Dishonest PNJ Sunday Editorial a Fetid Jumble of Illogical, Deceptive, Non-Factual Ramblings

 

PNJ is allowing someone to pull their strings, as today's editorial is blatantly biased, badly constructed, and fatally flawed. It's a sophomoric rant full of lies and barren of proper context...why are they genuflecting for Doug Underhill?

Like the compliant tools they increasingly appear to be, the 2 person "crack" PNJ editorial board of Lisa Nellessen Savage and Andy Marlette  offer a confusing, illogical, deceptive and non-factual jumble of ramblings in their Sunday column this morning.  

Who wrote this ridiculous garbage is a question I'm sure many are asking? Was Lisa "directed" or "encouraged" to write it?  If so, by whom?  Why?

It obviously was not the cartoonist's writing--as he has a distinctive style that is juvenile, non-standard, substandard, and very easy to spot.  

So is editor Lisa Nellessen Savage the one responsible for laying this egg--or did they let someone else ghost-write it for them?

The premise of this piece of trash opinion rant is simple:  Doug is great, he is being ganged-up on, he's a "victim" and the rest of us are terrible people for not jumping up to quickly use tax dollars to pay Doug's lawyer (that he hasn't paid).  Everything we do is controversial, and oh, by the way,  we need to be nicer, too.  😃

This piece of garbage smells worse than their last offering directed our way.  It smells so bad, it's like a pile of rotting fish marinated in a blend of sulfur, dog feces, and vomit.  And it's off-base, to boot.

PNJ lose the logic persuasion high-ground as they conflate their opinion piece with other, older issues---many of which the PNJ obviously do not understand and a majority of which we've already addressed.

--PNJ intimate we have a poor relationship with the ECSO.  This is a lie.  We negotiated a 4-year deal with them 3 years ago and we have a good working relationship with our LEOs and it is a relationship that's improving!

--PNJ blame us for the problems in EMS.  This is dishonest.  We are legislative-not executive- officials.  We were not aware of the simmering issues in EMS--yet once we were told the board has acted to address these problems and we are still working on them with new leadership.

--PNJ editorial dishonestly, inaccurately portrays a recent tense meeting with design team DPZ as us being "disrespectful."  This is dishonest.  In truth-- we were restrained and polite yet directed in our frustration with this group's failure to answer basic economic analysis questions that had been previously requested multiple times by the BCC.

--PNJ purposely omit pertinent facts about the social-media conduct at issue by Doug Underhill that drew the lawsuit:  Doug Underhill was in violation of Existing Board Policy when the conduct which drew the lawsuit happened.  (Hint:  you lose credibility PNJ when you Demand we follow policy on one hand regarding legal representation---yet you purposely misinform, by omission, your readers when you fail to disclose that Underhill was violating a different board policy when he drew the lawsuit)

--PNJ fail to accurately describe our policy on legal representation; they omit the FACT that the board MAY pay or we MAY make alternative findings and deny payment. (pretty important detail to leave out)

--PNJ gloss over the fact that Doug engaged in ad hominem attacks and THAT led to the suit.  Even if the judge says he has absolute immunity to say whatever he wants to---does that make this conduct right and correct?  Should taxpayers pay to defend actions like this (calling citizens names online) that are not necessary?

--PNJ portray a recent favorable ruling as "proof" that Doug's action was in the "...public interest..."--ignoring the reality that more than one elected official has been involved in conduct described as "being in the course of their official office" but "NOT serving a public purpose/in the public interest."  In these instances--where conduct did not/does not serve a public purpose--paying the legal fees could appear improper.

--PNJ feebly attempt to portray the entire board as swimming in controversy, ineptitude, and dysfunction.  But this is untrue.  This is the strawman they want to build in order to knock it down.  It is PNJ's unsuccessful and non persuasive attempt to draw a "moral equivalence" between and among each of the board members--a projection of "guilt by association."  But the fact of the matter is there is no moral equivalence.  Four of us do our jobs with no drama, no problems, and no lawsuits.   Conversely-

Is Another Unsolicited Offer for OLF-8 Coming---and Can the Board Just "Sell" This Property to Whomever they Choose?

There may very well be another unsolicited offer coming for the county's OLF-8 property....

I was contacted by and spoke with another individual yesterday who expressed significant interest in OLF-8. Last Saturday I was called by a different individual--- and that group subsequently has offered the county as much as $16 Million for 400 acres of the OLF-8 field.

The new caller yesterday expressed similar interest in the property--he indicated that he and his other unnamed partners are seriously interested.

But he also wanted to know what the process was and could the county just "sell" the property to the first party that offered them a good price?

It was a question I did not have a ready answer for, so I spoke with County Attorney Alison Rogers to understand, legally, how we could sell this property if we so chose.  

There appears to be more than one way to do it.

According to our attorney, the board can lease or sell the property fee-simple to an individual or business entity directly under certain conditions--but some legislative findings would have to be made by the board prior to the sale and added to a resolution of the board that would need to be approved prior to the transaction closing.  It would also require a compelling public interest which could be in the form of economic development stipulations with benchmarks and measurable metrics.  For an example of a deal structured like this look no further than the deal we struck with Navy Federal Credit Union to sell that entity 98 acres of OLF-8 last year for $4.2 Million Dollars AND some specific additional conditions that included an additional 300 good jobs to be created.  

Another way to sell the property, the cleanest way according to our attorney, is to declare the property excess and sell it to the highest bidder in a competitive bidding process.

Perhaps a more complex, third way to transfer the property would be through a hybrid public/private venture --- where the board would put out conditions/stipulations and request letters of interest/intent based upon the wishes of the board as to the use of the property. (e.g. "only commercial development", or "no more than "X" percent residential permitted," or something along those lines to be negotiated)

So yes, the board has some power to sell this via a couple of different ways according to our attorney.

