler says he had to get up early, so his parents put him to bed early–and right now, the county doesn’t have enough money to keep all its current teachers, never mind expanding.
Keeping DMS and DHS students on the same property? Bad idea. The younger kids need some space from the older.
•Back on the boarding houses: “If it says single family, it means single family … it’s cut and dried.”

Boarding homes again (8:32 pm.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:43:20 +0000

Capt. Mike Williams asks for a show of hand from people in “Kelly’s Third Edition” who’ve been affected by the boarding-house problem. Around a dozen hands go up.
“We’re not going to go ask for a gestapo to go knock on people’s doors and ask if they’re renting … but look at the excess trash cans. Talk to the local mailman whose delivering to one mailbox for three or four families. This came to the forefront in our neighborhood because of increased traffic … when you have people out there with guns … it becomes a concern.” Estimates 22 such units have been put in in a two block neighborhood.
Another problem: The infrastructure isn’t designed for this kind of packed development and they wind up with sewage overflows.
What is the loophole that allows these owners to do this, Williams asks? He called the city and was told flat out that it wasn’t allowed or legal–so how come these owners are getting away with it?
Linda Milligan, another resident: “I guess I’m a little bit confused tonight … There’s two things I just do not understand and I need to understand.”
The owner has signed a statement about density of development: He acknowledges the lot is for one family only, no portion rented out to anyone else. “That says one thing and one thing only–renters cannot live in there separately.” She has someone there who has lived in one of the lockout units.
Mary (no last name given): “I did rent one of these units–it was probably my fault, I didn’t know the rules.” It was a house divided into a duplex, though with control of the power all on the other side (cable was on her side–she says that meant she wound up paying for the other side’s cable TV as well).
Milligan resumes: She argues that the signed document should give the city grounds for invalidating the rental agreement. “To me, that gives us the right, whether you put any more ordinance on the books or not.”

Larry Williges speaks (8:29 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:31:23 +0000

He says he came in support of Saleeby’s efforts, but feels almost superfluous after Saleeby’s presentation. He seconds Saleeby in encouraging the council to attend the Monday meeting.
And he commends Saleeby, whose children will be out of school before any high school is built–he has nothing to gain for himself, in other words, only for the community. He encourages the council to go over Saleeby’s presented material thoroughly. “Take a bow, Charlie, you deserve it.”
Applause follows.

High schools again (8:27 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:28:25 +0000

Saleeby makes two requests of the council:
•He’d still like a public forum for Destinites to speak their views, in addition to the meeting next Monday. And invite Don Gaetz, Ray Sansom and the school board.
•Attend the May 12 meeting.

More on high schools (8:17 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:26:16 +0000

•Saleeby suggests we relocate DMS slightly (where their track and athletic fields are now), then install a high school on the old DMS site. This would also make it attractive to Bluewater Bay students. He offers some suggestions I didn’t quite catch for finding new athletic fields for the Middle School.
•He has an explanation for how construction could be funded, involving state funds. He says it can be done without increasing property taxes.
•Safety: A 2005 FDOT study recommends smaller schools, he says. “If safety does not concern our school board, I’d ask where they are at 5:45 in the morning–I’ve had parents tell me they have to give their child a surge drink to keep them awake when they drive to school?” Besides, US 98 is a massive traffic problem.
School violence? “We moved here because this is a Christian community–I’d feel much safer with my child in neighborhood schools than somewhere else.”
(Meaning what? Is he suggesting FWB and Niceville AREN’T Christian?).

More from the public (8:07 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:16:34 +0000

Charlie Saleeby, a major proponent of the Destin High School passes out “a lot of new information that we’ve collected and gathered since the last time we spoke.”
•Based on current grade population in DES and DMS, we could anticipate 756 students in a Destin High School. Currently, Niceville has 2200. Crestview has 1965, Fort Walton about the same. Baker HS has 438, Laurel Hill has 128. Port St. Joe 417. Chipley, 650 (and that’s a relatively new school, that opened 2001). South Walton, 570. Walton HS in DeFuniak will open with 670. Wewahitchka, 272 students (I think he said.). Destin is one of the largest cities in the Panhandle that doesn’t have a high school.
•Can we have good enough programs at such a small school? The School Board says no, but 11 of the top 20 high schools in a recent report are as small as Destin (It’s a US News and World Report). One high school in a small community has 810 students, 16 AP courses–two less than FWB HS–and a 90-percent plus level of college resident.
•The number five high school in Vermont has 410 students, and a 100 percent college-readiness index.
•For all their size, none of Okaloosa County’s high schools are in the top 100. And the 100th school has 52 percent college readiness, which means our high schools must fall below that. “A community can have the quality of education it demands—and Destin has always demanded quality education.”
•Extracurricular activities: These are vital for acceptance into college.
A Destin HS couldn’t field a band equal to Choctaw or FWB HS, but probably more students could participate in cheerleading, dance, soccer, football than get to at the larger high schools.
•With gas prices rising, it’s going to become more and more expensive to shlep kids to Fort Walton Beach, pick them up after band practice or drama rehearsals, etc.

The public speaks (8:04 p.m.)

fsherman — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:06:17 +0000

Anastas Pazevic, Destin resident: Instead of BeachWalk employees taking up the parking spaces, how about a van from some meeting point? One of the nearby shopping centers?
And while the idea of a youth center is fantastic, “we have to look at priorities—and priorities are such that you have to see what is needed … Youth can utilize and should utilize the community center, the YMCA and the library.”