Jeff Bergosh Guest View: We Need A Decider
December 29, 2017
Guest editorial by Jeff Bergosh
In order to cut through red tape, sometimes one needs to get to a decider who can come off his/her script, use common sense, and make a smart decision.
In Escambia County, we have a situation brewing that desperately needs a decider, at the Federal level, to intervene.
This is about jobs, growth, and infrastructure–and millions of dollars are on the line.
Everyone knows that the exponential growth of Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) in Beulah over the last several years was a good thing. Everyone knows having the largest Credit Union in the World locate a second headquarters here is a good thing. All 6,200 Pensacola employees that work at NFCU presently know that having NFCU in Pensacola is a good thing. It’s all good!
But the growth is straining the infrastructure and even though NFCU’s campus is a mere 1 mile from the interstate—traffic still backs up into and out of Beulah morning, noon, and night.
I’m told by high-level sources within NFCU that it takes employees as long as 20 minutes to get out of the parking structure and onto 9-Mile road in the afternoons—due to the traffic congestion on the only way in and out.
This situation is straining morale for the workers and the nearby residents that also deal with this problem daily.
In a year and a half, the four-lane expansion of 9-Mile Road will be complete and will help with the congestion going in and out of Beulah..
In 7-10 years, the Beulah Interchange will help significantly.
In the meantime, though, a second exit out the back of the NFCU property could easily be built. And it would help immediately and immensely.
It’s literally about a hundred feet from the end of Navy Federal Way to the out-going lane of the visitor’s center off of Interstate 10.
A one-lane, egress-only road out the back of NFCU and into the visitor’s center exit ramp (100 feet) could be built quickly and (relatively) inexpensively.
Congressman Matt Gaetz and Governor Rick Scott have been engaged in this effort. Mayor Ashton Hayward has engaged in this effort. People are trying to make this happen.
Unfortunately— this initiative is being stymied at the Federal Level.
Apparently, because the distance between this potential exit and the existing exit 5 (Hwy 90) is less than a mile, this is disallowed. There must be at least One (1) Mile between exits according to the “rules.” (The distance between the visitor’s center and exit 5 is about .95 Mile)
So this technicality is what is killing this initiative….
Why can’t we get a waiver, though? Why can’t we get a decider to look at the overall big picture and intervene?
People are now shrugging their collective shoulders and looking for other options…
Digging a tunnel under 9-Mile road at the NFCU East exit to allow cars to go under 9 Mile road and get directly onto the interstate is now the new initiative.
This is really being seriously considered. It would take four years minimum and would cost upwards of $64 Million dollars– but this is being discussed. [Full disclosure: I have serious reservations about building a tunnel under 9 Mile Road……]
So something intelligent needs to happen and fast, or the planned expansion by NFCU to 10,000 jobs might be jeopardized. (e.g. those additional 3,800 jobs could go somewhere other than Pensacola).
This would be an unmitigated disaster.
We must prevent this loss by finding a decider with the guts to make the smart call.
We need this decider’s intervention yesterday.
Jeff Bergosh is chairman, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
Missing Special Needs Man Found Safe In Flomaton
December 28, 2017
Update 9 p.m. — Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis said a a missing special needs person has been found. Police said he returned home with no injuries.
The Flomaton Police Department was joined in their search by the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, the Flomaton Fire Department, Alabama State Troopers, numerous volunteers and an infrared equipped drone from Anonymity Rescue.
Previous story:
Jeremy Dunn, 28, was reported missing from the area of Wiley Drive in Flomaton. He was last seen about 3 p.m. in the area of Highway 13.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811 or their local law enforcement agency.
State Attorney Clears BOCC Over Meeting To Discuss Sheriff’s Budget Appeal
December 28, 2017
The State Attorney’s Office has determined that the Escambia County Commission did not violate the Sunshine Law, as alleged by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The commission held a closed door meeting in October to discuss the Sheriff’s budget appeal to the governor’s office, saying that the meeting was an attorney-client meeting to discuss pending litigation as allowed by the law.
The Sheriff’s Office alleged it was a “shade” meeting held outside the parameters allowed by law and additionally complained that Escambia County’s failure to release a transcript of the meeting violates public records laws.
Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille wrote in his findings that it was clear the co-mission complied with all requirements regarding notice and held the meeting in accordance with all applicable laws . In addition, the State Attorney’s Office found that there were no violations of public records laws. The private session was recorded by an official court reporters as required by law, and the transcript may be kept confidential until the litigation is concluded.
Century Town Council To Compete With National Championship Football Game
December 28, 2017
The Century Town Council has decided to take on the National Championship football game for local attention.
The council normally meets the first and third Monday nights of each month, but the first Monday of January is New Year’s Day. The council has voted to reschedule that meeting for 7 p.m. the following Monday, January 8.
So interested citizens will be forced to choose — watch the beginning of the College Football Playoff National Championship game live on ESPN from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, or attend the Century Town Council meeting live from council chambers.