As the call with this recently interested party ended---I got the distinct impression that there was/is significant interest among this new group in the county's OLF-8 property--particularly if the Board signals interest in entertaining such offers.

As I said to the PNJ in their article the other day about the first off--that offer from Tuesday of $16 Million seems light.

So is another unsolicited offer for OLF-8 coming soon?  

I guess we will see.  One thing is certain....There is GREAT interest in this property.

The Cleanest, Nicest, Most Modern Facility That You'll NEVER Want to Visit......

The very close to completed, brand new $140 Million Dollar Escambia County Jail is a massive, clean, and modern facility.  In fact, it is probably-undoubtedly- the cleanest, nicest, most modern, facility that you'd NEVER want to visit...

Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh, right,
tours our newly constructed Jail facility
Wednesday, January 27th 2021

No, you certainly don't want to visit this new, sleek, nicely-designed, technology-infused Escambia County facility once it is open for business in the next 30-45 days unless you are an employee here OR you happen to be touring the facility (which is why I was there yesterday evening).  

Staff had invited me to tour the facility along with Circuit Court Judges Tom Dannheisser and Gary Bergosh.

Along for the walkthrough Wednesday evening were County Facilities Director Cassie Boatwright, County Public Information Officer Laura Coale, as well as Commander Scott Nash, Captain Shawn Hankins, and Lt. Jason Walker from the Escambia County Corrections Department.  The project manager and supervisors from our construction contractor Whitesell Green-Caddell were also present to answer questions and guide us safetly through the still "technically" under-construction facility (thus the hard-hats, safety glasses and vests for all visitors). 

Inmate POD area in Escambia County's new
Correctional Facility 1-27-2021

(NOTE:For multiple valid reasons--most notably the COVID-19 Pandemic and the devastating impact that has had on worker availability and the acquisition of the necessary, specialty supplies--the actual final completion of this jail will wind up being nearly 12 months behind schedule....)

But after the last year we have all endured and lived--a one-year delay in many respects feels like good fortune!

As we walked the various spaces of this four-story, 303,000SF facility--including holding cells, pods, intake areas, galley/kitchen, infirmary, staff spaces, and exterior areas--the correction's employees were quick to answer questions and to point out all the attributes of the facility.

Intake area in Escambia County's new
Correctional Facility 1-27-2021

Director Boatwright spoke to the size of this facility compared to other district buildings. "This will be the second largest county facility at 303,000 SF once it is completed, just behind the Judicial Complex that is 330,000SF."

Lt. Walker, who led the tour and did most of the talking, seemed enthusiastic about the facility coming online next month and housing inmates starting in April.  "This project has been 'my baby' for the last 5 years and it is great to have been able to watch it grow up out of the ground into what it is today" he remarked.

We spent nearly an hour and a half going through the new jail--from the front entrance to the fourth floor to the first appearance area to the video visitation area--- and just about every space in between.

I was impressed with the infusion of technology incorporated into the design. (some pictures I took on the visit cannot even be shared on this post for fear some of the technological features could be compromised).  This facility actually has nearly 700 Closed-circuit cameras installed that will cover nearly every space in the jail--with the exception of toilet and shower areas.  It will be totally covered with cameras, monitors, and technological capabilities that will make it safe and secure.

But it will be more than just a secure facility;  it will also have more to offer for inmates.

"Look, jail is not supposed to be comfortable--and it isn't and it won't be comfortable being in jail.  But this facility has more things to keep the inmates occupied--which is good for them and for the officers" said Commander Scott Nash.

He was referring to the outdoor recreation areas in each pod, the common areas, the iPads which will be available for inmates to rent for watching movies, the TV's, family video visitation areas, telephones, books, and games that will be available for the jail occupants.

Kitchen/Galley area in Escambia County's new
Correctional Facility 1-27-2021

Lt. Walker chimed in "95 percent of the inmates get with the program and just want to do their time and get out--and if we can keep their time occupied it is good for all of us."

Being who I am and how I think though--I asked about the 5% that cause trouble.  I asked to see the "hole" or wherever/whatever solitary confinement cell they had looked like.

"We don't have a solitary confinement hole here" Commander Nash quickly pointed out.

"We deal with the 5% of troublemakers by taking privileges away as their misbehavior increases/escalates." state Walker.  "That can be effective in curbing the behavior sometimes." he continued.

My big question was about the open, unsecured guard station(s) inside of the PODs in the common, day use areas.

"Won't this put the officers in danger--being exposed and alone in an area with as many as 60 inmates?" I asked?

Guard station in a POD in Escambia County's new
Correctional Facility 1-27-2021

Lt. Walker came back with a resounding, reassuring response. "No it won't.  We have protocols in place for officer safety, and the officers work with the inmates to keep the behavior in check.   It is all about communication and getting them to trust you and work with you---and these open stations are safe and effective--they work very well" he concluded.

Inmate POD area in Escambia County's new
Correctional Facility 1-27-2021

There is no doubt that this facility is first rate and modern.  It is really quite amazing.  And although it is hard to get excited about a jail--as a commissioner who was a part of making this happen I take satisfaction and pride in what this will be once it is operational.  It will be a safe and secure place for our employees and our citizens who end up confined within its walls.  But most importantly--it will allow us to once again be self-sufficient and not reliant on Walton County (or anyone else) to house a large number of our inmates.  

And bringing the inmates back to Escambia County starting this April will save Escambia County taxpayers $Millions of dollars yearly!  That is, in and of itself, reason to be excited about getting this jail open for business!

Opinions Offered for ECFR-- from a Non-Selected Applicant for ECFR Chief....

