Commissioner Calls Budget Proposal Absurd, Wrong In Letter
August 2, 2009
One Escambia County Commissioner called County Administrator Bob McLaughlin’s proposed budget “absurd” in a letter he sent through the county attorney to all commissioners.
“The budget you have presented is not sustainable and it is absurd to use reserves to balance a budget,” District 5 Commissioner Kevin White wrote in his letter. “I will not be supporting the proposed budget as it stands now. It is poor fiscal planning on your part and I will not bear the responsibility of voting for something that I know is wrong.”
(Click the image to view the letter.)
“He’s using reserves, one time revenue, to save jobs once for this year. Next year, these people are going to be going,” White explained to NorthEscambia.com. He estimated that the county would need to dip into $5 to $8 million in reserves to meet McLaughlin’s proposed budget, just to save those jobs that he believes the county will not be able to fund in another year.
“The budget is fiscal irresponsibility,” White said. “The other four commissioners just sat there and did not say a word.”
But the District 5 commissioner did say a word — about 400 of them — all negative toward the budget as proposed by the county administrator.
One of McLaughlin’s proposals involves working on the Land Development Code in-house rather than using an outside contractor, and other proposals shift more work to county staff. White said that he does not believe that already overworked staff members have the ability to perform at the same level as outside contractors on some projects.
“It is unfortunate but I do not have the confidence in some of the staff to come up with documents that will simplify the process to do business in Escambia County. It has been proven in the past that some staff does not follow Board direction very well,” White wrote in his letter. “The Board gets out of whack when we have staff members not doing their jobs and getting involved in the politics.”
White told NorthEscambia that he wrote the letter to make his point about just how against the budget he really is.
“We must come up with a budget out of the General Fund, not the reserves,” he said.
White’s letter does not just chastise the county administrator; it also takes aim at the county’s code enforcement.
“There have been a number of complaints filed from employees to citizens and nothing has been done. I would have to say based on all the documents that an active citizen has showed me, they are probably correct about this department. As Janet Landers stated in a memo, this department is ‘dysfunctional at best’ and every time there is a complaint it is swept under the rug,” he wrote. Janet Landers is the former county attorney, and White said he was referring to a memo that she wrote several years ago .
White’s letter was distributed by County Attorney Allison Rogers who advised that she believed the letter from White to his fellow commissioners to be legal “so long as it is only a one-way communication”. She advised other commissioners against distributing their opinion on the budget proposal in any form “as it could be perceived as interaction”. She also advised against using the media as a liaison.
Florida’s Sunshine Law prevents commissioners from discussing items before the commission except at public advertised meetings.
Click here to read White’s letter with the introductory memo from the county attorney (pdf).
History In The Park
August 2, 2009
The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society’s Day in the Park was held Saturday in Century. Collectors displayed their items and shared information with others. The historical society’s museums were open, and the group sold watermelon, hot dogs and more. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Molino’s Pumpkin Wins National Cute Dog Contest
August 2, 2009
NorthEscambia.com readers helped Pumpkin win a national cute dog contest at cutepuppypicture.com. Suzanne Landry of Molino entered Pumpkin in a cute puppy contest the national web site, and we posted a story with a link to vote for Pumpkin back on July 24. Pumpkin is a one and half year old Bichon Frishe. There’s no word yet on Pumpkin’s prize, but Landry said the web site has asked for her size. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former North Escambia Resident Considered For All-Time Navy-Marine Football Team
August 1, 2009
A former North Escambia resident is in the running to be on the All-Stadium Team to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Navy-Marine Corp Memorial Stadium.
John Skaggs, a 2000 graduate of Tate High School, is one of the finalists to be on the specials teams of the All-Time Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Team.
The Naval Academy is planning a season-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, including honoring the 1959 Navy team that defeated William & Mary in the first game played at the stadium. Additionally, an all-time Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium team will be selected with fans having an opportunity to nominate and vote for their favorite Navy players who have played at the stadium.
The all-time team will be revealed at halftime throughout the 2009 season.
Skaggs punted for Navy from 2001-2003. He is the Navy’s all-time punting leader for a single-season and a career. He broke Bill Busik’s 60-year old single-season record in 2001 when he averaged 44.8 yards per punt, while his 43.1 yards per game career average is also a school record. In 2001, Skaggs had 48 punts for 2,151 yards.