“I have DirecTV,” council member Ben Boutwell quipped recently, jokingly referring to the ability to watch the game from the council chambers on a smartphone or tablet.
Last January, the council yielded to Alabama and Clemson and reschedule a meeting to avoid conflict with the National Championship game.
Pictured: The Century Town Council at a recent meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Santa Rosa County Man Killed In Alabama Vehicle Accident
December 28, 2017
A young Santa Rosa County man was killed in a vehicle accident in Alabama.
Alabama State Troopers said 20-year old Nathan Chase Dixon of Milton was killed when the Dodge pickup truck he was driving hit a Peterbilt tractor trailer that disabled. The accident happened Tuesday night about four miles north of Alexander City on U.S. 280 near the 61 mile marker.
Dixon was pronounced deceased at the scene. A passenger in the truck, 21-year old Jesse Smith, was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries. His condition was not available.
The Alabama State Troopers are continuing to investigate the crash.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Dispose Of Natural Christmas Trees At The Curb
December 28, 2017
Residents wishing to dispose of organic Christmas trees can do so by simply placing the tree curbside with all decorations, ornaments and any attached tree stands removed. Trees or segments of trees should not be more than six feet in length. Do not place Christmas trees in recycling or garbage containers.
In unincorporated Escambia County, ECUA will remove curbside trees on the customer’s normally scheduled yard waste collection day.
The Town of Century will remove Christmas trees in their regular bulk pickup on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Crews will begin removing trees placed on the curb in the incorporated areas Tuesday, January 2. It may take several days for the trees to be removed, according to town officials.
City of Pensacola Sanitation will remove trees placed on the curb on the customer’s regular trash collection day.
Mobile Home, Heavy Truck Registrations Due By January 1
December 28, 2017
Escambia County residents who own mobile homes, heavy pickups, nine-passenger, for hire and commercial vehicles should renew their registrations by December 31, according to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
Mobile homes taxed as real property must display a permanent RP decal. Mobile homes not taxed as real property are subject to yearly registration fees. Each section of the mobile home requires a separate registration, which must be displayed and visible from the roadway. Registration fees are based on the length of the mobile home and must be renewed by December 31. A delinquency fee will be charged if the registration is not renewed by January 10, 2018.
Florida law requires that registrations for all trucks with an empty weight of 5,000 pounds or more expire in December. The registered owner is required to declare a gross vehicle weight (GVW). Registration fees are determined by the gross vehicle weight.
For more information, please visit our web site at EscambiaTaxCollector.com. Citizens are encouraged to contact the tax collector’s office at ectc@EscambiaTaxCollector.com or (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252 with any questions.
Controlled Substance Dispensing Rule To Change Monday In Florida
December 28, 2017
Beginning Monday, January 1, pharmacies and physicians who dispense controlled substances will have just one day to report information to the statewide prescription-drug monitoring program.
Currently, pharmacies and physicians are required to report the information as soon as possible to the state but are given upward of seven days to comply with the reporting requirements.
The Legislature passed a bill in 2017 that trimmed the reporting time and required that reporting be done through the state-approved electronic reporting system.
The Legislature during the 2018 session is expected to pass legislation to help abate the state’s opioid epidemic, and lawmakers are considering whether to mandate that doctors use the database before prescribing controlled substances. The database was established to track the dispensing of prescribed controlled substances to provide information to physicians and to prevent the over-prescribing and diversion of such substances.
Most dispensers are required to report the information, though exemptions are provided if the controlled substances are dispensed by practitioners for one-time, 72-hour emergency supplies for patients. Exemptions also are made when controlled substances are dispensed in emergency rooms, rehabilitative hospitals, assisted living facilities or nursing homes, so long as they were ordered by treating physicians.
by The News Service of Florida
Health Care Spending, Regulation Confront Lawmakers
December 28, 2017
Battles over health-care spending and regulation of Florida’s vast health-care industry are likely to command a great deal of time and attention when the Florida Legislature convenes in January for its annual session.
Lawmakers are again expected to engage in a tug-of-war about what type of regulations should be in place for health-care facilities, but a main focus will be on Florida’s strained safety-net health program at a time of tight state finances.
Florida’s Medicaid program already costs $26 billion and covers an estimated 4 million people.
A July snapshot by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that Medicaid along with a major children’s health-insurance program provide coverage to two out of every five low-income people in the state, half the state’s children and more than three-fifths of all nursing home residents.
The bulk of money for Medicaid comes from the federal government, but this year more than $6 billion comes from general revenue, the state’s main budget account funded primarily by sales taxes.
House Health Care Appropriations Chairman Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, said hurricanes Irma and Maria put “a bit of a strain” on the budget he oversees, and as a result that could hamper any requests for new social-services spending.
“From the explicit costs of providing more health and human services to a larger than anticipated population, to the implicit costs of things like the overtime paid to our (state employees) who are in charge of registering and providing (benefits) to all those new enrollees, all of those costs must be paid for before we can start looking at new programs,” he said.