I was contacted by one of the applicants for fire chief who was not selected.  He sent me a multi-page, stream of consciousness conglomeration of ideas, thoughts, opinions, and internet research data...some of it very interesting

I received an interesting email late yesterday evening from one of the more than 60 persons who applied to be the next ECFR Chief.  This individual was not selected as a finalist-but nonetheless he wanted to offer some thoughts, opinions, and ideas.  He wanted to leave his "2-cents" worth with me-so far as I could tell.

Not unlike an exit interview-this pre-hire stream of consciousness conglomeration of ideas put to paper that I received does have some useful stuff.  Although neither I nor my counterparts on the board have any voice in who gets selected ultimately in this position--it is a window into at least one applicant's thoughts as he moved through the application process.

This individual forwarded pages and pages of bullet points, data he had researched, comments he had read online about the department, information he had compiled about our department, and other tidbits of information he felt was important to pass along.

I responded to him, and I thanked him for his interest in the position and for his thoughts and ideas--some of which I believe have merit, some of which we are already working toward, most of which I was already aware--- and some of which I do not believe would be supported by the board.

Nevertheless---there are some nuggets in his email--which I have saved exactly as he sent it-unedited- here.

(I did remove his name, email and phone number from this document though.)

From his email:

---"Staffing Issues:

Career Staff:

"This may make you think I am crazy, but if you change from the 3 shift (24/48hour shifts) to a 4 day shift (2 – 10 hours day, 2 - 14 hour night and 4 days off) system you actually can save money. As you will see in the examples below that cutting down on Overtime will help with the Budget a lot. Yes you will need to add more personal but it will save money over all on salaries."

---Apparatus

"I do feel that there is to many Apparatus and the maintenance Program is over tacked to keep it all up and operating at 100%. Someone needs to figure out a realistic number of Apparatus that are needed for Front Line Service and Reserve units in each class of Apparatus With all these Engines shown above, I feel are too many and you should reduce to:Engines = 1 per Station and In the Volunteer Companies only as many as they can provide the 4 per Engine manning for.  Have 1 Reserve Engine for every 5 Front Line EnginesAs replace Front line Apparatus, the best of the Apparatus taken out of service should be moved to Reserve Status and the Reserves at that time be sold off"

---Staffing/Salary:

"Work to get volunteers train so if and when there is a Department hiring they are able to apply for career positions. Utilize all Volunteers as long as they seek to VolunteerChanging over to a 4 Work Shift system and adding a Flying Squad to each shift"

Read his complete, unedited and unmodified document with suggestions and ideas for ECFR here.

Monday Afternoon Meeting at the Morgue

The main examination room at the First Judicial Circuit's Morgue Facility in Pensacola at Sacred Heart Hospital has a large floor area, multiple work stations, and a cooler on one side that holds up to 40 bodies at a time.

Yesterday afternoon I was invited to come out to the First Judicial Circuit's Morgue facility at Sacred Heart Hospital in Escambia County.

I accepted the offer and met with our First District Coroner Dr. Deanna Oleske as well as her Director/Chief of Forensic Investigations Mr. Jeff Martin.  

As I walked through the facility with Dr. Oleske, I was introduced to many of her staff of 19 employees-including two other Forensic Pathologists that are on staff as well as several technicians.  Most of the staff work at the Escambia County location--while a handful work in Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

I appreciated the opportunity to tour the facility and meet the staff--as there has been some recent high-profile turnover as the previous Coroner, Dr. Andrea Minyard, left amid quite a bit of consternation and even some litigation.

But that is all in the past now and we are moving forward with Dr. Oleske who has subsequently been hired on--and who is very energetic and determined to improve the current facilities and staffing issues.

I was invited to walk the spaces because the facility is undersized and understaffed for the increasing workload being put on this office.  I was even offered the opportunity to watch an autopsy be performed--an offer which I appreciated---but that I politely passed on. (I'll stick to re-runs of Quincy MD starring Jack Klugman on TV Land, thanks very much! that's about as close to an autopsy as I want to get)  But I was thankful in a weird kind of way to be given the opportunity to go there upright and vertical--- alive--- not wheeled in on a gurney as most visitors to that facility are.....so there is that.

"MacGyver" would be impressed with
the non-complex roof-leak "fix" applied
to the District 1 Coroner's records storage area..

As I began the tour and walked into these Coroner's office spaces at Sacred Heart, consisting of a series of small, windowless offices, common area hallways, a small conference room, various storage spaces, a large autopsy room, a large cooler where bodies are kept, and a smaller anteroom where the bodies of the badly decomposed are kept--I noticed there was a leaking roof that had some sort of a "Macgyvered" drain system installed-consisting of tubes draining into a large bucket--prominently placed in the middle of a hallway.  I've never seen anything like that before.  "They actually have cloth towels up there that catch the leaking water and drain down through the plastic roof tiles and into that bucket over there" Dr. Oleske quipped.  I thought this seemed rather odd...

In the course of conversation with

Dr. Oleske and her various staff members as we continued the tour of the facility,

it was disclosed that the Coroner pays about $5,000 monthly for these substandard spaces--much of the square footage of which is shared with Sacred Heart Hospital.  Several coroner's employees work in tiny cubicle type work stations--and in one storage room that has been repurposed, six work stations are arranged where the morgue technicians and various other administrative personnel share the space.  "When those two employees back their chairs up--they bump in to one another and so only one can backup at a time" it was pointed out to me as we peeked into that space and two stations were highlighted.

"We need more space, and we need more staff, and we need more resources" Dr. Oleske stated bluntly.  "Believe it or not, we do about the same volume as the morgue in Denver Colorado--and they have a lot more space and a lot bigger staff." she continued.

