Legislative Delegation To Once Again Consider Unified Goverment Plan
January 16, 2009
Another meeting of the Escambia County legislative delegation has been scheduled to discuss the plan by the group Escambia All For One to consolidate Escambia County government.
The meeting will held on Friday, January 23 at 6 p.m. at the Amos Performing Arts Studio at Pensacola Junior College. A spokesman for Rep. Greg Evers’ office says that final language for a legislative bill calling for a consolidation commission should be ready before the meeting.
Evers, Rep. Dave Murzin, Sen. Durell Peaden, Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Clay Ford are the local legislative members invited to the meeting.
Murzin spoke out somewhat in favor of exploring the the unified government plan at a legislative delegation meeting in early December. His spokesperson says that he is in favor of exploring the issue to determine potential benefits. Evers, and Peadin did not support the Escambia All For One proposal, saying that they still had questions about it. Gaetz did not attend the meeting because he was still in Tallahassee. Ford missed the meeting because he was ill.
Escambia County, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century all passed resolutions in favor of the consolidation. But the Town of Century later backed out and rescinded their support, with town officials saying that they were misled by All For One.
Commissioners Name ‘Hot Topics’ In Each District
January 16, 2009
Escambia Commissioners detailed their “hot topics” at a Thursday morning meeting, with commissioners laying out the issues they believe are the most important in their districts.
The following is the “hot topic” list from commissioners:
Kevin White, District 5 (including all of North Escambia)
- Budget reduction and economic development
- Countywide transportation roads, including paving and resurfacing
- Land Development Code (LDC) re-write. “It’s the poorest document I’ve ever seen.”
- Code enforcement attitude.
“These people need to become more proactive instead of reactive. When they go to see a citizen, instead of dropping the hammer…give them a chance to do something,” White said about the county’s current code enforcement. “I get just as many complaints about code enforcement and the way people are treated as I do ‘I need my road graded or a pothole patched’.”
White said he had discussed the code enforcement issue with County Administrator Bob McLaughlin.
Wilson Robertson, District 1
“I’m just going to zero in on one because like a lot of this issues are like my number one is really going to countywide,” he said, mentioning items like the LDC and economic development. But issue number one for Robertson was:
- Cleanup, leveling and repair of the old Saufley Landfill. He called it a “health hazard” where area residents must wear masks when going outside.
Commissioners White, Valentino and Robinson committed funds from their own LOST monies for the cleanup. But county attorney Allison Rogers said the county could not cleanup the site at the present time because it is still privately owned.
Gene Valentino, District 2
- Economic development is priority number one, the commissioner said.
- Expansion of Escambia Fire-Rescue Station 19 with Local Option Sales Tax dollars and some grant funding, including a helicopter pad on the building rooftop. The project is currently in the design phase.
- Sidewalk project on old Gulf Beach Highway with LOST money.
- Regional transportation planning.
- A proposal of a Waterfront Development Authority, similar to the Santa Rosa Island Authority to manage development along the entire coast of the county, plus inland bays and rivers.
Grover Robinson, District 4
- Budget reductions including addressing ECAT funding.
- Solid waste consolidation and integration.
- Pensacola Beach issues, including drainage and core development
- Olive Road improvements
- Land Development Code (LDC) re-write
- Selective District 4 code enforcement issues
“These people need to become more proactive instead of reactive. When they go to see a citizen, instead of dropping the hammer…give them a chance to do something,” White said about the county’s current code enforcement. “I get just as many complaints about code enforcement and the way people are treated as I do ‘I need my road graded or a pothole patched’.”White said he had discussed the code enforcement issue with County Administrator Bob McLaughlin.
The county’s Internet video streaming of Thursday morning’s meeting failed before District 3 Commissioner Marie Young was able to relate her “hot topics”.
One Man Shot In The Back In Century Home, Another Person In Home Beat Up
January 16, 2009
A man was shot in the back on Barnwell Lane in in Century Thursday afternoon and transported by LifeFlight to a Pensacola hospital.
The man was shot inside the home at 460 Barnwell Street about 3:13 this afternoon. Sgt. Steve Smith with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department says the incident began when three men knocked on the door. The victim apparently let the men into the house. The man was then shot at least once his in his back, and another victim was apparently struck in the face by the weapon itself.
The man was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight. Emergency officials declared a “trauma alert” on the victim, but his injuries were not believed to be immediately life-threatening, His identity and that of the other victim were not available.
