JUNE 2013 EDITION OF THE OKALOOSA ISLAND LEASEHOLDERS NEWSLETTER, THE OIL LANTERN

Transcription

1 JUNE 2013 EDITION OF THE OKALOOSA ISLAND LEASEHOLDERS NEWSLETTER, THE OIL LANTERN Page 1 of 6 pages OKALOOSA ISLAND LEASEHOLDERS ASSOCIATION, Inc. P.O. Box 8116 FT WALTON BEACH, FL ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Next Meeting: LOCATION: Okaloosa Island Fire Station, 2 nd Floor Meeting Room TIME: 7:00 p.m. DATE: Monday, June 10, PARKING: Please park behind the Fire Station next to the water tank IN THIS NEWSLETTER Farewell Message from the President - Cathy Taylor Minutes (Draft) May 13, 2013 Meeting Architectural Committee Report for May 2013 Fire Dept Report - April 2013 PET OWNERS ALERT Coyote Spotted on Island! TRIPLE Wuzzle Puzzles This June Day in History Wildlife & Nature Photos Taken on Okaloosa Island s Block 14 Dave Davis Beautification Committee Report Kathy Foster Kelly Windes Okaloosa County Commissioner, District 5 Okaloosa County Commissioner Kelly Windes (District 5 elected in 2012) will be attending the June 10 meeting of OILA. If you have any questions to ask or opinions to express to Commissioner Windes, this is your chance. SPECIAL NOTICE: THE ASSOCIATION DOES NOT HOLD REGULAR, MONTHLY MEETINGS DURING THE MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST. THE NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013.

2 The OIL Lantern THE NEWSLETTER OF THE OKALOOSA ISLAND LEASEHOLDERS ASSOCIATION, Inc P.O. Box 8116, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, Editor: Jim Simpson, (850) Association Website: JUNE 2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Cathy Taylor President 406 Cobia Avenue Jim Simpson Vice President & Treasurer 624B Pelican Drive Paula Hudson Secretary 529 Dolphin Ave Carol Edlund P.O. Box Trisha LaBahn 330 Bluefish Drive Kathy Foster 849 Tarpon Drive Tripp Tolbert 1500 Miracle Strip Pkwy NE ASSOCIATION WEBMASTER Bob Seitz 709 Sailfish Drive Meeting Agenda Date: Monday, June 10, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: Okaloosa Island Fire Station, 2 nd Floor Meeting Room I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Introduction: Kelley Windes, Okaloosa County Commissioner, District 5 II. ROLL III. ANNOUNCEMENTS If you speak, please state your name, address and if you are a member. IV. MINUTES -- May 13, 2013 Meeting Minutes V. TREASURER'S REPORT Treasurer, Jim Simpson VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Architectural Committee: (see Newsletter) B. Beautification Committee: Dave Miller C. Membership Liaison: Jim Simpson D. WebSite: Bob Seitz E. Boat Basin: Cathy Taylor F. Street Lighting MSBU: Maryl Bednar VII. OLD BUSINESS A. Status of OILA of adding a street light in front of the Breakers Condo - Eric Jorgenson VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. Installation of New Board Members Cathy Taylor XI. ADJOURNMENT MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT -- CATHY TAYLOR June, 2013.AARRGGHHH fellow Islanders! As I write this on my laptop I am looking out our window and the annual Billy Bowlegs festival is in full swing. We walked down to the boat basin earlier and joined neighbors for BBQ and the band Heritage was playing Reggae music. There are hundreds of boats in the sound and several helicopters buzzing overhead trying to take it all in. This annual craziness is one of many reasons we all love living here on Okaloosa Island. Last night we had the best view of the fireworks and really enjoyed listening to our 2-year-old granddaughter giggle and oooh and awhh as the fireworks went off overhead. Gotta love it here! Pirate Pyrotechnics B. Bowlegs Reception Committee I have enjoyed serving as your President for the past two years and thank you for the support and help all of you have given in trying to make our Island a better place to live. All of us need to continue supporting our Association and our new Board of Directors. Our various committee members work hard to help improve things here on the Island and without them and all their volunteer hours things just would not get done. Supporting our Association and getting involved is a great way to meet your neighbors and establish a sense of community. As always I urge you to join OILA and show up at the meetings each month. You can help make our Island even more wonderful and as I say at our boat basin clean up: Many hands make light the work. Be sure and visit our website: Our webmaster Bob Seitz is constantly updating it with interesting facts, links and pictures. Don t forget we have invited our new County Commissioners to meet and greet with us and Commissioner Kelly Windes will be at our June meeting. I look forward to seeing you at the June OILA meeting at the Okaloosa Island Fire Station 2 nd floor at 7:00 pm, Monday, June 10, 2013.

