‘Is It Legal?’ County Takes No Action, For Now, On Retirement Plan Back Funding That Could Cost $1.9 Million
June 4, 2021
The Escambia County Commission took no formal action Thursday night on reimbursing up to $1.9 million in lost retirement income for commissioners and top level employees after they were allegedly never told of a retirement plan option. The discussion left one commissioner asking if the payout is legal, and one public official saying she controls the county’s checkbook and does not like the idea.
401(a) Annuity Program
It’s called a 401(a) annuity program, and under state statute is offered only to senior management service employees and commissioners that opt out of the Florida Retirement System (FRS). It’s available statewide, not just in Escambia County.
The plan does not cost Escambia County taxpayers anything extra when contributions are made in a timely fashion; the employee contributions are exactly the same whether or not the money goes into FRS or the annuity program. FRS has significant administrative overhead and fund liability that is funded from employee contributions. The 401(a) annuity plan participant costs are lower, so participants can earn significantly more retirement dollars.
Escambia County has offered a 401(a) annuity program to senior management employees and elected officials since 1997.
Employees Not Told Of Program
Many employees, along with current and past commissioners, have said they were never informed of the annuity plan’s existence, and they lost significant retirement funds as a result.
In March, Commissioner Steven Barry and County Attorney Alison Rogers went before the Florida Commission on Ethics concerning retirement plans. There were no allegations of ethical wrongdoing against Barry, Rogers or anyone else; instead they were seeking permission for the BOCC to vote on the annuity plan.
Barry contended that after he was first elected in 2012, the county’s human resources department did not tell him, other commissioners and other eligible county employees about the existence of a 401(a) annuity plan, only the normal FRS plan. He said he did not know about the plan until months into his second term, past a six month eligibility period. He did sign up as his third term started.
Commissioners, including Barry, sign retirement plan enrollment forms to choose between six options. One option is to “withdraw from the Florida Retirement System to participate in a local annuity plan”. Barry has contended that provides no real information about the 401(a) plan, its benefits and its earnings potential.
“Is It Legal”
Barry asked the ethics commission if the county commission could vote on a settlement plan that would allow payments to him, other commissioners and other county employees that were not told about the annuity plan by the county’s human resources department. The ethics commission agreed that the county commission could vote on paying lost earnings from the 401(a) plan to impacted commissioners and county employees.
That payout could total as much as $1.9 million, including just over $225,000 each for Barry and Commissioner Lumon May.
“I want to be supportive. It’s a hell of a lot of money,” Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said. “I’m angry that folks weren’t told about it. It’s not right … I’ve got to know that it’s legal, but I don’t have a warm and fuzzy that it is.”
Bergosh said, “I just have to ask the attorney, is this legal?”
County Attorney Alison Rogers will provide her own legal opinion to the board at a future date, along with at least one more legal opinion. Rogers is eligible to participate in the annuity program, but she has given notice to that board that she won’t transfer to a 401(a) plan or accept back payment.
Barry said he understands Bergosh’s request for definitive answers on the legality of the 401(a) settlement.
“I appreciate the support of the majority of my colleagues tonight. I am certainly interested in moving forward with the discussion toward fairness and equity we had this evening, but I absolutely support Commissioner Bergosh’s idea of having definitive determination about the legality of any resolution coming to the board,” Barry told NorthEscambia.com after Thursday night’s meeting.
“I Hold The Checkbook For This County”
“I answer to Gov. DeSantis, and I answer to the people,” Clerk and Comptroller of Escambia County Pam Childers said after the commission discussion. “I am really go to have to look at this closely. I am not comfortable at this time to back-fund the pension for the commission or the employees.
“At this time, I am not comfortable with it, and I hold the checkbook for this county,” Childers concluded.
Tate High School Names The Top Of The Class Of 2021
June 4, 2021
Tate High School has named their honors graduates for the Class of 2021.
Valedictorian is Katelyn Michelle Loudonk (pictured left) and salutatorians are Maggie Ruth Brown (pictured top right) and Michael Robert Dixon (pictured bottom right). Brown and Dixon tied with the exact same final GPA.
The Top 10% honors graduates are as follows:
1. Katelyn Michelle Loudon
2. Maggie Ruth Brown
2. Michael Robert Dixon
4. Quang Tam Vo
5. John Thomas Semple
6. Kobi Seth Menser
7. Morgan Kelly Anderson
8. Jonathan David French
9. Haley Grace Vranich
10. Brianna Marie Deason
11. Bailey Nicole Jenkins
12. Jackson Cecil Chatwood
13. Brentley Marie Garrett
14. Evelyn Campbell
15. Bristol Denae Kelley
16. Gwenivier Elise Ward
17. Staci Marie Saucier
18. Samantha Guerrier
19. Joseph Pusateri
20. Eva Marie Miller
21. Abigail Breanne West
22. Maddison D’Rea Dorion
23. Courtney Ryan Adams
24. Jessica Jean Conti
25. Allison Suzanne Jefferis
26. Adam Cooper Lee
27. Nicholas Chase Walsh
28. Mia M Brown
29. Jonathan Evan Chisolm
30. Joanna Jiang
31. Kiera Jolie Goodyear
32. Kendall Jordyn Blackmon
33. Jacob Ryan Hutto
34. Aaron Stephen Neshem
35. Jacob Heath Greeson
36. Jacob Lawson Chatwood
37. Sidney Claire Stojak
38. Chandler Gray Hastings
39. Lindsey Carole Morris
40. Tayler Lynn Bridges
41. Layah Denae Seals
42. Matthew William Luebke
43. Cristian Alexander Bates
44. Jordan Tyler Jarman
45. Emily Rene’ Johnson
46. Natalee Ann Stuart
47. Armonie Michele Hughes Nettles
48. Ethan Daniel Middleton
Commission Votes To Put County Administrator Gilley’s Employment Contract On The Table For Discussion
June 4, 2021
The Escambia County Commission vote unanimously Thursday night to discuss their employment contract with County Administrator Janice Gilley.
