Freedom For Merchants Prevailed

There was a Freeport City Council Meeting this morning from 9am to 10:30am and freedom for merchants prevailed. This was a particularly important meeting for the merchants of Freeport. Why? Glad you asked.

For months the FMA Board, Membership and other Non-FMA Member Merchants have been attending Planning and Development Board Meetings, workshops and City Council Meetings that pertained to the suggested change of the land development code.

The suggested changes would have removed the choice of type of building on 331 and the choice of signage on 331 and Hwy 20. Essentially, if you have a metal building on Hwy 331, it must be clad on all sides that it can be seen from the road. For the most part, that is 3 sides. Many merchants choose metal buildings because of their cost effectiveness. And others like its aesthetic. One of the changes would have removed this as an option.

The other suggested change would have been to only allow monument signs with 911 addresses on them. This is an aesthetic (fashion) preference that is not one held by all merchants but the cost to implement it would apply to all merchants moving forward (one council member said that current signs would be grandfathered in). However, with this change, the choice of monument, monopole or dual pole sign would be completely removed and the only option would be monument.

The City Council asked The Planning and Development Review Board to examine this. The summary of the results is that the Planning and Development Review Board voted UNANIMOUSLY against adoption of the proposed land development code changes. Their results, minutes from the meetings and comments from the workshop were all given to the City Council. They voted on this today.

The result of that vote was in support of Freedom for the Merchants of Freeport to be able to choose whether they wanted a metal, brick or concrete building and whether they can have a monument, monopole or dual pole sign. We wish we could report that the vote in support of the Merchants and their Freedom was unanimous. We are happy to report that is was near unanimous.

If you want to know how your representative voted and why, feel free to contact them and ask them directly – City Council Contact Info. You can also read the minutes and listen to the audios for the meetings here.

The FMA Vice President, Chase Barfield, spoke to the Mayor and the City Council on behalf of all Merchants who had expressed their opinions to the FMA. He thanked those on the Council for their support and conveyed that he hopes he can sway those who did not support to change their mind because the cost to implement these changes would fall COMPLETELY on the backs of the Merchants. To which some Merchants stated they would go out of business if they had to comply with these changes.

And all of these changes are being proposed because of aesthetic (design and fashion) choices that emanated from outside of the City of Freeport. Suggestions from others who want a uniformity between Freeport and South Walton. Freeport is not alone as this push for uniformity is county wide.

We are happy that most of the City Council voted in favor of the Freeport Merchants and to help maintain Freeport’s unique identity. We hope that this does not make it to the City Council again. But if it does and our membership feels the same, The Freeport Merchants Association will stand up again and fight for your rights of choice as a Merchant.

FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport.

November 2019 Evening Social

The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our November 2019 Evening Social.

It will be held November 7 at The Hammock Bay Club 1830 Great Hammock Bnd, Freeport FL 32439, US) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members, our Board Members and new guests.

This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by Kona Ice. Please join us for an evening of fun and learn more about Kona Ice and how it serves the people of Freeport.

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October 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights

The October 2019 morning meeting for the Freeport Merchants Association was a very informative meeting consisting completely of members in attendance. Here are the morning highlights.

After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food (the FMA Board) we launched into discussions.

Please note, this was our first meeting at the Blount House and it was well received because it has a more intimate setting setup for discussion and the members seemed to like that. I will say, we had quite a bit of open conversation.

First up was our Treasurer, Nanci Watkins, who discussed our membership count and how much we are growing. This was followed up by her sharing updates on marketing materials for the FMA. We should have physical materials in hand by our next meeting. Post meeting, Nanci setup a mailing address with The UPS Store, another FMA member, to make for easy mailing if any of you members need to physically mail us something. The address is 16400 US Hwy 331S, Suite B2 # 280, Freeport, FL 32439. It is also on our Contact Page if you need it.

Again, as a repeat from last month, the FMA has grown organically based upon word of mouth with current membership. When the materials are available next month, our membership committee (headed by Betsy Steinbaum from Skippers), we will take a more active approach on membership with new and existing businesses. The larger and more engaged our membership, the greater the impact we can have as an organization.

Nanci continued and informed everyone that our 5013c status should be complete shortly and membership dues then become tax deductible.

Following Nanci was our Secretary, Jeff Weller. He opened discussion about needing an Online Coordinator. This is someone to help with our online posts and updates. Adrienne Reilly, from Style Dots, volunteered. Side note, Tami Scott of Kona Ice, volunteered to be our Events Coordinator. We are so thrilled that our committees are filling out.

