Newly Reelected Escambia Commissioners Sworn In For New Terms
November 18, 2020
Three Escambia County commissioners were sworn in Tuesday for four year terms after being reelected, and the gavel passed to a new commission chairman.
District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh took the oath to begin his second term on the Escambia County Commission, while District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry and District 3 Commissioner Lumon May were sworn in for their third terms.
The chairman gavel was passed from Barry to District 4 Commissioner Robert Bender, and Bergosh became vice chairman for the next year. The board chair rotates on a set annual basis.
All three men spoke, sometimes emotionally, about their families.
Jeff Bergosh, District 1
“I want to thank God. Nothing’s more important…,” said Jeff Bergosh, who was sworn in by his brother, Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh. “Nothing happens without Him, so I thank God for all His blessings on me, this community and our wonderful country.”
Bergosh took a moment to thank his wife Sally for her sacrifices.
“This woman, without her, I don’t know where I’d be. She’s followed me on every adventure,” he said. “Mother of my children, I just don’t know where I’d be without you.” He also thanked his children.
“Things will get better. We will get past this virus,” Jeff Bergosh remarked. “We will move forward. Our economy will recover and right here in Escambia County, as a kid that grew up here, our best days are ahead of us, ahead of us. And I look forward to all the great things that this board is going to do for the citizens.”
“I look forward to the great things that we are going to do. We will bring District 1’s first public library; that’s coming. It’s funded. We will bring tremendous infrastructure to District 1; it’s coming. We are going to bring a brand new fire station to Beulah. It’s desperately needed; it’s coming.”
Lumon May, District 3
“First I give honor to God for allowing me to have the ability to serve this community,” May said before thanking his family.
“When you decide to run for office, it’s not just you running. It’s your entire family. It’s the good, the bad, the horrific things said, the painful things that you bear…you don’t bare it alone. You bare it with your family.”
Steven Barry, District 5
As Barry made his remarks, he looked up from the field at Blue Wahoos Stadium into the stands and saw his wife Ellen with their young son Jack.
“I see Ellen has walked off in the hallway with Jack,” he said, pausing.
“These are very stressful positions on your family,” Barry said. “Sometimes we feel that people are talking bad about us or saying things about us. But at least we always have an opportunity to have a forum to respond. … Our spouses, our children, they don’t have the opportunity to do that.”
His voice cracked with emotion as he continued.
“They are left to us to defend not just ourselves but them….I’m also very thankful to have my mom here today….It was very difficult.”
“Mom was able to be here last time,” he said, pausing again with emotion. “She was able to be here again today.
Thursday Is Deadline For Public Input On Potential I-10, Beulah Road Interchange
November 18, 2020
The Florida Department of Transportation is conducting a study to consider the addition of a new I-10 interchange along I-10 in the vicinity of Beulah Road, and the deadline to submit public comments for consideration is Thursday, November 19.
The project includes the widening of Beulah Road from West Nine Mile Road to Isaacs Lane, the realignment from Isaacs Lane to West Kingsfield Road, a new interchange at I-10 and the widening of I-10 from the Florida/Alabama line to the Pensacola weigh station.
The project encompasses an area that will see a significant amount of a future development.
As a result of planned growth, there is a need to provide connectivity from new areas of development to the surrounding regional transportation system, according to FDOT. Additionally, there is a need to provide an alternative route that will reduce travel times and congestion within the study area.
For a project update, virtual tour, interactive map and an interactive comment form, click or tap here.
Newly Appointed Escambia School Superintendent, Two Board Members Sworn In
November 18, 2020
Escambia County’s new superintendent and two board members were sworn in Tuesday night.
Superintendent Dr. Timothy Smith was appointed by the board. In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent. Malcolm Thomas, who was an elected superintendent, has now retired.
Smith was an executive area director of high schools in Orange County, Florida, which has 212,000 students. His direct responsibility was for 10 high schools with a combined student population of 30,000 students. There are about 40,000 students in the entire Escambia County district. He has also served as a principal at the middle and high school levels.
District 4 school board member Patty Hightower and District 5 member Bill Slayton were sworn in for another four years on the board. Both were reelected with no opposition.
Pictured: The oaths of office were given Tuesday night to Escambia County School District Superintendent Dr. Timothy Smith (top), District 5 board member Bill Slayton (below) and District 4 member Patty Hightower (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Teachers Of The Year Named At Each Escambia County School
November 18, 2020
The Escambia County School District has named Teachers of the Year from each school in the county.
An overall Teacher of the Year for the school district will be named later.
