News Cast for April 10th:
The Okeechobee City Council held a workshop to discuss the long-range plan for the city.
Issues discussed included affordable housing, the future of the 441 or Parrott Avenue corridor, and connectivity.
Vice Mayor Monica Clark said she doubted there was a existing housing shortage in Okeechobee.
“We have plenty of housing that should be affordable in Okeechobee County but its not affordable because they can rent these houses, single-wide, and double-wide trailers for an outrageous amount of money.”
City Councilmember Bob Jarriel wants to focus on infrastructure. He noted he saw Palm Beach County have growing pains.
“The infrastructure was never there first and there were too many projects approved by the money or the individual that was submitting it and I don’t want to see that happen here.”
City Administrator Gary Ritter said a long range plan is needed to determine how Okeechobee is going to look in future years.
“It is like we are changing our vision without a vision and doing it on the fly.”
Developers have been buying land on 441 to develop and council has been pushed to allow commercial business on blocks one block east and west of the main corridor.
An Okeechobee man convicted twice in federal court on drug charges was recently prosecuted on similar charges in Oklahoma, the Department of Justice said.
Frederick Ballard, 53, was indicted last year on two counts of selling methamphetamine in Stephens County, Oklahoma.
He was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison. He will also serve four years on community control after his release.
Ballard pled guilty in Okeechobee in 2003 to conspiracy to traffic in narcotics and was sentenced to three years in federal prison.
He was arrested and prosecuted in 2007 for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of two rifles as a convicted felon.
He was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and a 500 hour intensive drug treatment program.
Highlands County Administrator Laurie Hurner said Lorida and eastern parts of the county will see improvements this year.
Road improvements include more resurfacing of all of US 98 between US 27 and through Lorida.
A left hand turn lane is being put in on US 98 at Spring Lake.
The county will continue to push studies and progress on widening state road 70 to four lanes.
They also plan work on the Arbuckle Creek bridge and the stretch of the road closer to Sebring.
Hurner said the Spring Lake fire station is about 60 percent designed. The volunteer station will remain in Lorida. The station in Spring Lake will have full-time firemen to respond quicker to the east side of the county.
Highlands County also supports the reservoir called LOCAR.
“We have really expressed that the entire project has to be done carefully so we are not interfering with folks out there, but it is a good project.”
Hurner said the commissioners all support the reservoir. She said they note the water and flooding problems the area has.
The county also had been working on ways to find funding for the Istokpoga Marsh Water Improvement District. The state eliminated taxes on special districts that were used to maintain the canals.
A new playground was recently installed at the county property in Lorida.
Glades County agreed to participate in the Heartland Festival this Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13.
It is being hosted by the Edna Pearce Lockett Estate in Fort Basinger.
They plan to honor the five counties that broke apart from DeSoto County back in 2021.
Glades County will have a booth there and provide some historical photos for the public to see.
The other four counties were Charlotte, Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto.