Chief Rusty Nail RESCINDS His Resignation

Non-Interference Ordinances are Common, Part II

Yesterday our attorney sent all board members 11 pages of "non-interference"ordinances from counties around the state.  From non-charter counties and charter counties alike.

These ordinances are very common throughout the state of Florida---because they are an effective deterrent to "One" member of a 5 member board attempting to usurp the overall board's power, destroying morale and running good people out the door in the process....

These policies are common because the issues that we are facing in Escambia County right now have obviously been dealt with by other counties in this state in the past--and these ordinances are effective and work if they are enacted.

So even though online its

"Blah blah blah blah....Bergosh is bad...Blah Blah Blah...We don't need this...Blah Blah Blah.....we can't do it because were not a charter county....blah blah blah....It's a head in the sand ordinance....blah blah blah.....everybody's corrupt.....blah blah blah.......blah blah blah"

....even though there is a lot of this going on....the folks peddling this garbage are wrong. 

We're losing good folks, and we won't be able to get any good staff--let alone a quality administrator--if we don't take action and adopt a non-interference ordinance so that employees know they are protected.  I hope I can get two more votes so we can make this happen......All these other counties have figured this out, isn't it time we did as well?  Look at the variations below:

A Part-Time Job----With More than Full Time Hours and Commitment

There is a debate afoot: Some folks believe only retirees, business-owners, or those that are independently wealthy should be able to serve on Boards, Councils, and Commissions.  That would unfairly inhibit the potential service of working-class, working-age candidates, though.  It is for this reason that the vast majority of non-wealthy, working-age Board, Commission, and Council Members maintain their careers through their years of public service.  To demand otherwise would simply serve as a punishment for public service.

Lately there has been some rumblings online about the level of engagement a commissioner, a board member of the Escambia County Commission, should have.  Specifically--is the position of a County Commissioner a full-time, or a part-time position?

Because I am entering my 13th year as a member of a locally-elected public board of directors (Escambia County School Board-2006 until 2016, Escambia County Commissioner 2016-present)  I know the answer from my perspective--based upon my own experience and also based upon the inputs I gleaned from meeting peers from around the country at statewide and national conferences over the past 13 years.

If an individual is truly serious about being effective and knowing his/her role in the hierarchy-I believe the answer to the Part-Time/Full Time question about board membership is this:

It is a part-time job that requires more than full-time hours and commitment to the position .

 But what does that mean, you ask?  Well, I will explain it from my perspective but first I would encourage the readers to look at this nicely done, easy to read two-pager from the National Association of Counties (NACO).  And then this interesting piece from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG).

Interestingly--both of these publications refer to the job as "part-time" with the caveat that the position is actually "on-call" 24-7, 365--which I can attest to being a true statement.

So here is my philosophy on this issue.  A person that steps up and takes on the challenge to run for an office, win an election, and serve his community should not be "punished" for his public service by having to quit his/her business or resign from his/her career.

Most rational folks understand this.   Yes, the pay for our work is excellent.  But it is set by the state--just as the salaries for School Board Members, Sheriff's, Property Appraisers, and other constitutional offices are set by formula set in statutes.  Candidates are well aware of the pay before they run.  If they win, they get the emoluments of the position--including the paycheck...with neither the expectation that they resign from their careers nor the requirement to do so-which is as it should be.

And this is why the majority of the folks of working-age that serve their communities on Councils, Boards, and Commissions work a regular job as well or own their own business, or are independently wealthy.  Looking at the two county area (Escambia and Santa Rosa)  seven of the ten currently-seated County Commissioners derive income from work outside of their BCC seats (Attorney, Auto Mechanic, Financial Planner, RE Salesman, Navy Contractor Employee, Navy Reservist, Construction Company Owner), two are retired and earn pensions (USAF and Gulf Power), and ONLY ONE (10%) is a true full-time County Commissioner--only deriving income from his BCC salary.

So should a person who has a career or an income from employment outside his elected seat with an employer that is willing to support such an employee's public service be shamed into "quitting" his career for for a 4-year job that does not require the presence of that official from 8-5PM M-F?  Of course not--because to have that mindset would 1.)

Marlette Manipulation 9.0: Dandy the Creeper Clown

PNJ cartoonist Andy Marlette is at it again, making cartoons that are really not funny and difficult to really understand.  I was featured in two cartoons this week thus far, including this one...  So, as I have done for almost a decade, I'm manipulating one he did about me earlier this week, to actually make a cartoon that is funny!  :)

Andy is talented, but many of us--lots of us--feel he is overly abusive of conservative politicians, whereas others get a pass or get light-hearted, schtickish good natured cartoons.

The President is frequently targeted, body shamed about weight and his hands.  The First Lady is a frequent target to....as is Christianity and lots of other subjects that offend lots of people.  I don't really get offended, I just look for ways to make them better  :)

So this is all in good fun, right?  This is satire and humor, right?  So the public figure cartoonist can make fun of me, a public figure, then so far as I'm concerned turnabout is fair play.

