May 2021 Meeting Minutes
Freeport Merchants Association
Meeting Minutes
May 20th, 2021
Present: Chase Barfield.
Ethan Barfield
Yolanda Ellis
Aaron Ellis
Nico Powell
Bill Blanken
Melissa Miller
Scott Miller
Ann Kurz
Allene Register
Betsy Steinbaum
Nancy Spears
Laura Pentel-Klang
Next meeting: June 17th, 2021, 8:00am, Blount House
1. Announcements
• Current Membership Total: 60
- We have grown almost 50% in the past year
• Current account balance: $3378
• Large Expense:
- They finally cashed the check for the nonprofit status. We are hoping to get the notification
letter any day.
• Nonprofit status 2021:
- All membership fees paid for 2021 will be retroactive as a donation. Members will receive a
letter at the end of the year regarding their donation, for tax purposes
• Name tags:
- They are at the printer. We should have them for the next meeting.
• Membership Committee
- New Member: Bay Life – They publish local family newspapers
Freeport Merchants Association
Meeting Minutes, May 20th, 2021
Page 2
o If you are not receiving this publication, please call the post office and request to
receive “Bay Life”
o Second edition covers Niceville and Valparaiso
o They welcome and information on events and celebrations – feel free to send to
Scott: sales@mybaylife.net or Lori Smith, their publisher:
publisher@mybaylifenwfl.com
o Visit them online at: https://mybaylifenwfl.com/ and on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BayLifeNWFL/
• Business Intro Emails:
- Some members have participated, some have not
o If you have not participated yet and want an introduction sent out to the
membership base, please write a summary and send it in
There will be no edits made so however you send it in is how it will be sent
out – copied and pasted, no auto or manual corrections will be made.
o The application for membership now asks for a description so it can be circulated
• Business Checklist Program:
- Topics already volunteered for and cover by:
o Legal: Laura Patel-Klang
o Financial: Bill Blanken
o Technical Infrastructure: Ethan Barfield
o Culture Development: Aaron Ellis.
- Topics Needing Volunteers:
o Accounting
o Insurance
o Marketing
o Sales
o Location
• June Social will be hosted by Aaron and Yolanda Ellis at the Hammock Bay Lake club: TV
room and outside patio.
Freeport Merchants Association
Meeting Minutes, May 20th, 2021
Page 3
2. Discussion
• May 22nd Event: A Night Out for the Library
- Saturday 4-10pm
• FDOT Road Widening Project
***For questions reach out to Laura Pentel-Klang lpentel@destinlaw.com 850.837.3662***
- Hwy 20 road widening project going from King Road to Black Creek Blvd.
- Eminent domain on all homes and business – State will come to make offers to purchase the
properties along Hwy 20.
- There are 15 businesses and 20 homes that will be relocated
- Some people have businesses and homes that have been in the same place for generations
o We want to make sure the state pays what each property is worth
o Do not accept the first offer
o Engineers and lawyers will work with the state to get the best prices possible. State
pays all fees.
- Intersection at 311 and 20 – they are adding additional turning lanes when they widen Hwy
20.
- They have not given a specific timeline yet, but Tallahassee thinks it will be bumped up on
schedule due to the influx of people and money coming in to Freeport.
- Estimated 3 years out but that is not set in stone.
- State has not issued letters to property owners yet
- There have been 2 public meetings in the last 2 years.
- It is suggested and encouraged to get your ducks in a row and is in your best interest to do
so sooner or later.
***Attorney Laura Pentel-Klang is happy to help and again, the state pays her fees, not the
property owners. Reach out to her for more information and guidance at:
lpentel@destinlaw.com 850.837.3662***
• New Library
- Location has been a moving target...Current chosen location is just north of Planning and
Zoning office, behind the bar.
- Current library is 4,000 Sq. ft. Minimum compliance for Florida State Law – it has to be over
9,000 Sq. ft.
Freeport Merchants Association
Meeting Minutes, May 20th, 2021
Page 4
- They want to raise enough funds to fund the entire building
o Initial estimate was about 1M
o Estimates where done prior to the lumber prices raising
o New estimate is comfortably at least 1M, less that 2M
