Wz hct 0731
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50¢ www.bonifaynow.com For the latest breaking news, visit BONIFAYNOW.COM Phone: 850-547-9414 Web site: bonifaynow.com Fax: 850-547-9418 IN BRIEF imes T dvertiser A HOLMES COUNTY 5017202 By CECILIA SPEARS 547-9414 | @WCN_HCT [email protected] BONIFAY — Work replacing and ex- panding the city’s water/sewer system has come to a halt because of the threat of heavy rains, the Bonifay City Council learned July 22. “We most likely won’t be able to re- sume until some time next week,” said Zack Worley, representative from engi- neering firm Hatch Mott MacDonald. “I would like to inform you that we’re taking every step to make needed ad- justments as we go.” The council approved of $9,700 for a culvert and junction box near Jack- son Avenue and to reline the pipe on State Road 79 instead of replacing it, by request of the state Department of Transportation. The council also approved of do- nating $500 to the Holmes County Dixie Youth All Stars as they head to Nationals in Alexandria, La. By CECILIA SPEARS 547-9414 | @WCN_HCT [email protected] BONIFAY — The Holmes County Board of County Commissioners went into its second week of reviewing the budget during a special session July 23 to decide what millage rate to propose during next week’s regularly scheduled meeting. The Holmes County Sheriff ’s Office submitted in a revised version of its budget, reducing it by $7,802 from the previous submis- sion to encourage the county to consider adding another deputy position. “We devised to add an- other deputy by taking away our bonuses,” Sheriff Tim Brown said. Commissioner Kenneth Williams suggested they eliminate one of the two dep- uties’ positions at the court- house to give more toward hiring a deputy to watch the county. “First of all, that was the judge’s call to increase se- curity at the courthouse,” Brown said. “Second, we don’t have anyone to re- lieve the one deputy, which means that the area’s secu- rity would be compromised every time he had to use the bathroom or eat lunch.” Williams suggested a possible part-time position to cover for the first deputy. “I have a problem with the weekend having only two guys watching over Holmes County and during the week there’s two guys watching the courthouse,” Williams said. “My first priority isn’t the courthouse, it’s those who need protection in By MICHAEL BRAGA and ANTHONY CORMIER Halifax Media Group The Bank of Bonifay re- peatedly broke the rules, a Herald-Tribune investiga- tion found. Insiders awarded them- selves loans that were far larger than the law allowed. Directors let their wives sit in on board meetings and gave them access to bank records until they were told it was against the law. The bank also failed to track wire transfers from sus- pected money launderers in Pakistan. Lending officers did not always obtain legally re- quired appraisals. State regulators found that loan files were disorganized and some loan applications con- tained nothing more than a borrower’s name, address and signature. Practically every time they visited, state regula- tors criticized the bank for its low standards, find- ing that it ignored recom- mendations for changes and helped insiders enrich themselves at the institu- tion’s expense. Bank of Bonifay col- lapsed in May 2010, cost- ing the financial system nearly $80 million. Founded in the Florida Panhandle in 1906, it was the oldest of the 68 banks that failed in Florida during the Great Recession. State examinations show the bank was cited for viola- tions both big and small. Regulators say directors BREAKING THE BANKS Find a database of the 68 banks featured in this series, related documents and other stories in the series at newsherald.com. Wednesday, JULY 31, 2013 Volume 123, Number 16 INDEX Opinion ................................ A4 Outdoors .............................. A6 Sports .................................. A7 Extra.................................... B1 Obituaries ............................ B3 Faith .................................... B4 Classifieds ............................ B5 Florida Sales Tax Holiday The Florida Sales Tax Holiday for back-to- school supplies begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, and ends at midnight Sunday, Aug. 4. For a complete list of tax-exempt items, see last week’s special Back To School section or bonifaynow.com. HCHS Blue Pride Band Camp BONIFAY — Rookies and band officers in Holmes County High School’s Blue Pride Band Camp will meet from 8-11:30 a.m., and the full band will meet from 1-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 1-2. The full band will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 5-9, with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. Aug. 12-16. Email hchsbluepride@gmail. com with questions. Childbirth Education Classes BONIFAY — Childbirth Education Classes will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 1-22, at the Holmes County Health Department Healthy Start Annex, 402 N. Oklahoma St. Back To School Bash BONIFAY — A Back to School Bash will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Bonifay Elementary School with a bouncy house, face painting, school supplies and more. School district approves millage increase By CECILIA SPEARS 547-9414 | @WCN_HCT [email protected] BONIFAY — The Holmes County District School Board approved a resolution to adopt the tentative millage rate for 2013-14 during its special session July 29. The resolution will increase the millage by 1.5 mills for a total of 7.396. “It was successfully advertised in the local newspapers, and the reason why we had to advertise is because the total millage rate ex- ceeds the roll-back rate by 20.26 percent,” Board Finance Officer Larry Hawkins said. “The only rea- son it is such a significant increase is primarily due to the new schools being built; otherwise, it would’ve actually reduced.” During the public hearing, resident Tony Bess addressed the board. “I’m Holmes County, born and raised, and so are my children,” Bess said. “The only problem I see with this is that only about 30 to 40 percent of those living in Holmes County actually pay this tax be- cause the rest are exempt in one way or another. Isn’t there a sales tax or something that could make this more fair?” Superintendent Eddie Dixon said the law requires there be a CECILIA SPEARS | Times-Advertiser Grace Bailey was the guest for the Bonifay Kiwanis Club’s July 24 meeting as entertainment, singing “That’s All Right, Mama” by Elvis Presley, “At Last” by Etta James and hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” Bailey is in her senior year at Troy University, majoring in theater with a minor in music. She said she has recently become very active in the theater department. To see Bailey’s performance, click on the link at www.bonifaynow.com. Heavy rains delay city’s sewer/water project KIWANIS IN CONCERT Regulators cited failed Bonifay bank County works toward millage rate proposal See BANK A2 See MILLAGE A2 See SEWER A2 See SCHOOL A2 War hero Bud Day remembered, A5
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Holmes County Times-Advertiser July 31, 2013
Transcript of Wz hct 0731
50¢w w w . b o n i f a y n o w . c o m
For the latest breaking news, visit
BONIFAYNOW.COM
Phone: 850-547-9414Web site: bonifaynow.com
Fax: 850-547-9418
IN BRIEF
imesimesimesT dvertiserimesimesimesimesTT dvertiserdvertiserdvertiserdvertiserA
HOLMES COUNTY
5017202
5017202
By CECILIA SPEARS547-9414 | @WCN_HCT
BONIFAY — Work replacing and ex-panding the city’s water/sewer system has come to a halt because of the threat of heavy rains, the Bonifay City Council learned July 22.
“We most likely won’t be able to re-sume until some time next week,” said Zack Worley, representative from engi-neering fi rm Hatch Mott MacDonald. “I would like to inform you that we’re
taking every step to make needed ad-justments as we go.”
The council approved of $9,700 for a culvert and junction box near Jack-son Avenue and to reline the pipe on State Road 79 instead of replacing it, by request of the state Department of Transportation.
The council also approved of do-nating $500 to the Holmes County Dixie Youth All Stars as they head to Nationals in Alexandria, La.
By CECILIA SPEARS547-9414 | @WCN_HCT
BONIFAY — The Holmes County Board of County Commissioners went into its second week of reviewing the budget during a special session July 23 to decide what millage rate to propose during next week’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The Holmes County Sheriff ’s Offi ce submitted in a revised version of its budget, reducing it by $7,802 from the previous submis-sion to encourage the county to consider adding another deputy position.
“We devised to add an-other deputy by taking away our bonuses,” Sheriff Tim Brown said.
Commissioner Kenneth Williams suggested they eliminate one of the two dep-
uties’ positions at the court-house to give more toward hiring a deputy to watch the county.
“First of all, that was the judge’s call to increase se-curity at the courthouse,” Brown said. “Second, we don’t have anyone to re-lieve the one deputy, which means that the area’s secu-rity would be compromised every time he had to use the bathroom or eat lunch.”
Williams suggested a possible part-time position to cover for the fi rst deputy.
