HEALTH

Children’s Volunteer Health Network unveils new mobile dental clinic

On Monday, August 8, 2022, Children’s Volunteer Health Network announced the arrival of their second mobile dental clinic.

• The first bus, gifted to CVHN from the Dugas Family Foundation, is an operatory clinic on wheels.

The dental unit meets children where they are and provides preventative dental services on the bus, which is often parked outside of local schools. Now, another state-of-the-art bus is being introduced to the community, but unlike the original mobile dental clinic, the second bus will go beyond preventative care and provide restorative services including urgent procedures. 

As of 2021, CVHN facilitated over 75,000 procedures for children in the local community with more than $6 million in free dental health services provided so far.

• The addition of the new bus will complement the preventative care currently being offered and children will now have access to a wider range of services. 

Just in time for the new school year, the new restorative bus will join the preventative team to begin their visits to Okaloosa and Walton county schools this month. 

The local community is invited to Grand Boulevard on Saturday, August 27, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., for an exciting bus unveiling.

Community members will be able to enjoy refreshments, lawn games, meet Mr. and Mrs. Tooth, tour the bus, and hear from CVHN team members about the new services coming to Northwest Florida. This event is complimentary to attend and open to the public. 

Those that would like to support CVHN’s new bus for the upcoming school year are encouraged to bring “bus warming” gifts including the following: 

• Copy Paper
• Lysol & Microban Sanitizers
• Dawn Soap
• Gallons (or larger) of Distilled Water
• Staples or Walmart Gift Cards 

The community or local businesses can also provide support by becoming a gas sponsor for $500. With gas prices skyrocketing, this is an absolutely crucial aspect in getting dental support to local children in our schools.  

“We are looking forward to putting the second mobile dental clinic in motion as we continue making a difference for the children of Northwest Florida,” said CVHN Executive Director, Kelley Mossburg. 

PUBLIC SAFETY

Niceville Police K-9 killed, officer injured in traffic crash on Highway 85

On Monday morning, the Niceville Police Department announced that K-9 Officer Blue was killed in a traffic crash on Highway 85 on Sunday, August 7, 2022. 

• The crash happened around 5:55pm while reporting for duty, according to the Niceville PD.

According to the report, Officer Blue’s handler and friend, Sgt. Phillip Ritcheson, was transported to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

• The accident is being investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. 

“The Niceville Police Department appreciates all the help that has come frorn the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department, Ft. Walton Police Department, Eglin Fire and Medical, Florida Highway Patrol, Niceville/Valparaiso Fire Departrnents, and Okaloosa EMS,” wrote the PD in a press release. “We appreciate all the love and support that has been shown.”

Details of a memorial service will be announced in the near future.

COMING SOON

Destin wants more public beaches, FWB invests in sports/parks, Niceville looking at aquatic center

This article is longer than what I usually add inside the newsletter. You can read more on each city on our website.

As part of the expanded Tourist Development District in Okaloosa County, local municipalities each receive a proportionate share of 12.5% of the bed taxes that are collected. 

• Initial expenditure plans were reviewed by county staff and legal for compliance with the Interlocal Agreement, Tourist Development Plan, and Florida Statute. 
• Okaloosa staff met with each municipality to discuss project details and provide direction regarding additional information needed. 

During last Tuesday’s Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners meeting, the expenditure plans for each municipality were approved heading into fiscal year 2023. 

Here’s a brief look at the money for each municipality. To read more on the details of each city, click here for the article.

City of Crestview – $425,000

• Wayfinding Systems & Kiosks – $15,000
• Brookmeade Park (Skate Park & RC Track) – $275,000
• Sports Complex & Nature Trails – $120,000
• Marketing & Promotions – $15,000

City of Destin – $2,740,545

• Beach Acquisition Phase I – $1,920,545
• Harbor Boardwalk Improvements – $500,000
• Captain Royal Melvin Park – $120,000
• Beach & Boardwalk Operations – $200,000

Read the full breakdown on Destin’s plans.

City of Fort Walton Beach – $957,500

• Arts & Cultural Strategic Plan – $150,000
• Batting Cage Shade/Rain Structure – $80,000
• Downtown/CRA Branding/Wayfinding – $50,000
• Heritage Park & Cultural Center Addition – $390,000
• Liza Jackson Waterfront Park Design – $37,500
• Athletic Complex Expansion – $150,000
• Travel Tournament Maintenance/Repair – $100,000

City of Niceville – $150,000

• Community Aquatic Center Complex Design – $150,000

The City of Shalimar will get $54,280 for improvements to Combs Park and the City of Laurel hill will get $32,500 for welcome signage.

Go deeper: Read more on the plans for each area.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Destin, Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office talk safety ahead of the first day of school

With school starting Wednesday in Okaloosa County, the City of Destin and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office discussed transportation safety and school zones.

“We want to welcome you to a brand new school year, but with the new school year comes a lot of safety issues,” said School Resource Officer Deputy Cullen Coraine. “We just wanted to remind you that school will be in session and you possibly will have to leave a little earlier in the morning to fight all the extra traffic that will be on the road.”