Deputies say that the incident was not a home invasion since the suspects were apparently willingly let into the house. Rather, they say it appears that robbery may have been the motive for the shooting.
The incident is still under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.
Pictured above: A deputy enters a house at 460 Barnwell Lane in Century where a man was shot Thursday afternoon. Pictured below: The victim is loaded into LifeFlight before being transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
County Wants To Take Over Trash Business In Entire County, Century
January 16, 2009
There are currently four government bodies in Escambia County involved in solid waste management, but the county commission would like to see that become just one — the county itself.
Currently, solid waste disposal is handled by the Town of Century, the City of Pensacola, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) and Escambia County. The county wants to see the four operationally combined for the collection, transportation and disposal of waste.
A plan presented to commissioners Thursday morning by Sandy Jennings (pictured left), the county’s director of the Department of Solid Waste Management, calls for the “consolidation of countywide waste management activities to assure effective provision of services to all county citizens”. The plan would lead to the elimination of “wasteful duplication of services”, and a “consistent sold waste service for every citizen”. In addition, just one entity would responsible for cost-effective and environmentally responsible solid waste management.
” I propose that we do all that we can to support staff in creating a consolidated, integrated solid waste system,” Commissioner Grover Robinson, who was not present at Thursday’s commission meeting, wrote in a memo to his fellow commissioners. Such as system will truly elevate the overall value to the citizens and protect their interests, not the interests of any single entity which may be part of the process
“I personally think Escambia County needs to take a lead because we have the biggest piece of this, and that’s the landfill,” Commissioner Wilson Robertson. “The county needs to be the prime player in this.”
“I couldn’t agree more. That way when I get the phone calls complaining about the ECUA, I’ll actually be able to do something about it,” Commissioner Kevin White said.
“If we are going to get all of the calls and complaints, we should be running maybe the collection along with the landfill,” Robertson said.
The commission directed county staff to form a task force to begin finalizing a countywide solid waste plan to be considered by the board at a future date. The task force is to include members from Pensacola, Century, ECUA, the private sector, citizens at large and the county.The study is expected to be completed within six months.
Under the plan, the county’s Perdido Landfill would serve as the cornerstone of the solid waste system, utilizing permitted infrastructure, ensuring continuing revenue for the landfill, and securing long-term capacity for the county’s solid waste needs.
In addition, the county’s recycling facility would save valuable space in the landfill, and provide “all county citizens the opportunity to do the right thing for the environment”. A curbside recycling program exists for ECUA customers and in a very small portion of the City of Pensacola. Most Pensacola and Century residents do not have the opportunity to use curbside recycling.
The plan would position Escambia County as the final authority in terms of enacting and enforcing public policy related to solid waste planning.
Pictured top: The Perdido Landfill.
Two Popular Movies Featured In Cinema Night Friday
January 15, 2009
Friday night, the Town of Century and the Century Library Relay for Life team will hold a Cinema Night with Kung Fu Panda and The Dark Night.
The first move, Kung Fu Panda, will begin at 6:00. The second movie, The Dark Night, will begin at 8:45. There is a suggested donation of $1 per person, but for a donation of $2 or more, attendees will receive one free ticket for a bag of popcorn. Cinema Night will be held at the Century Ag Building at Highway 4 and Industrial Boulevard.
All proceeds go toward Relay for Life. For more information, contact Angel or Denise at 256-3208. The Relay for Life team plans to hold more movie nights in the near future.
Set in ancient China, the plot of Kung Fu Panda revolves around a bumbling panda who aspires to be a kung fu master. After a much feared warrior escapes from prison, Po is foretold to be the Dragon Warrior, much to the chagrin of the resident kung fu warriors. The movie is rated PG for martial arts action scenes.
In The Dark Knight, Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent are forced to deal with the chaos unleashed by an anarchist mastermind known only as the Joker, as it drives each of them to their limits. The movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence.
Teen Dies After Gas Explosion
January 15, 2009
An Escambia County, Ala., teenager has died after a gas explosion at outside his home.
Authorities say Christopher Smith, 16, died Wednesday from severe burns suffered about 7:20 Tuesday night when a gasoline poured on a fire in a 55-gallon drum exploded. Reports say the fire was burning in the drum at Smith’s residence on Creekside Road near the Escambia-Baldwin County line. The home is located on a dirt road off of James Road, north of Highway 31. between Perdido and Nokomis. The home is about two miles north of Escambia County, Fla.