A couple of years back Andy Marlette's representative Jeremy Knipper called me and said, "Yeah, Jeff, we're going to need you to take

This is Why Part II

This email, above, is an actual email actually sent from an actual commissioner to our previous administrator Jack Brown.

Now, some may consider this sort of a written assessment of an administrator's employee to be routine.  I can say from my perspective I do not believe it to be. In my 13 years of elected public service locally I have NEVER sent such an email to either an administrator or a superintendent--presuming to thrust my own opinion upon the executive about the performance of one of his employees. 

The administrator is charged with hiring, firing, and discipline of employees---not commissioners, not board members.

Can we discuss concerns?  Sure.  Can we ask for information?  Of course.  But essentially calling for termination--and then putting it in writing?  It is intimidation of not only this particular employee of the organization--but also of the administrator.  Should 1/5 of the administrator's boss (the full 5-member BCC) have this unilateral ability?

No.

From the email above--one can easily see that this particular commissioner had a huge problem with this particular employee--but apparently the administrator felt differently.

Perhaps the administrator had spoken to the other four commissioners, and perhaps the other four commissioners strongly supported this individual employee?  Who knows--but the fact that this particular employee remained on staff despite one commissioner's continual negative assessment (s) over time points to that as a possibility.

And therein lies the reason why the administrator supervises and controls staff.  The administrator is much more cognizant of an individual employee's level of expertise, value, performance, and work ethic (as well as a particular employee's  "fit" within the team.) The administrator is the hour by hour, day to day, week to week "supervisor" of employees---not individual commissioners.  Do we as commissioners have close working relationships with employees?---of course!   Can we work together?--absolutely!

But negative assessments are strictly in the wheelhouse of the executive, the administrator, for the obvious reasons as stated above and also as they are enumerated in statute.

Otherwise an organization will hemorrhage and talented staff will run for the exits......Sound familiar?  (This is the impetus for my bringing a badly needed Non-Interference Ordinance)

In this particular instance described in the above email--regrettably--the employee in question

This is Why, Part I

This email, above, is an actual email actually sent from one County Commissioner to our former County Administrator Jack Brown.  I have redacted names and other information so that readers will not know which commissioner sent this....and to whom this email refers.

In other words, the point here is not to pinpoint names, etc.  The point is to have readers look at this email and ask themselves if this is a reasonable email.  Is it rational, measured, and professional?

Or is it demeaning and threatening?

And is it overly-heavy-handed to demand an immediate meeting with the administrator with the demand that not only the administrator come, but also HR personnel and Legal Personnel?

If I was the employee on the receiving end of a "demand" email like this one---I'd feel like my job was on the line, on the spot, if I did not do exactly as I was being directed by this one commissioner.

And about the veiled threat of  "I'll start making them famous"  at the bottom of this email...What the hell does that even  mean--is that a threat?  Does that mean these employees will be publicly called out, humiliated, and/or demeaned if they do not immediately acquiesce to the whims of 1/5 of the Board??

I think we are going to have a tough time keeping any Administrator or senior staff if they are

On the Radio This Morning

I'll be interviewed on two local radio stations this morning.  I'll be discussing the proposed ordinance I will be bringing on May 2nd.  Folks that are interested in it should check the podcasts later this morning.

I'll be on the radio later this morning, on multiple stations.

I'm slated to talk with Andrew McKay at Pensacola Morning News at 6:35.

Then, I'll be on the top-rated area morning show, Good Morning Pensacola,  at 6:50 with Don Parker.

I'm looking forward to discussing my proposed ordinance that is badly needed in Escambia County.(the one that will provide a mechanism for a local board to sanction an individual board member that acts outside his authority as an individual board member)

I'm also going to be discussing the eerie similarities between some shenanigans that are allegedly happening now in the county right now and the striking resemblance these issues have to the days of Grady Albritton.

Once posted online, I'll link the recordings  here (WCOA) and here (WNRP) 

What Happened In Escambia County with Albritton v Gandy?

Commissioners that attempt to influence staffing decisions via unlawfully directing staff can face SIGNIFICANT punishments

Grady Albritton was a county commissioner in Escambia County when I was in High School.  I remember reading about him in the early 1980s as a youth growing up in Escambia County.

I remember he was a real character, really outspoken and strident.

Lots of folks don't remember how his career came to an end, though---but it had a lot to do with improperly utilizing his position as a County Commissioner do direct staff and make the staff his proxy in employment and employee discipline matters.

But employment decisions are outside the scope of a County Commissioner's duties and responsibilities.  This is an axiom of local governance that many citizens do not realize---but that every elected Board Member ought to know:  Commissioners legislate, but administrators operate and execute.

With Albritton, the lines became blurry and folks started resigning.

So upon re-reading that case and seeing as it seems eerily, uncannily similar to some things happening right now in the county--I felt like pulling it off the shelf, dusting it off, and publishing it. This might enlighten some folks about what our jobs are as commissioners, and what are jobs are not.

And this is a good thing.

