Council Member Does Not Want $1.4 Million Loan, Heated Discussion Erupts
October 7, 2008
Century may have already received a big check for $1,755,000, but a Century town council member does not want to see the town to enter into a loan agreement for the money. She made that announcement Monday night, leading to a heated discussion.
‘I no longer feel like I can support the Rural Development loan for the water project,” council President Ann Brooks abruptly told the council at the end of Monday night’s meeting. “Out town is obviously not able to live within its means.”
The town accepted a ceremonial $1,755,000 check back in May from the USDA for water projects, but never signed the loan documents to receive the actual funds. The town is facing a $161,000 but shortfall this year, with those monies to come from the town’s reserve funds.
Chamber President Benny Barnes addressed Brooks, saying that Mayor Freddie McCall would have never suggested that the town enter into the agreement with the United State Department of Agriculture Rural Development if the town did not have the means to repay the loan.
“If we had not gone into debt years ago, we would not have the water system; we would not have the gas system,” Barnes said. “It is important to understand that economic development is an investment. I don’t see what your really big concern is.”
“We are going to spend $161,000 more than is coming in,” Brooks said.
“I thought you were smarter than that,” Barnes replied. At that point, council member Henry Hawkins asked Barnes to sit down.
“That’s OK; I can protect myself,” Brooks said.
“I know how to go home,” Hawkins said, as he gathered his things and stood up from the council table.
“That’s being childish,” Brooks told Hawkins. “Please sit down.” Hawkins remained in the meeting.
“It is because of our financial condition and the economy,” Brooks said, explaining her announcement.
McCall said the town needed the project, especially a new elevated water tank to improve the water supply for firefighting.
“If the Piggly Wiggly burnt tonight, we’d run out of water,” McCall said. “If you should have somebody else come to town…and we’d did not have enough water storage, they wouldn’t come to our town.”
Brooks suggested the town look at grants again in order to find a way to make the $71,000 yearly payment on the loan.
“The payment? That’s a gimme,” McCall said, noting that he had negotiated an $88,000 a year increase in the amount the Florida Department of Corrections pays for their water and gas service at the Century Correctional Institute.
The USDA loan, when approved by the council, was to be used for a half million gallon elevated water storage tank, three back up generators, construction of a new six inch water main and a booster pump station. Part of the original project was to be used to provide water to underserved residents along Backwoods Road.
The Backwoods portion of the project was later removed from the original proposal and funding was appropriated in the town’s current budget for the Backwoods Road improvements. That put the loan amount at about $1.4 million.
The council took no action on the loan at Monday night’s meeting.
Pictured above, left to right: Century Town Council members Ann Brooks, Sharon Scott and Nadine McCaw; Mayor Freddie McCall; USDA Rural Development State Director Ronald Whitfield; Dale Long from Fabre Engineering; USDA Area Specialist Kathy Bechard; and New Life Baptist Church Pastor Irvin Stallworth accept a ceremonial $1.755 million check back in May. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
IP Presents Ernest Ward With Grant Check For Advanced Readers
October 7, 2008
International Paper presented Ernest Ward Middle School with a $1,462 grant Monday afternoon to purchase Interactive Readers for mid-level and advanced reading students.
“One of the main focus areas for IP is literacy,” said Jessica Morris, IP’s Pensacola Mill communications director. “It feels good to be able to support you in the central and north part of the county because that is where IP is, and that is where were are shifting our focus a bit.”
About 60 community groups attended a workshop at International Paper to learn how to submit lengthy grant applications for a share of $50,000 in grant money. Of those, 34 actually applied and 15 groups were chosen by a selection committee to have their project funded.
The mid-level and advanced readers at Ernest Ward did not have new materials and were the focus of Ernest Ward’s grant application, according to Carolyn Findley, reading coach.
“That’s what we thought was special about this application,” Morris said. “This was different because it takes these mid-level readers and bumps them to the next level. Usually these projects are for lower level readers.”
“We were very fortunate and very blessed that IP did choose us,” Findley said.
“We are so appreciative of IP for helping us,” EWMS Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry said. “They are helping our middle to higher readers. A lot of the time, the focus is on the lower level readers and the upper level kids are left behind.”
For a complete list of grant recipients, click here for an August 21 NorthEscambia.com story.
Century Moving Forward With County Code Enforcement
October 7, 2008
The Town of Century has taken the first step toward bringing code enforcement back to the town using services provided by Escambia County.
The council voted 3-2 Monday night to enter into contract negotiations with Escambia County for code enforcement services. Counil members Henry Hawkins and Gary Riley voted against the motion made by council member Nadine McCaw. The motion was seconded by Sharon Scott.