“It would be an honor to be recognized on the All-Stadium team,” Skaggs told NorthEscambia.com Friday afternoon.
To vote for the specialists on the All-Time Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Team, click here. Voting ends Sunday.
Skaggs and his wife Emily (Fillingim) Skaggs now reside in Panama City. They both have numerous relatives in the North Escambia area.
Sheriff Responds To Reports That Billings Murders Were Contract Hit
August 1, 2009
Sheriff David Morgan reacted Friday night to a CNN report that the Billings murders were a contract hit.
CNN, citing an unnamed source, reported that Leonard Gonzalez, Jr. was paid for the murders. CNN stated that “from ‘Gonzalez down’ it was a robbery and from ‘Gonzalez up’ it was a hit”.
“We are, in fact, looking at this,” Sheriff David Morgan said Friday night. “We want to ensure the citizens of Escambia County that we are not in any way, shape or form of the imagination taking that possibility or probability off the table in the conduct of the Billings murder.”
“We will consider all possibilities and review any evidence that is brought forward regarding the issue of motive in this case,” he said.
“Investigations are evidence driven,” Morgan said, saying that all avenues were being explored in the Billings investigation. He said that a contract hit was a possibility, but that determination would come later in the investigation.
“We have interviewed many persons of interest, but you will never know their names,” Morgan said, adding that persons of interested are often ruled out quickly.
“I want the citizens of Escambia County to understand that this investigation will go where it goes, and anyone who aided or abetted in the commission of this crime will be brought to justice,” the sheriff said.
Comment Period Begins On Land Development Code Changes
August 1, 2009
Escambia County is considering changes to the Land Development Code, and officials would like your input.
The Development Services Bureau has opened the initial public comment period on the Land Development Code and will be accepting comments through October 23.
The comment period is open for input and suggestions to improve the current code. Comments should be made with clarity and constructive purpose.
Some of the provisions in the proposed LDC that relate to North Escambia include:
- In order to protect the rural lifestyle of northern Escambia County,
rezonings to districts allowing higher residential densities are prohibited for
properties in the Agriculture and Rural Community Future Land Use
categories in the RPA. - In order to protect silviculture, agriculture and agriculture-related activities
no new rural communities may be established and no expansions of rural
communities shall be permitted in the RPA.
For more information, please visit www.myescambia.com, go to Quick Links and find the link titled LDC Revisions, or contact Eva Peterson, project manager at (850) 595-3118.
$4 Million In Stimulus Funding For ECAT; New Mini Buses For North Escambia
August 1, 2009
Escambia County will receive $4 million for new ECAT buses, some of which could be running the Pensacola to Cantonment to Molino to Century route in just a few months.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the stimulus funds Friday to used to buy 10 buses and three mini-buses for Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT).
At a June meeting of the Century Town Council, Marilyn Wesley, director of Neighborhoods and Community Services for the county, said that new smaller buses would be purchased for the Pensacola to Century route. The route is currently served by full-size buses, but the low ridership prompted ECAT to seek the smaller buses to save fuel costs.
That route currently has less than 8,000 passengers per year on the three buses per day.
Century Foreclosure Final Against Helicopter Technology With $740,999.43 Judgment
July 31, 2009
The Town of Century’s foreclosure against Helicopter Technology is now final, and the bottom line on the judge’s order will be good news for the town if a buyer steps forward for the building when it is sold at public auction.
The town started mortgage foreclosure proceedings against Helicopter Technology, Inc. in Escambia County Circuit Court on August 26, 2008, after the company defaulted on payment arrangements with the town.
Thursday, Escambia County Circuit Judge Joel Boles finalized the foreclosure, issuing a $740,999.43 judgment in favor of the Town of Century. The building will be sold at public auction on August 24, with the proceeds up to the judgment amount going to the town.
At the time the mortgage foreclosure proceedings were filed, the town was aware of two other liens against the property. One from Williams, Cox, Weidner & Cox. P.A. from 2005 was for $8,000. Another judgment from 2008 by Anthony Urella and Demetri Urella had a $27,000 balance. After the lawsuit was filed, the town learned that there was an additional lien for $90,000 for a judgment in favor of Landmark National II Corp.