Then FMA VP, Chase Barfield, spoke about mostly government meeting updates. First up was the Land Development Code. For those of you who have not followed the story thus far, take a moment to read these articles (article 1 and article 2). All of the progress made thus far will ultimately be voted on by City Council at the October 24th meeting. For all Merchants who want to show support, attend the October 24th meeting at 6:30pm at the Freeport City Hall building.

Another update that was given is that the Community Directory Boards proposal is being given consideration. This would allow placement of signs on 4 separate locations in Freeport that gave direction to the location of merchants on less traveled streets. Should we succeed with this proposal, many merchants will have another marketing tool to help them get exposure.

The final update was on a Main Street Initiative, trying to establish a Main Street in Freeport. This is still in the discussion stages and not a lot of information can be shared at this time.

The meeting concluded with commentary from our Treasurer, Nanci Watkins, as she relayed a message from another member, the Walton County Tax Collector’s Office, Property taxes are coming due and now you can pay them at their office right here in Freeport. Their Freeport Office is becoming more and more the central hub to get things done and the need to go to South Walton or DeFuniak Springs for their services is quickly dwindling.

That was it. We wrapped up another great meeting with a packed room. Join us at our next morning meeting on November 21st at the Blount House.

FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport

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Victory For Freeport Merchants

We just had a victory for the Freeport Merchants. As many of you are aware, we have been both following and participating in the discussion around the change to the Freeport Land Development Code. For those of you who are unaware, this pertains to external (outside of Freeport) entities and people trying to influence a change in the language and regulations of both signage and building construction in Freeport. This would have removed choices from the merchants while at the same time placing the financial burden on the backs of the Freeport Merchants. You can read a more in depth article about it here.

As soon as the FMA became aware of what was proposed to transpire, we felt it necessary to get involved. Our mission is to unite the businesses in Freeport, whether they are a member or not, and to be a voice for the merchants. So, we met with the City Planner, Latilda Hughes-Neel, to learn the details. Upon sharing of the proposed changes with us and making us aware of the Planning and Development Board Meeting, we studied the changes and subsequently attended that board meeting.

During that meeting, multiple members of the FMA stood up and spoke to the point that these changes were coming in from outside of Freeport, without the merchants being consulted or having any say in the matter and the net result was less freedom of choice and bearing the burden of the cost of these changes.

The Planning and Development Board heard our plight and chose to schedule a workshop the next month.

The FMA, along with a multitude of other non-member merchants, showed up to the workshop in force. Everyone was passionate, thoughtful and quite helpful with commentary on the topics at hand. The entire Planning and Development Board was attentive to the comments and helpful with the questions.

They concluded and set a meeting to have time to review and reflect on what they learned and vote on whether to make a recommendation to accept or reject the changes.

The meeting took place last night, Wednesday, October the 2nd at 6pm.

We are happy to report that the proposed changes and additions to the Land Development Code, that were initially influenced by entities outside of Freeport, were rejected. The merchants of Freeport have retained the ability to have single pole signs and to have metal buildings without expensive facades. Most importantly, the rules, regulations and laws of the City of Freeport were not influenced by external factors that do not live and work in Freeport.

At this time, we would like to thank The Planning and Development Board for the way they handled this whole endeavor. They did so with an open mind, careful and considerate thought and included those who would be affected most into the conversation. They truly have Freeport’s best interest at heart.

So thank you to Ricky Fannin, Kasey Cuchens, John Konopacki, Steve Thomas and Michael Gilley. You are an effective board. Keep up the good work.

We would also like to thank the City Planner, Latilda Hughes-Neel. Without her painstaking thoroughness of documenting everything and taking the time with our membership to explain the proposed changes to the land development code, the merchants may have ended up with a lack of choices and literally paying for that lack of choices. Thank you Latilda for the work you and your office does.

We would also like to thank Clay Adkinson, City Attorney, for explaining to the merchants and to the board what the proposed changes meant and the various options that were available.

Finally, we would like to thank every single merchant (member and non-member) who talked with the FMA, showed up to meetings and workshops, shared information or stood up and spoke. Without the support of each and every one of you, we could have never accomplished this. So, thank you so very much.

