OKEECHOBEE  -- The 2021 holiday season will feature new decorations on the power poles in Okeechobee County. At their May 27 meeting, Okeechobee County Commissioners voted to spend $54,227 on new holiday decorations.

According to the staff report, after the 2020 holiday season, the commissioners directed staff to solicit bids for new holiday decorations to replace the current fixtures that the county owns due to them being outdated, and the dilapidated and aesthetically unappealing appearance they present.

Commissioner Brad Goodbread said the old decorations lasted the wear and tear of many years of use, but it is time to replace them. Commission Chair Terry Burroughs noted they had a lot of complaints about the poor condition of the decorations during the past holiday season.

The holiday decorations currently owned by Okeechobee County were purchased in May 2003, the staff report explains. They have been in use ever since, requiring substantial maintenance and repair each year, prior to being hung on light poles throughout the county during the holiday season. The current fixtures are in poor condition, due to age and wear. Some are severely rusted due to the original powder coating deteriorating. Many are warped due to age and the strain of the weight they bear during their time being mounted on the poles. Due to their age and obsolescence, the incandescent rope light that is used on them has become increasingly more difficult to obtain, resulting in many small splices and less than preferable repairs due to a lack of available materials.

The old lights used incandescent bulbs. The new decorations will use LED bulbs. They will be more energy-efficient, cleaner looking and easier to maintain.

In other business:
• Fire Chief Ralph Franklin advised commissioners that while fire danger is high due to the dry weather, Okeechobee County is not yet under a burn ban. Burn bans are in effect in Hendry and Collier counties, he added.

• Commissioners approved the purchase of a 2021 Sutphen Extreme Duty Custom Pumper from South Florida Emergency Vehicles, using the Sourcewell Contract.

• Commissioners approved the purchase of One 2020 Type 1 Ambulance from South Florida Vehicles using Sourcewell Contract.

• At the request of a representative from Florida B.A.S.S. Nation, the board approved a request for a fee waiver for use of the C. Scott Driver Facility on Saturday, June 5, 2021 for a fishing tournament. The purpose of the tournament is to encourage participation in the Florida B.A.S.S. Nation Tournament Series and promote Okeechobee County. Cale was unable to secure funding and support from the Tourism Development Council as his request came after their funding has been used for the year.

• Commissioners approved two requests to abandon easements in Palm Ranch subdivision. In both cases, the property owners owned two lots and requested the abandonment of the easement between the lots in order to build the home on the center of the property.

• Commissioners voted to abandon a portion of street right-of-way in Pinewood Heighs. Pinewood Heights is a primarily unbuilt subdivision on the west side of NE 24th Avenue, about 1,000 feet north of State Road 70 E. Across the street to the north is the mostly unbuilt First Addition to Pinewood Heights subdivision. Multiple homes have been developed in these subdivisions creating a single family neighborhood. Daniel Marsocci owns a house on the south side of NE 7th Street in Pinewood Heights. Adjacent to Marsocci’s house is an unbuilt street right-of-way. That unbuilt street right-of-way has not been used for access to any adjoining properties. Marsocci requested that the County abandon this right-of-way. He provided letters of no objection from relevant utility providers.

• Commissioners voted to abandon a portion of alley right-of-way in Riverside Park. Ameri-Recreational Sports, LLC owns all of Block 13 in Riverside Park subdivision. The property fronts the north side of State Road 70 East and is developed with a small commercial strip center and repair shop. An east-west alley running through the block was abandoned several years ago. A remaining north-south alley in the north half of the block was requested to be abandoned as well. Abandoning this right-of-way unifies the entire block allowing for more efficient use of the property.