Ernest Ward Swim Teams Win
March 6, 2008
The Ernest Ward Middle School boys and girls swim teams won Reserve Champions at a recent swim meet at Washington High School in Pensacola. The girl’s team will compete in the county championship tonight, and the boy’s team will compete in the county championship Friday night.
Pictured above: The boys and girls swim teams from Ernest Ward Middle School after their recent win. Submitted photo.
County Budget On The Chopping Block, $15 Million Needed
March 6, 2008
The Escambia County Commission held a budget workshop on Wednesday, and every dollar spent in the county came under scrutiny.
With the passage of Amendment 1, Escambia County is facing a budget shortfall of about $12 million beginning with the new fiscal year that starts October 1. Director of Administrative Services Jean Kassab says in a county memo that the county is facing a $1 million subsidy requirement for the county’s emergency medical services department, another $1 million needed next year to keep ECAT’s public transportation afloat and a loss estimated at $900,000 in sales tax revenue due to a declining economy.
An early retirement plan is also under consideration. The plan will provide a financial incentive to take an early retirement for employees that are at least 50 years old or have at least 30 years of qualified service (25 years for high risk employees).
Sherrif Ron McNesby has submitted a $79.7 million budget, the largest budget of an county department. That amount is about $3 million less than the sheriff’s budget last year, a 3.75 percent decrease.
Commissioner Grover Robinson proposed that commissioners cut their salaries by five percent, but that motion died due to the lack of a second.
A list of county departments and their budgets has been created. The departments are prioritized, with those at the bottom of the list likely to face the largest cuts or even total elimination. Some of the bottom budget items include the Council on Aging, Lakeview Center, Wildlife Sanctuary, First Call for Help, Junior Achievement, Pensacola’s Promise, Gulf Coast African American Chamber, Human Relations Commission, West Florida Regional Planning Council, Sertoma Club and the Merit System Protection Board.
Century’s Lake Stone current budget request is at $23,472, and it is ranked at number 34 on the list of 78 county departments.
The commission’s next budget meeting will be held March 19 at 8:30 a.m. in the commission’s chambers in downtown Pensacola. The budget is expected to be finalized by July.
To see the county’s prioritized department budget list, click here.
Civils Rights Activist Joins Town, County Officials In Discussing Century’s Woes
March 5, 2008
Civil rights activist H.K. Matthews (pictured above) met with officials with the Town of Century and the Escambia County School District Tuesday morning in Century to discuss the plight of the town.
Century’s combined elementary and middle school, Carver/Century K-8 School, is rated as an “F” school by the state’s education department. Unemployment is very high. As of the last census, about a third of the town was living below the poverty level. Only 63 percent of adults over 25 were high school graduates. Homes are visibly falling apart in many areas of town. The list of dismal facts about Century just goes on and on.
No one from the town or the school district denied any of those problems at Tuesday’s meeting. Rather, the frank discussion focused on how to get Century out of the mess it is in.
“We are an ‘F’ school,” Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite said. “We are not going to run from it. We are not ignoring it.”
He said any child, from any social or economic background, could attend Carver/Century and get a good education, if the student and parent or parents applied the effort. But many times, there is no parent or other responsible adult looking out for the children at Carver/Century.
“Some of these children…only get the two meals a day that we serve them at school,” Garthwaite said. “Some of them are coming from dismal, abnormal and dysfunctional conditions.”
Those children often lack goals, Garthwaite said. “They don’t even see the tunnel, much less the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“There are a lot of things that are lacking as far as living in Century goes,” Matthews said. “We are trying to find some answers to the problems that exist.”
“We didn’t come in here to invade anyone’s territory,” he said. “We come not to take over. I’m just a facilitator.”
“We are very concerned about the school’s declining enrollment and achievement level,” school district Title One Director Mary Nowlin told the group. Carver/Century is down to just 15 students in the eighth grade, 80 total students in middle school. Due to the school’s ‘F’ status, students are allowed to transfer to other non-failing schools in the county. Many have transferred to Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. That is a situation that Nowlin said she does not see changing this year.