Because "those that do not know their history are destined to repeat it"--as philosopher George Santayana aptly noted.

So I would encourage readers to take a look at the first District Court of Appeals case Albritton v Gandy.  The commissioner lost the case and was hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and penalties------a lot of money in today's dollars but a HUGE amount 30+ years ago.

Then I'd recommend interested persons read the Florida Division of Ethics file on the same matter.  This one is very interesting--- as it finds that a commissioner directing staff and intimidating staff to make employment decisions on behalf of said commissioner puts such a commissioner in violation of 112.313 (6) Florida Statutes.  From that order:

"The Respondent "used or attempted to use his official position" as a County Commissioner for Escambia County by using and attempting to use his influence over County employees to have Louise Gandy terminated from her employment at University Hospital and no longer used as a part-time relief EMT for the County.

4.  The Respondent was acting to secure a special benefit for himself through exacting retribution against Louis Gandy for her failure to support him during the 1983 runoff election for the Board of County Commissioners and for supporting his political opponent.  In a prior complaint, In re Clyde J. (Buddy) Wise, 6 FALR 6366 (1984), the Commission found that a county commissioner had violated Section 112.313(6), Florida Statutes, by using his influence over county employees to have adverse personnel action taken against the complainants, who were county EMT's who had supported the commissioner's opponent in an election.  In that order, the Commission stated:

  The use of one's office for retribution in this fashion constitutes a 'special benefit' for oneself, as the natural result of such an act is to increase a public official's power and influence through intimidating the political actions of employees who otherwise might support an opposing candidate.

Similarly, here, the Respondent's actions constituted and were intended to result in a "special benefit" for himself."

Non-Interference Policies are Common

As I look into this issue and take a deeper dive, I find non-interference ordinances to be quite common.  Not only here in Florida-but throughout the country.

Unfortunately, these rules become necessary when individual board members want to individually (and unlawfully) exercise "oversight."  I say unlawfully because oversight is a board function as a whole, not a function for an individual board member.

Some commonalities among these policies are the express language provisions that board members are absolutely entitled to speak with staff, ask questions of staff, and make"inquiries and information requests."  See this one pager from San Diego.

Here is a simple one from Oakland.

This one from Leon County Florida (section 3) is similar to the one I am proposing for Escambia County.

Here is Broward County's version (2.07)

Section 2-3 of Charlotte County Florida's charter has similar, but even stronger language, than what I am proposing. (page six of this document)

The Governor can remove board members and commission members that violate a non-interference policy.  This was an interesting case from a Hospital Commission where interference led to removal of the chairman of the board.

I believe such a policy is desperately needed in Escambia County to improve morale and to stem the losses we are sustaining via senior staff resignations.  I hope I can garner two more votes to move this forward on May 2nd.

Non-Interference Ordinance

This is the three-paragraph "one-pager" ordinance I am bringing to the May 2nd regular meeting.  Succinct, direct, tested, utilized elsewhere with great effect. 

A simple solution to insulate administrative staff.  We'll see if I can get three votes to move it forward!

Soul-Searching for a Solution.....And I found One!

The board of county commissioners needs to be a part of the solution to fixing the morale issues in our own organization.  I am all in on this--we can't take the loss of any more key players.  So I did some soul-searching, some research, and some talking to those who know more than I.  And I'm bringing a proposed ordinance next month that will help us as board members to help ourselves--and to help treat our staff professionally and allow them to do their jobs.

We have a couple of disturbing issues in the County right now that must be addressed.

Number One is the EMS/Public Safety Investigation that is ongoing.  This is an important matter that, once fully investigated and briefed to the board, will be addressed in the strongest of fashion.  I have confidence in that.  And I do believe several of the resignations we have sustained recently are and will be found to be directly attributable to that issue.  Additionally--the state investigation, once completed, will illuminate some competing allegations that have not been disclosed publicly as of yet and of which the general public is currently unaware.  So I urge, in the strongest manner possible, everyone to stop speculating and allow the investigation to run its course and allow staff and the board to determine appropriate course(es) of action ONCE ALL FACTS ARE FULLY KNOWN.  The mosh-pit of media speculation and innuendo that is being whipped up by those with agendas SERVES NO GOOD PUBLIC PURPOSE.  Remember--there are multiple sides to this issue.
 
But an equally troubling phenomenon that has also been a contributing factor in our large number of our resignations recently is the way our administrative staff is treated by the board.

So like I told Chorus Nylander on Channel 3 the other day--I have taken the last several days to do some soul-searching.  I have also reached out directly to several current and former high-level county staff.  Some are not mincing words:  "Jeff, the board holds us accountable and expects us to be perfect--but the board itself is not perfect--nobody is perfect.  The board holds us accountable, but who holds the board accountable?"  Said one recently departed employee.  "I can't take the attacks[from the board]" said another. 

