69th Coffee with the Commissioner this Wednesday!

Join us this Wednesday for our virtual 69th Coffee with the Commissioner event. The live stream will take place from 6:30-7:30 a.m. To join the meeting, visit our Facebook site here: www.facebook.com/CommissionerBergosh/. 

Attendees will include Interim County Administrator Wes Moreno, Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore and Greater Pensacola Chamber President and CEO Todd Thompson. Moreno will give an update on county business and Gilmore will share the latest public safety information for Escambia County. Thompson will join Commissioner Bergosh for a discussion about new business and community growth along with the chamber's involvement in areas including advocacy at the state level, legislative issues, military affairs and missions, ST Aerospace, cyber needs, workforce development, and the difficulties local businesses are having recruiting employees..

Residents are encouraged to send virtual questions and comments they would like to discuss  during the event through Facebook. 

Pigpen------Sacola?

A constituent repurposed a piece of junk mail to send me ideas on how to stop the local litterbugs from turning our community into "Pigpen-sacola"  Interesting, creative  approach....

The package was nondescript.  Actually it was something I almost tossed into the trash receptacle--because it looked like junk mail.  Well, it actually was a junk mail envelope sent to someone else who subsequently repurposed it.

It was apparently one of those life insurance solicitation envelopes we all get.  This one was taped together with masking tape, clear tape, and staples and upon which someone subsequntly plopped 3 first class and one 2cent  postage stamp(s).  I wonder how the postage amount was worked out precisely? Did they weigh the envelope with a postage scale, or just guesstimate?

Oh well.  

Maybe I should have looked for wires or put it to my ear to listen for the ticking before I opened it.  but I didn't and it turned out okay.  

Except for the puff of powedery substance that eminated from the package as I openend it.  (okay, that didn't happen.....)  Maybe it did and was clear?  Nah....

Anyway....

It, this envelope, was repurposed to send me multiple "ideas" ----in stream of consciousness fashion.  some doodles, some drawings, some hand drawn posters, and four note cards with slogan ideas and smiley faces.

All in a AAA Autoclub mass mailer that was opened, had the contents taken out, and stuffed with these works of art and words of wisdom and cobbled back together McGuyver-style.  The only thing they didn't work into the compilation was rubber bands.....

No, the contents of the "Pigpen-sacola" package were not an elementary school class project....so far as I have been able to ascertain from the clues.....probably.  I think.

In what would have been the return envelope location, the following was handwritten:

"Info inside  SAMPLE POSTERS, IDEAS CONCERN re-littering discussion in 'pigpen---sacola?' (from some senior saint ladies)"

Although not the way I normally receive litter complaints--it was definitely eye-catching.

And the good news is our inmate labor crews are out on our county roadways, once again collecting trash. tons of it.

Another constituent, on Facebook, also contacted me this week. She suggested the installation of signs as well---- to (hopefully) appeal to the collective consciences of the local litterbugs.  

So perhaps it is time for some signage.  Something needs to be done about the littering.  We've discussed it, we have neighborhood cleanups, and we encourage folks NOT to litter.  It's not working.

Meanwhile--the bags full of Whataburger wrappers, paper plates being flung like frisbees out of cars, and junk falling out of the back of pickups, trailers, and trash trucks are making our community look like a dump. And plastic bottles with or without suspicious yellow liquid are also a frequent sight on the roads.  It's disgusting.   I certainly hope folks reconsider chucking their loaded trashbags out the back of their trucks all over our roads, too, --but thus far I've seen no evidence of this behavior change locally.  

Regardless-----we need to get this litter issue under control before this new nickname "Pigpen-sacola" sticks faster than an empty, run-over natty-lite suitcase melted onto a stretch of Michigan Avenue on a hot summer day...... 

We don't want to be "Pigpen---sacola."

Escambia County Jail Stats for December and January

 Board members were sent the below information from Chief of Escambia County Corrections William "Rich" Powell yesterday afternoon.  Good information on a host of important metrics.

The Court Wants to Hear from the Clerk.......Within 20 Days

Attorneys for the Escambia Board of County Commissioners filed an amended cofmplaint with Circuit Court Judge William Stone on Monday of last week and yesterday afternoon the Judge responded.

This all stems from the Clerk's unilateral termination of a bona fide contract between the BCC and ICMA regarding a 401(a) retirement plan.

Apparently, with this order, Judge Stone  wants to now hear from the Clerk, and her side of this matter.

And it looks like he wants an answer relatively quickly as to why he should not grant the request for mandamus that the BCC's  attorneys have petitioned the court to order.

20 days and then hopefully we can get this nastiness behind us.

Read part 1 of the Judge's order here

Read part 2 of the Judge's order here

Questions and Answers from Last Night's Townhall Meeting

Although not scientific--I did solicit audience participation and feedback at last night's townhall meeting, on a variety of topics.  Here were the questions with the rough percentages of agree/disagree, based upon the citizen's display of the agree or disagree cards in answer to questions, below.

Town Hall Audience to PNJ: We Don't Trust You, and You Don't Represent the Values of Escambia County Citizens.....OUCH!

