XXXXX XXXXXX THEYOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1937 Christmas on the Coast, B1 YEAR 75, NUMBER 8 TAR Thursday, DECEMBER 6, 2012 ForS breaking news, visit www.starfl.com 50¢ PSJ commission approves water study By TIM CROFT tively identifying the culprit(s) at grant of $106,000 to the city for 227-7827 |@PSJ_Star the root of the discolored water “We know no matter what we do with the improvements to the Chipola tcroft@starfl .com problems that have plagued the distribution system, we still know we have Pump Station, where water is city since a $21 million surface pumped from the Chipola River Port St. Joe commissioners water plant went online some problems with certain house plumbing, certain to the freshwater canal the city hope another 30-plus weeks and three years ago. taps for its water, including re- $60,000 will supply a more defi ni- “I feel like we have to move situations. We just don’t know what that is.” placement of the main engine at tive answer to chronic problems forward with it,” Mayor Mel the station. with discolored water experi- Magidson said. “Hopefully it will Commissioner Bill Kennedy That will allow the city to take enced by many residents on the lead to some answers to the wa- $65,000 earmarked in the current south end of the county. ter problem.” budget for that work into cash Commissioners approved The study, which will include households and businesses and commission. carry forward. Because there is Tuesday moving ahead with a taking samples over months at offsite chemical protocol testing Last week, the board of the no budget line to pay for the pilot water distribution profi le and different junctures in the trip wa- at Virginia Tech, will be some- Northwest Florida Water Man- pilot study that aimed at defi ni- ter takes from the plant to some thing of a fi scal wash for the agement District announced a See WATER A8 CAPE SAN BLAS LIGHTHOUSE Gulf RESTORE committee quote solicits ideas quote id By TIM CROFT quote name 227-7827 |@PSJ_Star tcroft@starfl .com Many answers have yet to be fi lled in, but the county RESTORE Committee is seeking ideas from the public. In a pair of town hall meetings at each end of the county early this week, the RESTORE committee provided an overview of the legislation that would divide civil fi ne INSIDE money paid by BP because Mexico Beach of the 2010 Deepwater Ho- Community rizon oil spill and how those Development funds would fl ow to impact- Council awarded ed states and counties. $200,000 from Committee members also distributed the tem- BP-sponsored plate for a “pre-proposal” of Gulf Tourism potential projects the coun- and Seafood ty might consider as the Promotional Fund TIM CROFT | The Star process moves forward. B1 JUMP —— From Page 6A There are still many un- A truck and trailer revved, the move of one of the keepers’ quarters is under way on the grounds of the Cape knowns, as Jennifer Jen- San Blas Lighthouse. Below is a long view of the work done and the work ahead as one keepers’ quarters and kins of the RESTORE committee said. The fi nal the oil house remain to be moved back to protect them while disposition of the buildings is determined. say in any funding for local projects, should the process proceed as currently legislated, would be with the Board of County Commissioners. A recent criminal fi ne has almost no bearing on the ultimate civil penalty, though it estab- lished culpability for the civil trial expected in the spring. ON THE MOVE See RESTORE A3 Lighthouse quarters removed Lobbyist: Gustav from erosionFrom page 6A danger zone relief decision By TIM CROFT 227-7827 |@PSJ_Star expected ‘soon’ tcroft@starfl .com By TIM CROFT Moving day arrived Tues- 227-7827 |@PSJ_Star day at the Cape San Blas tcroft@starfl .com Lighthouse. The U.S. Air Force be- The case has been made to the Federal Emer- gan the move of the keepers’ gency Management Agency, and a decision from quarters and oil house on the the agency was expected “soon” on whether Gulf grounds of the Cape San Blas County will be reimbursed some $15 million for Lighthouse in the fi ght to save damages to a beach renourishment project dur- the lighthouse and buildings ing Hurricane Gustav four years ago. from encroaching erosion. The reimbursement, Washington lobbyist Eglin Air Force Base, Amanda Woods said, initially was to be provided which owns the property on tially the same distance from Army Corps of Engineers), surplus, and the application by FEMA before a protest from the U.S. Fish and which the lighthouse and the coast as the lighthouse, but this was an Air Force for applying to take posses- Wildlife Service, which expressed concerns about