Salary Compression Wasn't on the Radar......It Just Wasn't

Compression was not the issue the PBA's hand-selected candidate focused on...in fact it wasn't even on her radar....

As I posted before, Salary Compression was not a big issue in my campaign for office. It wasn't mentioned at all in our rallies..and I stand by that. The issues for our district, the big issues, were storm-water, infrastructure, growth management, economic development, OLF 8, etc.

Here is the proof:

On August 27th, the PNJ did an article on each of the candidates in the race for District 1; by August, the PBA had selected their candidate to endorse in my race, and this candidate went on to finish in last place in the election.  But this candidate, the hand-selected candidate of the PBA, had the opportunity to broadcast the TOP PRIORITIES in the campaign, and guess what?  Like I have said, and I stand by what I said---Salary Compression was not one of this candidate's priorities.  In fact, I never heard this candidate mention it in any of our multiple forums and debates--It never came up.

And to say that because I answered a questionnaire where the back page question mentions compression in the context of pay PROVES that compression was the top priority in my campaign--to make that the connection is absolutely ridiculous.  

Of course I know what pay compression is, I dealt with it in 2007-20012 as a member of the school board.  What I said was the sheriff never mentioned it to me as his top priority, and in the campaign at all the rallies it was never mentioned at all, and the PBA's eventual candidate, the one they endorsed, hand-selected, and gave money to, never mentioned it or made it a campaign issue.  This is the fact, these are the facts.

Here was the PBA-endorsed, hand selected candidate's TOP PRIORITIES from the PNJ article:

"What are your three priorities in office?

1. Develop a strategic plan for Escambia County that includes input from ALL aspects of the community. The county does not have a strategic plan. Who would run a $400 million company without a plan? Without a plan we spend more time in costly and wasteful chaos management than in moving the community forward.

As your Escambia County District 1 commissioner, I will propose the development of a County Strategic Plan that takes the politics out of process, and moves our community forward efficiently and cost effectively on its highest priorities. And I will ensure that you have a voice in the preparation of that strategic plan.

2. Take a portion of the funds dedicated to economic development and reinvest them in local businesses. This would create instant job growth at a low cost of additional employee acquisition. Develop existing businesses; support those who have already invested in our community; and grow jobs locally with a lower cost of new employee acquisition. For years I have watched the county give the Chamber of Commerce’s related economic development groups $550,000 annually of your tax dollars to recruit new jobs with very little return on investment. Many promises and announcements, but few actual new jobs.

3. Create a Beulah Area Master Plan with full citizen participation for OLF-8 and the surrounding areas, including the Bluffs in District 5. OLF-8, the 640-acre site adjacent to Navy Federal, has the potential to be the most important economic driver in Escambia County for the next 20 years."

"Salary Compression" Suddenly Erupts Like a Volcano in Escambia County........

...But during the hotly contested political campaign for the BCC District 1 seat--the issue of Salary Compression NEVER came up

I just recently won the election to take this seat.  I’ve been a commissioner for less than one year.   I fought through a very tough campaign with some very formidable and well-funded opponents.  We talked a lot about infrastructure, we talked a lot about storm water, we talked about traffic, we talked economic development and quality of life, we talked about OLF 8. We talked about lots of different subjects with the residents of District 1.

We talked about all these things and then some—bit here’s the peculiar thing, though.

We never talked about salary compression—it wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

Suddenly the issue of pay compression is the most pressing issue in the entire county.  The Sheriff’s office is saying the situation is approaching critical mass, and they are losing journeymen officers to higher paying departments.  I’m told that this has been a problem for many, many years.  Now ECSO is havingtrouble staffing and they’re cutting back on services and curtailing patrols insome districts?!?

One of my opponents was actually endorsed by the PBA union and even this candidate never discussed pay compression at the ECSO.  This candidate talked about a Master Plan for Beulah, a Strategic Plan for the county, hiring a grant writer full time, and a few other things that were “out-there” as issues all the candidates recognized…but even this PBA-endorsed, hand-selected candidate of the Sheriff’s office didn’t have this issue on the radar.  None of us did because it wasn’t an issue during the campaign.