The 2020 Teachers of the Year are:
Jim Allen Elementary — Emily West
Bellview Elementary — Turkessa Dale
Beulah Elementary — Cathy Ciccone
Blue Angels Elementary — Jennifer Langford
Bratt Elementary — Frances Emmons
Brentwood Elementary — Vera Wiley
Byrneville Elementary — Tamesha Dunsford
Hellen Caro Elementary — Brittney Goldthwaite
N. B. Cook Elementary — Carla Joy McKinley Matthews
Cordova Park Elementary — Vicki Crawford
Ensley Elementary — Stephanie Norman
Ferry Pass Elementary — Ian Waldron
Global Learning Academy — Diana W. Isert
Reinhardt Holm Elementary — Etter Wright
Kingsfield Elementary School — Stephanie Harris
Lincoln Park Elementary — Charles Crosby
R. C. Lipscomb Elementary — Kristina Golloher
Longleaf Elementary — Tammy Pitman
L. D. McArthur Elementary — Deborah Keslar
Molino Park Elementary — Rachel Venable
Montclair Elementary School — Briana McCreary
Myrtle Grove Elementary — Aurora Paul
Navy Point Elementary — Brenda Parker
Oakcrest Elementary — Peggie Bosso
Pine Meadow Elementary — Kristen Whiddon
Pleasant Grove Elementary — Matt Blackburn
Scenic Heights Elementary — Ashlee Kinser
O. J. Semmes Elementary — Jennifer Willem
Sherwood Elementary — Kerrie Mills
A. K. Suter Elementary — Heather McWethy
Warrington Elementary — Paula Sides
C. A. Weis Elementary — Gabrielle Merritt
West Pensacola Elementary — Madeline Pisani
Escambia High — John Fuller
Northview High — Ashley Salter
Pensacola High — Suzanna Ryals
Pine Forest High — Veronica McCants
J. M. Tate High — Janice Courson
Booker T. Washington High — Stephanie Connors
West Florida High — Marjorie Stradley
George Stone Technical College — Derrick Beaird
Jim C. Bailey Middle — Jamie Harris
Bellview Middle — Delia Smith
Beulah Academy of Science — Chrystale Gilley
Beulah Middle School — James Seigle
Brown-Barge Middle — Rashena McWhite
Ferry Pass Middle — Maureen Humphrey
Ransom Middle — Janie Walker
Ernest Ward Middle — Ashley Long
Warrington Middle — Brenda Arlene Coleman
J. H. Workman Middle School — Rochelle Carmichael
Alternative Education — Mercedes Musto
Camelot Academy — Charles Allen
Escambia Westgate — Jennifer Holman
Exceptional Student Education — Kassandra Goble
Lakeview School — Sherry King
Century Raises Garbage Rates
November 18, 2020
Century residents will see an increase on their garbage bill next month.
The town contracts with Republic Services to collect garbage within the town limits. Republic has a provision in their contract that allows them to increase the rates they charged the town each December to match the Consumer Price Index. The town annually passes the rate increase directly along to residents.
That increase will amount to 3.4%, or about 80 cents, per customer, according to Interim Town Manager Vernon Prather.
Residential sanitation customers in Century will pay a monthly fee of $23.63.
Century renewed a five year contract with Republic Services in July.
FloridaWest EDA Seeks Applications For Designated Director
November 18, 2020
The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance is seeking applications from individuals for appointment as designated director to the FloridaWest EDA Board of Directors.
The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance was created in October 2014 when economic development was separated and moved out from under the present-day Greater Pensacola Chamber. FloridaWest EDA operates as a publicly/privately-funded organization.
The mission of FloridaWest EDA is to promote industry and commerce, enhance the business climate and stimulate economic prosperity, support workforce development, promote community development and encourage political action. FloridaWest EDA strives to accomplish the greatest good for the greatest number of people in Pensacola, Escambia County and Northwest Florida.
The deadline for applications is Monday, November 30, 2020. Please respond with a letter of interest to”
Melissa Stoker
mstoker@floridawesteda.com
Update: Cantonment Landline Phone Outage Repaired
November 17, 2020
A landline telephone outage in Cantonment has been repaired.
Landline customers in Cantonment were unable to make phone calls, including calls to 911, due to a network outage during the day on Tuesday.
According to Escambia County, landline customers served by the Cantonment central office may be unable to call 911. If needed, affected customers should call 911 from a cell phone.
The outage included landline customers in the (850) 937 Cantonment exchange, including problems for Ransom Middle School, Tate High School and Jim Allen Elementary School.