buildings sit, contracted with which is not considered in initiative.” sion of them expired the last effects on sensitive animal habitat. ICC Contractors out of Bris- imminent danger. On Tuesday, the fi rst of the week of November. Woods told the Board of County Commissioners tol, which in turn subcon- “This was an Air Force two keepers’ quarters was The National Parks Ser- last week that she and her fi rm, along with local tracted the work of moving initiative to move these build- moved. The second and the vice is reviewing the applica- offi cials and members of the county’s congressio- the keepers’ quarters and oil ings,” said public informa- oil house will be moved later tions for a fi nal award. The nal delegation, have made a strong case that the house to Stone’s House Mov- tion offi cer Mike Spaits. “We this week. Board of County Commis- reimbursement should be made and that FEMA ers out of Sneads. contracted to have the build- The moves are being sioners and city of Port St. Joe has the power to decide that reimbursement de- The keepers’ quarters are ings moved and secured the made to buy time. The Air both submitted applications. spite objections from U.S. Fish and Wildlife. being moved back roughly $50,000 to fund the move. We Force already has rendered A Freedom Newspaper 100 feet, leaving them essen- had a partner in the (U.S. the lighthouse andINDEX buildings See LIGHTHOUSE A2 SubscribeSee GUSTAV A2 xxxx Opinions 4A Obituaries 4B Legals 11B to The Star Real Estate Advertising Deadline Thursday 11:00 am ET xxxxxxx Letters to the Editor 5A Church News 5B Classifieds 12-13B TABLE OF CONTENTS Display Advertising Deadline Real Estate Ad deadline is Thursday 11 Fridaya.m. ET11:00 am ET 1B SubscribeSports to The Star 10A Law Enforcement 8B Trades & Services 14B Call 227-1278 Opinion . A4-A5 School News . B3 Legal ad deadline is Friday 11 a.m. ET227-1278 800-345-8688Society News 2-3B LettersSchool to the News Editor . .10B . A5 Faith . B4 For your hometown paper DisplayFor yourad deadline is Friday 11 a.m.Classified ET 227-1278 Line-Advertising Deadline Outdoors . A6 Obituaries . B4 Monday 5:00 pm ET delivered to your home! hometownClassifi ed deadline paper is Monday 5 p.m. ET 747-5020 Sports . A7 Classifi eds . .B7-B8 VISIT THE STAR ONLINE AT WWW.STARFL.COM delivered to your home! 747-5020 A2 | The Star Local Thursday, December 6, 2012 GUSTAV from page A1 The presumption from we made the case.” “That area did not meet the should not be hired because “I think it would be a mis- services to hire a consul- the beginning, Woods said, For four years, the criteria for inclusion in a of the county’s strong rep- take for obvious reasons,” tant, Bill Williams or not, was that the reimburse- county has been seeking CBRA zone.” resentation at the state Bryan said. “It is best we but Smiley and Commis- ment to restore lost sand reimbursement for sand She said Congressman (Sen. Bill Montford, Senate break ties with Mr. Williams sioner Carmen McLemore was within the guidelines loss. Offi cials have twice Steve Southerland has fi led President Don Gaetz, Rep. and move forward.” dissented. of the Coastal Barrier Re- gone back to federal agen- a bill in Congress to have Halsey Beshears) and fed- And despite protests With Commissioner sources Act, which seeks cies with new information the CBRA designation in eral (Congressman Steve from Commissioner Tan Warren Yeager having to govern development they say demonstrates the Gulf County overturned, Southerland) levels. Smiley that Bill Williams’ left the meeting midway of sensitive coastal lands reimbursement should be and that bill should be Bo Williams also noted personal fi nancial issues through, the motion died across the country. made. heard in committee after that Bill Williams owed the were not county business, after a 2-2 tie, with McDan- That presumption, Woods noted that much the fi rst of the year. Internal Revenue Service Bryan said his handling of iel agreeing with Bryan. Woods said, was based on of the information provided almost $2 million, had un- his own money is germane In other business, the FEMA’s original authori- to FEMA and other federal RESTORE paid county property taxes to serving the public. BOCC approved an or- zation for the $20 million agencies also points to the and despite having trav- “The way a person does dinance that would ban beach renourishment un- county’s argument that representation eled extensively on taxpay- handle his personal fi nanc- county employees from dertaken by the county in the Cape San Blas/St. Jo- A contentious discus- er dime for RESTORE Act es does refl ect on how he texting and reading texts the past decade.