In conversations with these and other folks over the last several days, the disturbing reality takes shape.  Staff is directed by board members and this creates tension among the staff and between other commissioners.  Critical decisions that are necessary to be made by commissioners so staff can move forward are not made by commissioners--leaving staff in a holding-pattern.  "Then is some instances--staff will be blamed for this inaction!?!"  said a former staff member with whom I spoke.

"Listen, staff can't do their job if they are being yanked around and told what to do and when to do it"  said a frustrated former staffer.  "Commissioners must recognize and respect that we are the ones that are tasked with day to day operations--not them.  Use the process, put in work orders, and let the staff do their job and priority order the jobs---and don't beat the staff up publicly--and morale will improve." said this individual.

"Otherwise, there is no way you are going to be able to hire another administrator--who would work under these conditions?  And believe me, any that are on the short list are watching and reading up on the board, watching the meetings, and they know about you before you even ask them the first question!"

So, in order to not set our next administrator and asst. administrator up for failure, and to try to foster some sense of order into the way the board treats its administrator and staff--I looked at what other counties are doing to reign-in individual commissioners that want to run the staff and drive day to day operational decision making.  We already know what the duties are for Administrators and Commissioners--this is delineated in statutes.  But in some instances the lines are blurred and this is problematic so it is time to get back to basics, in my opinion, and to put a tool in our tool-kit that will allow the board as a whole to insure staff is not micromanaged and that work is not directed, unlawfully, by INDIVIDUAL commissioners.  Several counties have come up with a clever way to do this.  According to an out-of-the area leader with whom I spoke yesterday evening, "You pass it as an ordinance, not a policy.  policies can and are ignored, but an ordinance has the force and effect of Law."  he stated.  "And this one works!"

So I took that ordinance, and I am sending it to our acting administrator and our county attorney TODAY and I will ask that it be brought it to the first meeting in May for consideration by the full board.  I hope I can get three votes to enact this because this ordinance, if implemented locally, will in and of itself be a signal to current and future administrative staffers that we are serious as a board about staying out of day to day operations.  Because under this ordinance there could be consequences (financial and/or legal) for any commissioner that doesn't stay in his "swim-lane."

Who are the Subcontractors that will be Working With the Master Planner?

As I discussed here, we now have our selection committee, we have our short list of 8 firms that want to be chosen to master plan OLF 8, and now we know which subcontractors each finalist will be utilizing on their respective team(s).

This document lists all the 8 firms that have put in for this work and all their identified subcontractors--local and out of state.  This document also lists many of each firm's past projects, clients and accomplishments.  This is very interesting information that those who are truly interested in this project should and will analyze.

The effort to do a world-class master plan will be thorough and most importantly it will be guided public input by citizens and by the compromise document that was voted upon by the BCC in a rare but meaningful 5-0 vote.

I'm extremely pleased that we have multiple award-winning, world-class design professionals seeking to do this work.

This process is now moving forward and this is a good thing.  Once the 7-member committee vets these firms, they will provide the BCC a short list of finalists for our consideration--and the full BCC will make the final selection of the firm that will do the master-planning of OLF 8.

List of Master Planning Firms for OLF 8 Released

The solicitation dictated that all firms interested in submitting for the master-planning of OLF 8 do so no later that Midnight, April 12th.

Eight firms made that deadline and will be considered.  One of these eight firms will be tasked with master planning the last remaining, large parcel in Beulah that will be developed.

The selection committee that will rank these firms for BCC consideration has been set and we are moving forward.  Later today I will post the complete list of these firms' associated local subcontractors.

8 Names, One Day, and We'll Have Our Next County Administrator

The eight candidates that will be interviewed on April 29th are:

Craig Coffee
David Strahl
Patrick Thompson
Chris Martin
Janice Gilley
Cedric Alexander
Kimberly Washington (added at the dais today)
Ricardo Mendez (added to the dais today)

We will begin on April 29th with individual, one-on-one interviews of each candidate by all board members, utilizing the schedule above, or one very close to this.

After lunch, the board will interview all candidates as a group.

After this, the board will rank the slate, 1-8

The top three will be interviewed again, and the final vote will be taken.

We will continue our due diligence on each candidate individually over the next two weeks.

On April 29th we will conduct the interviews, make the vote, and select our next administrator.

8 Names, One Day, and We'll Have our Next Administrator.

Escambia County Receives $5.8 Million Today from the 2014 Floods

We received good news out of Tallahassee today regarding monies owed from the damaging floods of April 2014.

$5.8 Million of the money we are owed was approved today and will be coming back to Escambia County today.

The chart below shows the items as they are being refunded.

10 of My Questions for our County Administrator Finalists.......

We will be interviewing at least 7-8 candidates for the next County Administrator job.  I am going to ask some tough questions and I am going to demand answers to them for my vote.  Here are 10 I'll be asking.......

I'll be polite----but I won't be bashful.

I will ask tough questions of the 6-8 finalist that will be interviewed for our administrator position.

Because I know this position is critical.  This is the "Quarterback" position on the football team.

This is the manager of the "restaurant" taxpayers have invested their futures in.....

