County approves several south end items

At their Thursday commission meeting, Santa Rosa County Commissioners approved a number of south end projects and other agenda items including:
l Accepting $40,000 in grant money from Florida’s Department of Transportation. The grant is part of a landscape U.S. 98 landscaping project from west of Andorra St. to Ortega. The County asked for the extra funding, which increases the original grant from $171,300 to $211,300, after bids for the project came in higher than expected. The County approved $80,864 in Tourist Development money, November 5, to make up the final $292,164 low bid amount.
l New sidewalks to connect the Navarre Senior Center and Navarre Public Library to Highway 87. The $61,000 project will run along James M. Harvell Rd. between Hwy. 87 S and Presidio St. and connect to the existing sidewalk on Hartington Dr. It will be funded by unspent impact fees. Santa Rosa established the fees, paid by developers to mitigate roadway costs of new housing, in 2005 and suspended them in 2009. The County revoked the fees entirely in 2015.
l Increasing Central Landfill tipping fees. Officials propose raising Class I rates from $32/ton to $36/ton (reaching $40/ton by 2020); Class III/C&D from $22/ton to $32/ton (reaching $40/ton by 2020). Yard Waste/land clearing debris cost $18 to $22 (residential) and $22 to $24 (commercial). The change would also implement a $3/ton “host fee” for out of county waste. The new fees would take effect April 1.
l The Fourth Annual Autism OdysSea event at the Navarre Beach Park Saturday, April 23, 2016 hosted by the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station.
l The Annual Marine Sanctuary Run for the Reef 5K race on Navarre Beach Saturday, October 8, 2016 sponsored by the Navarre Chamber Foundation.
l A Public Information Officer employment contract with Brandi Whitehurst. Whitehurst previously worked in a public information capacity for the West Florida Regional Planning Council. The job pays $61,600 per year. She replaces outgoing PIO Joy Tsubooka, who took a job with Escambia County.
l A Pour in Place Safety Surface contract for the Holley Ball Park playground to J. A. Dawson & Company in the amount of $34,589.75 based on comparison shopping through U.S. Communities pricing with funding from District 4 Recreation Funds.
l Purchasing a football scoreboard for the Navarre Sportsplex from Varsity Scoreboards. The board will cost $7,641.87, proposed to come from District 4 recreation funds. According to County information, the Navarre Youth Sports Association will reimburse the District 4 recreation fund $5,250.00 upon receipt of a contribution from Buffalo Rock/Pepsi.
l Resurfacing the following roads in District 4 at an estimated cost of $204,247.50: Estates Circle, Hillary Lane, Valley Road (from Flintwood to Sunrise), Classic Court, Muirfield Drive, Pepperwood Street, Opal Court, Fourth Street (from Andorra St. to 8078 Fourth St.), Larkspur Street, Crescent Road (Irving Dr. to Valley Rd.), Orion Parker Boulevard, Bellingham Street (from Edgewood to Elkhart Dr.), Pineneedle Drive, Snug Water Road (from Valley Rd. to Banyan Dr.)