When I won my primary on August 30th, 2016---one of the first calls of congratulations I received was from Sheriff Morgan.  He didn't bring up pay compression then,  and from the time I won my general election in August of 2016 until the Summer--Sheriff Morgan never reached out to me with

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.....

So last night's compromise vote to extend a 3% salary increase to the Sheriff's office deputies, along with all the other county employees ( EMS, Fire, Corrections, Dispatch and everyone else) was met with anger by some.  No good deed goes unpunished I guess.....

About an hour after the meeting, I received the below text from Sheriff Morgan (highlighted on the bottom of the string.)

I have not responded.

But in the meantime, I certainly DO NOT want the sheriff to send me a "copy upon completion." 

What will he send me a copy of--the areas he is not longer going to patrol as frequently?  I don't want that list, because once I have it (if I receive it) it may possibly become a public record which I must release if I am asked (if it is not an exempted item). If it is released, it will go to the media, if it goes to the media, the bad guys will know what areas will be "seeing a reduction of patrol coverage"  Is that what the Sheriff wants to happen?

To say I am disappointed that the sheriff is telling District 1 that we will receive a reduction of patrol coverage is an understatement.  We have had big issues with crime in West Escambia, Myrtle Grove, Avondale, Bellview, and other areas of District 1.  We have had murders in Beulah (Billings murders, Billy Boyette murder spree, and the recent murder where a body was dumped on Klondike Road) residents in Logan Place have endured had a rash of car burglaries--and to say these areas are going to receive "a reduction of patrol coverage" is astonishingly disappointing.

Even if this was planned it should not be discussed.  And the timing of this text, right after the meeting where we attempted to compromise with Sheriff Morgan (where we bumped his budget up to give all his men a 3% raise) could be construed by some as retaliatory or worse yet.....threatening.

All because, apparently, we did not fund him an 8% year over year budget increase.  8%.

What a disappointment.

Board Backs 3% Raises for All County Employees including Sheriff's Office Employees

At the final BCC budget hearing this evening, a compromise was brokered to offer all employees a 3% pay increase--including Sheriff's office employees.

Tonight's budget meeting went largely as planned and according to the scripted agenda, with affirmative votes to maintain the millage rate static at last year's rate.  We voted for our total budget of close to $456 Million, an increase of roughly 4.5% over last year's budget of $437 Million.  We recognized about $158K in adjusted revenue added to the total budget, and we approved an add-on I brought to utilize $3.74 Million in recurring revenue to provide 3% across-the-board raises for all County Employees, Clerk's employees, Supervisor of Elections employees, and Sheriff's office employees.

Doug Underhill brought a plan to give the entire pot of newly uncovered recurring revenue to the Sheriff's office--to fully fund Sheriff Morgan's 8% budget increase request (8% over last year's budget allocation).  This idea received no traction and was summarily set aside by the board.

Commissioner Robinson wanted to fund 2% raises across the board for all employees of the ECSO, BCC, Clerk's Office, and Supervisor of Elections office--with the remaining funds to be sent to Sheriff Morgan with the intention that he plus up the pay for patrol deputies.  After some discussion, this plan also failed to gain traction.

The fact that we found additional revenue with which to provide raises was a surprise--we had been told there would be no raises for anyone in any of the departments or constitutional offices--including the Sheriff's office.

My add on, above, was approved this evening by a 3-2 vote, with Underhill and Robinson voting no

I'm glad we were able to work through the process and find a compromise that rewards all of our employees with a 3% pay increase this year.  Going forward, we will work to address the compression issues that plague the Sheriff's office (and the other constitutional offices).  This problem did not develop in one year, and will take many years and lots of hard work to properly address.  I'm confident we can tackle it.

Great News for Those Who Drive on Beverly Parkway

I received word that the project to fix the badly deteriorated railroad crossing on Beverly Parkway will commence this Friday.

Our office has received numerous complaints about this crossing--dozens of phone calls and emails;  it has deteriorated to the point that drivers have told our office they are deliberately avoiding driving across this part of Beverly Parkway--for fear of damaging their vehicles.