Project Fusion Cancels Purchase Contract With Century, Ending Plan For 80 Jobs And A $15.3 Million Investment
November 17, 2020
The plans are dead for a new industry called Project Fusion, new jobs and new investment in Century.
The principals of Project Fusion on Monday canceled their contract with Century to purchase the former Helicopter Technology building and about 40 acres in the Century Industrial Park, ending the promise of 80 new jobs and a $15.3 million capital investment during the first five years. The contract had not yet closed.
“Project Fusion has spent an inordinate amount of time imparting what is necessary for a successful symbiotic relationship– one that points toward the essence of job creation. However, there has been a sea of misinformation leading to a great dilution of the essential. Again, the essential being the creation of jobs for the Town of Century,” Debbie Aglin of the real estate firm Beck Partners and project investor Lincoln Roland wrote in a letter to Mayor Henry Hawkins. ” Project Fusion would rather not be part of any negative rhetoric, and wishes the council members, governing body, and the people of Century the utmost best.”
Hawkins told the Century Town Council Monday night that Project Fusion principals had obtained a copy of an email from town attorney Matt Dannheisser in which the attorney offered legal advice about contract changes proposed by Project Fusion. The email was included as part of the council’s “agenda packet” distributed prior to Monday night’s meeting.
“They decided they were being kicked to the curb, so they pulled the plug,” Hawkins said.
Council member Louis Gomez, Jr. questioned what exactly had gone wrong, alleging that the agreement with Fusion had been purposefully delayed by the town.
“Why is Matt (town attorney Matt Dannheisser) making comments on behalf of the council?” Gomez asked. “We had the votes.”
“I want everybody to know that I have been in contact with Beck Partners also, and FloridaWest, about this project,” Gomez told the council. “Ever since the first day we voted to let these people come in an bring jobs and opportunity to the town of Century, it’s been stymied, sandbagged and stalled on purpose. All the way down to November the first or the second the meeting was cancelled on purpose because we didn’t even have an agenda packet in our agenda packet.”
The town council had planned to move their November 2 meeting to a local community center because voting equipment was being stored in their chambers for the November 3 election. The meeting was canceled after town staff failed to provide the proper public notice of a location change.
Gomez stated he still does not know why there is a need for the industrial park property to not be occupied by “outsiders at the cost of the citizens of the town of Century”. He said the project was stalled for 28 days after the council voted to approve it before anything was done by the town.
“All I see in this letter here is a good business person that don’t want to get their name drug through the mud from some bad publicity of the things I’ve been harping about for the past three years ago about the coverage the Town of Century gets,” Gomez said. “So whoever is responsible, I want them to be exposed because this is bigger than the town council, the mayor or whoever the others are on this line.”
“That building has been vacant for about 15 years. No jobs. No opportunities for this little dead town that we trying to revive,” he said.\
“Something has to change in the town of Century, and I don’t care who’s exposed, but this was done on purpose….Century is never going to grow; Century is never going to prosper. Century is always going to be the laughing stock of the county until we find out what’s the problem with the leaders of this town,” Gomez continued.
“If someone (inaudible on recording) goes to jail, I don’t care who it is, if that property has been mortgaged or bonded out or something, for some reason they tried to pass it off to West Florida Gin…to keep it from being exposed, but it’s going to be exposed….and I’m not going to jail for nobody,” the councilman said.
“Are you suggesting that the property has been mortgaged”, asked council President Ann Brooks, who voted against selling to Project Fusion.”That was my opinion that it was not a good deal, but I did not do anything to interfere.”
“If the truth hurts, change the truth,” Gomez responded.
“There’s been some shady stuff that’s been going on,” council member James Smith responded. “I can’t pinpoint what it is, but something just isn’t right about this whole thing. Once again, someone comes in and want to bring businesses in here, and the Town of Century leaders are trying to stop that from happening. And that’s a problem.”
Gomez then stated that he spoke Monday to Kipp Aglin, a principal in Project Fusion, who stated that attorney Dannheisser was against the project from the beginning.
“They just could not stand it anymore, and they decided that their name and their business will be damaged if they continue to try to make a deal in the town of Century. And I want that on the record,” Gomez said.
Project Fusion was described as an “agricultural related manufacturing operation”.
“The products that are to be manufactured, it was explained to me, that the products are intended to be environmental alternatives to certain types of plastic products using an agricultural product,” Dannheisser said by phone during an August meeting.