On the non-agenda item, Mayor Freddie McCall asked, “Are we in a position to consider to make a move on code (enforcement)after our public meetings?” The council held a town hall meeting on code enforcement on September 29, with an overwhelming majority of those in attendance expressing a desire for the county to do the job. A workshop with the head of county code enforcement was also held on September 15.
“That was the purpose of our workshop…was to get input on the way to go,” McCaw said.
“We just want the town cleaned up,” Scott said. “When they come across that bridge to the Sunshine State, it hardly looks like the Sunshine State.”
The town had also previously discussed possibly hiring their own code enforcement officer.
Next in the process, the town and county will negotiate a contract that must be approved by both parties.
To read the NorthEscambia.com story about the September 29 code enforcement town hall meeting, click here.
To read the NorthEscambia.com story about the September 15 meeting with the head of Escambia County’s code enforcement, click here.
Gas Prices Almost 40 Cents Higher In North Escambia Than In Pensacola
October 7, 2008
Gas prices across Escambia County varied wildly on Monday, with an almost 40 cent a gallon difference between some stations in Pensacola and ones in Century.
About a half dozen stations in Pensacola were selling a gallon of regular unleaded gas for $3.21 a gallon Monday night.
At the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 4 in Century Monday night, gas prices were 11 cents a gallon different from corner to corner. One station was charging $3.48 a gallon and the other was at $3.59 a gallon, a full 38 cents a gallon higher than the lower priced Pensacola stations.
The stations in Pensacola selling gas at $3.21 a gallon Monday night were: Raceway on North Davis, Tom Thumb at Scenic and Nine Mile, Circle K at University and Nine Mile, Dodge’s Store on Nine Mile, and Murphy USA at the Ensley Walmart.
You can find the cheapest, and the most expensive, Florida gas prices at www.floridastategasprices.com.
Northview Takes On W.S. Neal On The Court; Varsity Plays In Tate Tourney
October 7, 2008
The Northview varsity volleyball team beat W.S. Neal Monday, while Neal downed the Chiefs in JV action.
Northview’s varsity beat Neal in the five game series on the road, 23-25, 25-15, 25-22, 22-25, 15-12.
Candice Greenwell, a junior, had five kills and two aces for the Chiefs. Senior Brittney Thompson had eight kills, nine aces and a single dig. Angela Rodriquez had five kills and couple of aces. Caitlin Hall, a junior, had 18 assists, one dig and a half dozen aces on the night. Northview’s Shawna Montgomery had seven kills and three aces.
Neal slipped past the Northview JV team, 23-25, 19-25.
Miranda Burkett, a sophomore, had a dig, three kills and three aces for Northview. Freshman Raylin Spence and four aces, one ace and one kill. Trestine Dean, a sophomore, had a dig and an ace, and Tori Searcy had one kill, one assist and one ace.
Tate Tournament
In tournament action over the weekend at Tate, Northview beat West Florida, but lost to Tate and Milton.
Tate downed Northview 25-21, 23-25, 12-15.
Northview beat West Florida 25-16, 25-20.
And Milton downed the Chiefs 18-25, 22-25.
Overall Tournament Stats:
Ashley Digmon — Digs – 12, Aces-1
Brittney Thompson — Blocks-7, Kills-7,Aces-3,Digs-11
Shawna Montgomery — Blocks -4, Kills-5, Aces -4,Digs-22
Caitlin Hall — Blocks-4, Assists-17, Digs-5
Amber McMillan — Digs-40
Angela Rodriguez — Aces-11, Kills-6, Digs-1
Man Killed In Alabama Crash, Century Woman Injured
October 6, 2008
A weekend Baldwin County, Alabama, crash that killed an Alabama man left a Century woman injured.
Alabama State Troopers said Alan Shane Booker, 24, was killed at 7:55 Saturday night when his 2006 Suzuki motorcycle collised with a 2007 Chevrolet pickup driven by Rosa Davis, 53, of Century. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
The accident happened on Highway 31 east of Bay Minette, Alabama, near the Baldwin-Escambia county line.
Davis was transported to North Baldwin Infirmary in Bay Minette. She was listed in stable condition late Sunday evening, the hospital said.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
School Board Candidates Address Alabama Kids In Florida Schools, Issues
October 6, 2008
Both candidates for Escambia County School Board District 5 don’t believe that Florida taxpayers should continue to foot the bill for Alabama students attending school in North Escambia.
“Is it right? No,” said candidate Tom Harrell at a recent meeting in Walnut Hill. “No, because the tax base in Florida is supporting them.”
The Escambia (Alabama) School Board recently voted to revoke a long-standing agreement with their Florida counterparts allowing 100 students per year to cross the line and attend a Florida school. The Escambia County (Florida) School Board is expected to agree at their next meeting on October 21 to terminate the agreement.
