Comments on: Letter To The Editor: Grover Robinson On 4-H Property Issue

By: Southern By the Grace of God

Southern By the Grace of God — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 06:21:32 +0000

I do not personally have a stake in this matter, but given the controversy I have started to pay attention. I do have kids that one day I hope can participate in the 4-H program. It sounds like an essential program for kids these days. I was in favor of the creation of new jobs for Escambia County, however I would consider it nothing but a TRAGEDY if these 4-H kids are shafted in the process! Who do you think will be filling these jobs in the next 10-15 years? It will be these kids and they are our future leaders who will be making similar decisions down the road. Please set a positive precedent for these young ones to follow! Do not move them to Stefani Road! The gardeners can take a hike as far as I’m concerned!

By: david lamb

david lamb — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 05:19:05 +0000

jeeperman, You are almost 100% on course! Cant agrue your .points here. Many of us opposed to IFAS called in and expressed our views. You need to go to the cBOCC and make your point there. Others too need to write, phone or email. These comments here are ignored or dismissed by those t hat can make changes.

By: jeeperman

jeeperman — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 21:38:57 +0000

Of course Mr. Place is concerned that the BOCC won’t spend $1.6 million in LOST money on the new building promised 4H.
The $1.6 million in LOST money was a bribe to get a vote from the 4H’ers to sell Langley.
Under the premise that a “like” property would be secured with the proceeds of the sale. And the BOCC would sweeten the deal with the LOST money put towards a building.
Now we see that the $1.6 million LOST money building is really going to be a new office building for the UF/IFSA controlled extension Service.
So UF/IFSA Extention Service gets a $1.6mil office building without spending any funds from their budget.
And the 4H’ers maybe get to use the building when and if it is not too inconvenient for the Extension Service staff to open it up.
There weren’t many activities taking place at Langley over the past few years because no one at the Extention Service wanted to be bothered to open it for use by the 4H’ers. And the Extention Service then used that lack of use as a reason to sell Langley.
That and the fact that the Navy Outlying Field property was not obtainable at any price.
Oh but wait, after closing papers on Langley are signed, we find out the county has been negotiating with the Navy to obtain the said outlying field afterall and is currently almost a done deal.
How many more bait and switch and out right lies are in the future?

By: jeeperman

jeeperman — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 21:36:28 +0000

Mr. Lamb,
“Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, are Trustees for the Escambia County Council of 4-H Clubs.”
The above is a direct quote from the minutes of a BOCC meeting on 10-21-2012.
http://www.escambiaclerk.com/bmpdf/20101021-1.pdf
Where the BOCC was in charge of certain 4H business expenditures and legal matters. Nothing has changed since.
In fact the BOCC, acting as 4H Clubs Trustees hired a part time caretaker for Langley Bell until at least Aug. 2014.
They did this in Dec. 2013.

By: x4Her

x4Her — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 21:02:29 +0000

Thank you Jacob Gilmore for standing up for the right thing to do . This has become a very bad situation for the Kids. Grown Adults trying to stick it to kids and they are suppose to be educated in the facts of right and wrong and good business practices. How are our Teachers and Parents to keep these children doing the right thing when the example are these kind of people running our Goverened bodies of community services and county operations . Bad Apples do spoil the whole bunch if left unchecked or given the opperitunity to run over kids and or people that can not make it to meetings or their voice is not heard. We all need to keep up the diologe for the good of the kids as well as for all citizens of Escambia County.

By: Jacob Gilmore

Jacob Gilmore — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 20:08:22 +0000

This was my statement to the BCC in Last weeks public forum

I just want to thank you for removing the 4-H Building project from the agenda last month. That was the right thing to do. I assume you have seen Dr. Nick Places letter dated January 28th urging the 4-H community to contact you to move the building ahead along with the email from the horticulture agent to the Master Gardners and most likley the home maker clubs. This letter was full of misinformation and I want to pubicaly clear some things up.