3 ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE REPORTS FOR MAY 2013 for permits and applications submitted to them for consideration. The following information provided by the Architectural Committee. SPECIAL NOTICES: 1) The Committee meets every Thursday from 9:00 am to 9:30 am at the Tourist Development Center building. 2) ASK BEFORE YOU ACT. Date Block Lot(s) Address Owner/Contractor Description Recommendation May Siebert Dr American Painting Occupational License In Compliance Unit No. 6 MS LLC May Bluefish Dr Steven Stewart Occupational License for In Compliannce Unit No. 201 Reel Experience Charters ON THIS JUNE DAY IN HISTORY June 5, The first sustained flight occurred as a hot-air balloon was launched at Annonay, France, by brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier. June 6, D-Day, the largest amphibious landing in history, began in the early-morning hours as Allied forces landed in Normandy on the northern coast of France. Operation Overlord took months of planning and involved 1,527,000 soldiers in 47 Allied divisions along with 4,400 ships and landing craft, and 11,000 aircraft. June 14, Univac 1, the world's first commercial electronic computer was unveiled in Philadelphia. It was installed at the Census Bureau and utilized a magnetic tape unit as a buffer memory. June 23, The last formal surrender of Confederate troops occurred as Cherokee leader and Confederate Brigadier General Watie surrendered his battalion comprised of American Indians in the Oklahoma Territory ISLAND RAINFALL FOR MAY 2013: 1.4 INCHES May inches May inches May inches May inches May inches Avg Rainfall for May 4.0 inches YTD Variance to Average inches June Avg Rainfall 6.1 inches June Record High º F (1969) June Record Low.. 48º F (1984) June Avg Water. Temperature.81º F July Avg Rainfall inches July Record High..107.ºF (1980) July Record Low.. 55 ºF (1967) July Avg Water Temperature..83º F Rainfall Year-to-Date 19.9 inches Avg Annual Rainfall : inches OKALOOSA ISLAND FIRE DISTRICT REPORTS 72 CALLS FOR APRIL 2013 Fire Calls Brush Fires Misc...25 Alarm Activations 4 EMS, Rescue & MVA PET OWNERS ALERT! COYOTE SPOTTED ON SAILFISH DRIVE ON THE ISLAND -- by Bob Seitz A coyote was recently spotted on Sailfish Drive during the early morning hours just before dawn. It was traveling down Sailfish Drive with a "large black object" hanging out of both sides of its mouth. This could explain the recent rash of missing cats in the Sailfish and Tarpon areas. All residents should be aware of our guest and keep their small pets inside, or fenced in, during the nighttime hours. The recent dry spell brings animals from the Air Force reservation part of the Island looking for fresh water and food. On a lighter note, if you walk in the morning around and Sailfish and Tarpon you will hear the sounds of the "Bob White" quail which have recently arrived. Their call is quite distinctive. Several of the birds have been seen walking in yards. JOIN THE LEASEHOLDERS! LET YOUR OPINIONS BE HEARD! FOR A MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION CLICK ON THE ASSOCIATION S WEBPAGE: OR CONTACT JIM SIMPSON AT (850) OR BY AT SANLEANNA@COX.NET.

4 Beautification Committee Report -- Kathy Foster The master plan for the island set aside wonderful parcels of land to be utilized as parks and Accessways to the beach. The improved Beach Accessway Parks are taxed beyond capacity on weekends with visitors parking on the grass and on Santa Rosa Boulevard. Unfortunately the three unimproved parcels consist of outhouses and gravel parking lots. Photos of these accesses are below. : Beautification Committee members Dave Miller and Kathy Foster met with Tourist Development Department Director Dan O Byrne to discuss the need to improve the three unimproved Beach Accessways Parks. Mr. O Byrne responded favorably. Also discussed was the gateway to the beach - Santa Rosa Boulevard and the medians. We followed up this meeting by contacting each of the five County Commissioners requesting their support of improving the Beach Accessway Parks. All five Commissioners expressed their desire to use TDD funds to better our beach areas and approaches. The committee continues to weed and to trim overgrown and dead wood at Sun Dial Park and other public areas affecting residents and visitors. This is a loosely formed volunteer committee, so if you see a task that needs attention, please be a contributing member and help solve the problem. UNIMPROVED PUBLIC BEACH ACCESSES No. 4 (Located between Dorado Avenue and Pelican Drive) No. 5 (Located between Pelican Drive and Sailfish Drive) No. 6 (Located Between Sailfish Drive and Tarpon Drive) Commissioner Commissioner Boyles Makes a Point at the May 13 OILA Meeting carries water mainly during rainstorms) parallel along the south side of Santa Rosa to help drain rain water off the boulevard. Funding for the swales would have to come from Public Works, Restore Act money or a grant. Feed back from Mr. Boyles office indicates that steps have been initiated to consider utilizing TDC funds to improve one public beach access (bathrooms, showers, tables) and the possible installation of swales. The Leaseholders extends its appreciation to Commissioner Boyles for taking the time to meet us and for his proactive approach to Island concerns. R E F L E C T I O N S I N R A I N D R O P S COUNTY COMMISSIONER NATHAN BOYLES (District 3) ENGAGES IN LIVELY DISCUSSION WITH OILA MEMBERS AT THE MAY 13 MEETING County Commissioner Nathan Boyles attended the May 13 Leaseholders meeting and exchanged information, questions and ideas with the membership. Subject areas covered a wide spectrum of subjects all the way from using TDC funds to improve public beach accesses to the possible installation of swales (a shallow trough like depression that TRIPLE WUZZLE PUZZLES FOR THE 3 RD TIME! What is a Wuzzle Puzzle? It is a puzzle consisting of combinations of words, letters, figures, or symbols positioned to create disguised words, phrases, names, places, etc. Are you ready to take the challenge and figure out the disguised meaning of these wuzzles? Good luck. The answers are at the bottom of the last page. Wuzzle No. 1 Wuzzle No. 2 Wuzzle No. 3