Gilley is about two years into a three year employment contract that expires on June 30, 2022, unless it is terminated or extended by a commission vote.
The affirmative vote on Commissioner Steven Barry’s motion places the contract discussion on the board’s June 17 meeting, providing Gilley with the required notice.
“There’s never a bad time to talk about these things among ourselves,” Commissioner Doug Underhill said.
“In the contact, it does state that there is a review annually, and we are coming up on that time,” Commissioner Robert Bender noted.
Due to the pandemic, there was no public job performance review for Gilley in 2019, but commissioners did hold one-on-one discussions with her.
Walnut Hill Woman Accused Of Biting, Hitting Her 74-Year Old Father
June 4, 2021
A Walnut Hill woman is charged with hitting and biting her 74-year old father.
Brandy Godwin Ramer, 43 was charged with one count of felony battery on a person 65 years of age or older, felony larceny on a victim age 65 or older and violation of a court order.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the father has an active domestic violence injunction against Ramer, but he had allowed her to live at his residence. She became irate and trashed the house before grabbing and kicking him before biting his hand, an arrest report states. The victim left home and returned to find his phone missing.
Deputies noted the father had a small laceration to his elbow and nose, along with bruising on his arm and what appeared to be a bite mark on his right hand. He refused EMS.
Employee Pleads Guilty After Video Recording Co-Workers In Pensacola VA Clinic Restroom
June 4, 2021
A Department of Veterans Affairs employee pleaded guilty Thursday to video recording fellow employees in the bathroom at the Veterans Affairs Joint Ambulatory Care Center in Pensacola.
Robert Sampson, 52, of Gulf Breeze, entered the plea to federal charges of video voyeurism and disorderly conduct. Sampson surreptitiously videoed eight fellow employees on multiple occasions from August 2019 to June 2020.
“The victims in this case perform an incredible service to our retired and disabled military community and they should feel safe and have their privacy respected in their work environment,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody. “I applaud the Department of Veterans Affairs Police and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General for their thorough investigation into this crime.”
Sampson admitted to placing a hidden camera, disguised to look like a cell phone charger power adapter, in a restroom at the Pensacola VA Center approximately 17 times. When VA employees discovered the recording device and notified the VA Police, Sampson attempted to wrestle the employees for control of the device. Sampson later admitted that he had placed the device in the restroom to record individuals in the restroom and would later watch the footage.”
Sampson will be sentenced on August 19. He faces up to one year in jail for video voyeurism and six months for disorderly conduct.
Bleday Homers, But Wahoos Fall 5-2 To Mississippi
June 4, 2021
The Blue Wahoos were two outs from being shut out for the first time this season.
JJ Bleday ensured it didn’t happen.
The touted outfielder blasted a 98-mph fastball off the right-field scoreboard – a 387-foot, 2-run bomb – that provided a measure of ninth inning solace in the Blue Wahoos 5-2 loss Thursday against the Mississippi Braves at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
A crowd of 4,555 on the season’s third Pensacola Mullets Night, complete with the uniforms and logo change, had watched four M-Braves pitchers silence Pensacola’s offense unlike any prior game until the final inning.
Up stepped Bleday. Out went the two-strike pitch from Daysbel Hernandez, much to the crowd’s delight. They had seen just two previous Mullets hits.
It was Bleday’s second home run with Pensacola, both in this ballpark.
Bleday, the fourth overall draft pick in 2019 by the Miami Marlins, has collected three hits and reached base four times in the past two games. It’s been the positive aspect from back-to-back losses, after the Blue Wahoos had a five-game home win streak.
Opportunities Thursday were missed earlier in the game when Pensacola (16-11) had five base runners through five innings.
The M-Braves (14-13) got their first three runs on two-out hits. In the first inning, starter Jeff Lindgren retired the first two batters, but M-Braves touted catcher Shea Langeliers, who went 4-for-5 Wednesday with three homers, singled to start the production.
CJ Alexander then followed with a RBI double in the left-center gap.
In the third inning, the M-Braves Justin Dean led off with a walk, stole second and scored on CJ Alexander’s two-out single.
The M-Braves manufactured another run in the fourth inning after Wendell Rijo reached on a fielder’s choice, then scored on Dean’s two-out double.
Their other two runs were emphatic.
