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| The Star-bellied sneetch is not superior to the non-starbellied sneetch...all sneetches are equal |
The Escambia Board of County Commissioners has voted, by a 3-2 margin, to let the open container ban at the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk sunset.
This will effectively end the prohibition on walking around the boardwalk with open containers of alcoholic beverages. But in reality, I do not believe much (with the exception of the signage) will change. To those with whom I have spoken and who frequent the boardwalk and who are very familiar with the issue--the problem is a lack of enforcement.
"They are not enforcing the current rule, so what good is this rule if it is not being enforced?" asked one individual with whom I recently communicated on this topic.
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| These drinks were purchased at one licensed premise, then carried out of that licensed premise out on to the boardwalk-in direct violation of our existing ordinance |
"Where were the deputies during the 10-minute fight?!?"
For my part, I was willing to give it a year, and that is why I compromised last year and voted to go forward with the ban for 2017 and then to evaluate data this year. I did not and I do not want to punish the hard working, blue-collar worker who makes $400 a week, wants to unwind at the seashell, and can't afford a $100 bar tab--but who still wants to go where the action is and enjoy a couple of beers on the boardwalk. Why should I punish him? Answer, I won't. And I also won't banish him to some dark and empty corner of the sandy beach like he's somehow inferior to those that can afford high-dollar cocktails at the boardwalk clubs--like a modern-day version of "The Sneetches." So I voted last year the way I did to compromise, ahead of the year's data which I have now analyzed.....
The data is in: Alcohol sales are stable, slightly increasing; Crime--year over year many infractions have gone way up. So the ban had no effect on crime on the boardwalk.
Therefore, the board voted to end the ban.
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| I was provided this picture from a recent Friday evening, of folks strolling on the boardwalk, outside of licensed premises carrying open containers of alcoholic beverages in violation of our existing ordinance--and state beverage law! |
I think going forward we need more security at the boardwalk, more enforcement of existing beverage law (no moving from licensed premise to licensed premise with mixed drinks, no selling
mixed drinks for off-premise consumption or selling mixed drinks off the licensed premise [e.g. cocktail waitresses selling mixed cocktails on mom's beach from the boardwalk], and if there are
fights and problems--remove the instigators and the hooligans--don't punish us all!!)
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| I was provided this picture of a recent evening on the boardwalk by a source that is familiar with this issue and who states that the existing law is not being enforced |
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| I was provided this picture of a recent evening on the boardwalk by a source that is familiar with this issue and who states that the existing law is not being enforced |
I look forward to seeing how this progresses in the year ahead, and I look forward to greater enforcement of existing rules on the boardwalk so that every visitor to that location can have a pleasant, enjoyable experience at our beach!
Will you please explain why your colleague is arguing publicly that Lewis Bear won this vote? I seriously do not get it and he said if I don't know it I'll never get it and that am a mouth piece because I also understood it this way. I know Lewis bear has a beer company but doesn't he sell to bars also. Was this vote to please one person? I simply can not figure that out. He say Lewis wasn't at the meeting and others were so they should have voted because the speakers were there there. With that rational Fee simple would have been on the agenda 10 months ago..Oh well,
ReplyDeleteWho is saying that? You need to ask whoever said that to clarify. I certainly do not speak for my counterparts, and I completely disagree with this assessment--no matter who said it. If I had to take a stab at a guess, though, I'd say it is more than likely sour grapes from someone who does not enjoy the political support of Mr. Bear (One of the most respected, committed, and giving community leaders in not only Pensacola--but in the entire Panhandle of Florida) and it's also probably sour grapes over being on the losing end of the vote on the alcohol ban--if it is coming from one of the two that voted to continue the ban and were losers on that vote. But I don't know who said that and I really don't care because it is not factual. It is an inaccurate, misguided over-simplification combined with a veiled, passive-aggressive swipe at Mr. Bear and those commissioners who voted to end the alcohol ban. Sour Grapes.....
ReplyDeletesame guy that calls you guys trough monkeys and imbeciles with the budget and so on..hint, not Grover.
ReplyDeleteLOL his opinion means nothing. I think this is the same guy that proudly, publicly proclaimed online to all of his sycophantic, water-carrying, boot-licker followers that "Jeff Bergosh will lose [the election] spectacularly".....that prediction did not come to pass either, that opinion was wrong just as this current one is.
ReplyDeleteSneetches on the beaches video LOL...snort and snoot..Love your sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how many social media sites such nonsense has been circulating on lately, but the Escambia Citizens Watch Facebook page administered by Jacqueline Rogers has been rife with such comments from an elected official as of late--it has been non-stop. In addition, Ms. Rogers and the other moderators of that site are serially muting and removing any users who speak strongly against this particular official's opinions. This hindrance to free speech, sadly on a site pretending to covet it, is aided greatly by this official's gross threats and scare tactics towards users of the forum who dare to question his policy or his laughable "fiscal conservatism." Some of the smartest, best informed users are choosing to remove themselves from the discussion and the group rather than continue to invite his verbal abuse. Thank you, Chairman Bergosh, for allowing citizens from all districts to contribute the conversation on this site, even when that commentary at times questions your policies, votes, and choices as Chair. We will never all agree. But people with the best interests of the County at heart will all agree that nothing will get solved if there aren't venues for free exchange of ideas, without the fear of recrimination from people in power. -Melissa Pino, District 2
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