This position will be the "face" of our county

This  position runs our county and  our operation.  This is a stressful, mostly thankless, high-paying job that operates in the sunshine but that also deals with a lot of political pressure from 5 separate "bosses."

So we need this position filled ASAP but we need to get the RIGHT PERSON in this seat.

Right now there is a tremendous "leadership vacuum" in Escambia County, and filling the administrator position is the first step in correcting this condition.

So we have our list, we will do group interviews, and then we will do individual, one-on-one interviews with each of the finalists.  This is the point where I will make my final decision on my selection of the next administrator.  ( I am one-fifth of the  vote that will hire Jack Brown's successor)

Here are ten of the most important questions I will ask, and I will PRESS for REAL answers...

1.  Knowing this job will be high-visibility and high-pressure--why do you want this job?

2.  If you are the eventual selectee and you agree to terms to come to work for us--how many hours per week will you be willing to work on our (multiple) pressing issues (budget, labor union negotiations, fire service, pay issues, tax issues, ECAT issues, BCC personality issues, internal employee issues, etc. etc. etc.)?

3.  How will you handle Elected Board Members that want to micromanage you and tell you, for instance, what to do, how to do it, and /or which employees you need to discipline/terminate?

4.  How will you handle Elected Board Members that berate staff publicly at the dais?

5.  How will you handle Elected Board Members that try to thwart the will and the lawful votes of the elected BODY as a whole?

6.  Are you willing to tell an elected member of the BCC "NO" if unreasonable requests are made?

7.  Will you bring plans, ideas, initiatives forward to address the pressing issues this board faces

How it Happened Part IV: The Way Forward out Here in the Northwest Section of District 1

Everyone that lives in our area is invited to participate in the charettes and the meetings that will determine how our area gets built-out and developed going forward--so we need you, the public, to show up at meetings to have your voice(s) heard!

Fifty-one years ago, in 1968 the year I was born, there were roughly 200 Million People in America and just under 200,000 people in Escambia County.

Fast-forward 51 years and the country approaches 330 Million in population, and Escambia County approaches 330,000 persons living here.

Our country has grown, and our area has grown as well.  And when areas grow rapidly, there are growing pains.

One of the issues I have seen firsthand since moving out to Beulah 15 years ago is that a large part of the county's growth has been out here in District one, specifically in the Northwest portion of District 1--which includes Beulah.

And the reasons for the growth of this area are varied--however some that rise to the surface include the quality of life, accessibility to the freeway, proximity to town/shopping, and affordability of the property.

The growth of Navy Federal Credit Union has also pushed the growth out here.  And I continue to believe this growth of NFCU is a great thing for our region and our community!  (full disclosure-I have been a member of NFCU since 1981--I  STRONGLY support NFCU and think their move to Pensacola has been a grand-slam home run!)

But some folks are very upset about the growth and wish it had not occurred at all.  I understand this sentiment--because growth causes inconvenience.  But folks want to be able to live where the quality of life is good, and the quality of life out here is good.  The quality of life in Pensacola, Escambia County, and out in Beulah is good.  So this area has grown.

And we have challenges too, as we manage the growth.  Traffic and storm water infrastructure are two of the biggest.

Yes, there were zoning issues that occurred in 2012, 2013, and 2015 at the state and local level that exacerbated these growth issues--we talked about this in previous entries to this blog here, here and here.

None of us can go back in time and undue decisions that were made before us, though.

The  time for the blame-game is over because it is counterproductive and does not lead to positive solutions.

All we can do is make good decisions going forward, to try to correct some previous issues and head-off new problems as best we can in the future.

To that end, I have created a 9-member NW District 1 advisory committee that meets the first

Marlette Manipulation 8.0: Dandy's Dumpster Fire

Marlette Manipulation 8.0:  "Dandy's Dumpster Fire"

As I have done for nearly 10 years, on and off, I have once again found an instance where one of PNJ cartoonist Andy Marlette's cartoons completely misses the mark--so here it comes--Marlette Manipulation 8.0.

I think the one above that I have manipulated is a funny way to fix the one he published in the Friday edition.  He takes a shot at me, I will take one back at him.  After all, this all just humor, parody, and satire, right? It is all in good fun, right?!?  He wants to insinuate stuff about me, so I will take a shot back at him too-- because--- who knows if he actually subscribes to "Bear" and "American Grizzly" Magazines, anyway? I think he might like that sort of wildlife--or maybe he only buys it to read the articles  😉....so....I'll just make a cartoon out of my suspicion like he does about me  😃

He sure dishes out a lot of vicious insults in his very vitriolic, acerbic cartoons, though.  Wow.  particularly toward our President and First Lady.  (Funny how the previous President and First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama, never really got the same level of hatred and disrespect in the Marlette cartoons about them and their leadership, neither do Pelosi, the Clintons, or Joe Biden....Interesting)

A couple of years back Jeremy Knipper, representing Andy Marlette, called me and said, "Yeah, Jeff, we're going to need you to take

Surprise! Our ISO Rating (For Fire Service as a County) has IMPROVED!