She and her staff were very willing to answer all my questions--which I greatly appreciated.  They also showed me all the areas and were quick to point out, thankfully, some new X-ray equipment and coolers that were purchased for the Coroner's office with County CARES act money.  Additional PPE was also provided by this funding source--which the staff greatly appreciated.

This box contains bones from various animals that are found
and subsequently brought to the Coroner's office
for identification... and to insure they aren't human

One very interesting space they showed me was the "Bone Room."  This is a small room with one desk, a shelf, and a giant pot and industrial sized "hot-plate" where at times the flesh from a body must be slowly cooked off of bones.  This is necessary to reveal the bones in order to determine if there is/was any evidence of foul play from knives or other instruments on such bones.  "We have to boil down some of these probably four times per year.  It takes several days to get the bones carefully separated from the flesh." Dr. Oleske pointed out.  "And no--it doesn't smell good when we are doing it" she quipped.  Thankfully--there was no bones being cooked during my visit.  "Take a look in this box," Mr. Martin stated as a large box full of bones was opened in front of me.  "These 

aren't human--but are of animals but brought to our office by various officials to determine whether or not they are human." Interesting--and understandable.  I mean-raise your hand if you could tell the difference between a human tibia and a deer bone?

When asked about her office's workload-Dr. Oleske quickly pointed out that year-over year the number of autopsies performed grew by greater than 70 percent in 2020.  She acknowledged that COVID-19 has played a big role in that increase--and not simply from a number of cases/deaths perspective.  "We are seeing young 36 year old cases brought in here dying of heart failure because they are delaying care because of COVID-19.  We are seeing a lot of drug related deaths--more than normal.  This might be because people are not able to attend addiction meetings.  We are also seeing more cases where violence escalated domestically." She stated.  "COVID-19 deaths are one thing--but there are COVID-19 related deaths increasing as well." she stated flatly.

I asked about what percentage of total deaths result in an autopsy--to which Mr. Martin responded "It's 

Payment of Legal Fees Request May Not Necessarily be a "Slam-Dunk"

Sometimes even when it looks like a "slam-dunk" is a "sure-thing"---- it doesn't mean it will ultimately happen though....

The awkward and uncomfortable silence (at 3:04:20 of the meeting linked) that followed Commissioner Doug Underhill's motion for payment of his legal fees to his lawyer last Thursday was certainly something I neither relished nor enjoyed.  The Sound of Silence.  Like Simon and Garfunkel's tune.  Silence that was deafening.  

But, to channel Yoda: "Silence there was" -- when Underhill made the motion for payment (at 3:04:20 of the meeting linked) of nearly $25,000 in legal fees.  Complete, total, unambiguous silence.  So his request died for a lack of a second, and his attorney remains unpaid for nearly a year and a half's work.

The case has been ruled upon by a local circuit judge and also affirmed unanimously at the 1st District Court of Appeals.  This is why this request is coming now for us to act.

But back in November of 2019-- I made a motion to set aside an amount of money to repay these legal fees to Doug Underhill if he was successful in the suit AND if he demonstrated that he had paid his attorneys and was current on his bills to his lawyer.  At that meeting, at that time, Doug Underhill did not second my motion, and my motion to set aside these funds, under the conditions in my motion, died for lack of a second.  One could speculate as to the "why" the Commissioner who's fees were in questions would not have seconded a motion to assist with payment of these fees---because it was an odd thing to occur.  But it happened, and now we fast forward a year and three months and the motion this time was made by Doug-----and it died for lack of a second.

And now--because the board did not take action to pay the overdue legal invoices Thursday--this will undoubtedly head back to circuit court.  We will be sued for payment of these fees.

So we will see what that filing looks like.  The county will answer and will defend against this, I am told.  If a writ of mandamus is received, it is my understanding it may be appealed.

The question will come down to whether or not our local ordinances and rules will be upheld--or will a state statute be cited successfully to trump our policy and unilaterally compel payment of these fees to the attorney who represented Commissioner Underhill but who has not yet been paid by Commissioner Underhill.

A quick review of the relevant county policies in force during the time the conduct at issue occurred which drew the lawsuit reveals the then social media policy was not being followed by the Commissioner who got sued.  

Looking at the Board's revised rule/policy on repayment of legal fees--it remains unclear as to whether or not 1.) repayment/payment of fees policy was followed and 2.) the policy compels the board to pay if a commissioner requests repayment due to the successful defense of an issue in court (i.e. it appears as if the board will have five different courses of action to take under our policy---to include denying the payment of fees and making alternative findings.)

An additional question this whole mess dredges to the surface is the hypothetical conundrum that may ensue if the court does in fact issue a writ of mandamus to the BCC to pay Commissioner Underhill's unpaid fees.  Questions such as:

1.  Would the board have to take additional vote(s) to pay---or could the board vote to appeal the writ of mandamus? (could this thing go back and forth through the various courts and courts of appeal like Forest Gump's ping-pong balls going back and forth over the net?)

2.  Would/could the clerk of the court independently at her own discretion proactively/pre-emptively pay the legal fees once such a judgment is/was issued to the BCC ordering the payment?   

OR

3.  would the BCC have to vote again to authorize the payment by the clerk to Doug's lawyer all the past due bills --- as ordered (hypothetically) by Judge Pitre?

Too many questions.  One thing that is certain though:  Payment of these past-due, unpaid bills from the BCC directly to Doug's lawyer may not necessarily be a "slam-dunk......."

Another Unsolicited Cash "Offer" Coming for OLF-8 This Week......

Commissioners will be receiving an unsolicited "Cash Offer" this week for as much of the acreage on OLF-8 that we will sell to this potential buyer.

This is the latest in a series of unsolicited offers for the OLF-8 property that we have received.

