#PERDIDO-GATE Part V: Did the Sitting President of the United States of America in 1926, Calvin Coolidge, Limit Public Beach Access?

Did the Nation's 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, have a hand in limiting the public's right to acces of Federally excessed public beach properties in Escambia County at Perdido Key?  Really??

Once we found out that 64 parcels of beachfront properties in Escambia County that were "excessed" by the Federal Government in 1957 all contained language expressly mandating ongoing public easement(s) for beaches for public access in perpetuity-------we all were natually optimistic that most, if not all, of the other parcels (all of which at some time or another came to private parties, local governments, state agencies, states, or the park services from the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT) would contain similar language memorializing and protecting the public's right to use this wonderful natural resource forever.

Sadly--we are now finding it is not the case.  Some parcels do not have this language.  Others had it and lost it.

And the parcels on Perdido Key--west of the State Park and East of the state line--apparently had a direct grant to initial non-government owners that not only did NOT speak to public access--but that were actually granted directly by the President of the United States (at that time) himself, personally!

Wow!

Obviously I am not happy to see this--but facts are facts and I cannot and will not refuse to accept the reality of this situation and the documents I am reading.  But it is both interesting and disappointing.

The sitting President of the United States personally granted a HUGE swath of Perdido Key, apparently, to a few members of one particular family.  

This family subsequently sold that property to one large developer--who in turn parceled out the properties in the 1958 timeframe without any language, whatsoever, mandating any public access at all to the beautiful  sandy beaches of Escambia County at Perdido Key.  Interesting, historic, borderline scandalous (given the prevaling language and disposition favoring public access at that time) and also disappointing....

All I can say is facts don't lie, and the documents are the documents.  But if Coolidge was around today this WOULD BE A SCANDAL OF EPIC PROPORTIONS!(because Coolidge was a Republican)........

Northwest District 1 Advisory Committee Appointees Selected

I want to thank all of the citizens that stepped up and volunteered to serve on the Northwest District 1 Advisory Committee as specified in the resolution adopted by the BCC in June.

The cutoff date for applications has passed (applications were due by 7-31-2018) and the slate of citizens selected to serve has been identified.

At next week's regular meeting of the BCC, the following names will be put before the full BCC for approval as specified in the resolution that established this committee:

Jay Ingwell
Kim Aderholdt
David Liechty
Dr. Laura Bryant
Jill Johnson
George Levy
Joseph Poitivan
Wilson Taylor
Paul Flores

Several members of the community had expressed interest in serving on this committee, but for unknown reasons these folks did not apply within the specified time frame.  I will continue to accept applications from those that are interested in serving but who did not apply during the first window of time for applicants, and in the event of a vacancy on this committee I will select a replacement from this new pool of applicants which also includes the citizens who submitted initially but who were not selected.

I look forward to having this committee reach out to the citizens of the Northwest portion of District 1 in order to work to implement a master plan for this area of the district--in addition to providing recommendations on addressing growth and infrastructure.

The initial meeting of this new committee is scheduled for Monday, September 10, 2018.

County CMR Staff Releases Full Town Hall Video from 7-26-2018

District 1 Town Hall Meeting Tonight

Our next town hall meeting will be held tonight, Tuesday September 29th at 6:00 PM at Beulah Elementary School, 6201 Helms Road, Pensacola, 32526.

Issues to be discussed this evening include:

--Growth Management, discussion on growth in NW Pensacola/Beulah area

--OLF 8/OLFX Land Swap with the Navy

--Traffic/roadway Improvements scheduled/contemplated for the area

--Budget Issues confronting the BCC (Including the Sheriff's Budget Issue)

--Jail Update

--Update on Mass Transit

--Library for District 1

--Beulah Fire Station Renovations

--Master Plan for Beulah

I look forward to meeting and hearing from interested constituents, and staff will be on hand to answer constituent questions as well.