October 30, 2014 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 75¢ $2 million Haunted may flood in County anticipates grants for House several soaked neighborhoods B M P The county’s Local Mitigation Y AT ELLEGRINO Strategy Taskforce released their list Gulf Breeze News [email protected] of neighborhoods that were eligible for HMGP funding last month. The The Florida Division of Emergen- group recently acquired a 90-day cy Management oficially gave word estimate from FEMA on how much that there will be available Hazard the county could receive in HMGP Mitigation Grant Program Funds grant money. as a result of the April lood event. Now it’s up to the county where that money will go, once it’s received. See Northridge Page 3A » WBMS tops at robotics meet BY MAT PELLEGRINO WBMS took home the BEST Gulf Breeze News Award, that earns them a spot at the [email protected] Regional Competition, South’s BEST that will be held December 5 -7 at Au- Woodlawn Beach Middle School’s burn University. robot “Crash” took home the robotic Shannon Farrell, the WBMS 8th Resident crown at this year’s Emerald Coast grade science teacher credited with BEST Robotics competition held last leading her team of 43 students to the Saturday at The University of West continues » Halloween Florida. See Students Page 8A tradition BY MELANIE KORMONDY Gulf Breeze News [email protected] Halloween is a holiday that gives people the once a year opportunity to take off their daily costumes as doc- tors, lawyers, students, mechanics, salespersons and other professionals, and show their true colors under the guise of “dressing for the holiday.” For some people a mask, some candy and maybe a party or two is all they need to at last be themselves. Photos by Mat Pellegrino | Gulf Breeze News But others take it a little further. A vampire keeps watch over Kim Landry’s displays in the Plantation Hill subdivi- sion. Landry’s home sees over 1,200 trick-or-treaters each year thanks to the Submitted Photo See Landry Page 5A » homeowner’s creativity. WBMS students hold up their Best of Show trophy last Saturday. Calculation error could cost taxpayers using the correct igure, the amount is “I’ve been doing The only hitch is that tax bills are escrow until the following tax year. He BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News actually 4.848 percent over last year. this for 30 years, and already printed and the Santa Rosa said his ofice will return the overage [email protected] City of Gulf Breeze Budget Director this is the irst time County Tax Collector will collect the to the taxing authority (the city of Gulf Dave Szymanski said in a statement we’ve ever had an er- higher amount, refunding the overage Breeze) to distribute, either through A calculation error could cost most to the city council that two errors oc- ror,” Eddy said. “We next year. credits on next year’s taxes or rebate city of Gulf Breeze taxpayers approx- curred: irst, the calculation error and pulled the wrong num- Eddy said a homeowner with a checks. imately $5 per on this year’s taxes, second, an error in the advertisement. ber off a form, and $125,000 taxable value would see a $5The situation is new territory for Eddy but it will be rebated in the next tax The advertisement the city published when you start with difference in the tax bill. county oficials, he said. year. in Gulf Breeze News mistakenly used the wrong information Because of the error, the city is “I’ve never seen it; Greg (Brown, City Manager Buz Eddy said the the inal adjusted 2013 levy igure on top, it winds up be- readvertising the budget summary and Santa Rosa County Property Apprais- wrong igure was originally put into and not the initially proposed levy as ing wrong on the bottom.” notice of tax increase. er) has never seen it … no one has ever the formula, calculating property val- required. The city is publishing the Gulf Breeze City Council will review Santa Rosa County Tax Collector made this error before,” Nichols said. ues at the city’s current millage rate to corrected budget summary and notice an agenda item Monday, Nov. 3 propos- Stan Nichols said the Florida Statutes “Six dollars isn’t going to make or relect a 2.65 percent increase over the of tax increase in this issue of Gulf ing rolling back the tax rate to relect require him to collect the amount on break anybody,” Nichols said. “Mis- prior year rolled-back rate. However, Breeze News. the percent originally advertised. the tax bills, holding any overage in takes happen. People are human.” Mailing Statement Calendar ..........2A FRI 10/31 SAT 11/01 SUN 11/02 on Opinion Page WEEKEND SUNNY SUNNY SUNNY Classiieds . 