Sadly, the PNJ will be running a hatchet piece editorial tomorrow
that inaccurately portrays the facts surrounding the OLF 8 project.
Disappointing.
The theme of it is that I am
attacking folks that I disagree with. This is simply not true.
I attacked nobody in my
disagreement and concerns over what is being planned for OLF 8. I have
expressed the concerns I have heard from residents and constituents that do not
want any more high-density residential development out here until our
infrastructure catches up. I can and will correct folks who inaccurately
distort my position on this issue--that is not attacking someone.
Here are the
facts: We have a $30 Million dollar triumph request for which we will qualify
if we create a minimum of 1000 good wage-paying jobs with this property. I made
the motion to sell 100 acres to NFCU for a market price plus the commitment
of 300 jobs--so we only need to create a minimum of 700 more to stay in the
running for that money! I made the motion to sell this 100 acres to get us closer to our jobs goal.
Triumph, to date, has not
funded any residential projects--so I have stated that I do not feel
residential development is appropriate at the site--for this reason and because
1200 apartments, condos, and homes are currently under construction within
walking distance from NFCU's campus already. Again--we can't take any more of
this high-density residential development until our infrastructure catches
up...
so why do we, the public sector, need to compete with the private sector
by facilitating the building of more high density residential on our soon to be acquired, taxpayer paid property?
Another big concern that I have heard in listening to my constituents is this:
while there are really nifty mixed used developments and town center concepts
that are put out as examples of what could be built out on OLF 8--many believe
these sorts of developments belong in urban areas, not rural, bucolic areas
like Beulah. Many, like me, find the CIVICON speakers to be very informative,
enlightening, and educational. But not all of those concepts are applicable to
a rural, suburban community that is desperately trying to retain the rural
charm and character despite the growth that is occurring.
To agree with my
constituents that feel this way and to disagree with others that want to build
a "mini-city" in Beulah's OLF 8 field to make this area a slick "city" like in Tampa, Atlanta, or Pittsburgh--that is an attack? I disagree.
Here is the key: The county expended $17.3 million dollars for OLF 8 for the purpose
of creating jobs--not for creating a "town of Beulah" or for
acquiring land for residential developers. The jobs-generating project for OLF
8 was conceived, voted upon, and financial commitments were made long before I
came on this board--I inherited this. Like I supported ST Aerospace at the
airport (for jobs) I do continue to support growing of clean jobs out here as
well.
But I also made the motion to engage a professional planner to give us a
plan that takes all of these factors into account, keeps us in the running for
the $30 Million dollar grant, brings some amenities to the residents out here that we desperately need,
and brings us a plan that citizens county wide can benefit from to include
nearby residents like me (I live across the street).
Far from attacking anyone,
this is me doing my job and siding with constituents over special interests that want to build a "mini city" out here, with condos, townhomes, and low rent subsidized housing to boot.
I am not hearing many of my constituents telling me this is their vision for this property--I'm hearing "No More Residential until the infrastructure catches up!"
11 comments:
I am completely tired of the the narrative coming from JUECW Theresa Blackwell and some Buelah residents and Underhill and the flying monkeys. Their message is toxic and a cancer and they seem blind to what is going on out side of their echo chamber. Similar to the same drama going on nationally. Time to turn it off. Can't argue with stupid or reason with crazy. PNJ sucks also. Sad the only challenger in D2 is a democrat.,Keep up the fight. Over it.
Fake news. This PNJ article along with the liberal PNJ hit job on Bear, Cronley, Frank White, Bydlak, McMillan, Williamson, Doidge and Gaetz illustrates PNJ’s liberal hatred of conservatives. I have never seen you attack anyone and I read your blog and watch the commission meetings. I challenge the PNJ to link to your blog or the dozens of viewpoints you have written to prove you have attacked anyone. They can’t. They can show others who have attacked you. Therefore, their unsourced, unsubstantiated and liberally biased story about you is liberal fake news.
You already know why they are attacking you. You dare to have a blog and criticize the PNJ. you disagree with them, manipulate Dandy Marlette's cartoons (it's too bad you don't draw, your cartoon manipulation are so very clever) and do not accept their liberal views. So, they are petty and are coming after you. Of course, informed citizens know the truth that you are trying to navigate a trickey acquisition of land, utilize Triumph money to bring jobs, ensure those jobs are good jobs and please people in Beulah (like me), who don't want our rural area to change. Additionally, informed citizens know you made the motion for Navy Fed to acquire the additional land near them and you made the motion to hire a master planner to assist in assessing the best uses for OLF 8. Everybody knows the PNJ is petty, small and fake news.
A true example of their petty, small and fake news is found in the disgusting editorial today mocking Lewis Bear for supporting certain candidates for political office. I like Frank White and thought he was the right person to serve as Florida Attorney General. But the PNJ horribly bullIies and tries to shame him and his Father in law, Sandy Sansing, for attempting to serve. Mr. Sansing is a true philanthropist who gives and gives to this community. The PNJ's attack on him is utterly uncalled for and is incredibly mean spirited. Ditto for Ms. Bydlak. I really like her, too. The PNJ's savaging of her is abhorrent. How can our community ever hope to encourage young people, especially young women, to seek public office when they are branded akin to a scarlet letter for trying help their community. Mr. McMillan ran a close race against the incumbent Underhill, losing by only 212 votes. There is no shame in that. He ran on humility and respect, concepts the PNJ unfortunately lacks.
I told you why you are attacked by the liberal PNJ, but I am unsure why other leaders of our community were savaged by the PNJ. I suspect it's a liberal agenda: those attacked are all conservative republicans. I know the liberal PNJ has a liberal social agenda to push in this conservative area and has alienated its base, to its own detriment. Look how small and whispy their paper is. Especially its Sunday edition. So take heart, those who pay attention know this paper attacks conservative people and conservative values and we reject the PNJ. It has no credibility with anyone, even the PNJ staff knows the paper is disingenuous. Everybody knows.