“When that happens, are they (Alabama students) going to stop coming?” District 5 candidate Bill Slayton said. “They are not going to stop coming. They are going to try everything to find a way to continue in our schools.”
Slayton said that there is a potential negative effect associated with sending 100 Alabama students back across the state line, taking them out of Florida schools.
He said each child sent back represents about $4,000 in funding to the school that they are attending.
“What will that do to your schools at $4,000 each when you take 100 out and send them back?” Slayton asked.
“That’s teacher’s jobs,” Harrell added.
Slayton said the lengths that some people will, or might, go to in order to attend schools in North Escambia is a tribute to the quality of education provide by North Escambia schools.
To read the NorthEscambia.com story about the revocation of the Alabama-Florida school agreement, click here.
Other important issues the two candidates discussed were the future of North Escambia’s middle schools and school start times.
“I don’t think we need to close Carver/Century. We don’t have a plan,” Harrell said. “We are going to close a school in the north end to save money, but the savings are not going to be what they (the current school board) have on paper. We are going to spend a lot of that on gas.”
“Let’s do a five year plan and see what the north end needs,” Harrell said. “Ernest Ward needs to be expanded or new school built here.”
“I guarantee you that I am not going to forget about you in the north end,” Slayton said. “You have paid taxes in this county…I want to be sure you are getting what you deserve on a dollar for dollar basis.”
Both men said changes in the start and dismissal times in most of the county need to revisited. Those changes did not impact North Escambia schools this year, but in the southern third of the county, they have middle school students arriving home after dark in the winter.
“The question they never asked before doing this was ‘would you want this for your child’,” Slayton said.
“One of the first things I would do in office is propose that they return start times to where they were last year,” Harrell said.
Harrell and Slayton will face each other on the November 4 ballot in the non-partisan District5 Escambia County School Board race.
Pictured above: Bill Slayton (left) and Tom Harrell are the two candidates for District 5 Escambia County School Board. NorthEscambia.com photos/graphic.
Molino Park Needs Your Help To Help The Homeless
October 6, 2008
Molino Park Elementary School is working to help the homeless, and they need your help.
Molino Park is collecting common items to for the Alfred-Washburn Centery, a volunteer organization that serves the homeless and poorer members of our community.
Items can be dropped off at Molino Park by Friday. For more information, call Jessica Cloud at 587-5265 extension 321.
Items being collect by students include: jeans, pants, t-shirts, socks, shoes, towels, wash cloths, backpacks, trash bags and plastic grocery bags.
Additional items that can be donate by adults include: bleach, toilet paper, laundry soap, peanut butter, grape jelly, paper towels, coffee, sugar, creamer, individual bottles of water, individual size shampoo and conditioner, individual size soap, small cans of beans and franks, small cans of vienna sausage, individual size cookies, individual size crackers, and underwear for men and women.
Pictured above: Tyler Cloud (front left), Logan Purvis (right) and Cameron Cloud (back) look at some of the items donated so far in Molino Park Elementary School’s drive to help the homeless. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Video: Ernest Ward Middle School Talent Show
October 6, 2008
Ernest Ward Middle School held a talent show Friday night, with about 20 students doing everything from singing and dancing to pie-in-the-face comedy routines.
To read the story about the talent show, click here.
Click play on the video below to see highlights from the program.
(If you do not see the video, it is because it is being blocked by your school, employer or system administrator.)
Editor’s note: The video dark because it was extremely dark on stage during the program.
Monday Was Last Day To Register To Vote In Florida
October 6, 2008
Monday was the last day to register to vote for the November 4 General Election.
Florida law mandates that registration books close 29 days before an election. New registrations
had to be completed on or before October 6th in order for them to be effective for the November 4,
2008, General Election. Updates to a voter’s address, name, and signature are permitted after the
book closing deadline.
Escambia County citizens have several ways to register or update their record:
Online/By Mail: Visit www.EscambiaVotes.com and complete, print, and sign the online
application. Be sure to include a valid Florida Driver’s License number, a valid Florida ID
number, or the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number in the appropriate space. Mail the
completed application no later than October 6th to: Escambia County Supervisor of Elections, PO
Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591-2601. Or, take the completed application to the Elections
Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola. Or, call (595-3900) or e-mail
the Elections Office (soe@escambiavotes.com) to have a form mailed to you.
In Person: You can register at the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in
downtown Pensacola, at any Florida Driver’s License Office, and several other governmental
offices and public assistance centers. Registration forms are also available to pick up at many
locations countywide. For a complete list of locations throughout Escambia County, visit
www.EscambiaVotes.com or call or e-mail the Elections Office.