Project Fusion offered $760,000 for the industrial building and the lot upon which it sits, plus several other lots in the industrial park for a total of about 40 acres. The town would have owner financed $680,000 of the purchase price.
Moments before approving a deal with Project Fusion in early September, the town council rejected a $700,000 cash offer from West Florida Gin for the building and about fives acres.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Let The Miracle League Fry Your Thanksgiving Turkey
November 17, 2020
Volunteers from the Miracle League of Pensacola will fry your turkey on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, saving you the time and trouble while benefiting the charity. And there is still time to make an appointment.
Completely thaw your turkey, removing all of the inside packaging and giblets. Write down exactly how much your turkey weighs so it is fried perfectly and take it to the Miracle League Park at 555 East Nine Mile Road at your appointment time between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25. For a monetary donation to Miracle League, the volunteers will fry your turkey to perfection. A minimum of $30 per turkey or turkey breast is necessary to help cover costs, and any additional donation will benefit the Miracle League of Pensacola.
Call (850) 377-6236 with questions or to schedule your appointment (leave a message if no answer). Walk-ups are welcome, but reservations should be made early as the number of time slots is limited and appointments take priority.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
About 3.4 Million Cubic Yards Of Hurricane Sally Debris Collected In Escambia County; Final Pass Begins December 1
November 17, 2020
Escambia County contractors have collected nearly 3.4 million cubic yards of Hurricane Sally debris.
That’s 65,987 loads, which equals 531 football fields piled three feet high or enough to fill over 73% of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
The third and final Hurricane Sally debris collection pass will begin on December 1, with a goal to finish all collections by Christmas.
To help expedite the process, separate debris for service. Vegetative debris like tree limbs need to be separate from construction and demolition materials like drywall and carpet. Keep debris away from storm drains, low power lines, other utilities and mailboxes.
Curbside Residential Debris Pickup Instructions
Escambia County residents, that can safely do so, are asked to place any storm-generated debris on the public right of way (the area of residential property that extends from the street to the sidewalk, ditch, utility pole or easement).
- Commercial-generated waste will not be accepted.
- Businesses should contact their waste collection service provider or a debris removal contractor. Business and commercial material is not eligible to be removed curbside by Escambia County.
- Nonprofits are allowed to place debris on public right of way for pickup.
Debris that was generated by Hurricane Sally should be placed and sorted on the area immediately adjoining the road in front of your home.
Residents are urged to separate the debris as follows:
- Vegetative Debris - whole trees and large limbs should be cut into lengths of four feet or less, tree stumps, tree branches, tree trunks and other leafy material
- Construction and Demolition Debris - damaged components of buildings and structures such lumber and wood, wall board, glass, metal, roofing materials, tile, furnishings and fixtures
- Appliances and White Goods - refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps, ovens, ranges, washing machines, clothes dryers and water heaters
- Electronic Waste - computers, televisions, office electronic equipment, etc.
- Household Hazardous Waste - materials that are ignitable, reactive, toxic or corrosive such as paints, cleaners, pesticides, etc.
Do not place debris within four feet of:
- Mailboxes
- Water meters
- Fire hydrants, or any other above-ground utility
Escambia County contractors will make multiple passes through neighborhoods and along county right-of-way for debris removal. If your debris is not removed, please be patient. The crews will make additional passes along your road.
The county contractors have dedicated pieces of equipment for different debris streams (vegetation, C&D and stumps). Please understand that if vegetation is collected and C&D or stumps are left behind, they are not “missed,” but rather assigned to different trucks dedicated to that debris stream. Contractors cannot commingle debris streams in a single truck load.
Drop Off Instructions for Residential Vegetative Debris Drop Off Sites
In addition to curbside removal of debris for residents, residential drop off sites are accepting vegetative debris generated by Hurricane Sally. This is for private, residential use only, NO COMMERCIAL DEBRIS. Hurricane Sally debris drop off sites are open for Escambia County residents only and will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 a.m., until further notice. Residents need to bring ID and proof of residency.
Drop Off Locations:
- Escambia County Equestrian Center at 7750 Mobile Highway
- John R. Jones Athletic Complex at 555 East Nine Mile Road
- Oak Grove Convenience Center at 745 North Highway 99
- Baars Field at 13020 Sorrento Road
- Lexington Terrace at 900 S Old Corry Field Road
- Park East at 1233-1235 at Fort Pickens Road
If residents would like to drop off construction and demolition debris, they can do so at the following locations (ordinary fees apply):
- Perdido Landfill (Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
- Oak Grove Convenience Center (Fridays and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Pictured: Debris pick up on North Highway 99. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.