Well, I'm happy to report that the railroad company is finally fixing this issue we have been sending to them for months.  Hopefully the road, once repaired, will allow for crossing without damaging vehicle undercarriages!

Coffee with the Commissioner 9-26-2017

This morning we hosted September's coffee with the commissioner event at the Denny's on Mobile Highway.

We had several citizens attend, and each had something they wanted to discuss with me and the county staff that was present.

Tori was a young man that lives in District 2.  His issue was code enforcement.  "How is it right that county code enforcement can enter my property, through a closed gate, even though I have a 'no trespassing' sign installed?"  He was upset-understanding he probably warranted a citation, he just did not like the personnel coming on his property.  Deputy Administrator Matt Coughlin took this gentleman's information for staff follow up.

Dawn, a resident of District 5, was concerned about the final path of the north-bound Beulah Beltway route.  In addition to this, she was concerned that code enforcement has not done enough to bring a nuisance property into compliance near where she owns property.  "I have tried for a year and a half to sell this property--but because this neighbor and the condition of his property--I have suffered a loss in property value-even after lowering the asking price, I can't sell my property."  she continued "I'm here to see if more can be done to have code enforcement cite this property owner to force compliance."  We told Dawn we would have Commissioner Barry's office notified of this issue.

Daryl, who lives in the eastern part of District 1, said he was upset about the clean sweeps being curtailed by the ECSO.  I explained that this is out of the BCC's control.

Another attendee quipped "The Sheriff used to run the jail and patrol the neighborhoods.  Now, he doesn't run the jail and says he is stopping the neighborhood patrols--so why are we paying him?  was the rhetorical question.

Mike, a resident of District 4, wanted my take on the Bill in Congress to allow private ownership of beach properties at Pensacola Beach--so we discussed this in-depth with the participants.

Kevin Robinson from the PNJ came this morning to cover the coffee event and to speak with several of the attendees.

Overall, it was another great opportunity to connect with the citizens, hear their issues, and hopefully provide some potential solutions.

I look forward to next month's event.

My Issue with the Creekwood Agreement...

The ECUA crafted agreement with Creekwood smells worse than a fetid garbage dump.  I don't blame the homeowners for not wanting to sign this garbage.

Yes, I ripped up that garbage agreement at the meeting.

I ripped it to shreds and called it what it is----Garbage.  It smells worse than an ECUA sewage spill....

The County and the Homeowners have been working to get the ailing lift-station at Creekwood fixed; a majority of Creekwood residents have grudgingly agreed to take on a special tax assessment to the tune of $625,000 to get this done.

Nobody is happy about the language that keeps the HOA on the hook for any problems with the repairs and construction of the new, ECUA approved lift station, in their subdivision----but the language that forces the HOA to indemnify the County, ECUA, and the contractor during the construction (which may take as long as 18 months to complete) is just too much....

I was under the apparently mistaken impression that the contractor, once engaged in the construction, would be responsible for this lift station and the homeowners could finally breath a sigh of relief.  Wrong.  Why won't ECUA see that the homeowners are acting in good faith, they have secured the financing to fix the lift station, and they are prepared to move forward.  Why must the ECUA keep their boot on the collective necks of these homeowners, rubbing salt in the wound?  Why?

The garbage rhetoric I have heard is "It would not be fair to our ratepayers to take responsibility for this lift station before it is brought up to our standards"  But wait---these residents are ratepayers!  How about a little compassion for their plight!

Initially, I felt that the least I could do to keep this process going to get this lift station fixed was to get the County on board with the badly flawed agreement, which would allow ECUA to take action on it next, and ultimately it would allow for the HOA to sign it/not sign it--because ultimately the ECUA is controlling this process; they won't take the lift station until it meets their standards.

But when the attorney read some of the most onerous language that keeps the homeowners on the hook through the entire process--I just couldn't support it.

I have a new strategy I am formulating that I will soon be discussing with the HOA.

I think we can do better than that garbage agreement.