Town of Shalimar

As the 1999 calendar year ended, the Town just had experienced a boom in construction and commercial development. Little residential and commercial undeveloped land remained. Along with much remodeling, many new homes were started and completed in the prior ten-year period. Less than a dozen undeveloped private home lots were to be found. In mid-1998, Fred’s Showcase moved from the southwest side of Shalimar Bridge to its new Town location at Eglin Blvd and Old Ferry Road. Racetrac Petroleum (next door) opened for business approximately a year later. (Rumor had it that this property was the previous site of a drive-in movie theater.) The old Shalimar Liquor Store and Antique Mall was demolished to make room for Meigs' Executive Office Park and T-Square Development. T-Square Development was the new home for Designs and Accessories on the corner of Shalimar Drive and Eglin Blvd. The Okaloosa County Sheriffs Department was one tenant of the new office park. The not two old Shalimar Diner was expanded and remodeled to accommodate Antonio’s Restaurant. The property between Antonio's and the Car Wash was also being developed into a small commercial retail business and a few small office buildings at the rear. Shalimar Yacht Basin’s Boat For Sale lot on Eglin Blvd became an upscale used car lot (Excalibur). Panhandle Carpet Store (also known as Abbey Carpets) moved out of Town. The Town’s Car Wash was purchased and renamed Spiffy’s Car Wash. The A-Travel Passport Building and property (corner of Eglin Parkway and Richbourg) was purchased by Vanguard Bank. The travel agency remained, but a drive-up anytime teller machine was installed. Also in 1999, Shalimar Yacht Basin and Como Marina finished their expansion and reconstruction following major damage from Hurricane Opal in late 1995. P&Ks Bar and Shalimar Cheers Club remain active; however, the Doll House (a small hair salon in front of PKs) became the home for a local criminal defense lawyer. On a side note, the Hardee’s (not in Shalimar) became a new Burger King. Finally, the long awaited repaving of Eglin Parkway was nearly completed as the year ended.

The Town's Meigs' Executive Park was developed by the commercial developers of the Meigs’ Executive Park Office Complex. The Town’s Cherokee Park project - funded by two State Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) - was finalized. Clifford Meigs’ (Waterfront) Park on Shalimar Drive redevelopment (also funded through a CDBG) was in the planning stages with projected completion in 2000. Early in 1997, the Town and Okaloosa County finished the co-sponsored Storm Water Management reconstruction of Old Ferry Road. The Town later garnered a State Hurricane related Storm Water Management Grant to resolve several other major Town storm water problems. Snug Harbour Drive was raised and resurfaced. Two undeveloped lower level lots on Shalimar Drive were purchased and formed into a storm water retention pond (Shalimar Pond) with drainage throughout the area. Also part of the project, the seasonal flooding at Clifford Drive and Gardner Drive was abated by trenching and road resurfacing in the area.

In the same time period, residents of Old Ferry Road finally received their Town promised and constructed side walks. Several Town streets were resurfaced in 1998/1999 to include Gardner Drive, Cherokee Road, Plew Ave, Erwin Fleet Drive along with all of Old Ferry Road and Snug Harbour Drive.

Two small parcels of land adjacent to Town Hall were purchased for future expansion of the Town Hall area (primarily parking). Two or three undeveloped lots remained next door on Cherokee Road, and were being eyed by some commissioners for possible future purchase. The major Town construction project in progress (besides Meigs’ Park) was renovation of the Town Hall to modernize the old building and meet American Disabled Accessible (ADA) standards. In 1999, the facility’s bathroom was completely remodeled by the Town’s maintenance department. Town Hall renovation was a standing Old Business item at most 1999 Commission meetings. As the year ended, the Town was working on garnering a Florida State Grant to assist in funding the renovation.

The Town of Shalimar continues to operate under a Mayor/Commission form of government with five unpaid members. Elections occur in odd-numbered years with the mayor elected for a two-year term. Commissioners serve four-year terms with two commissioners elected every other year. Candidates run for office at-large and are elected by plurality vote in a nonpartisan election. The mayor presides at all commission meetings and appoints commissioners to supervise specific areas of Town business. Regular Town Commission Meetings remain on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in Town Hall Chambers.

For most of the last ten years, Mayor Harry Montague and a host of commissioners along with a highly experienced Town staff headed by Mrs. Jean Wilkinson (also a Town resident) presided over and expertly guided Shalimar's government. The property millage rate remained a constant 3.2 millage points throughout this period.