Escambia-Gulf Breeze Bridge-Naming Committee Holds Organizational Meeting

Last night the Escambia County-City of Gulf Breeze Bridge-naming committee held its first meeting.

The purpose of this committee is to take public input and decide on a name for the replacement structure for the existing Philip D. Beall Sr. Memorial Bridge that is being built over Pensacola Bay.  Current FDOT policy states that absent legislative action, a replacement structure carries the existing designation

However there is a movement afoot to pull the existing designation and rename the replacement structure in honor of General Chappie James.

My personal feelings on the subject have been well documented:  I will never vote to remove a historical memorial designation on a whim.  Never.  I also believe that the aviator Chappie James was truly a great American Hero and that we should honor him locally, in his hometown, by re-naming Pensacola's airport in his honor--as Louisville recently did for their hometown hero Muhammad Ali.

Ultimately, the committee will make the final recommendation for our consideration, though.

8 of the 9 members of this newly-formed committee were present, along with an equal number of members of the public, myself, Commissioner Robert Bender, and media representatives from the PNJ and WEAR ABC.

At this meeting, and after we went around the room and all in attendance were recognized and allowed to introduce ourselves, Gulf Breeze attorney Timothy Burr was selected as chairman and some initial housekeeping items were addressed as follows:

--County staff gave a brief overview of the sunshine law and its applicability to this group.

--Chairman Burr took input from committee members and the public and the group decided upon three meetings for input from the public and an eventual decision meeting where the committee would hopefully vote on a name.

(Public comments were allowed in a very informal manner and will be a part of the meeting agenda's going forward; Kirke Beall spoke (grandson of Philip Beall Sr.) and I spoke as well. Multiple  members of the committee and the public spoke and were heard.)

--June 11th, 5:30 PM  Escambia County Commission Boardroom
--June 12th, 5:30 PM Gulf Breeze (venue TBA)

--July 9th, final committee meeting for decision, 5:30 Escambia County Commission Boardroom

Escambia County staff committed to taking for action the committee recommendation that an email address be established and monitored and advertised that will allow citizens to give suggested names for the bridge.  This information will be shared with committee members one-week prior to the next meeting on June 11th.