Our ISO Rating Improved over our last review from 2012.  This is a good news story....

To hear the consternation and gnashing of teeth lately surrounding our fire service locally--an unbiased bystander might think we are facing dire consequences and on the verge of collapse as a system.

But to the contrary-our system has improved significantly over our last ISO rating in 2012.

On a 1-10 scale, with "1" being the best and "10" being the worst--our county moved UP from a 5/5 to a 4/4X.

(here's the report from 2012)

According to today's presenter from ISO--this puts Escambia County in the top 30% of the 70% of Fire Systems ISO monitors nation-wide.

Can we improve, can we do better?  I believe the answer is yes.  But the matrix utilized to measure our effectiveness as a fire service depends upon a host of complex issues, some of which are not under the control of the county at all (water availability from local water providers is a factor upon which we are judged but upon which we have little to no control, for example.  This metric alone makes up 40% of our overall score)

Staffing, training, call-center technology,  response times, and community outreach/education on fire prevention all factor into our score.  We can control these areas and I know we will continue to improve in these areas.

Proximity to a fire station is also a factor.

For example, no matter what a county's overall score, if Your House in particular is more than 5 Miles by road from the nearest fire station, you score a 10.  If you are more than 1000 feet from a fire hydrant, you score a 10.  This is applicable anywhere, in any county that ISO measures.

So with a large geographic area to cover and limited control over where the utilities place the water lines--the fact that we are improving should be a good news story.

As my counterpart Commissioner Barry stated today in no uncertain terms--the numbers of paid personnel in ECFR over the last 6 years has nearly doubled- jumping from 88 to 152 paid.  The budget has increased 62% from just over $10 Million to over $17 Million over this same period.

So he was right when he said this board is adding resources both in personnel and budget---again a good news story that should be reported but that probably will not be reported.

We know we need to keep improving, and we will.  We know we need more resources to keep improving, and I believe we as a board will find a way to do this without raising taxes.  That is my prediction and this is the way I intend to move as we go into budgeting---just as we did with the 4-year deal for ECSO.

Because first responders are important and they are a priority.  And today's good news should be roundly welcomed by everyone--citizens, paid fire personnel, volunteer fire personnel, and staff.

It's a Good News story!

Who Wants to Be the Next Escambia County Administrator? The Short List Shifts Again....

The short list for our next county administrator currently sits at 6 names.  It could decrease or increase over the next five days but I predict we will have 7-8 finalists to interview on the 29th....

We ended last week with an identified short list of 5 names for the Administrator's job, and a very well written final report from our search consultants from FACM.

Three individuals were identified and ranked as the top three finalists, and two names were selected as alternates to round out the top selectees and we started this week with the following five "finalists" from our initial pool of 95 candidates that met the minimum qualifications:

1. Craig Coffee
2. Patrick Thompson
3. Michael Renshaw

Alt. 4.  David Strahl
Alt. 5.  Kenneth Griffin

On Monday-we were notified that "Kenneth C. Griffin has withdrawn from consideration due to his acceptance of another position."

Today, the board discussed the process and the names of the finalists for consideration and the board added three additional names to the list to be interviewed on April 29th:

1. Christopher Martin
2. Janice Gilley
3. Cedric Alexander

After the meeting, we were notified that Mike Renshaw had pulled his name out of the running.  Renshaw, in an email to staff, said:

"I had an opportunity to view the live meeting of the Committee of the Whole this morning (April 11) pertaining to the County Administrator selection process.  Please withdraw my name from any further consideration in this process.  I wish you well in your future endeavors, and please extend my thanks to the members of FACM.  If possible please advise your local media of my decision to withdraw as soon as possible, and confirm your receipt of this email."

This leaves us with 6 names to consider on the 29th.......as of right now.

But the board left the meeting today with the understanding that if any additional names are to be added to the list, these names need to be identified no later than next Tuesday, April 16th.  I have the strong suspicion that 1-2 more names will be added between now and then.  Which means we will more than likely be interviewing 7-8 finalists on April 29th.  This is what the finalist looks like as or right now.

1. Craig Coffee
2. Patrick Thompson
3. David Strahl
4. Christopher Martin
5. Janice Gilley
6. Cedric Alexander
7.  ?  (possible)
8.  ?  (possible)

Piling-on, the EMT/Paramedic's Union Weighs-In....

We received the above letter from the EMT/Paramedic's union yesterday late in the afternoon---after news broke that Emergency Services Director Mike Weaver had abruptly resigned.

It feels like a piling-on, ganging-up attack.  I don't know all the details, but from what we have been briefed on, there appears to have been multiple internal issues with the EMS service.  We will see what the investigation reveals about who knew what, and when they knew it.  It is quite possible that the raft of resignations and retirements we have seen over the last 6 months could all be connected somehow.  We shall see in due time.

As I pointed out yesterday, though, not every firefighter believes everything is Mike Weaver's fault.