We had one developer offer us a cash price for the entire field about a year and a half ago.

Another firm made an offer for some frontage on OLF-8 with which they wanted to construct a Publix. (They subsequently found a different Beulah location, and the Publix they are building there, complete with 11 outparcels and multiple stand-alone retail pads, is nearing completion at the intersection of Beulah Road and 9-Mile Road).

This latest offer will be coming in the midst of the county's current master planning process for this field, and during a period of some strife and discontent among a very small faction of local citizens who have been misled and manipulated into believing falsehoods about what the Escambia BCC's intentions are with OLF-8.  Now this small faction of county residents want to assert themselves and feel they should be able to decide for the BCC exactly what they will "approve of" for construction on the field.

So there's the backdrop....

I spoke this Saturday to one member of the team of developers that will be making this offer this week.  He contacted me and I returned his call.

"I've watched these meetings and been a part of the charettes--and I believe I have crafted an offer that will allow for the development of the field to go forward in a way that will comport with what the BCC wants and that will make residents happy." said the developer.  "We will work with you all on your Triumph grant--you just tell us the acreage you want for that and we will buy what's left over."  He continued.

We spoke briefly on price and I told him I'd look at what he presented.  His characterization was that it could be as much as $35 Million back to the county, depending on how any potential deal gets structured.  At a mere $40K per acre, I had a hard time seeing how that math works--especially given the fact that I KNOW the frontage parcels on 9-Mile will fetch prices MUCH HIGHER than $40K per acre.  Lots more.

So we will see what this offer looks like this week when we get it.  One thing is sure though--if we were to make a deal and recoup $35Million for the rest of OLF-8----that would allow for a LOT of projects in each of our 5 districts!

Stay Tuned

Folks are Being Misled and Manipulated about OLF-8 Part II

Folks that believe some of the lies in a chain
email going around are being used and 
manipulated.  The OLF-8 project will
be a great community asset with something
for everyone!  There is no FIGHT to be had 
on this project!

As I described in part I, there is a "chain-mail" going around that has a lot of debunked garbage in it as well as faux-facts about the OLF-8 project and the Board of County Commissioners' intentions going forward with this land.

We had a handful of speakers attend our public forum on this topic yesterday, and I took the opportunity to let them know they had been misled and that the characterizations they are hearing from some special interests on this project were simply untrue.  I spoke to the issue and set the record straight beginning at minute 18:00 of this video. and also at minute 54:30.  I was amazed that these folks are/were being misled and manipulated to such a degree.

Folks should not allow themselves to be manipulated to a point they become enraged about this project---there is no fight to be had here!!!  I want great things and good amenities on this field-I want what they want-and DPZ is going to help us facilitate this compromise! 😀

Not to sound like a broken record--but I have agreed to the compromise the board made and agreed to in this document in 2018.  Everyone who is getting these garbage propaganda flyers going around should look at this very important board guidance document that was approved in November of 2018 via a 5-0 vote of the board.  After that was approved------at that point the project changed and shifted to a mixed use development--with something for everyone--and away from strictly a "commerce park."  So again, as it pertains to this project, here is my position which I believe comports with what the vast majority of my constituents want:

Here is what I support: I want parks, greenspace, an elementary school, a walking/biking trail all around the field, restaurants and some retail along 9-mile road’s frontage.  I want beautiful aesthetics and lots of amenities for nearby residents like you and me.  I also want good, high-tech/clean tech high-paying Jobs in attractive facilities like NFCU’s buildings.  And I want us to follow the guidance document, the seven-pager linked above, that the BCC voted unanimously to approve, for how jobs and amenities are to be developed on OLF 8.   If we do this—we will all get a win and we will have JOBS, amenities, parks, some retail, a school, hopefully a post office, and possibly some mixed-use features.  I want something good for the community and the county and region---which means jobs are an important priority.  I am willing to compromise to a point—but not on the jobs aspects.  After all---we spent $18 Million and 25 years acquiring this parcel of land to create jobs.  Every acre we take away from that goal represents a compromise already.  So my ideal plan utilizes the maximum number of acres possible for the creation of good jobs which will allow us to secure a Triumph Gulf Coast grant for the build-out of the property to include infrastructure, roads, gutters, and stormwater features that may also double as recreational amenities for nearby residents.

Here’s what I don’t support:  Residential development on the field.  I know I may have to accept some in the final plan that will be a compromise with my peers on the board—but I do not believe we should use this land for residential construction or for sourcing land for residential developers.  There is too much residential out here already under construction---and the infrastructure is insufficient to handle more of this concentrated all in one area like OLF-8.  Furthermore, I do not believe that if high-density, high-impact residential is permitted on the

Folks are Being Misled and Manipulated about OLF-8

A toy Gumby doll is, of course, very malleable
and easily manipulated; real
human people should not be....

There are some emails making the rounds of subdivisions in the Beulah area.  They contain form letters spouting incomplete information, inaccurate information, and flat-out misinformation/disinformation.

Sadly--some folks are believing this garbage.  Several are compliantly forwarding along the sample email to commissioners.

But the folks need to know that what is contained in this propaganda email flyer attachment is untrue. 

 Instead of getting agitated and upset--they ought to simply pick up the phone and call their commissioner or do some basic internet research first.   

Just call before you get worked up is my advice---because the garbage propaganda you are getting is simply designed to manipulate you into waging a battle that isn't necessary.  Because here are the facts:

---The BCC did not cut the presenters off mid sentence--the presentation had gone on for a half-hour and the slide-deck was completed and it was the question and answer session once me and my counterparts started asking questions.  Also-simple information that had been previously requested of DPZ by the board was not brought to the meeting.  This agitated the board and contributed to some tension in the meeting.