The town’s foreclosure motions in Escambia County Circuit Court led to the other liens being dismissed. Only one party, the accounting firm, filed an answer supporting their claim. A motion of default was entered against the other defendants, including Helicopter Technology, in October.
Both companies have now agreed to settle with the town for under $10,000. Now, attorney Matt Dannheisser is seeking an additional $17,000 in attorney’s fees added to the claim against Helicopter Technology for his work on the case.
Company owner Georges Van Nevel apparently left the country at about the time the foreclosure proceedings were filed.
Fire Chief: North Escambia Volunteers Will Stay; No Impact After Volunteers Removed From Brent VFD
July 31, 2009
The removal of volunteers from one Escambia County fire station does not signal any changes to fire stations in North Escambia; they will will continue to be manned by volunteers and a couple of daytime paid crews.
Acting Escambia County Fire Chief Jim Sanders removed the volunteers from the Brent Station recently, replacing them with paid crews to man the station 24/7. Sanders said the action was taken due to a decrease in the number of volunteers at the Brent Station, one of the county’s busiest.
Sanders said there are no plans to remove volunteer firefighters or add additional paid crews at any of the five stations — Century, Cantonment, McDavid, Walnut Hill and Molino — that serve North Escambia.
“Everybody in the north end has enough volunteers,” Sanders told NorthEscambia.com. “They have the volunteers to man the equipment and get it out. There are no problems in the north end.”
In addition, the call load in North Escambia is far below that of a station like Brent and several of the other departments in the middle and southern parts of the county.
There are two paid crews Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Century and Molino stations that augment the volunteer force. Those crews, Sanders said, fill the void created in the volunteer departments by the simple fact that many of the volunteers have jobs that might prevent them from answering daytime calls.
“The north end departments are part of close-knit communities, and they just work,” the acting fire chief said.
Eric Gilmore agrees. He serves as chief of the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and is also president of the Escambia County Volunteer Firefighters Association.
“The county’s volunteers are very crucial to the fire system,” Gilmore said. “In the north end, the departments have the volunteers that are getting the trucks out the door, and we expect that will continue with no interruption.”
Sanders got his start in fire services at the Brent Volunteer Fire Department, signing on as a volunteer in 1973. He remained their until 2000 when he was hired a paid battalion chief.
“It was very hard to make the decision to remove the volunteers; it hurt bad,” he said. But rather than pay stipends to a few volunteers, Sanders said the county felt that the money would be better invested in paid firefighters that could properly man the station and answer a high call volume.
The volunteer removal at Brent was not spur of the moment; Sanders said County Administrator Bob McLaughlin met with the department about six months ago and told them the action would be taken if they could not increase their volunteer numbers and response rate.
Pictured top: A volunteer firefighter prepares to begin battling a house fire in Walnut Hill last year. Pictured inset: A firefighter at work. Pictured below: A Molino volunteer battles a hay fire. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
TXT U L8R: Bill Would Ban Texting While Driving In Florida
July 31, 2009
A push for legislation to place restrictions on drivers’ cell phone use has begun in Florida in the wake of a highly publicized report about the dangers of driving while talking or texting.
Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, filed a bill (HB 41) that would ban texting while driving. Several bills dealing with driving distractions have been filed over the past few years, but have never gained traction.
Under the legislation, “no person shall operate a moving motor vehicle while reading, manually writing or typing, or sending a message on an electronic wireless communications device.”
Holder has pushed for the legislation previously and said in a press release that it was time that Florida addressed the issue.
“This is the third year in a row that I have filed the bill in the Florida House and I will continue to do so to keep the issue in the forefront,” Holder said.
Holder’s bill comes following the recent release by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute of a study showing drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved or nearly involved in an accident if they are text messaging while driving. The study concluded that drivers are nearly three times as likely to be involved or nearly involved in an accident while dialing a phone and 1.3 times as likely while talking on the phone.
Holder’s bill would include provisions that would not penalize people who are texting to “report illegal activity; summon medical or other emergency help; or prevent injury to a person or property.”
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 14 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation banning texting while driving, and others have banned it for drivers with learners’ permits. Six states and the District of Columbia have banned hand-held phones while driving.