• And along with that, Deputy Cullen reminds residents to watch out for children walking to school, riding their bikes to school and at all of the crosswalks.

According to Catherine Card, Public Information Manager for the City of Destin, volunteers will be out near Destin schools helping to get the students to-and-from school safely.

“We want to encourage the buddy system,” she added. “If you’re a walker, walk in groups. We also want to make sure people are being cognizant of the active school zones and not running through stop signs.”

Card offered another piece of advice ahead of the school year which is to get to know your School Resource Officer.

• “We’re truly blessed that the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has such an amazing SRO program that is state and nationally accredited,” she said. “Not only from the safety aspect, but they’re a mentor as well.”

Deputy Cullen added that student safety comes first, but after that, he says they become “big brothers and big sisters.”

• “We become mentors and we end up building relationships with not just the kids, but the parents,” he said.

Finally, let’s all get a refresher on when to stop for a school bus.

When a school bus is dropping off or picking up kids, if there is a median at least five feet in the middle of the road, you only have to stop in the direction of the bus, according to Deputy Cullen.

• “If there’s no median, all lanes of travel must stop for the bus,” he added.

“Just plan extra time and be safe getting back into that routine,” added Card. “Watch out for each other and have a wonderful school year.”

SCHOOL

Superintendent Marcus Chambers talks new school in Crestview, plus construction plans

During a recent Republican Club town hall in Niceville, Okaloosa Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers addressed the school district’s plans to build new schools in Okaloosa County, in addition to renovating existing facilities.

He was asked the following question from a member in the audience:

• Do aging school buildings need to be replaced and what would be the cost? Also is it true that the school district does not have any plans to make better facilities?

There are approximately 38 schools within the Okaloosa County School District, with 75% of them being 45-years of age or older.

“If I’m doing my math correctly, that’s about 29 schools,” said Chambers. “When you start talking about knocking down 29 schools at an average of $50 million per school, that’s almost $1.5 billion to just knock down older schools. That’s not even feasible but we do have a plan.”

Chambers noted that he was using a modest cost for school construction. More realistic numbers include:

• Elementary: $40-60 million
• Middle school: $60-80 million
• High school: $100-120 million

Before the passing of the half-cent sales tax, Chambers told the crowd that the district would have to patch the buildings. Now, that’s no longer the case.

“We’re now replacing roof systems all across this district, at multiple schools for the first time in forever,” he said. 

• Additionally, the district has begun flooring paving projects at numerous schools, interior renovations, drainage & sewer repairs, and kitchen renovations.

“All of those things weren’t able to happen 3, 4 or even 10 years ago,” he said. “Now we’re able to fix things the right way. So when you start talking about tearing down all these old schools, it would be an absolute impossibility.”

New schools in Okaloosa County

Switching gears, Chambers also took time to set the record straight on allegations that the school district has zero plans to construct new schools.

“We know right now that we need, at a minimum, one school in the Crestview area and two schools in the future,” he said. “We’re in talks right now to acquire approximately 80 acres of land in the Crestview area.”

Chambers says that despite the amount of time the land acquisition process has taken, they already have plans on what to do with the land.

The first step is to get a K-8 school in Crestview to alleviate pressure in other elementary and middle schools in the north end of the county. Chambers explains that the traditional recommendation for building new schools is when a current school is at 80% capacity.

• According to Chambers, almost every school in Okaloosa County is between 90-100% capacity.

Prior to the half-cent sales tax being passed, the district didn’t have the necessary funding to look at building new schools because they were busy trying to “patch” the older ones, he said. 

Over time, the K-8 school will eventually become a middle school, and then, on the same 80 acres, the school district will build an elementary school. 

$130 million for major construction

In December 2021, the Okaloosa County School Board approved the issuance of Certificates of Participation not to exceed $130 million.

A Certificate of Participation is a process that school districts across the state of Florida, and across the nation, utilize in order to get funding to get projects going. 

• By using a COP, school districts get money up front and then pay it back with available resources, such as the half-cent sales tax. 

This financing tool allows a school district to utilize a lease structure and borrow money for capital projects. A school district will utilize the Certificate of Participation when there is a specific revenue stream that can be tied to the capital project. In this case, the half-cent sales tax and other school sources.

“We purposefully set our payments for the first three years at a certain amount, knowing in the fourth year, that amount would come down lower,” said Chambers. “So that way, we have the ability to do another COP within our capital dollars to pay for these new schools.”

Speaking more on the central part of the county, the district has 25 acres of land in Niceville and is looking at purchasing more. Building a new K-8 school in that area would reduce the capacity in schools such as Plew, Ruckel, Bluewater, and Edge Elementary. This would also allow the school district to get students out of the portable classrooms and into permanent ones.

For Destin, the OCSD is looking at adding a 4th & 5th grade center on land which they already own. Currently, 5th grade is at Destin Middle School. 

“Do we have a plan for new school construction? We absolutely do,” said Chambers. “To say that we don’t, that’s just something that absolutely is not true.”