Smith and friend were standing around the fire in the drum when one of them apparently poured gasoline on the open flames, causing the fuel to explode. Officials say Smith suffered burns on as much as 85 percent of his body.
The Nokomis and Perdido volunteer fire departments responded to the the home. Smith was taken by helicopter to the University of South Alabama Medical Center where he died about 1 p.m. Wednesday.
All For One Plan Would Save Carver/Century With County Gas Tax Funds
January 15, 2009
(Updated 7:40 a.m.)Escambia All For One, the group working to consolidate county government, says it has a plan to save Carver/Century K-8 School from closing at the end of this school year. But at least two county commissioner say they plan won’t work.
All for One wants Escambia County to give $400,000 of county gas tax money per year to the Escambia County School Board to keep the school open. The plan originated with All For One Co-Chair Scott Remington after he read an article on NorthEscambia.com. In that article Century Mayor Freddie McCall stated that Superintendent Malcolm Thomas stated that he could Carver/Century open if the town could come up with $400,000 a year in funding for at least three years.
All For One plans to push Escambia commissioners to pull the $400,000 from a county gas tax fund for at least three years to fund the school. That tax generates about $3.6 million in an average year.
“The idea hit me after a read the article on NorthEscambia.com,” Remington (pictured left) said. “I told Freddie (McCall) that this would be a way to get the $400,000.”
“It would give the school a three year lifeline,” he said, adding that three years would give time to work on economic development in Century. “If you get one or two new businesses to Century, they will support the school.”
Remington said he had discussed the idea with McCall, County Administrator Bob McLaughlin, the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce and County Commissioner Wilson Robertson. He said he believed the reaction was positive from each.
Wilson Robertson confirmed that he had spoken to Remington about the gas tax money for Carver/Century, and that his reaction to Remington could be considered positive.
“But I am having second thoughts about telling Scott (Remington) that this might be plausible,” Robertson told NorthEcambia.com late Wednesday afternoon. “I will probably be hard pressed to support it. Why should one agency bail out another? We would be second guessing the school board’s position. The school district is not asking us to do this.”
The District 1 commissioner said he would have a hard time telling a county resident that he had voted to pull $400,000 for school funding rather than using the money for something within the county’s normal scope like repaving a road or a drainage issue. “I would be very surprised if they (All for One) were to be able to find three commissioners to support their plan.”
“I would like to see something save Carver/Century,” Robertson said. “I think they need to find corporate sponsors to keep it open. I just don’t think the county commission can help the school board on this.”
Even Century’s mayor is not so sure the plan would fly with commissioners.
“I’d love to keep the school open, of course,” McCall said, “but I’m afraid this might be a way just to get the gas tax passed. I’d hate to see the gas tax passed for the school and then go away in a few years.”
The Century Council recently withdrew support for Escambia All For One’s government consolidation plan. Remington said that he and All for One were not working to keep Carver/Century open to change Century’s mind about support for the governmental the consolidation. He said the group spoke out in support of the school when they first approached the council back in August, well before Century rescinded support for Escambia All for One.
Remington said he is hopeful that the gas tax money can save Century’s school, and he said he would be looking toward District 5 Commissioner Kevin White to lead support for the plan. White’s district includes all of North Escambia, including Century.
“This is the time that Kevin White can benefit Century directly,” Remington said.
“That’s the school board’s responsibility, not ours,” White said. “There’s no way I’d support it.”
Thomas will recommend the closure of Carver/Century at the next meeting of the Escambia School Board on January 20.
Public Safety, Power Compay Officials Offer Extreme Cold Advice; Governor Declares State Of Emergency
January 15, 2009
Officials are stressing safety as North Escambia residents try to stay warm, and Florida Governor Charlie Crist has issued a state of emergency order related to the cold. Overnight lows are forecast to near 17 Friday night.
The governor’s order implements standard state emergency planning and response plans; it also relieves restrictions on trucks transporting Florida produce to market. The order was issued due to the impending disaster to Florida crops from the cold that is forecast to reach all the way into the central part of the state.
Escambia County’s Department of Public Safety offers tips on the “Five P’s” of cold weather:
- Protect people – Protect all exposed skin and dress in multiple layers. Shelters will be open at the Salvation Army Lodge – 1310 N. “S” Street in Pensacola and the Waterfront Rescue Mission – 16 W. Main Street in Pensacola. There are no announced shelters open in North Escambia.