“I have a problem with the weekend having only two guys watching over Holmes County and during the week there’s two guys watching the courthouse,” Williams said. “My fi rst priority isn’t the courthouse, it’s those who need protection in
By MICHAEL BRAGA and ANTHONY CORMIER
Halifax Media Group
The Bank of Bonifay re-peatedly broke the rules, a Herald-Tribune investiga-tion found.
Insiders awarded them-selves loans that were far larger than the law allowed. Directors let their wives sit in on board meetings and gave them access to bank records until they were told it was against the law. The bank also failed to track wire transfers from sus-pected money launderers in Pakistan.
Lending offi cers did not always obtain legally re-quired appraisals. State regulators found that loan fi les were disorganized and some loan applications con-tained nothing more than a borrower’s name, address and signature.
Practically every time they visited, state regula-tors criticized the bank for its low standards, fi nd-
ing that it ignored recom-mendations for changes and helped insiders enrich themselves at the institu-tion’s expense.
Bank of Bonifay col-lapsed in May 2010, cost-ing the fi nancial system nearly $80 million. Founded in the Florida Panhandle in 1906, it was the oldest of the 68 banks that failed in Florida during the Great Recession.
State examinations show the bank was cited for viola-tions both big and small.
Regulators say directors
BREAKING THE BANKS
Find a database of the 68 banks featured in this series, related documents and other stories in the series at newsherald.com.
Wednesday, JULY 31, 2013 V o l u m e 1 2 3 , N u m b e r 1 6
INDEXOpinion ................................ A4Outdoors .............................. A6Sports .................................. A7Extra .................................... B1Obituaries ............................ B3Faith .................................... B4Classifi eds ............................ B5
Florida Sales Tax Holiday
The Florida Sales Tax Holiday for back-to-school supplies begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, and ends at midnight Sunday, Aug. 4. For a complete list of tax-exempt items, see last week’s special Back To School section or bonifaynow.com.
HCHS Blue Pride Band Camp
BONIFAY — Rookies and band offi cers in Holmes County High School’s Blue Pride Band Camp will meet from 8-11:30 a.m., and the full band will meet from 1-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 1-2. The full band will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 5-9, with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. Aug. 12-16. Email [email protected] with questions.
Childbirth Education Classes
BONIFAY — Childbirth Education Classes will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 1-22, at the Holmes County Health Department Healthy Start Annex, 402 N. Oklahoma St.
Back To School BashBONIFAY — A Back
to School Bash will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Bonifay Elementary School with a bouncy house, face painting, school supplies and more.
School district approves millage increaseBy CECILIA SPEARS
547-9414 | @[email protected]
BONIFAY — The Holmes County District School Board approved a resolution to adopt the tentative millage rate for 2013-14 during its special session July 29.
The resolution will increase the
millage by 1.5 mills for a total of 7.396.
“It was successfully advertised in the local newspapers, and the reason why we had to advertise is because the total millage rate ex-ceeds the roll-back rate by 20.26 percent,” Board Finance Offi cer Larry Hawkins said. “The only rea-son it is such a signifi cant increase
is primarily due to the new schools being built; otherwise, it would’ve actually reduced.”
During the public hearing, resident Tony Bess addressed the board.
“I’m Holmes County, born and raised, and so are my children,” Bess said. “The only problem I see with this is that only about 30 to 40
percent of those living in Holmes County actually pay this tax be-cause the rest are exempt in one way or another. Isn’t there a sales tax or something that could make this more fair?”
Superintendent Eddie Dixon said the law requires there be a
CECILIA SPEARS | Times-Advertiser
Grace Bailey was the guest for the Bonifay Kiwanis Club’s July 24 meeting as entertainment, singing “That’s All Right, Mama” by Elvis Presley, “At Last” by Etta James and hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” Bailey is in her senior year at Troy University, majoring in theater with a minor in music. She said she has recently become very active in the theater department. To see Bailey’s performance, click on the link at www.bonifaynow.com.
Heavy rains delay city’s sewer/water project
KIWANIS IN CONCERT Regulators cited failed Bonifay bank
County works toward millage rate proposal
See BANK A2
See MILLAGE A2See SEWER A2
See SCHOOL A2
War hero Bud Day remembered, A5