Nevertheless, Brodeur said members have filed more than 200 requests to fund local projects “which is the exact opposite of `small government.’ ”
During the 2017 session, legislators agreed to change how the state pays nursing homes to provide care for the poor and seniors who rely on Medicaid. Lawmakers decided to scrap a longstanding system where nursing homes have been paid based on audited cost reports and agreed to implement a prospective payment system where payments are determined in advance, regardless of the intensity of the services provided.
While lawmakers agreed to change the payment methodology, they delayed implementation of the new system until 2018. Brodeur said the conversion “is our next step in efficiency.”
Senate President Joe Negron, though, wants the Legislature to do more than pull the trigger on the prospective-payment system. He wants to increase the amount of money the state directs to paying nursing homes.
“That’s a very strong priority of mine,” said Negron who, quoting Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, notes that the average Medicaid-funded nursing home resident in Florida is an 85-year-old woman.
“These are the women who shaped our communities. We have a responsibility to give them the highest level of care,” Negron said.
The Stuart Republican also said he would like to help the industry offset the costs of generators that Gov. Rick Scott has mandated for nursing homes after deaths at a Broward County nursing home following Hurricane Irma. Negron predicted that the generators “will ultimately be a shared endeavor between the state and the industry.”
But Negron’s push to increase reimbursement for nursing homes and offset the costs of generators also comes at a time when two state agencies are requesting funding to help plug deficits.
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is asking for $34 million in general revenue to help cover a $89 million deficit in a Medicaid waiver program that enables developmentally disabled people to live in communities instead of institutions. Also, the Department of Health is requesting $25 million to plug a shortfall in the Children’s Medical Services program, which pays the health care costs for medically complex children covered by Medicaid.
Negron downplayed the deficits in the programs and the effects they could have on new funding requests during the 60-daysession, which starts Jan. 9.
“You have to make difficult decisions,” Negron said of crafting the state budget. “That’s why I think the budget process is fascinating.”
While the annual budget is the only bill the Legislature is required to pass when it meets, it isn’t the only piece of health-care legislation that members will focus on.
Indeed, there are hundreds of bills filed for consideration, from requiring birth centers to report adverse events to state health care regulators (SB 510 and HB 673) to authorizing new needle-exchange programs to try to prevent the spread of infectious diseases (SB 800 and 579).
The Legislature will once again consider passing a bill that would allow ambulatory surgical centers to keep patients overnight. Florida law currently requires the surgical centers to release patients the same day they are admitted and cannot keep patients overnight.
“It’s silly that people have to be discharged the `same work day’ and not 24 hours. The marketplace could open up for consumers if they could adjust their schedules for the 24-hour standard,” Brodeur said.
The legislation (HB 23) is already ready for the House floor. While the House bill also would authorize and license so-called “recovery care centers,” to provide post-surgical and post-diagnostic care to patients for up to three days, the Senate version (SB 250) would only authorize overnight stays at ambulatory surgical centers.
Sen. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican sponsoring the Senate version, said he does not plan to take the House bill as it has been drafted. “It’s my intention just to get the 24-hour piece done,” he said.
The House also is poised to vote on a measure (HB 27) that would eliminate a controversial regulatory program for hospitals that’s known as certificate of need. Bill sponsor Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers, said ending the regulations would remove “barriers to entry” and increase competition in the hospital industry.
“I think competition is healthy in almost all settings,” she said.
But critics have raised questions about how lifting the regulations, which require state approval of new facilities and programs, would affect older public hospitals that provide a wide array of services.
And while the legislation is touted as eliminating artificial barriers that impede competition, the bill would only eliminate so-called CONs for hospitals. New nursing home beds and facilities would still be regulated by the CON program.
The Florida Health Care Association, a statewide nursing-home group, has lobbied against legislative efforts to eliminate CONs for long-term care providers.
House Health Quality Subcommittee Chairman Rep. James Grant said he supports eliminating CONs for hospitals and nursing homes but said he won’t vote against Fitzenhagen’s bill for not including nursing homes.
“Some repeal is better than no repeal,” Grant, R-Tampa, said.
The Senate does not have a companion bill, though, and the potential CON elimination is opposed by much of the powerful hospital industry.
Florida Hospital Association President Bruce Rueben said certificate-of-need requirements have ensured that low-income communities and rural communities have access to inpatient, acute-care health services.
“CON deregulation would allow a proliferation of these services in affluent communities and undermine hospitals serving communities with high numbers of uninsured and underinsured Floridians,” Rueben said.
by Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida
File image.
Flomaton Police Seeking Burglary Suspect
December 28, 2017
The Flomaton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating 26-year old Patrick David Griffis.
He is wanted by Flomaton Police on charges of felony third degree burglary, first degree theft of property and misdemeanor criminal mischief. He is described as a white male, about six-feet tall, 175 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5911.