A "Sea of Red" comment cards fly into the air when the following statement is made:  "I believe what I read in the local newspaper, the Pensacola News Journal".....at the D1 Perdido/Innerarity Town Hall 1-22-2022

It has got to sting.  The blistering, unabashed distrust and dismay everyday, ordinary Escambia County Citizens willingly express toward the Pensacola News Journal.  It is somewhat shocking how a local daily newspaper can be so disconnected from the community they (purportedly) serve.

But disconnected they are, apparently.

From multiple inaccurate, deliberate false light portrayals of elected officials...

To a white cartoonist who uses the "N-Word" and is unapologetic about it and is not held accountable....but is actually REWARDED with lucrative, syndicated cartoon opportunities

To what stories and op-ed submissions get no coverage.....

To the blatant pandering expressed to certain so-called influential "community" leaders.....(who also spend heavily on advertising with the PNJ)

To a nonstop bashing of locally elected and statewide elected conservative public figures which the community supports...

and the list could go on.

But people see it.  They spot it.

Monopolies are good for folks like this, folks like the PNJ who do all of these things, yet still reap the monetary rewards from huge national advertisers and local advertisers who have no hard-copy daily news alternative with which they can do business.

But cracks may be forming.  So many of us are increasingly disappointed with the ever shrinking content in the PNJ, that people are starting to point it out.  Saturday PNJ papers here in Pensacola are soon going digital only.  Midweek papers are wispy-thin with content swiped from USA today or other "partner" publications from other parts of the state and country.

It's weak, lazy, lacking credibility and they shouldn't be rewarded.

It's a real disappointment.   

If only we had a local paper that represented our values and our community's ideological slant (center right, PNJ, not left).  But we don't.  We get what we get, and with the dollars we spend on this paper, we not only accept but CONDONE this subpar "news" outlet.

Sad.

I asked for audience input on the following two statements as a part of my townhall last night:

1.         Our local Newspaper, the Pensacola News Journal, is in step with our community’s values.

2.          I believe what I read in the local newspaper, the Pensacola News Journal. 

These statements were specifically about the PNJ---to which both elicited OVERWHELMINGLY  Red, Disagree comment cards held high in the air.  Overwhelming.  (95%-5% Disagree.)

It was a very basic message to the PNJ from our town hall audience:  PNJ, we don't trust you, and you don't represent the values of Escambia County Citizens, period.

Ouch.

Watch this portion of the meeting here at minute 52:41 of this video.  Don't just take my word for it---see it for yourself.

Massive Turnout for First D-1 Perdido/Innerarity Town Hall, Post Redistricting

Audience Members from half the room signal their strong support for Escambia County's work in pursuing good jobs from top notch employers through taxpayer funded economic development........ at the Perdido Key/Innerarity D1 Townhall held on 1-31-2022 

We had a massive, spillover and standing room only capacity crowd at last night's townhall meeting in the newest parts of District 1 post-redistricting, Innerarity/Perdido Key.

More than 130 folks attended the town hall that we estimated would bring 50 or so participants, therefore many attendees stood at the back of the room while others peeked in through adjoining hallways at the venue, First United Methodist Church of Perdido Bay.

We kicked off the meeting with a moment of silence, the pledge of allegiance to the flag, and staff introductions.  This was followed by brief remarks from Administrator Wes Moreno and School Board Chairman Kevin Adams, followed by D-1 ECUA Board Member Vicki Campbell.

After the remarks, we went into discussions about various county-wide issues of concern, then narrowed the conversation to areas of specific concern to the southern portion of D1--Perdido, Perdido Key, Innerarity, and nearby, adjacent communities and neighborhoods.

We took in dozens and dozens of thoughtful questions and comments of concern.  Fortunately--staff from the county representing nearly every department were on hand to answer most issues on the spot.  

Others were referred to relevant staff who were tasked with finding the answers and to getting the information back to the constituents that asked such questions.  

Multiple staff members spoke and gave input on the big issues:  Traffic, Sorrento Road, Innerarity causeway, Galvez Landing, Perdido Key Beach Access, Public Beach Access at Perdido Key versus private beach ownership, equitable funding for this part of the county (as a large portion of the county's revenues are funded out of Perdido Key yet the sense of the group was that a reasoanble, proportionate share is not being spent back in this area), FPL light bills, The 401(a) issue, and a host of other topics.

One of my favorite parts of these town hall meetings comes when I solicit audience information and input on a rapid-fire series of questions.  I was pleased to see nearly everyone in the room participate in my "Agree/Disagree" agenda item.  I'll go through each of these questions and the subsequent audience reactions in a follow-on, stand alone blog post.

We ended the meeting at about 7:45, and I expressed my sincere appreciation to those who came,  and particularly the ones who stayed to the end to come up and introduce themselves and elaborate on their particualar issues with me,  one on one.  This was the best part of the event--meeting the people, hearing their issues, and taking what they requested to staff for solutions.

This is how government is supposed to work!

My thanks to the citizens that came to the event, the staff that showed up and participated, and my counterparts from ECUA and the School Board who gave remarks and made themselves available/accessible.  Also, thanks go out to Mrs. Debbie Malsberger-Legislative aide to State Representative Michelle Salzman, for attending on behalf of Rep. Salzman.

The staff had a major issue with Internet Bandwidth at the location and therefore, unfortunatley, the livestream was not of very good quality.  But the event was recorded and a better recording will be posted on the county's webpage later this morning.  When it is posted, I will link it here.