This shows that the future of the City of Freeport is influenced by those who show up and care. We invite all who read this, merchant and non-merchant alike, to pay attention to what is happening in our fair city. We are growing and we are growing fast. More and more people are taking interest in our city and if we collectively want to participate in the direction of its growth, we must first care and we must also show up and make our voices heard. Do not be or add to the silent majority.

And to any merchant that wants to have their voices heard but speaking up is not your talent, contact the FMA. As we said, we are here to unite and give a voice to the Merchants of the City of Freeport.

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September 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights

The September 2019 morning meeting for the Freeport Merchants Association was a very informative meeting with members and guests alike in attendance. Here are the morning highlights.

After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food, the FMA Board, we launched into discussions.

First up was our Treasurer, Nanci Watkins, who discussed our membership count and how much we are growing. This was followed up by her sharing updates on marketing materials for the FMA. This was brought up at the last meeting and slated for sharing at this one. She did not disappoint with samples of rack cards, mouse pads, pens and more.

So far the FMA has grown organically based upon word of mouth with current membership. With the creation of the marketing materials and a membership committee, we will take a more active approach on membership. The more members we have, the more input we get and the more collaboration that can take place. We will continue to push forward building a strong association to unify and represent the merchants of Freeport.

Following Nanci was our Secretary, Jeff Weller. He formally welcomed Betsy Steinbaum to the FMA Board as Membership Director. From there Jeff explained that as we continue to grow, we need volunteers for an events committee. This would be primarily helping with morning meetings and evening socials. As well as assistance with placing the events on the website. If any members are interested, contact us and we will call you to discuss.

Then FMA VP, Chase Barfield, got up to speak about the new morning meeting location. Since the City of Freeport is growing so rapidly, the Planning and Development Department has outgrown their office area and will be moved into the Community Center. So, as of October, no more events will be held in the Community Center. The October morning meeting will take place at the Blount House located at 541 Kylea Laird Dr, Freeport FL 32439.

He then continued on to notify everyone of a new newspaper that is available in the area called Bay Life. This is part of the “Life” family of newspapers that cover Destin and South Walton. Bay Life is designed to cover the area from Niceville to Freeport and include the communities of Blue Water Bay and Hammock Bay. Click here for an article from the Publisher that gives a little more info. Their first issue, September, came out last week and it is delivered to the mailbox of each resident’s house (about 20,000 people). So, if you are looking for another advertising medium, contact Ray Cyr at 850.797.5283.

Following the discussion about the Bay Life Newspaper, Chase proceeded to introduce the guest speaker. We had the pleasure of hearing from Mrs. Latilda Hughes-Neel, The City Planner. She is a lifelong native of Northwest Florida. Latilda received her college education from Chipola Junior College where she majored in Art/Art Education, then from Florida State University, where she enrolled in the Urban and Regional Planning Certification Program, while employed as Assistant County Planner for Jackson County, Florida. Latilda received her AICP certification during her 17-year tenure with Walton County. She served as Walton County Planning Director for eight of those years. Latilda became Freeport’s first City Planner in January of 2005.

Latilda came in and briefed the FMA on the future development of Freeport. This included discussing all planned developments, potential jobs created time lines, and more. We were presented with maps of the different development areas with color coding for vested vs speculative. And we were able to see the Freeport Government Complex Long Term Plan. It shows how the government complex is going to transition over the next few years, what buildings will be constructed, entrances, services and more. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office even wants to occupy space within the complex. Which, is welcome news compared to where they are housed at the moment.

Latilda explained the need for the sewer expansion up and down the 331 corridor and how that applies to the developments planned in those areas. And she covered the conversion from the tap and impact to capacity fees. There was a lot of information that was covered. Nanci recorded it and shared the video on our Facebook Page. You can watch it to gather the data. You will need to turn up your volume a little.

Many of the documents Latilda refers to can be found here – https://www.freeportflorida.gov/planning.

The meeting concluded with commentary from fellow member, Tim Ard, as he reminded us of The Mayor’s Ball on October 19, Bayfest on November 2, The Veteran’s Program on November 11, and the Christmas Parade on the first Saturday of December. We are trying to collect full details so we can share it on our Events page.

That was it. We wrapped up another great meeting with a packed room. Join us at our next morning meeting on October 17th at the Blount House.

FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport

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October 2019 Evening Social

The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our October 2019 Evening Social.

It will be held October 3 at Emerald Coast Automated (415 Tropical Way, Freeport FL 32439, US) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members, our Board Members and new guests.