---Under our Triumph Gulf Coast grant, we must attract jobs that pay above the prevailing wage--so the sentence in this propaganda flyer that says the OLF-8 project "will provide predominantly low-skilled, low-wage jobs" is a lie!

---the line "Escambia County does NOT need another underutilized commerce park" inaccurately portrays the commerce parks in Escambia as underperforming--which is a LIE!  (Our 5 general use commerce parks are a smashing success--employing more than 13,800 or our citizens and creating $1.7 Billion yearly in economic impact)

---The email links a garbage, debunked hatchet piece "opinion"  from the Pensacola News Journal that was "critical" of the board and me in particular.  That trash-pile "editorial" was debunked and totally ripped to shreds by the area's only other local print-media journalist, Rick Outzen.  He completely and totally dismantled their piece with a logical, thoughtful retort to it.

---and finally...the board HAS NOT made any final decisions yet on exactly how this property will be developed and we have not "selected" DPZ's "commerce park" plan.  That assertion is an absolute lie

Here's the thing:  We can disagree on factual issues--but if a ruckus is spun up via misinformation and folks actually buy into the propaganda without getting the facts first for themselves---this is not a good situation.  A toy Gumby doll is, of course, very malleable and easily manipulated; real human people should not be....

A toy Gumby doll is, of course, very malleable 
and easily manipulated; real 
human people should not be...

Escambia County's General Use Commerce Parks: A History of SUCCESS!

Yes, Folks are entitled to their own opinions.  But NO-they are not entitled to their own facts;  Escambia County's General Use Commerce Parks have been a SMASHING SUCCESS----not a failure!!

There is a lot of selfish propaganda being spread around the community at the moment regarding Escambia County's Economic Development efforts.  Specifically--this inaccurate information simply asserts that Escambia's Commerce Parks are a "failure."

But nothing could be further from the truth.  Our parks are a massive, overwhelmingly positive success story!

The disinformation campaign is being conducted to try to stop the Board of County Commissioners from creating high-technology, clean technology high-wage jobs at the county's recently acquired OLF-8 property in Beulah.  This "strategy" goes a little something like this: 

1.) Enlist certain community members to email the members of the Escambia Board of County Commissioners with false "knowledge" that our commerce parks are a failure

2.) Tell commissioners "we don't want any good, high paying jobs for the rest of the county located in our neighborhood"

3.) Spread the fiction that good jobs will "wreck" the area and "prevent" good amenities from being constructed on OLF-8 for the benefit of the entire community and county----as if somehow creating jobs and creating amenities for nearby residents are somehow mutually exclusive and this is some sort of a "binary choice."  (hint: doing these things are not mutually exclusive--this is not a binary choice)

It's all Pure fiction, rubbish.  

Here are the facts:

1. Our general use commerce parks have been smashing successes (see picture above). 

2.  As the board member who represents Beulah and lives right across from OLF-8 for the last 17 years--I would NEVER support building an "Ellyson" Field type of commerce park on OLF-8 and I STRONGLY support some great amenities (parks, post office, green space, restaurants, walking path, school, tennis courts) being constructed on the field.  I did not, have not, and never will support crushing machines, smokestacks, foul odors or heavy industry on this field.  OLF-8 Will NEVER be an "Industrial park."

3.  The only thing I absolutely DO NOT support is the construction of any more residential units on this property----the private market has this box checked already and we do not need to be in the business of sourcing land for developers to build more high-density, traffic exacerbating residential dwellings out here in Beulah.  We have enough already!

It sure would be great if folks, before becoming all "spun-up",  lathered, and exercised---would simply check the facts before they spin propaganda at the behest of some self-interested entities for political ----not practical -----purposes.  

Election season is over.  😊

57th Coffee With The Commissioner Event this Wednesday Morning!

 

We will have our 57th Coffee with the Commissioner this Wednesday Morning live on Facebook.

The live stream will take place from 6:30 - 7:30 a.m.   Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley, Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore, Baptist Health Care President and CEO Mark Faulkner,  Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola President Dawn Rudolph and West Florida Hospital CEO Gay Nord will discuss the latest COVID-19 numbers and the impact on the local community. Discussion will include information about the status of the vaccination rollout in Escambia County, testing, and the overall pandemic's impacts on our area and our area's hospitals.

To join the meeting, go to the following Facebook page at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20 and watch the live stream: www.facebook.com/CommissionerBergosh/.

Residents are encouraged to send virtual questions and comments they would like to discuss with District 1 Commissioner during the event through Facebook.

 For more information, contact District 1 Aide Debbie Kenney at 850-595-4910 or district1@myescambia.com. For District 1 updates, follow @MyDistrict1 on Twitter.

Escambia's Alcohol Sales Ordinance to be Discussed Next Week

We will be discussing our alcohol sales ordinance next Thursday during our board meeting.  Our current ordinance treats businesses differently according to where these businesses are located in the county geographically.  Some believe this is an unfair double standard and I do not disagree with that assessment.....

Next week I will be bringing our Alcohol Sales ordinance to our regular meeting for discussion among my peers.

I have been asked by constituents why there are currently no sales of alcoholic beverages permitted on Sunday until 1:00 PM on the mainland in stores---but on our two barrier islands (Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach) ----Sunday sales can commence at 7:00AM as our policy is currently written?

Why the differing standards is a fair question?

Looking at the ordinances of our nearby neighbor counties (below)--I prefer and will bring a suggested replacement ordinance for Escambia County that is similar to what Santa Rosa has--that treats all areas the same in terms of the time/date when alcoholic beverages can be sold.

No store will be obligated to start selling early if they choose not to do so--but they will be allowed to do so if they so choose.  

And no--I'm not "advocating" for people to go out and get drunk on Sunday mornings---I'm simply making our ordinance fair for all businesses in the county; as it is currently written, there is a glaring double standard.  

