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
IP Announces Downtime, 60 Employees Affected
January 14, 2009
Late this afternoon, International Paper’s Pensacola Mill announced plans for lack of order downtime for its Number 5 paper machine.
The Number 5 machine will stop production on February 22 for 14 days.
“The economic slow down the country is experiencing has resulted in a reduction in customer orders,” said Chris Read, mill manager. “The Pensacola mill remains committed to managing our supply to meet our customers’ needs.”
“We understand the impact of current economic conditions on our employees and their families, and we will do all we can to assist them during the downtime period,” added Read.
Approximately 60 employees will be affected during this temporary downtime period. The company will allow affected employees to use vacation or personal holidays during the downtime to help offset the financial impact to them and their families. Employees not taking vacation or holiday time may file for temporary unemployment benefits.
The Pensacola mill employs 481 people and annually produces approximately 500,000 tons of containerboard on #5 paper machine used to make corrugated packaging and shipping containers and 153,000 tons of fluff pulp on #4 paper machine used for baby diapers, feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products.
New County Gas Tax Could Fund ECAT Buses
January 14, 2009
The Escambia County Commission is considering a gasoline tax to keep ECAT transit buses on the road, but one commissioner is against the idea because ECAT provides fewer services in North Escambia.
At a Pensacola Beach retreat, commissioners discussed a 3 to 5 cent levy on gas in the county for public transportation.
District 5 Commissioner Kevin White said he would not support the gas tax, because fewer buses run in his district, calling the proposal a “hard sell”. Only one county bus runs north of Ten Mile Road. That bus, which runs three times daily from Pensacola to Century, has less than 8,000 riders per year.
The other four commissioners agreed that they would support a gas tax increase for ECAT.
The county contributes $7.6 million toward ECAT’s annual budget. A 3 cent gas tax would provide an estimated $3.1 million of that figure, and it would cost the average county citizen $15 per year, according to study the ECAT Citizen Advisory Committee.
A large portion of the tax gas burden would fall on people that do not live in Escambia County, according to Commissioner Gene Valentino. He estimated that 40 to 60 percent of the $3.1 million would come from people buying gas as they were passing through Escambia County.
Commissioner Wilson Robertson said he would support the gas tax, but only if the property taxes were reduced by a similar amount.
No official vote was taken on the gas tax at Tuesday’s meeting of the Escambia County Commission. Commissioners were meeting in a retreat at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front.
The commission’s first draft of next year’s budget is due in July.
Budget Cutbacks: Hiring Freeze In Escambia Schools
January 14, 2009
The Escambia County School District has issued a hiring and transfer freeze in the county’s schools effective immediately, the first in a series of expected cutbacks in the county’s school system.. That hiring freeze extends all the way to the classroom; open teaching positions will be filled with substitutes.
The hiring freeze includes both school and district office positions. The memo says that all positions which become vacant due to the resignation, retirement, promotion or leave of absence of a permanent employee will remain vacant unless otherwise approved by Superintendent Malcolm Thomas.
Thomas told NorthEscambia.com last week that a series of cutback announcements would begin this week due to state funding cuts by the state legislature. Those cuts are expected to amount to $14 million.
“It’s the bigger picture that’s got me worried,” Thomas said about the district’s decreased funding from the state. “I can’t say how the dominoes might fall. We could eventually be looking at layoffs across the district.”
Other school positions — specifically school secretary, data specialist, food service manager, head custodian, finance specialist and all direct student contract positions — may be filled with a temporary promotion or temporary contract employee. ESE (Exceptional Student Education) and positions at schools cited under a Florida Department of Education intervention program for schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress called the Differentiated Accountability program.
Thomas has also implemented a freeze on out-of-state travel, without regard to how the trip might be funded.
Read the hiring freeze memo here (pdf).
Streets Are Named In New 22 Lot Subdivison Off Highway 97
January 14, 2009
Escambia County has granted approval for two new streets to be located in new subdivision just off Highway 97 north of Molino.
“Sunny Brook Court” and “Sunshine Ridge Court” will be located off Sunny Hill Road in Sunshine Hill Estates. The private 22 lot single family residential subdivision will be constructed west of Highway 97 just south of Sunshine Hill Road.
The subdivision is being developed by owner BCK Properties, LLC of Pensacola.
Pictured: This map shows the location of a new 22 lot single family residential subdivision called Sunshine Hill Estates off Highway 97 north of Molino. Click to enlarge.
Chimney Fire Damages Pine Forest Road Home Tuesday Night
January 14, 2009
A two story duplex home near Walnut Hill was damaged by fire Tuesday night.
A resident of the home in the 7400 block of Pine Forest Road reported a chimney fire just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters discovered a small fire burning in the wall around the chimney in the upstairs unit of the wood frame duplex. That fire cause minor damage to the home. Most of the damaged was confined to the upstairs residence.
The only smoke visible from outside the home was from the chimney itself when the first firemen arrived.
There were no injuries reported.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Molino and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the fire.
Pictured above: A firefighter works to remove siding outside the chimney of a home on Pine Forest Road to check for fire. Pictured inset: Some heat damage was visible to the siding outside the chimney. Pictured below: Several North Escambia fire department responded to this two story home on Pine Forest Road north of Arthur Brown Road Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Basketball: Jay 62, NHS 53
January 14, 2009
The Jay Royals beat the Northview Chiefs in boy’s varsity basketball action Tuesday night in Bratt.
Jay 62, Northview 53
Jay had the lead at the end of the first quarter of play in Bratt Tuesday night, 17-14. By the end of the half, that lead was just a single point, 25-24 for the Royals.
Jay’s Greg Nelson, who had 31 points on the night, helped pull the Royals out to a 9-point victory over the Chiefs
Northview: Aaron Bellamy 12, Colton Sims 12, Austin Arrington 12, Lance Bushaw 5, Wayne Marshall 4, Jody Levins 2, Luke Killam 2, LaDarion White 2, Dabney Langhorn 2.
Jay: Greg Nelson 31, Rush Hendricks 11, Dale Barlow 9, Steven Brabham 5, Dee Walker 3, Hunter Boutwell 3.
The Chiefs will be on the road Friday night against South Walton.