Plumbing Issue Erupts between City and local Plumbers Association

Many private sector plumbers locally have
said they think this situation stinks!

The issue between the private sector plumbers of Escambia County and the City of Pensacola has played out quietly behind closed doors, on limited social media outlets, and in the email inboxes of elected officials locally via wave after wave of emails.......  It has been relatively low key thus far.

I think this is about to change.

Now a very well respected and high-profile attorney locally has weighed in on the side of the plumbers.  Many of us received a copy of the letter this attorney sent to the city yesterday.

The issue is simple:  Should the public sector (Pensacola Energy) unfairly compete with the private sector with respect to installations of gas appliances in homes in the county?  The private sector can't compete with the prices the public sector is offering, and the local plumbers are losing work.

According to a local plumbing contractor I spoke with, the difference in price can be substantial.

"If I do a home installation of a tankless gas water heater in a house--the costs can exceed $1700 dollars.  If Pensacola Energy does it, they do it for the cost of the appliance.  I can't compete with that price because I have overhead to pay.   It's not fair." said this plumber.

The issue was on the agenda for the County and the City to discuss at the recent joint meeting, however at the last minute the City unilaterally pulled the item from the agenda.

The County sent a letter to the city requesting specific answers about this practice.  In response, the city declined to answer but offered to facilitate individual, one-on-one meetings with each commissioner to "explain" the practice.

The recent animosity between plumbers and Pensacola Energy might
be on the verge of rupturing like a broken water line...

Because long ago I read and I fully understand Blackford v School Board of Orange County --I do not participate in scheduled, one-after another,  one-issue staff/board meetings.  Such meetings serve to circumvent the open meeting law--so I don't do them.

So with no forward progress, It appears as if the plumbers are going the legal route...... 

From the letter:

"....activities by Pensacola Energy violate several federal and state laws, including without limitation:

  (1) Sherman "Antitrust" Act, 15 U.S.C. 1-7
  (2) Florida's Antitrust Act; Fla. Stat.  523.15 et. seq.
  (3) Fla. Stat.  501.201 et seq......

....By publically endorsing select members of the "plumber partners" cartel, the City of Pensacola is

Alarming Statistics on HIV/AIDS Infections in Escambia County

The Black Community Locally, According to WUWF, is over-represented with cases of HIV/AIDS.  According to WebMD, the highest risk behaviors that lead to such infections are unprotected male homosexual sex, unprotected sex with multiple partners, and intravenous drug abuse.

 

Overshadowed by the conclusion of the interstate murder spree of Billy Boyette  yesterday, as well as Tornados wrecking areas West of us--was a very interesting and heartbreaking story on WUWF about HIV/AIDS infection rates locally.

February is Black History Month, and February 7th is Black HIV/AIDS awareness day.

In this very alarming radio piece--some sobering statistics were given:

In the four-county area (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties)--just over 2,000 persons are currently infected with HIV/AIDS.  Of this total, 65% of these cases are in Escambia County.

Sadly, the Black community is over-represented in this category of persons afflicted with HIV--in fact the guest on the show stated "It is still an epidemic" in the Black community.

Blacks make up just 15% of Florida's population--yet Blacks account for 50% of the AIDS Infections statewide, according to this program.

Escambia County's Black Population is about 23%--yet Blacks account for more than 50% of the HIV/AIDS cases in Escambia County according to the WUWF piece.

Interestingly, not much was discussed during the program as to the "why" Blacks appear to be overrepresented in this category.  The guest on the show stated that many people purposely do not get tested for HIV/AIDS because they "Don't want to know their status."  Many agencies offer free and confidential screening for this disease--yet those at high risk continue to avoid being tested.

So why this overrepresentation that acutely affects the Black Community?  Could the reason be the

Why Not a Tent City for Some Prisoners?

If it is humane for Soldiers and Marines to sleep on cots in tents
as these men defend our freedoms overseas, how is it inhumane for
prisoners who break law to sleep on cots in tents?

Escambia County is rebuilding the jail that exploded in the massive flood of April,  2014. 

The costs are going to be astronomical.

I'm told it could top  $135 Million.

"Why must it cost so much?" has been my continuing question.

Now I'm hearing that the number of inmates our new jail is being designed to accommodate is a number that is less than the number of prisoners we're holding right now! (many of our inmates are being housed in other jurisdictions due to our current jail issue)

So my question, in addition to why the costs MUST be so high, is this:  Why can't we build a compliant jail and also build in capacity for a tent-city outside facility for certain prisoners--to help accommodate what will be a large number of inmates locally?

Now, I'm not saying every prisoner should be housed in a tent city style outdoor, uncomfortable jail.

But many should be, in my opinion. 

And before bleeding-heart types start talking about how "cruel" this would be--remember that right now as we speak there are United States Army personnel sleeping in similar accommodations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other areas around the world. 

Anyone who would call a tent city detention facility cruel and unusual needs to rationally explain to

Closing Rawson Lane

Many constituents have emailed and called expressing support for the closure of Rawson Lane in Pensacola...

Rawson Lane is a small street that cuts through the campus of Pensacola Christian College in Central Pensacola.  It begins at Brent Lane and ends at Airport Boulevard.  It’s a small street but it’s also a hot potato.