Rijo left no doubt in the sixth when blasting Pensacola reliever Dylan Bice’s fastball 442 feet over the left center wall into the water for a two-run homer.
In the stands, however, the night had plenty of activities with the first “Wahoo Waddle” as part of Thirsty Thursday. Adults of legal age were able to sample a variety of beverage specials at kiosk stands throughout the concourse area.
The crowd batted giant beach balls in the stands to start the game.
For the first time at the stadium, it became a venue for the annual Pensacola stop with the Troy University athletic department.
Troy head football coach Chip Lindsey and women’s basketball coach Chanda Rigby, along with men’s basketball coach Scott Cross visited as part of Troy’s Trojan Tour. They had food and visited with a group of Troy supporters on the Dignity Memorial Deck above the left-field corner during the game.
In addition, the Navarre High baseball team had a 250-member group sitting in Sections 115 and 117 along the third-base line.
The Blue Wahoos, who lead their division in the Double-A South, will try to even the six-game series on Friday night with left-hander Will Stewart starting against the M-Braves AJ Puckett.
Riley Mahan and Jerar Encarnacion had the other Pensacola hits Thursday, both singles.
by Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos senior writer
ECSO: Man Exposed Himself To Multiple People, Including Two Juveniles, At Adventures Perdido River
June 3, 2021
A 58-year old Cantonment man has been charged with allegedly exposing himself to five people, including two underage juveniles, at Adventures Perdido River in Cantonment.
Graig Alex Griffin was charged with two counts of felony lewd lascivious exhibition in the presence of victims under 16 and three first degree misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure.
A group of people was walking through the parking lot from the river to their car when they were approached by the owner and told they needed to pay a fee of $2 per person. The victim stated he did not understand why he was being asked to pay when they had already paid $20 to park, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
A group of four to five other males approached the victim and his party and told them they needed to leave. An argument ensued, and Giffin pulled down his swim trunks and exposed his genitals in front of a group of adults and juveniles, according to an arrest report.
Deputies reported finding Griffin intoxicated and drinking a beer. He told them he took it upon himself to assist the owner in escorting people off the property. Griffin said that after a member of the other group made a threat, he unzipped his swim trunks and stuck his fingers out. He denied exposing his genitals.
Multiple witnesses told deputies that Griffin did expose his genitals, and Griffin was taken into custody. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $23,000 bond.
Cantonment Cowboys Football And Cheerleading Registration Underway
June 3, 2021
Registration is open for the Cantonment Cowboys football and cheerleading seasons.
In-person registration for ages 5-14 is available every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. at the ballpark, 681 Well Line Road.
Online registration is also available by clicking or tapping here.
Florida Budget Includes $2.5 Million For The Bluffs Industrial Site In Cantonment
June 3, 2021
The Bluffs project in Cantonment will receive $2.5 million from Florida’s $101.5 billion 2021-2022 budget signed Wednesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Announced in late 2015, The Bluffs was envisioned as the home of up to 60 new industrial and manufacturing companies. The 6,000 acre master-planned development area includes about 1,700 acres of land that can be developed in an area east of Highway 29 bordered by the Escambia River to the east, Becks Lake Road near International Paper to the north, and the University of West Florida to the south.
The $2.5 million in new funding for the state will pay for an entrance drive and upgrades at the multi-leg intersection of Chemstrand Road, Old Chemstrand Road, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s entrance drive, and Ascend Performance Materials entrance drives to the plant, and to the land adjacent to the properties. The funds will be used for planning, engineering, design and construction.
The Bluffs is predicted to support 11,000 direct and indirect jobs with total wages of $7 billion.
New State Budget Includes $468K For Century Water Well Upgrades
June 3, 2021
The $101.5 billion budget signed Wednesday by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis includes funding for water well upgrades in Century.
The exact amount included in the Florida’s 2021-2022 budget for the Century water well project is $468,453 with no required matching funds.
Century has three water wells — two provide drinking water to the residents of Century and one provides water exclusively to the Century Correctional Institution.
The first well on Blackmon Street and was constructed in 1963 with a pumping capacity of 400 gallons per minute. The adjacent elevated tank has a capacity of 100,000 gallons.
The second well is on Academy street and was constructed in 1983. It has a pumping capacity of 500 gallons per minute and an elevated tank with a half million gallon capacity. The well had been out of service for over a year before being placed back in service in August 2020 only to fail again. As of June 2, it remained out of service.
The third well was constructed at the prison in 1983 and can pump 400 gallons a minute with 200,000 gallon elevated storage tank. The well failed in May 2020, and the water supply to the prison was restored through an interconnect to Central Water Works.
As of earlier this year when Century asked for state help, the town had spent $353,360.47 so far for repairs to the three wells and the interconnect to Central Water Works. The funding in this year’s state budget includes $107,000 for repairs and wellhouse rehabilitations at the Academy Street well, $90,00 for repairs at the Blackmon Street well, and $210,350 for work at the prison well and a permanent generator.
The money was part of local funding requests submitted by Rep. Michelle Salzman and Sen. Doug Broxson.
Pictured: Water flows into the Century Correctional Institution in May 2020 following the failure of a Century water well. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
