News Cast for March 5th:
The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners have agreed to find a firm to do a study on impact fees to help pay for future growth and infrastructure needs.
There had been some debate over using developers agreements instead of impact fees.
George Lindsay told the commission that impact fees are accepted in every jurisdiction and developers realize they are needed and are willing to cooperate.
He said it is possible to have impact fees but also developers agreements for things like turn lanes and red lights.
Wes Williamson of the Okeechobee Economic Council said while the council has not voted to officially support impact fees, the members do support them.
“As a board and organization, we are opposed to just individual development agreements.”
He said surrounding counties all have impact fees listing Osceola County $25,000, St. Lucie $15,000, Highlands $15,000, Martin $14,0000, and Indian River $10,000.
“I’m not here saying we need $10,000 impact fees but we need to look at them.”
Lindsay said the BOCC must remember there are three requirements for impact fees and how they are spent. “The fees that are charged must match the services being rendered, they
can’t be used to fund deficiencies of the past and they can’t be used for capital expenses and not maintenance.”
Detective Ashley Rojas was honored for helping to protect Okeechobee children as she was named the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office.
Others nominated this year include Skyler Casian, Donny Holmes and Dennis Donelly.
Det. Rojas works on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and has investigated several incidents where alleged sexual perverts tried to contact our children.
Chief Deputy Michael Hazellief said he appreciates the hard work and effort Det. Rojas puts in on a daily basis.
“She is very vigilant. She is that shield for children. She works so diligently, not only in that field, but in everything she does. She just exudes excellence.”
Chief Hazellief said there has been an increase in these types of investigation in the past year in Okeechobee County.
“I don’t understand the uptick. She has all the work that she can stand and that is a very sad thing.”
An Okeechobee man was sentenced to 18 months in prison and court costs for drug charges.
Gilberto Tagle Jr., 56, was originally charged with fentanyl trafficking. That charge was reduced to possession.
Residents of Country Hills Estates reported a suspicious vehicle parked on NE 22nd Avenue on April 29, 2024.
Deputies said they found a bag inside the vehicle under the front seat of the pickup truck that contained 4.9 grams of fentanyl.
Tagle pled no contest to the possession charge and was sentenced to pay $865 in court courts.
He also had his driver’s license suspended for six months.
An equipment violation of a bicycle helped land a local woman in jail.
April Shauger, 32, was charged with trafficking in methamphetamines, possession with the intent to sell or distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop near the 8000 block of US 441 SE on March 3.
The arrest report said he stopped the bicyclist at 8:30 pm because the bike did not have a white in color light fixed to the front of the bike.
The deputy said he found three grams of methamphetamine in a backpack on the suspect.
At the jail Shauger voluntarily admitted to having more methamphetamines. A bag with 11 grams of the drug was removed from the suspect.
Bond in the case was $106,000.
A 34-year-old Okeechobee man was wrestled to the ground in the lobby of the Sheriffs Office when he demanded to be paid money he was owed.
Paul Cox repeatedly called dispatch demanding money before coming in person to the lobby.
The arrest report said Cox told the deputy he wanted his money and would not leave without it.
He allegedly made a threat of somebody’s gonna pay me my money, and to blow up the building.
Several officers converged and took Cox into custody.
Mr. Cox was held on $46,000 bond to face charges that include making threats, battery on law enforcement, and resisting arrest with violence.