This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by Frederick Palmquist with Emerald Coast Automated. Please join us for an evening of fun and learn more about Frederick’s business and how it serves the people of Freeport.

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August 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights

The August 2019 morning meeting for the Freeport Merchants Association was a very interactive meeting with members and guests alike in attendance. Here are the morning highlights.

After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food, the FMA Board, we launched into discussions.

First up was our Treasurer, Nanci Watkins, who discussed our membership count. Which, as of today, is about double what it was a year ago. Not too bad when we have not had a formal membership committee. Which brings me to the next item, marketing.

The FMA will be creating brochures about what the FMA stands for, the benefits of FMA and about membership. We plan on rolling out the design by the next morning meeting in September.

And, now, we do actually have a formal Membership Committee Chairperson. It is Betsy Steinbaum of Skippers Furniture. So, any FMA members who would like to help with membership (go out and talk to businesses or help new members become acquainted), please contact Betsy at Skippers Furniture (850-835-3200).

We are also looking for the right volunteer who is excels at event related items. This includes organizing events, understanding the logistics behind them and sending out notifications. Right now that mostly consists of assistance with our morning meetings and evening socials. But this will begin to grow as we expand what we do within the community. If you are an FMA member and interested, use our contact page to express interest.

Following Jeff Weller’s, our Secretary, discussion on committees, Chase Barfield, Vice President, got up to speak about EDDM which stands for Every Door Direct Mailer. It is a great program by the US Postal Service to be able to deliver marketing material to targeted sections of the community. This is another valuable tool for business promotion. And, we have an FMA Member who can help you with the entire process. Talk to Ken over at the UPS Store, they will take good care of you. Tell them the FMA sent you.

After this, Chase Barfield continued on to discuss the Planning & Development Review Board meeting that took place on August 7th. Jennifer Laird, our President, captured it on video and it is on our Facebook Page. The premise was this. A meeting was held by the City Planning & Development Review Board to discuss changes to the Land Development Code. The merchants were not consulted for any input but were expected to bear the cost of the changes. The FMA attended that meeting and voiced the collective membership’s opinions. All consideration was halted and a workshop was scheduled. The entire story can be read here. The bottom line…ALL MERCHANTS need to be at City Hall on August 28th at 6pm to give input on the sign and building changes that are up for discussion. Be there and show your support.

Then Jeff Weller announced our speaker for next month. We are delighted to have Ms. Latilda Hughes-Neel, the Planning Director, for the City of Freeport. She will attend and give insight on signage and is there to answer any and all questions about signage, a topic that has been long discussed at our meetings.

Finally, the floor was opened up to any questions or comments. There were 3 main ones.

First, we are going to implement posting about new developments within Freeport. Meaning, our Secretary is going to pass along the information about new businesses, business developments, etc and we are going to share it here.

Second, the topic of the Main Street Grant was brought up. This is to establish a Main Street in Freeport. A proposal has been drawn up and it is under review by friends of the FMA for input, at the moment. More to come as more comes out.

Finally, Jennifer Laird brought up the sad state of affairs at the Freeport Middle School, as it pertains to their outdoor/recess time. Entrepreneurs and business people are problem solvers and she wanted to engage the collective brainpower of our members and our guests. Apparently the Middle School has hundreds of students that are required to take recess outside. The playground equipment consists of 3 swings and 1 slide (the old version made out of metal that burns the backside). On top of this, there is no shade to gather under.

Many different audience members chimed in with concern, suggestions and a willingness to help. That is the wonderful Freeport Spirit we love to see. If any of you have any insight, suggestions or willingness to help on this, please use our contact page.

That was it. We wrapped up another great meeting with a packed room. Join us at our next morning meeting on September 19th.

FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport

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Calling All Freeport Merchants

The purpose of The Freeport Merchants Association is to unite the businesses of Freeport, Florida, deliver education and information to help them with their businesses and to represent their collective interests. A time has come now where we are calling on all Freeport merchants.

Some of you are aware and many of you are not, about a few suggestions that were placed for consideration with the Freeport Planning & Development Review Board. The suggestions were placed by one or more members of the Freeport City Council. And some of those suggestions were influenced by people and organizations from outside of Freeport.

Why is this an issue that we are addressing? Because, ultimately, it is the merchants who will incur unneeded or cost prohibitive expense for these decisions. The suggestions were made without consulting a single merchant that the FMA has spoken with. That means that we, the merchant class who will pay, was not sought for any input or opinion. The FMA sees this as unfavorable to our merchants and counter to the principles upon which we stand.