When or whether or not someone chooses to consume alcoholic beverages is a personal choice/decision---and we do live in a free country after all....

So we will see if there is any appetite for changing this ordinance locally--I have no idea where my counterparts stand on this issue.  We will find out next week though.

FASCINATING COVID-19 Data Points----Really Telling and Really Interesting

 

25% of nearly 3500 Asymptomatic patients tested for COVID-19 since Christmas are testing positive for the virus.  This is a very telling number.  What does that mean for the entire population though--could we use that percentage to extrapolate for our entire county's 320,000 residents?

Anyone and everyone can regurgitate FDOH statistics and data numbers.  Lots of people track the positivity numbers and the negative test results etc..  And that's all great.  I follow these numbers daily myself, as I have since this all started last year at this time.

But some interesting stats have been hard to get.

It took me 6 months of pressing to FINALLY get the "Recovered" number added to the County's COVID-19 dashboard.  I have subsequently taken heat because I pressed for that.  Some people don't like the term "recovered" because some COVID-19 patients don't die---yet they suffer significant ongoing medical issues.  That is a fair question and reasonable criticism--but I do not believe it means we shouldn't track the percentages and numbers that "Survive" a COVID-19 Diagnosis.  Perhaps we should change that term from "recovered" to "survived"--I don't know.  

Meanwhile--I recently heard from our Hospital administrators and testing partners that of 100% of nearly 5000 citizens locally in the 2-County Area (Santa Rosa and Escambia) being tested since Christmas----70% are asymptomatic and 30% present with flu-like symptoms.

So, naturally, I asked for the important data from those percentages:  What percentage of the 70% asymptomatic test subjects came back with a positive result for COVID-19?

"We are not tracking that" was the initial response.   "Why NOT?!?" was my reply.

So I asked for this number and I received some FASCINATING information back from the hospital staff with whom I spoke, with percentages, in my email box.  Full disclosure--the verbal disclaimer from these folks was that this was a rough order of magnitude, "Back of the envelope" number.  But still, it is interesting and it is a lot higher number than many would have suspected... From the email:

"Good morning, I wanted to give you the stats since Christmas that we discussed on the phone yesterday. Since Christmas, we still have about 70% of patients being COVID tested in Escambia County who do not have symptoms and 30% who do have symptoms. Of the people with symptoms - they are running at a 41% positive rate in Escambia county since Christmas. Of the people without symptoms - they are running at a 25% positive rate since Christmas." 

How Much Does it Cost to Provide a COVID-19 Test to an Escambia County Citizen?

What is the actual cost of performing a COVID-19 test on an Escambia County Citizen?

A fascinating discussion occurred late, as the BCC's regular meeting  dragged on past 9:00PM last night.

We were discussing CARES act allocations and we had several contracts to consider---including two that would have provided additional CARES act funding for COVID-19 tests.

We were contemplating approving a contract with Ascension Sacred Heart which would have provided $100 for each uninsured citizen that gets a COVID-19 test at one of Ascension's sites.  According to representatives from Ascension--they "Ate more than $1 Million" in revenue loss from COVID-19 tests administered thus far.  There was no elaboration on exactly what that means, though.  

Was this $1 Million + in losses unrecoverable from any federal source under CARES?  Was it $1 Million in actual costs or wass this $1 Million in retail or list cost?  I'd like to know this, but did not get clarification during the morning session.

When County staff was asked during the subsequent evening meeting "How much does Ascension pay for a COVID-19 test?"  The answer came back from staff that "They (Ascension) do not share this information."

Additional discussion among board members centered on the fact that Community Health Northwest is paid $37 per COVID-19 test in a separate agreement--which apparently covers their costs and allows them to provide these rapid tests to at-risk citizens.  This is quite a bit less than what Ascension was going to be getting.  Naturally, one would assume it must be less expensive for Ascension to administer these tests, given their size, economy of scale, and their organic, in-house testing capability?

So why do they need to get $100 per test? That was the question that went unanswered last night.

  Because nobody from Ascension came to answer--and because board members had questions--the contracts with Ascension for both the mass vaccinations AND the testing were not approved.  Hopefully over the next two weeks we can get some clarification from Ascension....because folks like me want to know---How much does it cost to provided a COVID-19 test to an Escambia County Citizen?

Who Should Administer the COVID-19 Vaccines Locally?

If we have to pay to do it locally--it is in our best interests to hire multiple outlets
to administer the COVID-19 vaccines.  It is not in the citizens' best interests
for the county to do an exclusive, sole-source procurement
with only ONE (1) of several qualified providers locally.  That's why tonight
we are NOT doing a sole-source deal.......

We all heard about Operation Warp Speed.

We heard the military would start mass-vaccinations nationwide.

Then we heard the state would handle the vaccinations.

But then reality hit.  

About two weeks back the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County and Escambia County administration had a tense conversation at which point it was made clear that the local state Health Department did not have the capacity to administer the vaccinations locally.

The rollout thus far has been a massive cluster.

Escambia County at the local level is going to have to step in and pay hospitals and/or other entities to do it---otherwise citizen outrage will continue to roil to a boiling point and there won't be an orderly rollout.

One of the hospitals has now presented us with this contract.  It mirrors contracts this particular Hospital Corporation is using to vaccinate in other markets as well, to include Santa Rosa County.

As I stated in last weeks blog post--why are we paying for this?

But getting past this frustration and the botched state rollout of this vaccination program--why would we ever do what appears to be an exclusive deal with just one of our local hospitals/clinics that can and want to help in the administration of these vaccines?

Answer--we shouldn't do this, we shouldn't do sole-source procurements for these services.