7C Sports. .........1-8C FOUR SECTIONS, hi 75/lo 47 hi 65/lo 46 hi 67/lo 54 48 PAGES Crossword Puzzle...3B Weather-plus rain: 0% rain: 0% rain: 0% VOL. 13, NO. 44 Arrests and DUIs ...2A OCTOBER 30, 2014 GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2A October 30, 2014 GULF BREEZE NEWS Nov. Calendar of Meetings Re/Max, LLC: We do not Monday Tiger Point Strategic Planning Workshop 3 5 p.m., Gulf Breeze City Hall, Council Chambers City Council Meeting regulate our offices 6:30 p.m., Gulf Breeze City Hall, Council Chambers Padron, the broker responsible for the list- international franchising organization made BY MAT PELLEGRINO ing, about the sale, the ads were removed up of thousands of independently owned Gulf Breeze News Tuesday Marine Advisory [email protected] from the internet. They were then replaced and operated real estate ofices,” Lydick 4 5 p.m., SRC Administrative Center, 6495 with websites advertising a piece of land wrote. “Although the ofices are licensed Caroline St., Milton Re/Max, LLC’s corporate retail ofice re- The Club II owns, not the facility itself. to use the RE/MAX name and service mark, Development Review Board leased a generic response to the situation in- Lydick told Gulf Breeze News in an each is an independently owned and oper- 6:30 p.m., Gulf Breeze City Hall, Council volving the controversial The Club II prop- email that Re/Max LLC does not regulate ated business and is responsible for its own Chambers erty sale last Wednesday stating that their their independently-owned ofices around activities.” corporate headquarters would be contacting the country. Padron, who listed the build- On Padron’s trulia.com account, it shows Beautification Committee Meeting the Realtor (JM Padron) responsible for ing for sale is the President and CEO of where the broker changed the listing on Wednesday 29 5:30 p.m., Gulf Breeze City Hall, Council selling the property in regards to the sale. RE/MAX Premier Associates and RE/MAX The Club II on trulia.com after Gulf Breeze Chambers Kim Lydick, a Customer Relations Man- Commercial Associates, according to his News questioned him about the ad. It also ager with Re/Max, LLC, contacted Gulf proile on trulia.com. shows a recent update to the ad on October Breeze News on behalf of Hilary Nixon, a “Legally, RE/MAX, LLC may not man- 17 to read “Excellent Parcel to Develop a Re/Max spokeswoman, who Gulf Breeze age or regulate the day-to-day activities of Strip Shopping Center”. The property listed News called and emailed regarding the either the independently owned and oper- by Padron currently is the holding pond for Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Report sale of the property for the past two weeks. ated real estate ofice or the individual sales The Club II. Information provided by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. Nixon refused to comment on the matter, associates who work within the ofice,” the Despite several calls to Padron’s ofice, along with another Re/Max, LLC Public email read. no one at the ofice was willing to talk to Arrest records were not records sent to Gulf Breeze Relations Specialist Jason Lindaman even Lydick then said she would be in contact Gulf Breeze News, or comment on the orig- available this week from the News were ignored by the after several emails and phone calls. with Padron, but would not state whether inal ad. Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s SRSO. The response came after Gulf Breeze action would be taken against his false ad “As with any business … occasional Office. The Jail View website News uncovered several online ads promot- that was placed online. problems such as those expressed by you that Gulf Breeze News uses ing the sale of The Club II. After contacting “As you may know, RE/MAX, LLC is an will arise,” Lydick stated. to acquire arrest records was down. Requests to have the Note: All arrest and police reports published in Gulf Breeze News are $900 paddleboard nabbed public record and do not imply guilt. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven and/or adjudicated guilty in a court of law. Gulf There was a report of Grand Tuesday, Oct.14 Theft at the 200 block of Hibis- Saturday, Oct. 25 Breeze cus Avenue. Police are currently A 30-year-old Pensacola A 22-year-old Pensacola searching for a 49-year-old Pen- man was charged with DUI Police woman was arrested for DUI at sacola man who they believe is and Driving with a Suspend- 12:21 a.m. FLASHBACKS the suspect in the case. The sus- ed License in the Naval Live pect allegedly stole $600 in cash, Oaks.