There is some person named Jacqueline Aimee Rogers who runs you down on ECW on Facebook. She really doesn’t like you and passively but aggressively attacks you. I saw one post from her where she begrudgingly gave you credit for strongly addressing bullying in the school district and bringing the new point case to the state attorney, but she said she was in a good mood and being charitable. Be ware of her. She has an agenda like the never Trumpers. She was and is a never Bergosher she only wanted sindel. It’s Sunday and it should be a charitable day. I suspect, based on her own words, she has zero charity for you in her heart. Be ware.
Anonymous 7:56 hits the nail on the head. I worked with my fellow commissioners last week to compromise on this issue after we had several very good conversations about OLF 8 and jobs. I heard strongly from 2 of my counterparts that jobs had to be a part of what we do out on the field, and that we should have a professional firm help us determine what that will look like. I agreed and actually made the motion to have staff start working on an RFP. I also made the motion to sell the 100 acres to NFCU for the 300 jobs and a market price. PNJ didn't bother to mention these facts in their hit piece. They also conveniently did not mention the $30 Million in triumph grant money at stake if we can get another 700 jobs. Nope, no mention of that, just a bash of me for supporting NFCU, moving to hire a master planner, and supporting this board's triumph ask to create jobs for our community. And for this, I am accused of insulting and attacking citizens. It is pure garbage. And the other piece that attacks Frank White, Sandy Sansing, Rebekah Bydlak, Lewis Bear, Jim Cronley, Kendrick Doidge, Charles Bare, Rob Williamson, and Boyce White, was a stomach-turning piece of tripe that I cannot believe got published. I admire Marlette's abilities as a cartoonist, even when I am the subject of the cartoon...but what he did with today's article was a below the belt shot. Where is the sportsmanship? The election is over. This is not unlike a winning fighter walking in the ring and standing over the unconscious opponent he just knocked out, and kicking the downed fighter in the face and spitting on him then walking over to the losing fighter's ring-man/trainer and punching him in the face and kicking him in the groin. This article is disgusting and nobody deserves to get kicked while they are down after the fight. Unsportsmanlike, vicious, uncalled for.....
Jeff, The silent majority stands with you as most with good sense and maturity do. Hold your head and up, relax and continue. We see through the conundrum.
If people are too stupid to notice a Facebook page with one commissioner in it with the two ladies who control the narrative watching the meetings is not propaganda then whoa on them. PNJ is falling apart. If people don't learn and think for themselves then that is what Escambia is up against. If they stick their head in the sand and trust those sources then that's what we get. You have provided link after link of info. It's actually sad and discoraging to watch the drama and ignorance so prevalent in the narrative. The reporter looks to a Facebook page and makes a story from the info there. Worthless.
I am a long time resident of Beulah. I was reading some of the comments that people have posted and I wonder why everybody is disagreeing with everybody. I will be glad when the flying field people ae gone but for that big piece of property needs to be for the benefit of Beulah and Pensacola. There is a need for a recreational park. There is a need for a real nice restaurant. And there is also a need for a well-respected store - hopefully not Walmart. I wouldn't mind seeing perhaps an urgent care place out here because we don't have one. Perhaps some business offices but definitely not manufacturing. The big trucks will create accidents and we don't need that in Beulah. Most of all I would like to see a lot of smiling faces in my neighborhood with everyone getting along. Thanks!
Who is pulling the strings behind these PNJ stories against you, Sandy Sansing, Lewis Bear, Jim Cronley, Matt Gaetz, Frank White, Rob Williamson, R. Bydlak, McMillan? Yesterday was like watching The Godfather part II. Michael Corleone is in church yesterday, praying for God’s blessings on him and his family, while his goons (the PNJ) execute all in his way, those he dislikes, those he’s jealous over, those who are just annoying him. Who has that sway over the PNJ? Who is Pensacola’s Michael Corleone?
I am fairly new to the area.. and I do know one thing ...Jeff Bergosh and Jim Faxlanger were the only two candidates to knock on my door. They wanted to know of any issues and how they could help our communities. After talking to them after 30-45 mins I felt that they really cared! So I appreciate Jeff’s background and experience and he is a true leader. The ladies on ECW FB page (you kniw the names) and their following heads are constantly stirring the pot which serves no purpose...one was even another commissioner’s wife which was very inappropriate. The PNJ is just a joke. They, too, get their liberal talking heads to constantly bash any conservative......i have been called every name in the book when I voice my opinion so I just no longer read their poorly written, grammatically incorect, writings...unprofessional for sure! But I do know that when i read about your ideas for OLF8 you make a lot of sense and you are working towards what the people want in that area. Infrastructure is in a sad state of affairs, so until that is upgraded and correctly planned, any growth will only frustrate the taxpayer more.
Keep fighting the fight, Jeff. You are doing a great job.
I think it's Studer pulling the strings. (plus others) He was behind disrespecting Confederate veterans and helped to force the narrative via PNJ 2020. . The Indigenous Day show by Robinson was interesting. They take down statue to veterans who lost the war yet put up flags for Native Americans who lost the three Seminole wars. Ricks blog won't post a comment that goes against his opinion on this anymore. Settlers were attacked by the Native Americans in some locations. Bleeding hearts should be aware people will try to control land and power even now using money and information warfare It's just more subtle-- right now.
We also have a representative constitutional republic so far.
Stick with the original plan, too many chefs spoil the broth.
Civic Con isn't for everybody, neither is Northern, I'm better and smarter than everybody else mentality.
Underhill was such a hypocrite with the entire OLF deal on facebook, then Hemmer got involved and revealed his true hand.
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