By GARETT VALCOURT
The Town of Esto is working to restore essential municipal insurance coverage following a warning from the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust (FMIT) that the town’s policy was at risk of cancellation due to more than six months of missed payments totaling $23,889.50.
The issue was brought to light during a specially called council meeting that lasted approximately 90 minutes, where town officials discussed the communication breakdown and the urgency of addressing the lapse. FMIT provides the town with coverage for vehicles, property, general liability, water operations, parks, and the fire department.
The certified cancellation notice was sent to Town Clerk Ben Tew and required his signature. However, according to discussion during the meeting, the letter was not picked up during normal business hours on Monday. Tew retrieved the letter on Wednesday, and the Town Council was not made aware of the situation until Thursday—prompting frustration from some members.
Council Member Heather Huckaby (Seat 3) questioned the delay and requested to see the envelope for verification. She expressed concern that the council had not been informed earlier about the severity of the situation. Also, the Council brought forward concerns about the Clerk’s office hours. Clerk office hours are Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
To cover the overdue insurance bill, town officials authorized the withdrawal of funds from two Certificates of Deposit (CDs), each valued at approximately $50,000 that were used to leverage as collateral for grant applications. The $23,889.50 payment was drawn from both accounts to bring the FMIT account current.
As of 12:35 p.m. Friday, FMIT had not yet received the funds, although they confirmed the town’s coverage would not be terminated immediately. FMIT also stated it would issue documentation confirming that no incidents occurred while the policy was under notice of cancellation.
The Esto Town Council includes Krystal Bien (Seat 1), Greg Wells (Seat 2), Heather Huckaby (Seat 3), Teresa Harrison (Seat 5), and one vacant seat (formerly held by Maxie Yates). The council is expected to review communication protocols and financial oversight procedures in future meetings to prevent similar incidents.
Public Works Director Billy Mashburn was also in attendance, as were other town representatives involved in responding to the insurance matter.
AMBER PATINO 
Staff Report 