My brother and I, as well as my parents, are 4-H alumni and a product of this great organization. I want my twin daughters to have the same oppertunites that I had growing up. I want to make myself perfectly clear; I don’t know what Dr. Place is talking about when he states that the people the BOCC is listening to are not members of the 4-H but members of groups and organizations that benefit from 4-H programs and funding. I have never seen a dollar from this organization.
I agree there is an obligation to build a building for 1.5 million per the MOU and not a dollar more. In fact, in January 3rd 2013 George Tourat said, at a board meeting, that the building is expected to come in at 1.2 million and the remander of the money could be used to furnish the building. Now we are being told the finished building would be 1.65 million. $150,000 over budget. My question is what monies will be used to equip the building?

I want to remind you that the MOU does not just state a new building will be built but also a new livestock facility would be built? To my knowlage there has been no committee’s formed or plans made to fulfill this promise of the MOU. Therefore I ask that you continue to hold off on this building until all obligations, including land for the children, can be met.

In Dr. Place’s letter, he said that all 4-H activites would come to a stand still without this new building so he wants to put pressure on you the BCC to get this thing built. I hope that each of you have been to the Stefani Road office and have seen the 2 large buildings used for group meetings and current 4-H activites. One of the buildings has a kitchen so NO programming would be at a stand still if you don’t move forward right away.

I have a Map here because some people are geography challenged. The intersection at Barrineau Park Road and Hwy 29 is the geographical center of Escambia County. I am tired of being referred to as the north end group. We are ALL residents of Escambia County, whether we live in Molino or Perdido Key.
The last issue I have with Dr. Place’s letter is that he states “real information is public record and accessible by a phone call or email.” I personaly did a public record request to try to learn the back room deals that was made between the local Extension Office and IFAS and recived a bill for over $5,000.00. Let’s find out what is being hidden before this building is built.

In closing, I want to refer to Dr. Langley Bell’s intention regarding the original donated land, directly from the 4-H hall of Fame document. Mr. Bell envisioned the camp as a place to provide opportunities for personal growth, leadership and citizenship development through the Escambia County 4-H clubs. His strong belief in youth fueled his desire for 4-H members to develop skills and attitudes, to strengthen personal standards and philosophies, and to work well with others. He wanted young people to discover, develop, and wisely use their individual abilities and talents. Let’s honor his request by doing the right thing now.

By: david lamb

david lamb — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 17:33:49 +0000

jeeperman: back in 1943 that is the way Matt Langley & Millie Bell set it up. I too feel that it still has legal validity, but somewhere in time when the the Adult 4H Foundation and IFAS got their paws into the program changes responsibility rolled over to them and BOCC was removed from the picture. I do not concur but that is a broad assumption of what happened. Personally I feel that BOCC stil has an oblugation especially since the BOCC gave 1.5 million to entice the sale of LBC for economic development/jobs. They see it differently.

By: Bob's Brother

Bob's Brother — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 17:09:10 +0000

@ Glenda Weekly. I share your sentements. Langley Bell should have never been sold. Now that it has been sold, the kids have been the ONLY losers. Mr. Bell entrusted the complex to a shady group. When he was alive, he’d never have entrusted this gift to the modern CC. The Stefani rd property is a sad excuse as a replacement. The kids deserve exactly what they had and it should have been determined precisely where the new place would be well before the transaction was completed. Shame on you County Commisioners if you attempt to short-sheet the 4-H kids.

By: 429SCJ

429SCJ — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 12:47:51 +0000

My question for/to commissioner Robinson is that when the Langley Bell 4H Center was in operation, what percent of this urban core group “Master Gardner’s” which/that you state approximates 80% of the county’s population, used the Bell facility?

From what I can observe, there seems to be a sudden interest by everyone, now that there is blood/funds in the water. Why were your garden clubs not seeking their own venue of operations prior to this? Why the sudden interest in these children’s money?

I do not mean to mock or belittle you Mr Robinson, but your efforts smack of opportunism t the expense of others and possibly yourselves as it is agriculture that fills your bellies, not African Violets.

I wish not to awaken in the morning for to despise any person, but this smacks of opportunism at the expense of our youth and future.

By: jeeperman

jeeperman — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 23:54:54 +0000

Mr. Lamb,
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, are Trustees for the Escambia County Council of 4-H Clubs.
In that capacity, they have a duty to protect and look out for the well being of 4H clubs in Escambia County.
Allowing IFAS to make adverse decisions that adversely effect Escambia County 4H clubs is a malfeasance of the BOCC as Trustees for the Escambia County Council of 4-H Clubs.