“The federal No Child Left Behind legislation allows the transfers,” she said. “I don’t think the the school will make adequate yearly progress this year.”
“This was a flourishing area,” Matthews said. “In order to preserve those kids, preserve this area, you’ve got to do something to stop this exodus here to Pensacola or here to the streets.”
Former mayor Benny Barnes, now director of the chamber of commerce, said the failing school was not a reflection on the current or past principal.
“These kids are starting out with a minus,” Barnes said. “How do they ever catch up? They are coming from single parents. They are being raised by grandparents. There is a lack of discipline. It’s a problem that I don’t know the solution to. But we’ve got to start taking care of our children at home. We depend on the school system to do too much. We’ve got to do something for ourselves.”
Citing drugs, crime and pregnancy as major problems among Century’s youth, Jesse McCants said.”We are setting up our children to self destruct, and we are the victims,” she said.
“This is by no means to minimize the effectiveness of your school,” Matthews said. “It has to begin at the house. Parents can’t shift the blame and responsibility to the schools.”
“We can offer all the programs in the world, but if the community is not united together, it won’t work,” she said. She said the problem extends beyond Carver/Century into Northview High School, the high school that serves Century. She said when her daughter began Northview four years ago, there were 198 students in her class. Now there are just 96 students in Northview’s class of 2008, she said, because students are dropping out or transferring elsewhere.
“The community has to come together, all working together pulling in the same direction,” Matthews stated.
Step one to solving Century’s woes is economic development, according to Art Rocker, who described himself as Matthews’ facilitator at the meeting.
“No one place is the beginning; there is no single solution,” said Wayne Odom, the school district’s director of elementary education. In order for children to work toward a goal, they must know what that goal is, he said. But sometimes even the best plans for Century simply just don’t work. Odom said that while he was the county’s Title One director, a family literacy program was established in Century. He said he vowed then that the program would not go way. But it closed, not because the county did not support it, but because very few people enrolled.
“This problem did not happen overnight,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. Century is in great need of economic development, he said, because Century has one of the poorest economic bases in the state.
But sometimes economic development in Century might not have the intended effect. McCall said that when the town’s new Whataburger restaurant opened, they hired 62 people. On the surface, that seems like a good thing. Until you learn, McCall said, that several of the employees are young people that dropped out of high school for the Whataburger jobs.
“They left school. They are not going to be anything but hamburger snatchers, serving hamburgers for the rest of their lives,” McCall said.
Like most at the meeting, McCall related all of his comments back to the problem many students have with their home lives. “I’m old school,” he said. “The King James (Bible) says spare the rod and spoil the child. There has to be something done at home.”
The next step for the group will be to follow up on preliminary contacts with Governor Charlie Crist’s office. They will meet again and formulate a plan.
“We are in trouble here,” McCall said. “And we are going to do something about it.”
NorthEscambia.com invites your comments one this article for possible inclusion in a future story. We will print only your first name in association with your comments. Email news@northescambia.com or use our contact form.
Work Continues On Old Molino Jail
March 5, 2008
Work is continuing at the old Molino jail. Escambia County Road Prison crews worked back on February 15 to literally uncover the jail that had been hidden away in thick brush for several years.
Now the jail has a door, thanks to those county road prisoners.
“It was built by the prisoners,” Molino Mid-County Historic Society President Lil King said. “They are quite accomplished young men and some are already experienced carpenters and masons. I was happy to see the brick over the door put in; it gives a ‘finished’ look.”
The next step is the repair of the roof, King said. It will be removed from the building and repaired by the county road prison carpenters.
King hopes the old jail will be available for school tours before the end of the school year.
The county road prison crews have dubbed the old Molino jail as their “Camp One.”