Others with whom I have spoken since Mike Weaver abruptly announced his retirement have strong feelings on the matter:

"The union is destroying public safety and no one is doing anything about it other than getting backed into a corner by some want to be bullies that have the media's attention.  I don't think the worst is over yet, there's no one between the Union and the county admin to filter the BS. Sad/Bad days ahead"  said one long term fireman.

"The union and a few individuals are going to kill this county"  said another.

A local pastor familiar with the matter asked the following questions:

1.  Are you going to stand by and let an employee with the dedication, knowledge, and expertise of Mike Weaver leave abruptly without even crafting an exit plan or planning for a replacement?  I believe you and I both know, his heart is not to leave.  His retirement letter indicates he is doing it because he believes it is his only option.  Are you going to let that happen?

2.  Does the firefighter's union seriously get to tell you how to do your job?  They write a letter with unsubstantiated claims about Weaver's job performance causing a crisis, and you're okay with that?  I thought you're accountable to the voters in your district, not unions.  Why do they get to tell you how to do your job, and you silently let them do it?

There is a lot more to the story that will come out in the months ahead.  Meanwhile, we await the results of the investigation.

I did not know Mike Weaver very well, however all the interactions I had with him were very positive and professional.  I would be remiss if I also didn't point out the obvious;  resigning in the face of mounting criticism--especially if one does not feel the problems are his/her fault--is often a selfless act that puts the mission and the people ahead of the person who steps aside.

In other words, IF the one who steps aside is truly blameless and STILL resigns--this is an HONORABLE thing to do.  People should recognize this if it is applicable here.

Not ALL Firefighters Supported Yesterday's No Confidence Vote

The messaging from the paid fire union did not square with the sentiments of many volunteers in ECFR

In the wake of the professional firefighter's union vote of "no confidence" yesterday in Public Safety director Mike Weaver---I was contacted by and spoke to multiple high-ranking Escambia County Firefighters.  Those with whom I communicated were from the volunteer side of the house.

(Note: there are 300+ firefighters in Escambia--of which 160 or so are volunteers....)

"We did not support this vote, and Nick Gradia does not represent us nor does he speak for us" said one volunteer who sounded frustrated.  He continued  "They are using these challenges to try to strong-arm the board into hiring more paid firefighters, and this is going to lead to the board having to raise taxes again--it will turn into a giant tax increase for the citizens and we don't support that."  He said.  He went on to detail his opinion about the timing of this vote:  "They are bargaining right now and they are doing this to improve their position."

Another volunteer put it in more succinct terms when that individual reached out later in the day..."This vote does not represent the majority of the firefighters I know.  We all know we have challenges and that the county is trying to do the best they can."

When I asked this individual how the teaming was going between paid and volunteer at his station--he summed it up by saying  "It varies. some shifts treat the volunteers well, but it is not consistent.  If it is a medical call, and depending on what crew is on shift, they may let volunteers run the call or ride with them because they know an EMS will be right behind them."  "But if it is a structure fire or an auto wreck that they have to extract a driver or passenger from--then they tell us to stay in the station"  Then he said dryly  "Then we see the pictures on their social media, on their facebook page"

For my part--knowing what I know about EMS and the current challenges they are facing and also

Escambia County Administrator's Search Narrows to 4 Names: Where We Are & How We Got Here

Escambia County will soon be hiring our next administrator.  The sooner, the better.....

Thursday afternoon it was announced publicly that our search for the next Escambia County administrator was narrowed to 5 names.  That announcement came shortly before we were given the packages on the five finalists selected by the Florida Association of County Managers (FACM) panel we hired to help us narrow the field.

I spent time over this weekend reading all these resumes.

We had a huge list to work down from initially--and it was helpful and necessary to have a firm help us get to the short list.

We spent $5K to do this and I believe it was money well spent.

This panel we hired has been diligent in the way they have carried out this search and the way they narrowed the field.

Friday, they released their report to staff that described their members, their methods and metrics, and also their thought process in culling the large list down to five names.  They also list in detail the positives and negatives of each candidate on the short list.  Also, they list detailed next steps for us to take in the process to hire our next administrator--from negotiating the contract to transitioning him into the organization once we make the selection.  I thought this report was extremely informative--and I believe this group earned their $5K for what they have delivered.  Every citizen that is interested in this process should read this report because it is a very thorough and enlightening report.

(The Escambia School Board members should read this report and see how we have moved this forward as a preview into what challenges and issues they will face as they prepare to hire their first appointed Superintendent....lots of good information here!)

At last Thursday's meeting, there was some tension in the air about how this process concluded, and about the way the committee did the cut without consulting any member of the BCC.

There were questions about why no women made the cut.  "Were there even any minorities in the final list?" was another question I heard.

I happen to know there were several former military officers on the first list that appeared very well

Lake Charlene Project: What is the True Story?

Some residents and the  HOA at Lake Charlene appear to be at odds over a stormwater project.  And the PNJ blames the Board of County Commissioners for this.........??

About 4 months ago I had a meeting with county engineer Joy Jones.  She requested the meeting.