There was a meeting on August 7, 2019 at City Hall where the Freeport Planning & Development Review Board convened. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss whether to make formal suggestions to the City Council for the adoption of edits or amendments to the Land Development Code. Other than the board and staff, the only other people in attendance were members of the FMA and a President of an Engineering Firm. Not a single merchant was in sight. This told us that the Merchant Class in Freeport is mostly unaware of some of the suggested changes.

More to the point, the main changes we focused on were signs and buildings. One suggestion was to prohibit all monopole or single pole signs along Highway 20 in Freeport. If this were to go into effect, one outcome could be the removal (after a set period of time) of all existing pole signs, to include the new O’Reilly’s sign and older ones like B&M Tire. Signs that look good and are in good condition, but because they are counter to a new vision or what is “scenic” so they would be removed if it becomes part of the code and the rule to change them after a period of time is put into effect.

In addition, along Highway 331, both north and south of Freeport, the prohibition of monopole (single pole) and dual pole (two pole) is being suggested. The only qualified sign would be a more expensive monument sign, complete with 911 address on it as a requirement. Again, an external organization is attempting to influence what they believe is “scenic” without consultation of the merchant class or regard for the expense to the merchants or their freedom of choice where a monopole or dual pole sign would be preferred.

Please note that we are not advocating for an anarchy with signs. We believe in maintaining standards and we want Freeport to look visually appealing. But forcing the merchants into one style lacks both choice and the ability for variety. We are comprised of people from all over the world here. There are different tastes in design that should be allowed to be expressed. And, when it is difficult enough for businesses to capture the attention of the public and get noticed, causing an unnecessary increase in expense while simultaneously restricting choices is counter to freedom and solid business practices.

Another suggested change was to prohibit metal buildings along 331 (the north and south corridor in Freeport) that are not completely clad in stucco, concrete and brick. Many merchants construct metal buildings in order to save money on construction. They are also low maintenance structures and look quite nice if designed to be aesthetically appealing. Forcing the cladding of the building in stucco, concrete or brick negates a lot of the cost savings that are initially received from the metal building construction. And the reason for it is nothing more than aesthetics (the looks…how “scenic” it is). Again, passing on the expense of this onto the merchants that it affects without soliciting an opinion or any insight from them.

That sounds like an awful lot of bad news. But, there is a super bright spot. The Freeport Planning & Development Review Board decided that the opinions of the merchants were important in this process. They understood that this would put an undue burden and additional expense on the merchants. And that the merchants have not had an opportunity to give their opinions on whether they agree or disagree and if they disagree then what alternatives or suggestions do the merchants have.

This is why the Freeport Merchants Association is calling all Freeport merchants. This goes out to both members of the FMA and non-members alike. On August 28th (Wednesday), 2019 at 6pm, there will be a workshop put on by the Freeport Planning & Development Review Board at City Hall. All merchants are invited to listen and participate.

Let there be no mistake. If you are a Freeport Merchant, this will affect you whether you attend or not. At least if you attend, you will demonstrate that we, as a merchant community, care about helping to form the plan that charts our destiny in Freeport. Even if you are not good at or scared of public speaking, just your attendance is requested to show support. We would like to fill City Hall with Freeport Merchants who want to give polite yet constructive insight and be an asset to this process.

Do not be the silent majority. The FMA is happy to lead but we need your support to work with the Freeport Planning & Development Review Board so that they can make informed decisions and recommendations that take our positions into consideration. If you have any questions, please use our contact page to submit them. We look forward to seeing you there.

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July 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights

The July 2019 morning meeting for the Freeport Merchants Association was quite informative and very interactive. Here are the morning highlights.

After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food, our guest speaker, we launched into committee discussions.

We are forming membership and event committees and looking for volunteers to participate. If you and a member and have an interest in spreading the word about the benefits of the FMA or you enjoy organizing or helping with events, please contact us with your interest.

We reminded the membership that thew August Evening Social is being held at the Portland Self Storage Main Office. It is Thursday, August 1 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. More details can be found on our Events Page.

Then our guest speaker was introduced. Her name is Corey Flynn with N2 Publishing.

Corey conducted a great interactive speech in regards to marketing and advertising. She described the purpose of marketing, reaching target audiences, the importance of both attracting new clients as well as staying relevant and top of mind with current clientele.

