At their December meeting, the Valparaiso City Commission discussed bringing back the Niceville Fire Department in some capacity after firing their previous chief the week before Thanksgiving.
They also discussed working together with their sister city on an E-bike ordinance to regulate the micromobility vehicles, and discussed moving into their new city hall after four years of renovations and scheduling a date for their 2026 elections.
Finally, they talked about the potential to put in traffic cameras on John Sims Parkway near The Lewis School to slow speeders and generate revenue. You can see that story here.
Valparaiso dumped its second fire chief in its first year of operation when commissioners voted unanimously to terminate Fire Chief David Lanier’s employment on November 24.
In the interim, they must find new leadership – or at least management – to fill the gap while the city makes a decision on its next move.
Enter Niceville City Manager David Deitch, Fire Chief David Kukulus and an engine of Niceville Firefighters to the Valparaiso December commission meeting.
Chief Kukulus spoke to the commission about what the city of Niceville could offer Valparaiso in the interim – and the long term plans he had for the region’s fire protection services.
In the short term, Chief Kukulus asked the commission to consider what they would like to see in terms of support from the city of Niceville. He suggested Niceville would consider providing services for pay to cover fire inspection, especially of larger facilities like the Okaloosa Gas building on SR-85, administrative and training needs.
Longer term – he was upfront about his desire to see all four of the Niceville-area’s fire departments merge into a single fire district.
“Ultimately, someday, I’d really love to see the services integrated,” Kukulus said, “But between now and then, I think the more we train together, we come up with standard operating policies, guidelines, etc, start working together cohesively, then when we want to make the eventual larger jump, it can be easier.”
Despite voting unanimously last year to create an independent fire department, several of the commissioners seemed open to the idea of a closer relationship – or even a consolidation. Commissioner Key Hamilton noted the potential cost savings that could exist. After members of Valparaiso’s fire department expressed a desire to work with Niceville Fire Department, so long as they could keep their independent “identity,” Hamilton retorted that she was not really worried about keeping a specific identity. “I personally have no problem with the identity being that that that critical. You can be Valparaiso, whatever I’m into the whole idea of sharing responsibility,” she said.
Commissioner Chris Wasdin came out emphatically against relinquishing control over fire services in the city to Niceville. “We’re either a city, or we’re not,” she retorted to Hamilton.
“We’re really more of a town, anyway,” Hamilton riposted.
Commissioner Tom Browning, the commissioner in charge of the fire department, invited Kukulus to speak at the meeting. He was ill the day of the meeting and was unable to speak to the idea. The Commission decided to keep the door open to all of the options and to return to the City of Niceville’s Fire and City leadership with an idea of what they would like the future to look like.
Just a couple of months after a collision involving an electric skateboard and a car on John Sims Parkway, Niceville City Manager David Deitch brought a proposal to the city of Valparaiso in which they would create a uniform ordinance to regulate E-bikes more strictly.
RELATED: Destin looks to rein in E-bikes in city limits.
Deitch explained to the commission that at a recent all-county meeting elected and appointed leaders had come together to adopt an identical ordinance so that enforcement would be easier – especially in areas like Niceville, where jurisdictional lines are more difficult to observe. Valparaiso did not send an emissary to the meeting.
He added that he created the draft ordinance by taking from a combination of other city ordinances around Florida, and proposed laws that will make their way through the Florids State House of Representatives and Florida Senate in the upcoming session that takes place in Januray of 2026.
A violation of the ordinance would result in a non-criminal infraction, which could require a fine of up to $500.00 to be imposed. No civil penalty would be imposed for a first offense. A second offense would bring a $150.00 penalty and a third would require a $350.00 fine. Any subsequent offense would result in a $500.00 fine.
Four years ago, Valparaiso Mayor Brent Smith said he looked forward most to moving the city’s operations to their new city hall – the old Synovus Bank building on John Sims Parkway.
Almost four years later (three years, ten months), City Administrator Carl Scott announced to the commission that the building is move-in ready.
The commission will hold its first meeting in the new building on January 12, 2026.
The move in date was plagued by delays, especially with the elevator shaft, which took several months to upgrade to standards. All the while, the city has had to pay a loan on the building.
An idea to lease parts of the building not needed by the city to various small businesses fell through, at least temporarily, due to the Valparaiso Fire Department’s need for accommodations after black mold was found growing in the fire station on Valparaiso Parkway.
Valparaiso’s elections for City Commision will take place on March 10, 2026 at the New Hope Baptist Church across the street from the current city hall.
Two candidates have filed to replace Mayor Brent Smith at the end of his term. Current Valparaiso Commisioner Chris Wasdin will compete with Senior/Community Center Chairman Patrick Palmer for Valparaiso’s top job.
Wasdin, a former Air Force Officer, has served on the commission for eight years.
Palmer has run twice for mayor previously. He had his best result in 2024, when he lost to Mayor Brent Smith by 60 votes.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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