The subject was a stormwater project at Lake Charlene in District 2.

Knowing what I know about our county's challenges--I know traffic/roads/bridges and stormwater are our  biggest infrastructure issues--- I thought it would be a "no-brainer."

She hinted to me at this meeting there could be opposition from some residents but that she felt it was a good project.

Fast forward to the meeting where the subject of the .11 acre piece of land in Lake Charlene was before the board---and we were inundated with speakers that said NO WAY to the project and HELL NO to the eminent domain taking of the portion of land necessary to pursue this project.  In fact, at this meeting, not ONE (1) resident showed up  to voice support for this project.  Not one.

And at that meeting a motion was made by D2 to take the land via eminent domain---- and that motion died for lack of a second.  End of story.  or so we thought....

Between that meeting and this past Thursday's meeting--I received a few emails here and there about this project.  Most seemed to be in favor of the project.

And then at our most recent meeting, the crowd that showed up WANTED the project---but they failed to have the HOA president sign the county easement necessary for us to do the work.

Commissioner Barry rightly summed it up when he said "Why is this on the agenda?"  He was right--this had no place on the agenda because the HOA and the homeowners were not on the same page.

This project's lack of progress was nobody's fault but the residents and that district's commissioner.  The rest of us were simply standing by to cast votes if everyone could manage to get it together.  But they couldn't, and they didn't.  End of story, right?

No.

So now we get an ill-informed opinion piece laying the blame for this at the feet of the Board of County Commissioners---when in fact we were the ones that were standing by to move this forward!

All the other players in this issue were  the ones NOT ready to move, not ready for primetime.

Somewhat amusing how the media takes pieces of an issue and rams them together to make an editorial with the intention of slinging mud at the BCC.  Amusing because it totally and completely missed the mark and people aware of this issue know it.

How it Happened, Part III: How Beulah Exploded

Several factors led to the exponential growth of the northwest portion of District 1 over the last decade.....

The exponential growth out in the Northwest portion of District 1 and Beulah has had several causes.

I discussed them in parts one and two of this series.

This area is the home for a growing contingent of employees at what has become one of our county's largest employers, Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal Credit Union has been an absolute grand-slam home run victory in our community from just about every metric from which one utilizes to measure the success of an economic development project.  Once completely built-out over the next three years--this company will support $500 Million yearly in annual payroll, and will have made an economic impact in our area of $5 Billion dollars.

This has been a huge success story for Escambia County, Pensacola, and our region.

But it has put a lot of stress on the community of Beulah.

With Beulah's relatively close proximity to the interstate, and with an abundant supply of land that sellers were willing to part with-this area became a magnet for the home builders.

In 2011, coming out of one of our nation's worst recessions, the legislators in Tallahassee passed the Growth Management Act of 2011 which essentially ended the state requirement for local government concurrency;  at that time, as a member of the Board of Education in Escambia County--we had negotiated Interlocal Agreements with Escambia County, Pensacola, and the city of Century. I voted against the Interlocal in 2008 because I felt it was too lenient on the builders 

But Tallahassee legislators wanted to take down some of the regulatory hurdles of government in order to stimulate growth in the then-sluggish housing sector to help Florida's economy.

Concurrency was a method for orderly growth that mandated that builders and developers plans had to be reviewed by the county, city, and school district to insure the contemplated developments were in areas that had the infrastructure necessary to accommodate such development.  Not exactly like an impact fee--this method induced building where infrastructure was already sufficient and mandated certain requirements be met before building could be completed in areas where the infrastructure was not sufficient.

Like impact fees--builders did not like the burdensome and often costly concurrency requirements.  It served to limit growth where builders wanted to build to maximize profit.

After the state did away with the requirement for concurrency in 2011, the Escambia county commissioners at that time moved concurrency over to the county's Land Development Code (LDC) and kept it in force locally--albeit for only a short period of time.  A few years later, in 2013, after several new commissioners joined the board, and after the county and the nation moved out of the recession and as our economy improved rapidly locally--a new comprehensive plan was adopted by the commission. The direction was given to "do away with concurrency in the land development code, so as not to have any local standards to be applied to builders more burdensome than what was required by the state" according to a staff member with whom I spoke that was at the county at the time.

So now, with no impact fees locally and with no concurrency requirements to meet--the pendulum had swung strongly in the favor of the home builders and the developers starting in 2014---subdivisions were planned and platted, and we have what we have seen now out in the Northwest portion of District 1.

By the time I took my seat on the Escambia BCC at the end of 2016, the Beulah area was inundated with planned subdivisions, condominiums and townhomes in the planning pipeline--because there were minimal requirements to meet in order to get these sorts of developments approved.  No impact fees, no traffic or school concurrency requirements, and a land development code that savy builders knew very well how to navigate successfully.

And this is where we are in 2019.  This, combined with what I discussed in part I and II, is how it happened.

In my next entry on this subject, I will discuss ideas for fixing this issue going forward--now that we know what the problems are....