In addition Corey covered what she calls the 4 M’s: Market, Message, Medium and Moment.

Corey publishes 2 magazines locally. One is specifically for Regatta Bay in Destin. But she produces another magazine called Be Local that goes out to all people moving to the area and moving within the area. If you have an interest in learning the opportunities in that magazine, give her a call at 860.248.9760 or shoot her an email at corey.flynn@n2pub.com.

After her speech and subsequent question and answer session, we jumped into future planning for the FMA and, more specifically how we can become more engaged within the City of Freeport and its growth plans. We discussed what signs are allowed, which ones aren’t and some relevant and vital information that was learned to be included in the new proposed revisions to the land development code.

We also covered proposals for signs that can help the merchants as well as a potential grant that would benefit Freeport and its merchants as it pertains to creating a Main Street.

It was a great meeting with a lot of information shared and discussed as well as a great education from our guest speaker. All members can expect more details when our Secretary of the Board finishes the minutes and it will be posted for current membership to review.

Make sure to join us for our Evening Social at the main office of Portland Self Storage and, to stay involved in the future of the FMA and have a voice in its direction with the City of Freeport, make sure to come to the next FMA Morning Meeting on August 15th.

FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport

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Register Family Farm Is On TV

Who is the Register Family Farm and why are they on TV?

The Register Family Farm is a Freeport Merchants Association member. They are a veteran owned, family run and operated, honey bee farm in Northwest Florida. They specialize in premium honey and handcrafted products. They are actually operated solely by members of the Register Family.

They are located right here in Freeport and you can find their honey at places like Frank’s Cash and Carry and the 331 Market. They also are regulars at the Seaside Farmer’s Market and Grand Blvd Farmer’s Market. You can find a complete list on their website.

The Register Family Farm was recently featured on NBC’s Channel 7 News’s Faces and Places. You can see the news clip below and you can read the full article on Channel 7’s website.

They are a great company that produces a wonderful product and they care about the local community. If you have not tried their honey, do yourself a favor and get some. You won’t regret it.

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August 2019 Evening Social

The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our August 2019 Evening Social.

It will be held August 1 at The Portland Self Storage Main Office (26-C Site C6 Road, Freeport, Florida 32439) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members, our Board Members and new guests.

This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by Lyn Owens with Portland Self Storage. Please join us for an evening of fun and learn more about Lyn’s business and how it serves the people of Freeport.

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Land Development Code

Signs are very important to merchants. It is one of the few ways they can get the attention of potential customers and direct them to their place of business, whether physical or virtual.

We have had many merchants ask questions about the rules (ordinances) around signs within the City Limits of Freeport because the general feeling is that there are heavy restrictions on the kind and type of signs that are allowable.

We have received comments from some merchants that their feeling are that the sign ordinances are anti-productive for business and actually hurts their ability to prosper.

Additionally, merchants (members and non-members alike) do not understand why some places are allowed to have feather flags (pennant types) and they are not. Or what the rules are about electronic signs.

So, we did some research and found the City of Freeport Land Development Code. This page has every rule and regulation in regards to signs, buildings, zoning and more.

Here is the link – https://www.freeportflorida.gov/planning/page/land-development-code

We urge all merchants to read through the ordinances to eliminate any confusion. The signs are in Article 5, Section 5.06 (starting in page 66). You will also need Appendix B for some definitions.

Please review and bring any questions you may have to our next Freeport Merchants Association Meeting on Thursday, June 20. It is at the Freeport Community Center and starts at 8am. We would love to hear your questions, input and insight. The more the Merchants of Freeport understand the rules, the more effective we can be as a business community.

The Freeport Merchants Association – Serving & Uniting The Business Of Freeport

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Walton County Tax Collector Ribbon Cutting

The Walton County Tax Collector’s Office, in Freeport, Florida, had their inaugural ribbon cutting ceremony today.

The Walton County Tax Collector’s Office (WCTCO) has been open in Freeport, Florida for months and slowly rolling out services to serve the people of Freeport and alleviate some of the pressures placed on their Santa Rosa Beach and DeFuniak Springs locations.

Today, June 6, 2019, they had their official ribbon cutting and are in full swing ready to serve you. The one and only thing they still cannot accommodate are driver’s licenses. But it is coming. They can accommodate paying your taxes, filling out a concealed permit, car titles, tags, boats, hunting, fishing…basically everything except drivers licenses.

