OLF 8 Commerce Park and Restore Act Committee

Some folks are upset that the BCC is poised to move forward with the OLF 8 project--the project to create high-paying jobs, the project that was ranked #1 for Economic Development by the Restore Act Committee.

Some folks have selective amnesia or they simply refuse to recognize the history of the decision making process regarding the plan for a commerce park at OLF 8.

Some folks are just against it no matter what the experts say and no matter what the BCC voted for.

Some folks are partisans and closed minded, so they just don't care about the decisions and actions that led to the direction the Board, Restore Act Committee, and Economic Development experts have taken on what should be done with OLF 8.

But these same folks, by and large, are also the ones that hate the fact that Escambia County brought Navy Federal Credit Union out to Beulah.  They hate this and wish they had an "Easy Button" to press to make that whole area the cow pastures again and to send NFCU back to Virginia.  So that is them.

For everyone else, though, here is a brief, consolidated History of how the OLF 8 commerce park project evolved.

2010--Oil spill decimates the economy and environment of the Gulf Coast--exposing a glaring need for jobs diversification (away from simply tourist/retail/support jobs)

2012--Restore Act Committee formed by BCC to take projects in, rank them, provide recommendations to the BCC for funding such projects with proceeds from fines levied against BP by the Federal Restore Act.

March, 2016--Restore Act Committee Racks and Stacks all projects.  Projects are subsequently ranked in silos based upon categories (environment, economic, and infrastructure)

April, 2016-Restore Act Committee Sunsets after making recommendations.  OLF 8 Commerce Park project selected, by this committee (Not Jeff Bergosh, Not Jim Cronley, Not the Tooth Fairy,Not Santa Claus, Not anyone else but by the professionals and experts on the BCC's very own Restore Act Committee) As the NUMBER 1 Economic Development Restore Act Project.

November, 2016--Jeff Bergosh elected to and joins BCC as District 1 member

September, 2017-- BCC votes to move 10 Restore Act Projects forward--to include the OLF 8 Commerce Park concept.

June, 2018--Realizing that the OLF 8 property will be coming to the county, certain developers and individuals (same ones that Hate NFCU and jobs growth)  demand that the BCC not take the Restore Act Grant, ignore the Restore Act Committee, Ignore the experts in business development--and instead use this property, once acquired by the county, for a recreational facility, a town center, a nature park, more condos, townhomes, and apartments, and an ampitheater--with NO AREAS SET ASIDE FOR HIGH-TECH, HIGH WAGE JOBS AND CORPORATE OFFICES--NO MATTER WHAT!!!

It is astonishing to watch these folks in action, as they blatantly ignore the history of how the commerce park project came to be, how it was vetted, and how the project has progressed.  Now, they just want us to leave all the restore act funds on the table, and build more low wage retail jobs and apartments on the site--in direct contravention to what the restore act committee recommended.

For my part, as a resident that lives right across the street and is the elected representative of this district, I'm not ignorring the experts and changing course to mollify a few loud opponents.

I'm voting to move forward.