CRESTVIEW — The revolving county courthouse once more spun back to front Main Street following the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners reaffirmation of county staffers' recommended orientation.
The 3-2 vote followed nearly an hour and a half of often impassioned public comment during a special meeting of the board Monday night
The meeting was called to reopen discussion on the matter.
At a May meeting, the board originally voted to rotate the new courthouse clockwise off its present footprint to face Main Street's north leg.
As planned by Crestview’s early city planners, the courthouse currently has a southeasterly orientation, overlooking down Main Street toward the railroad tracks.
PUBLIC INPUT
Following outcry that the decision was made without adequate public input—concerns then shared by the Crestview City Council—the board revisited the issue.
At a special May 26 meeting of the city council, Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles and county Public Works Director presented a detailed explanation of the process leading to the new courthouse orientation. Following the meeting, the City Council supported the decision.
On June 7, led by south Okaloosa County Commissioner Trey Goodwin, the board agreed in a 3-2 vote to reconsider its original decision. Both of North Okaloosa County's commissioners, Wayne Harris and Boyles, voted against the motion, expressing fears it would delay the project.
At Monday's meeting, County Public Works Director Jason Autrey again made a presentation in the council chamber on the reasons behind the recommended orientation.
Autrey said if the board adopted "plan A," which oriented the new courthouse in the same direction as the currently vacant courthouse, it could cost the county as much as $25,000 a week during a five- to six-week delay to revise site engineering plans.
FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
Moving Monday evening to adopt "plan B" — the north Main Street jog-facing orientation — Harris noted, "We hire excellent people to give us a good advice.
"Our job is not aesthetics. Our fiduciary responsibility is the save the taxpayers of Okaloosa County money."
"No matter how we vote, some people are going to be upset," Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel said before she and Goodwin cast the nay votes.
"No matter which plan we choose, we will have a beautiful building in downtown Crestview," Ketchel said. "Either way I'm proud to be a part of this and I'm proud to support it."
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FOR AND AGAINST
An overflow crowd attended Monday evening's special meeting of the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners, with residents outside the Crestview City Council chamber listening to proceedings on a speaker run out into the hallway.
Residents spoke passionately in favor of either of two plans. "Plan A" orients the courthouse as it currently is, with its entrance more or less facing down Main Street.
"Plan B," which county commissioners approved, rotates the new building clockwise to face the north Main Street jog.
Plan A Proponents
"Just because it can be reoriented positionally does not mean it should be, because we need the tradition and roots we can show our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We do not need to be able to say, 'We saved money by changing it.'" Dr. Eugene Strickland
"In my estimation, the county seat should be a showplace. For people to drive up Main Street and seeing the side of the building is giving the county seat a cold shoulder. The curb appeal to me is showing the facade of that building." The Rev. Mark Broadhead
"The county seat should be the showplace of Okaloosa County. Let's help our businesses. Keep it as close to the present as possible." James Broxson
"When we drive up Main Street and we look at that (Okaloosa County Veterans) memorial, the columns of the courthouse should be in the background. That piece of granite is not just a rock. It has meaning, just like the flag." Mickey Rytman
"We talked it being something of beauty as people come into down. If Plan A is used, then you have the visibility as you come all the way up Main Street. you can get the whole view and beauty." former Mayor Jerry Milligan
"The grandfathers and fathers and sons of Okaloosa County who paid the ultimate price for our freedom deserve the honor and respect of the courthouse in facing their memorial." Ann Spann
Plan B Proponents
"I don't care which way it faces. We've already crossed the finish line. Pat yourself on the back and please, please don't open this up any more. The building was perfect as it was planned." John Whitley
"I think we're on the right track and we just need to make a decision to move forward." David Colón
"A larger majority of people in Okaloosa County want plan B. If plan A goes into effect, I will actively work to get most of you out of office." John Marshall
"You have made a wonderful decision to build in Crestview. Welcome to the 21st century. It needs to happen and it needs to happen very quickly, the sooner the better." Sharon Adams
"You've gone to a tremendous cost to have professionals tell you what to do. The more time you spend on it is lost money." Mark Todd
"I think we have a great idea with plan B. Let's go forward and get a courthouse built. I came here because I saw potential, but potential is a fleeting thing." Alex Fortier
"The fact remains the contract has been signed and the decision has been made. If the vote is undone, it's going to cost the taxpayers more money." Sandra Adkinson
Neither plan
"Let's put it on the north end of Crestview by the post office where it's supposed to go. This will generate more parking area downtown that we need." Landrum Edwards
An overflow crowd attended Monday evening's special meeting of the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners, with residents outside the Crestview City Council chamber listening to proceedings on a speaker run out into the hallway.
Residents spoke passionately in favor of either of two plans. "Plan A" orients the courthouse as it currently is, with its entrance more or less facing down Main Street.
"Plan B," which county commissioners approved, rotates the new building clockwise to face the north Main Street jog.
Plan A Proponents
"Just because it can be reoriented positionally does not mean it should be, because we need the tradition and roots we can show our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We do not need to be able to say, 'We saved money by changing it.'" Dr. Eugene Strickland
"In my estimation, the county seat should be a showplace. For people to drive up Main Street and seeing the side of the building is giving the county seat a cold shoulder. The curb appeal to me is showing the facade of that building." The Rev. Mark Broadhead
"The county seat should be the showplace of Okaloosa County. Let's help our businesses. Keep it as close to the present as possible." James Broxson
"When we drive up Main Street and we look at that (Okaloosa County Veterans) memorial, the columns of the courthouse should be in the background. That piece of granite is not just a rock. It has meaning, just like the flag." Mickey Rytman
"We talked it being something of beauty as people come into down. If Plan A is used, then you have the visibility as you come all the way up Main Street. you can get the whole view and beauty." former Mayor Jerry Milligan
"The grandfathers and fathers and sons of Okaloosa County who paid the ultimate price for our freedom deserve the honor and respect of the courthouse in facing their memorial." Ann Spann
Plan B Proponents
"I don't care which way it faces. We've already crossed the finish line. Pat yourself on the back and please, please don't open this up any more. The building was perfect as it was planned." John Whitley
"I think we're on the right track and we just need to make a decision to move forward." David Colón
"A larger majority of people in Okaloosa County want plan B. If plan A goes into effect, I will actively work to get most of you out of office." John Marshall
"You have made a wonderful decision to build in Crestview. Welcome to the 21st century. It needs to happen and it needs to happen very quickly, the sooner the better." Sharon Adams
"You've gone to a tremendous cost to have professionals tell you what to do. The more time you spend on it is lost money." Mark Todd
"I think we have a great idea with plan B. Let's go forward and get a courthouse built. I came here because I saw potential, but potential is a fleeting thing." Alex Fortier
"The fact remains the contract has been signed and the decision has been made. If the vote is undone, it's going to cost the taxpayers more money." Sandra Adkinson
Neither plan
"Let's put it on the north end of Crestview by the post office where it's supposed to go. This will generate more parking area downtown that we need." Landrum Edwards
FOR AND AGAINST
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County commission OKs Crestview courthouse orientation