OKEECHOBEE – During their Aug. 5 meeting, the Okeechobee City Council voted to allow the Gilbert Family of Companies, owned by the Culbreth family, to place eight banners in Settlers’ Square (Flagler Park A.) The banners will be in place from August through September.

Renee Juarez, who works for the Gilbert Family of Companies, said Gilberts is celebrating its 100-year anniversary, and they would like to celebrate with the community. The banners would help explain and illustrate some of the many ways the Culbreth/Gilbert family has served Okeechobee over the years. They plan to have celebrations throughout the year, she said. “We want to invite the community to come in and celebrate with us.” She added that this will not be advertisement. Instead, it will highlight the history of Gilberts.

Mayor Dowling Watford said he hated to always be a lone wolf but said this would mean allowing a company to hang banners in Flagler Park. “I was concerned about setting a precedent.”  He said they would need good reasons to allow one business but not every business to do this.

Vice-mayor Monica Clark said she believed since Gilberts has been in business in Okeechobee for 100 years, and one of its businesses borders Flagler Park, it would not be showing favoritism to allow the banners. Councilmen David McAuley and Bob Jarriel agreed.

The council also voted yes on a motion to approve the installation of vehicle-safe Pedestrian Right-of-Way signage across Northwest Third and Fourth Avenues at the intersections with Northwest Third Street, to be purchased and installed by Okeechobee County staff. The county will install and maintain the signs.

Also during the meeting, Megan D’Agostino spoke to the council regarding the alleyway on 11^th Street in the vicinity of Southwest 18th Street east to Southwest Fifth Avenue. Speaking on behalf of herself and some of her neighbors, D’Agostino said the city of Okeechobee has made no effort to use the alleyway, and neighbors normally take care of the maintenance of the land. She said the arrangement was peaceful until a complaint about dogs brought the property to the attention of the city. She said residents were told to move fences and sheds that have been in place for decades.

“It feels unfair, excessive and disruptive…” she said. “Why are the voices of many being ignored in favor of one man’s complaint?”  Requesting the city cease all efforts to reclaim the land, D’Agostino said all records should be reviewed before residents were forced to move off the alleyway. In addition, she asked the city to vacate the alleyway and turn it over to those who have maintained it for decades.

Mayor Dowling Watford said he understood her concerns and asked City Administrator Gary Ritter to give an update on the matter. He said when the complaint was made, letters were sent to landowners in the area, notifying them they would need a license from the city to put any infrastructure in the alley, or they would need to remove the infrastructure. He agreed the neighbors have been maintaining the land for decades. He went on to explain there are steps that must be taken before the alleyway could be vacated. The first step is to have the land surveyed. This has been done, but they do not have the report yet. He told D’Agostino that each landowner whose land butts up against that alley would need to make the same request to the city.

Following the council meeting, the city held a workshop to discuss the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025/2026.

The proposed budget can be found here. here.