So at tonight's meeting we will bring an updated version of this contract that makes it clear that this $3.5 Million is a total of a currently allocated "pool" of money to be utilized for the express purpose of providing vaccinations to uninsured in the county AND that we are not doing an exclusive deal with ANY one hospital;  this is a NON-EXCLUSIVE agreement and the county can and will add other vendors that choose to participate locally into this program allowing them to vaccinate under the same terms, conditions, stipulations and reimbursement rates from this "pool" of money as in this first contract.

For us as Escambia County to do anything else makes no sense.... I mean--why would we want to limit the number of hospitals, clinics, and/or other licensed and qualified county-approved facilities that we will enlist and pay to provide vaccinations--- if we are truly interested in getting the maximum number of vaccinations out to our citizens as quickly as possible?

We should expand the supply channels not narrow them with exclusive, 1-outlet deals.

This is why we won't do an exclusive deal with one provider, and we will fix this contract tonight before it is approved so that multiple providers, if they so choose, can participate and vaccinate and draw down the $3.5 Million for providing the vaccine to the uninsured citizens.

Anger Mounts over Vaccine Rollout Strategy Cluster....

Anger is quickly building among constituents who are frustrated over the inability to get clear guidance on how to get a COVID-19 vaccination shot in Escambia County.

The state's rollout of this vaccination program here has been a cluster.  And that is being polite.

It's a goat rope.

Constituents in Escambia County are not happy about it either.  My office is getting irate phone calls and emails of complete and utter frustration over the State's vaccination strategy.

"Nobody answers when I call the published number!"

"I call and then a recording says go online to sign up--but I called because I do not have internet access!"

"Nobody can tell me when or where to go to get my vaccination"

These are common complaints that I am getting because our office answers the phone calls and responds to the emails.

Emails look like this:

“The Vaccination roll-out has been a complete cluster. I would hope that the commissioners will address this during tomorrow's meeting. I can't think of any agenda item that could be more important then the health of Escambia County citizens.

I 'finally' got through to the Escambia Dept of Health today (Wednesday). Obviously they are overrun w/calls. According to staff, they are being kept in the dark, like the rest of us us. There seems to be no 'real' plan in the county or the state of Florida. If this is the plan, it needs to changed, because this is not working. We call or sign up at the link and don't get a reply or anything, except an auto-thank you, so we don't know if we are registered or not. Why not have a Website/Online Tool or something, so we can see register and where we are in line, rather then having to constantly search for updates and hope to get an idea of when the next vaccination clinic is? There were months to prepare, but it appears like there was no plan. It would be great to see a brainstorming discussion at the BOCC Meeting where ideas are tossed around. Not 2 weeks from now, but asap.”

and this:

“Dear Sir:

As a SENIOR CITIZEN in Escambia County, I am dismayed at how I am being treated in regard to Covid Vaccinations.  I am asking you to please tell the SENIOR CITIZENS of Escambia County a truthful, realistic, expeditious way in which we can register for and receive our Covid Vaccinations? It is unconscionable that we have gotten nothing but jibber jabber from the appropriate agencies in our county.  These are the very same agencies that are here to “protect and cater to our SENIOR CITIZENS.”  I THINK NOT...My husband and I have been calling constantly, day and night, to the agencies and phone numbers provided. There is no way to get through; the line rings “busy” every time.  And the website recommended is not even up-and-running.  And yet thousands of vaccinations have been given. How did those people get appointments?   Certainly not using the phone numbers and websites dispersed to the public by health officials and Emergency Management. Not providing us with a viable and fair way to register for and receive the Covid Vaccination is disrespectful of our esteemed ELDERS, detrimental to our health, and actually, quite shameful!  I hope that there is a logical resolution to this problem and that ALL CITIZENS of Escambia County can fairly and straight-forwardly receive our inoculations.”

Yeah, so folks are mad.

I'm now told that even despite all of the state's problems---some way, somehow, The State Department of Health in Escambia County still has managed to compile a "list" of about 10,000 residents that have reached out to them wanting vaccination.  But the state has told our staff they cannot handle the logistics of distributing the vaccines.  So now this is falling on us to fund--as I pointed out last week.

We're jumping in with a solution that will maximize the county's various distribution channels to move the vaccines locally and get as many citizens the shot as possible--that will be approved at tonight's meeting.

A Better COVID-19 Dashboard is Now Here! "Recovered COVID-19 Cases" Number Now Tracked

 

After months of work to make it better--we have succeeded.

Our County's CoVID-19 Dashboard is now reflecting a "Recovered" number along with all of the other important metrics that we track and provide daily.

The "Recovered" metric is an estimate based upon the approximate total cases prior to last month minus deaths.  The staff will be using the Crude Recovery Rate and the Crude Case Fatality Rate applied to the number of cases to provide the estimated recovery rate.  The Crude Case-Fatality Risk (CFR) is calculated by dividing the Total Number of Fatalities in Escambia County (Resident and Non-Resident) by the Total Number of Confirmed Cases in Escambia County (Resident and Non-Resident) and multiplying by 100%. The Crude Case-Recovery Risk (CRR) is calculated by subtracting the CFR from 100%. The CFR and CRR are not adjusted for the time delay from diagnosis to death which is highly variable from one to eight weeks. (CFR discussed in: The Lancet Infectious Diseases, October 19, 2020).

I've been pushing for the inclusion of this metric for the last 6 months-----as I know how vitally important it is to provide as much good data to citizens as quickly as possible.  And to only provide the gross, cumulative "cases" number without the counterbalancing context of recovered cases was not giving a complete picture of the situation in Escambia County.  And this is why many other states and countries also provide a "recovered" figure.

It took a while, but now it is here.  I'm grateful to staff for working to keep this data up to date and easy to read.