To read more about the old Molino jail, click here for a previous NorthEscambia.com story.
North Escambia Students Make UWF President’s Honor Roll
March 5, 2008
The following North Escambia students have been named to the University of West Florida’s President’s Honor Roll. Undergraduate students enrolled in at least six hours of graded coursework at UWF who maintain at least at 3.9 grade point average are named to the list.
Century: Erin Davis, John Doran, Bradley Faulk, Lynn Floyd, Brittany Levins
McDavid: Kyle Simpson
Molino: Susan Arnette, Kristen Smith, Christopher Wade
Walnut Hill: Serena Franklin
Cantonment: Sean Bowers, Jane Caylor-Horten, Jennifer Chambers, James Cutler, Mark Deguzman, Caitlin Duff, Amanda Edgar, Elizabeth Godwin, Brittany Green, Brandy Ingram, Ann Jones, Ashley Kotwal, Christina Kwon, Christina Luciano, Anthony Manzi, Scott Miller, Chelsea Pipkins, Kelly Poley, Ryan Prescott, Kathleen Renfrow, Stacy Ross, Brooke Rowell, Brandon Sapp, Charlotte Somerville, Mohammad Taha, Jamie Vail, Cherith Welter
Escambia County Looks To Cut Jobs, Reduce Expenses
March 5, 2008
With the passage of Amendment 1, Escambia County is facing a budget shortfall of about $12 million beginning with the new fiscal year that starts October 1. The county commission will hold a workshop Wednesday to address where those cuts will happen, with the primary focus being on possible job and salary cuts.
In addition to the $12 million shortfall, Director of Administrative Services Jean Kassab says in a county memo that the county is facing a $1 million subsidy requirement for the county’s emergency medical services department, another $1 million needed next year to keep ECAT’s public transportation afloat and a loss estimated at $900,000 in sales tax revenue due to a declining economy.
“To that end preliminary guidance has been given to all departments that included the elimination of primarily vacant positions, the movement of filled positions from one program to another and/or general reductions in programmatic expenses. This step, if effective, will result in the elimination of about 23 positions and the movement of an additional 4 positions to non-General Fund programs,” Kassab’s memo to commissioners says.
“The next step is to further reduce payroll through early retirement buyouts and program consolidation. If further steps are necessary after these, programs at the bottom of the prioritization list will be reduced or eliminated. If these reductions/eliminations are not sufficient, then global reductions such as pay decreases or cost shifting of benefits will be needed,” the memo continues.
An early retirement plan will also be considered. The plan will provide a financial incentive to take an early retirement for employees that are at least 50 years old or have at least 30 years of qualified service (25 years for high risk employees).
At today’s commission workshop, commissioners will also look at prioritizing funding among county departments, looking for possible ways to cut dollars from the budget.
NorthEscambia.com will have coverage of today’s meeting posted Thursday morning.
Governor Delivers State Of The State Address; Read Full Text Here
March 4, 2008
Florida Governor Charlie Crist delivered the annual State of the State address Tuesday night. Here is the complete text:
Good evening. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Lt. Governor, Mr. Chief Justice and members of the court, members of the Cabinet, the Legislature, honored guests, and my fellow Floridians across our state. Good evening to you all.
I also want to recognize my family seated in the gallery, my mother, my father, my sisters and their families. Thank you for your support. I love you very much.
I want to thank Sergeant Allison Jean Justice from Jacksonville for her service to the American people. Whether serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or other places around the world, the members of the Florida National Guard and our Armed Forces are protecting our freedoms in distant places. General Burnett, good to see you. And Representative Mike Scionti, Captain Scionti – welcome home.
It is good to be here with all of you this evening.
In many ways, tonight marks a new beginning. We begin a new tradition of speaking to our fellow Floridians at a time of day when every Floridian can explore the opportunities and challenges that lie before us. So, tonight we open another window into the workings of their government. For the Floridians listening to this address for the first time – a special welcome.
