The Crestview Community Redevelopment Agency on Sept. 29 adopted a $686,606 budget for fiscal year 2026 and unanimously renewed the Main Street Administrative Support Agreement for the coming year.

The budget, approved by a motion and second and adopted unanimously, covers sidewalk work on Main Street, holiday lighting and decorations, improvements to the Arts and Learning Center and grant allocations for the Downtown Sierra area. CRA staff told the agency the Main Street agreement’s costs are included in the adopted budget and that the contract is unchanged from the previous year.

The budget was described in the resolution on the record as “a resolution of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Crestview, Florida adopting a budget of $686,606 for fiscal year 2026, beginning 10/01/2025, and ending 09/30/2026, and providing for an effective date.” The board voted to adopt the resolution by unanimous voice vote.

Board governance and operations also received brief clarification. A board member asked whether the incoming chair (the mayor pro tem) would retain voting rights after a transition from a county commissioner. The City Attorney replied, “Yes he will vote on this board because the mayor is the 1 by charter who doesn't vote in the city council meetings your pro tem is a voting member and by ordinance change the mayor pro tem will be the chair of this meeting and he will be voting.”

During public comment, Alex Barthe, owner of Courthouse Suites on Cedar Avenue, raised two items about downtown operations: an outdoor speaker system that “is dying a painful death” near his property and safety concerns from motorists speeding through the newly aligned curbing and sidewalks. Barthe asked for enforcement of speeding fines in the Main Street area and also thanked the board for the downtown improvements. He opened his remarks by saying, “Never let an empty microphone go to waste.”

CRA staff responded that the speakers are under warranty and that staff has contacted the manufacturer. Staff said, “they are definitely still under warranty,” and that technicians have found latency and possible weather-related effects on the units; staff said a repeater is a possible backup solution if repairs do not restore full function. Staff also said holiday decorations typically are installed in very late October or early November, with the first week of November as the expected timeframe this year.

All formal items on the agenda passed by voice vote. The meeting concluded after the public comment; staff noted no director report was provided at this meeting and there were no additional audience speakers.

The board’s formal actions at the meeting tie the Main Street agreement renewal to the adopted FY2026 budget, meaning expenditures for the agreement are accommodated in the budget the CRA approved for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.