- Protect plants – Cover any exposed plants with a sheet to protect them from the low temperatures.
- Protect pets – Provide shelter for outdoor pets.
- Protect exposed pipes – Wrap or cover exposed water pipes and outdoor pumps (irrigation, pool).
- Practice fire safety – Practice space heater and open flame safety. Make sure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are present and operating correctly. When using space heater indoors, use only those that are approved for indoor use. Cold weather is usually accompanied by low humidity creating fire danger conditions. Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged by public safety officials.
Gulf Power Company offers the following tips for staying safe — and warm — during the extremely cold weather:
Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower to conserve energy.
- Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans so they rotate clockwise as you look up at it in order to force warm air down from the ceiling. Just flip the switch on the motor to reverse the direction the blades were turning during the summer.
- During the middle of the day, open blinds and curtains on the sunny side of the house. Also, where possible, reduce the traffic in and out of the house.
- Don’t use your oven to heat your home – it’s not efficient and most important, it’s not safe. The oven produces extremely high heat, and leaving the door open can be a fire hazard.
- A fireplace is not always an efficient heat source. If not used properly it can actually make the rest of the house cooler because airflow up the chimney removes the heated air. When using the fireplace, close all doors and warm air ducts to the room where the fireplace is located. Glass doors on a fireplace will reduce the outflow of warm air. And a fireplace with a blower system is ever better because it actually blows the warm air around the firebox back into the room.
- An electric blanket is more economical than heating the entire house all night long.
- Use a portable electric heater to heat only a small area. Buy models that are thermostatically controlled. Keep it at least three feet from items that could catch fire like curtains or furniture. Make sure you have working smoke detectors on every floor and in every sleeping room of your house.
- Make sure heating outlets and return air registers are not blocked by furniture, draperies, doors or other obstacles.
- Use “draft stoppers” or towels/blankets to block drafts at foot of door.
- If you should lose power, go to your thermostat and turn off your heating system. Please wait 10 to 15 minutes after power has been restored before turning it back on. This prevents a power surge from shutting down electricity again.
- If you should lose power, please do not connect portable generators to your household electrical wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and to Gulf Power employees who are restoring electricity. Instead, plug appliances into the generator. Never use a generator in enclosed or partially-enclosed spaces because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The outage reporting number for Gulf Power is (800) 487-6937. For Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers, the automated outage number is (877) 688-3732
PER Rescues Two Horses, Concerned About Others
January 15, 2009
Two horses were surrendered to Panhandle Equine Rescue Tuesday, including one suffering from malnourishment.
Diane Lowery, president of PER, said the miniature mare, known as Dee Dee was malnourished. She was rescued along with Camellia, a mare. There are still 10 horses left on the property near Cantonment that are being closely monitored by investigators.
“We are concerned for two of them, because they are so thin and the temperatures are dropping so low this week; their only saving grace is that they do have hay,” Lowery said. “We hope to get those two out of there in the near future.”
Because of the ongoing investigation, Lowery declined to say more about the horses.
Panhandle Equine Rescue’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the Escambia County court system to investigate equine reports in the county.
Donations are being accepted to help pay the vet bill or anyone interested in sponsoring Dee Dee. Checks or money orders can be sent to PER, P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL 32533 or you can visit www.panhandleequinerescue.org for more information.
Pictured above: This miniature mare called Dee Dee was rescued by Panhandle Equine Rescue Tuesday. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Escambia Music Students Honored
January 15, 2009
Several music students throughout the district were honored last week at the at the 65th Annual Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) In-Service Clinic and Conference in Tampa. Selected students accompanied FMEA members and participated in rehearsals and culminating performances throughout the January 7-10 event.
Among Escambia students earning all-state honors:
● Alli Bell, NB Cook Elementary; Elementary Chorus
● Kylei Branch, NB Cook Elementary, Elementary Chorus
● Katelyn Godwin, Ransom Middle; 7th/8th Grade Treble Chorus
● Anna Del Gallo, Ransom Middle; 7th/8th Grade Treble Chorus
● Jacob Dearrington, Tate High; 9th/10th Grade Concert Band
● Ben Carmichael, Tate High; 11th/12th Grade Symphony Orchestra
● Leslie Ann Godwin, Tate High; 11th/12th Grade Symphonic Band
● Rachael Cotton, Tate High; 11th/12th Grade Symphonic Band
● Samantha Bruce, Tate High; 11th/12th Grade Symphonic Band