The WCTCO is located at 842 State Hwy 20 East, Suite 122, Freeport, Florida. They are on the south side of Hwy 20 just west of Hwy 331. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4pm. Save yourself a trip across the bridge or a drive up north and let the local Freeport Branch of the Walton County Tax Collector’s Office assist you. They are helpful, friendly and ready to serve.

Link to their website with full descriptions of services – http://www.waltontaxcollector.com/

 

June 2019 Evening Social

The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our June 2019 Evening Social.

It will be held June 6 at the Hammock Bay Lake Club (1830 Great Hammock Bnd, Freeport, FL) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members, our Board members and new guests.

This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by one of our newest members Adrienne Reilly with Style Dots Jewelry. Please join us in welcoming her and learning more about her business.

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May 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights

The Freeport Merchants Association May morning meeting had some valuable knowledge and great conversation around topics that seemed to have an effect on many small businesses in the area. Here are the May 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights.

Brian McBroom with the Walton County Tax Collector’s Office spoke to the membership about their office and all of the services they are now offering within the City of Freeport. It seems that you can do just about everything there except get your driver’s license; which that service should become available this year.

Brian reiterated that Ms. Rhonda Skipper and the Freeport Office of the Walton County Tax Collector’s Office is dedicated to serving the citizens of Freeport. They continue to increase their presence, their offerings and are always ready to assist.

Another thing that he relayed, not specific to business but still interesting, is that you can register for your conceal and carry permit through them as well. Stop on by and see them at their new offices located at 842 State Hwy 20 East, Suite 122, Freeport, Fl.

We also continued our discussion around City Ordinances as they pertain to signs (static and electronic) and flags. We now have a copy of the ordinances for signs and flags and will be reviewing them to assist the merchants in understanding how they can gain more attention to their storefronts as that is a big challenge for most businesses in Freeport. If you are a Freeport Merchant with questions, comments or concerns about this topic, please contact us with your input.

We also discussed Once Upon A Crime. They say “Become A Crime Scene And Attract Customers.” What they mean is that there is a multi-location mobile game that is like a “who done it” trying to solve a crime of who did it, where and how, kind of like a real life version of Clue. And, at the end, the winner gets a prize. It can increase awareness of the businesses in a city. This was shared as the Freeport Merchants Association has been invited to have its merchants participate at no cost. If you have an interest in participating, contact us.

We also talked about needing volunteers for our membership committee as well as marketing materials for the FMA. If you would like to volunteer for our membership committee, let us know. Marketing materials for the FMA will be produced by some of our board members and shared at an upcoming FMA Morning Meeting. If you are in attendance, you will be able to vote on the ultimate design.

Finally, we are implementing a Featured Business Program within the FMA. Each week we will cycle a new business on the home page, on our Facebook and post their specials they are offering. If you are a member, ensure your profile is complete to get the maximum return on this benefit.

To all FMA Members, if you did not attend, we will post the Minutes to the Meeting in another post. If you are not an FMA Member and you would like to be able to benefit from information that can help your business and network with other like-minded business owners, we invite you to join us.

FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport

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NorthStar Global Is Now A Cox Business Solutions Provider

NorthStar Global Inc. is now a Cox business solutions provider.

For all businesses that are located in Freeport and the surrounding area, if you need internet or another Cox provided business solution, NorthStar Global Inc. can assist you with this.

Simply call NorthStar Global’s office at 850.678.9191 or visit their office at 15950 331 Business, Freeport, FL (across from Destiny Worship) to inquire about your options.

Please note, if you are operating your business from your home office within Hammock Bay and have fiber optic cable supplied to your residence, your only option is CenturyLink fiber optic internet service.

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Hot Shades – We Are Kind Of A Big Deal

he Freeport Merchants Association’s founding mission was the pure intent of uniting the businesses in Freeport, Florida. And striving to foster an environment of encouragement for each other and to build up one another in order for our home town to be a successful and prosperous community. Part of this “building up” is to share information and get to know our members.

The following article was written by Sharon O’Prey from hOt shAdes. It is an inspirational story of their beginnings and helping to inspire others with disabilities…building them up through an environment of encouragement as well. True FMA Spirit.

hOt shAdes – we’re kind of a big deal!

Adrienne’s story is one about the desire to obtain independence. It is a story about hard work, passion, and living life to its fullest. Adrienne is the hOt shAdes story.