5 I have been taking photos since I bought my first camera, a Kodak Hawkeye Brownie, when I went in the Army in About 3 years ago I started my own photography business, which I named "Old Man and The Sea Photography". I named it after one of my favorite novels by Ernest Hemmingway. I often take photos at the park just to the east of the conference center...i call the entire area the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, which I think is a pretty good description. I also teach photography classes and take my students there for photo sessions. My students are always amazed at its natural beauty, only a stone's throw away from Highway 98. Once I found out that our county commissioners had approved the construction of a theme park and a fish hatchery on this beautiful, natural piece of land on our beloved Okaloosa Island which my wife Ginny and I call home, I knew had to document in photos what this area looked like before the construction began...the theme park is now well underway. I fear for this area...i fear that the herons will not have a place to nest, nor a place for the ducks to winter in...i fear that once the theme park and fish hatchery are completed, and hoards of people descend upon this gorgeous, natural little slice of land on Okaloosa Island, that it will never be the same. So, I m trying to take as many photos of the area as I can, so that generations of Islanders to come can say "So that's the way it used to look like before they developed it...sad". I am reminded of a song from the 1960's..."They paved paradise and put up a parking lot". I fear that it is an apt description. (Dave Davis and his wife Ginny have lived on Okaloosa Island for 15 years. You can view Dave's photos of this area by going to his Facebook page at clicking on "Photos", then clicking on "Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge") Old Golf Block 14 Course Area WILDLIFE AND NATURE PHOTOS AND COMMENTS ON OKALOOSA ISLAND S ONLY REMAINING PUBLICLY OWNED, UNDEVELOPED AREA - THE OLD 9 HOLE GOLF COURSE LOCATED IN BLOCK 14. by Dave Davis - "Old Man and The Sea Photography"

6 Minutes (Draft) OILA Meeting on May 13, 2013 Meeting was called to order at 7:02 pm by President Cathy Taylor. Board members present were Jim Simpson, Cathy Taylor, Kathy Foster, Carol Edlund and Paula Hudson. The Pledge of Allegiance. Cathy Taylor introduced Commissioner Nathan Boyles. After a brief statement about the concern of infrastructure and storm water issues plaguing the county Commissioner Boyle opened the floor to the discussion of island as well as county issues. Some of the issues discussed: o Gas tax increase o Top infrastructure projects o Improvement of beach access ways on Okaloosa Island o Beautification and maintenance of the medians and enforcements of the Island Covenants o Objection to any new bridge West of the current Brooks Bridge o Concern regarding the safety of the marine hatchery (Block 14) o Loss of public access to the old golf course with its ponds and wildlife (Block 14) o Drainage and lack of a true bike path along Santa Rosa Boulevard. Dave Davis of Old Man and the Sea Photography presented 90 slides of the wildlife and ponds on Block 14. There was concern mention by members to how the wildlife will be affected by the current developmental plans. Kathy Foster motioned that the April 2013 minutes be accepted as presented in the OILA Lantern. The motion was 2 nd by Carol Edlund. There was no further discussion, a vote was called by Cathy Taylor and it was accepted unanimously. Jim Simpson presented the April s treasurer s report (see attached). Paula Hudson made a motion to accept the treasurer s report with reimbursement to Mr. Simpson. Kathy Foster 2 nd the motion. There was no discussion, Cathy Taylor called for a vote and it was accepted unanimously. Architectural Committee Report was submitted in the newsletter. Beautification Committee will be meeting with Dan O Byrne at TDD on May 16 th to see if there can be a coordination of efforts to improve the appearance of property on Okaloosa Island. Horizons will be picking up the cuttings from Beautification Committee work completed at Sundial Court. Website- - No report Boat Basin - There will be a cleanup, pre-bowlegs, on May 18 th. Lights MSBU See attached Public Works is preparing a request for the BCC for an additional street light at the Breakers. Nomination Committee Kathy Foster, Chairman, presented a slate of candidates for the OILA Board. The names presented were: Desley Parker Vince Bruner Tripp Tolbert Kathy Foster President Cathy Taylor opened the floor for any nominations, none were given. Paul Foster made a motion to accept the slate of candidates presented by the nomination committee, Paula Hudson seconded the motion. President Taylor opened the floor for discussion, with none she called for a vote. Motion was approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM Paula Hudson Wuzzle No. 1 Wuzzle No. 2 Wuzzle No. 3 Right Under the Nose Left Overs Strong Undertow