I’ve toured the area, met with the PCC staff, looked at the traffic analyses, and heard from constituents and residents on this issue.

Many have expressed the opinion that this road should be vacated by the county, then subsequently signed over to PCC.  “After all, PCC owns the property on BOTH sides of Rawson Lane; PCC should get this road so that their campus could be safer and so the school could build another large dormitory facility that they desperately need to sustain their growth”—some have communicated to me.

On the other side of the equation-a few have told me they feel the county should keep Rawson Lane.

“Taxpayers paid for the road and I want to have the ability to use that road to get to the hospital quickly if I need to” one elderly resident wrote.

Another  nearby resident stated “I use that road when the train stops on the tracks—and I don’t want to lose that ability!”

Another  resident called my office to relate the following message to me: “I voted for you, I live in your district and I use Rawson Lane all the time.  If you vote to vacate Rawson Lane, I won’t vote for you again!”**

One call I received was especially troubling:   “Jeff, the school is pressuring faculty and students to

Where Have the LOST Monies Been Spent? A 10 Year Look

I requested the information on behalf of a constituent and received the following chart back from staff.  It is interesting to look at the breakdown;  District 1 trails only District 4 as the district that has received the least amount of LOST funding over the last 10 years so far as I can tell.....

Complex Problems, Creative Solutions

Imagine if you had a neighbor that ran a generator morning, noon, and night because his power was shut off and he could not afford to reconnect it.  Imagine if nobody addressed this continuing nuisance of noise next door?

Everyone knows that after a storm or if the power is out for an extended period--the sounds of generators will ring out throughout the suburban neighborhoods of Escambia County Florida. 

As power is restored, one by one, the generators get turned off and these very useful machines get stored away in the garages of Pensacola until the next storm or power outage.

At least that's the way it typically is.....

In one District 1 neighborhood, though, a generator runs constantly--24/7, 365 days a year.

"The occupant had his power cut off long ago, and so they just run the generator for power" said one resident I spoke with about this issue.  He continued "I'm told they (occupants of the house) can't afford to pay the fees and back charges, so they are not going to have the power turned back on--they just run their generator."

As I toured the area recently, I parked three houses away from the house that is running the generator.  The moment I stepped out of the car I heard the distinctive, droning, continuous sound of the gas powered generator.  It was loud.

Imagine if you had a neighbor that did this in your neighborhood---and the sound never ended?  It would get old very quickly.

Imagine if it continued, unabated, for month after month after month...

Luckily for us all, our current noise ordinance covers such noises in residential neighborhoods.  Sec. 42-65 (l) states that "between the hours of 10:00P.M. and 7:00 A.M. the operation of..any internal combustion engine, the operation of which causes noise due to the explosion of operating gases or fluids, provided that the noise is unreasonably loud and can be heard across the property line from which it emanates..[is] declared to be a per se violation of this article"

Now that it is understood that the current, existing ordinances cover this nuisance issue, the next step is to ensure that the ordinance is being enforced as appropriate.  This is the step we are at right now on this particular matter, we shall see how this goes but hopefully this matter will be resolved lawfully in short order.

Small Government, Pro-Business Conservative

I am a small-government, pro-business Conservative.  I've personally owned many small businesses here and on the West Coast as well.  I've dealt with red tape and overly aggressive regulations that smother small business.  I get what they go through, and that's why  I support hard-working, taxpaying and rule obeying businesses because such businesses are the backbone of our great nation.

Last night we were tasked with voting up or down on a permit to allow an existing, decades old business that has been lawfully operating in District 1 the ability to continue to operate.  At stake were 15 full-time jobs and a locally operated successful business that was bending over backwards to cooperate with changing regulations thrown in its  path by the County.

After hearing from a handful of persons opposed and some that supported the business--and after doing my own independent research in this neighborhood---it was obvious to me that this operation was conducting its business lawfully and was also striving to be extremely conscientious and deferential to the nearby neighbors.  I replied to the one email I received today in objection to this business' permit with the following response.....

XXXXXXX,

Thank you for the email of concern. 

 

I hope you realize that I take these matters very seriously, and I listened intently to every speaker and I also independently researched this matter by going to several neighbors and also to the business location as well. 

I think Mr.  XXXXXXXX is a good neighbor who has conducted himself and his business with a great deal of respect for his neighbors as he has simultaneously tried to remain in compliance with all of the changing regulations the County has thrown his way.  After all of the testimony, including hearing that he has never had one complaint filed against him or his business and that atmospheric tests for silica dust conducted by the state DEP indicated there was none present in samples taken in the area-I felt strongly that it would have been wholly inappropriate to essentially put him out of business by denying his permit.

I am a small government, pro-business conservative and I support small businesses in general and this small business in particular, an entity  that has been in existence for decades locally; Mr. XXXXXXXX  has conducted this very same business legally at this very same location for decades while employing 15 persons full-time—and with all of the evidence presented I feel confident the board made the right decision with the unanimous vote to uphold the DRC findings and to issue this permit.

Sincerely,

 

Jeff Bergosh

District 1 Board Member and Vice-Chairman

Escambia Board of County Commissioners

221 Palafox Place Suite 400

Pensacola, FL 32502

850-595-4910 office

850-377-2209 Voicemail

District1@myescambia.com

www.jeffbergoshblog.blogspot.com

@jeffbergosh