She is a woman who has many passions. She loves being with friends, dancing, attending activities in the community, working, vacationing, and more. Adrienne also has intellectual and physical disabilities which affect her speech, movement and cognitive functions.

The wonderful thing is that she doesn’t let her restrictions limit her love of life. Adrienne sees herself as an independent young woman. She has always included herself in school, in the community, and in life!

Because of her disability, Adrienne is entitled to benefits. However, these benefits would not be enough to live outside her family’s home and Adrienne has expressed a desire to one day live independently like her friends.

Knowing that it “takes a village” to get things done. We, Scott, Sharon & Lauren, as her family saw early on in order to make some of Adrienne’s dreams come true, we needed to form a team. We did this through reading about Person Centered Planning.

Person Centered Planning gives people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to talk about what is important to them and the personal outcomes they want to achieve in their lives. This is an on-going process with a family, friends, and people in the community to formulate ways to assist.

We began this when Adrienne was 13.

Those of us who supported Adrienne were knowledgeable that she has been an avid shades wearer since the first grade. It was her interest in sunglasses that led to the idea of starting a company that sells fashion and sport sunglasses as well as reader glasses.

In the fall of 2009 we did just that, and hOt shAdes was born. The goal is for Adrienne to be involved in her community, meet new people, work, and add an income stream to her government benefits. She thoroughly enjoys her business.

People with disabilities are underemployed. The unemployment rate in 2018 for people with disabilities is 8.0, more than twice the rate of those with no disability (3.7).

Throughout the community we meet others with family members with disabilities who are not employed. Adrienne and her company have been an inspiration to many others. We know of two success stories.

One is a young man in Houston, who has his own shredding business. Another is a young lady in Georgia, who has just begun her own in-home sweet shop. Those are just two of the families who we know of and have thanked us. We follow their success and their stories.

Everyone needs to feel the importance of belonging and contributing. We want Adrienne’s story to empower others.

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How To Protect Yourself Online – A Basic Class In Cybersecurity

NorthStar Global Inc. will be conducting a class on How To Protect Yourself Online – A Basic Class In Cybersecurity

The class with will be on May 9, 2019 at 7pm.

It will be held at the Hammock Bay Lake Club, in the Theater Room.

The class will give you the basics of cybersecurity and cover the following:

1. Securing your WiFi network and using guest accounts.

2. The various “wares” such as Malware, Spyware and Ransomware.

3. What a firewall is and how to use it.

4. Operating system updates and patches.

5. Password creation, usage and security.

6. Your web browser, web page usage and overall security.

7. What to do when a public data breach happens.

8. Identity theft.

9. Common scams and how to avoid them.

They are also going to give you some bonus information that can help save you both money and time.

1. Data backups: What they are and why you need them.

2. Surge protection: Why it is critical in Florida to have it

3. Total Care Basic: What it is and how it helps.

For full details, please check out the Events page and click on the FMA Member Event for May 9.

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April 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights

The Freeport Merchants Association just had our April morning meeting today. This one was a little different than most as we did not have a central guest speaker. However, there was a lot of discussion. The following are highlights on what transpired.

We first discussed committees. The FMA Board is seeking volunteers, from the FMA Membership to participate in membership and event committees. For more information on it, read the post on the FMA Minutes for the April Meeting that will be out later this month. Or, alternatively, contact a board member though this site.

It was announced that TipToes Nail Salon and Spa will be the host of the May FMA Evening Social. We also have our host for the June Evening Social, details to follow. If any Member would like to sign up for July, please let us know.

We also discussed being able to sign up online as a member, pay your dues on there and how to promote your business through posts and the Specials section of your business profile.

A bulk of the conversation centered around signs, marketing and discussions around just how many businesses actually exist in Freeport that many of its citizens are not aware of. There seems to be restrictive ordinances as it pertains to physical business promotion within our city. A lot of brainstorming took place. The environment was a hotbed of ideas. These are exciting times to be a merchant in Freeport.

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FMA May 2019 Evening Social

The FMA May 2019 Evening Social will be hosted by Tip Toes Nail Salon & Spa.

The event will be held on May 2nd at 901 Hwy 20 East in Freeport.

The Tip Toes Salon is located near the intersection of Hwy 20 and Hwy 331. They are in the plaza next to Exxon.

There is plenty of parking. Come join us for some food, drinks and socializing with other businesses owners in the Freeport Area. It is a great time to network in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

Attendance is come and go. We look forward to seeing members and guests alike at the Evening Social.

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