Thank you, President Ken Pruitt and Speaker Marco Rubio for your great work. Because of your leadership and the tireless work of the people in this chamber, and the work I know that you will continue to do, tonight my friends I can report to you that the state of our state is indeed strong.
A year ago I stood here before you as Florida’s new Governor. Together, we have faced many challenges – from spiraling property taxes and insurance rates, to devastating tornadoes that claimed 21 lives. And together we have taken on these challenges.
Florida’s families and business are faced with extraordinary economic times – sky rocketing gas prices, the threat of foreclosure and a softening housing market. And, like Florida’s families, these challenging times will require us to meet the demands of declining revenues.
And how will we do this?
By keeping taxes low, creating jobs, and fueling an economy that ranks ahead of most nations of the world, we set a model at which others can marvel.
Pessimists see problems, while optimists see opportunities. You know I am an optimist, but no matter the perspective, we can dare to be great.
In early 2007, this Legislature passed, and I signed, a law lowering property insurance companies’ costs with the condition they pass those savings on to policy holders by cutting rates.
Since then, no new rate increases have been approved. Thank you, Commissioner Kevin McCarty for your great work on behalf of the people. Rates have dropped an average of nearly 16 percent – and we will continue fighting for the people. I would urge my fellow Floridians to visit ShopAnd CompareRates.com to find lower rates.
The message was clear: This Governor and this Legislature can, and will, work together to help Floridians realize – and keep alive – the dream of owning a home.
And acting as the people’s trustees, you passed a $15 billion property tax cut – the largest tax cut in our state’s history. And voters made their voices heard loud and clear with the passage of Amendment 1, bringing another $9.3 billion in property tax relief.
…A $25 billion tax cut over the next five years, all right back into the pockets of Florida’s families.
And at a time when families need it most. Families like the Randolphs…
(Video of personal story about property taxes)
These property tax cuts are just the beginning. We can and should continue to fight for property tax relief and I encourage the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, led by our great former Speaker of the House Allan Bense, to give the people the opportunity to vote for another tax cut. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Just as Amendment 1 gave the people of Florida the opportunity to let their voices be heard, so has the significant election reform you passed last year. By moving up our state’s presidential primary, Floridians turned out in record numbers to truly make an impact on who will become the next President of the United States. And when we dutifully cast our paper ballots this November, we will do so knowing that the integrity of this process, the very foundation of our democracy, has been protected by the actions of this body. Just 90 miles south of us in Cuba, there are those who dream of having this privilege and we must honor them by casting our ballots in November.
One of my top priorities is making certain that every child in Florida has the opportunity to live in a loving, safe and permanent home. Together, we are increasing the number of successful adoptions. Thanks to the hard work of the Office of Adoption and the Department of Children and Families – Secretary Butterworth, what an incredible advocate you are for the children of our state – and their many workers in the field, who are ensuring that more of Florida’s children find loving homes.
Homes like Vivian Wilson’s. Vivian chose to adopt three teenage sisters. She is proud of the way the girls have gained confidence socially, academically and intellectually – proud that they are accepting challenges that they used to shy away from.
And as much as we focus on finding adoptive families for foster children, we are also focused on protecting those who remain in the state’s care. That’s why I’ve recommended $9.8 million to purchase “all-in-one” case management devices. Developed with our friends in the private sector at UPS, we can revolutionize how we protect Florida’s foster children. Up until now, we have done a better job in this country tracking packages than we have tracking the children placed in our care. This tool will help our caseworkers focus on doing casework instead of paperwork in living rooms instead of behind a desk. Our children deserve no less and I urge you to support this funding.
I believe in second chances. Every child of God is entitled to a second chance. Not only must we compensate those like Alan Crotzer who have been wrongfully accused, we must also forgive those who broke the law and paid their debt to society and provide them the opportunity to restore their dignity and their self worth. Thanks to the good work of my fellow Cabinet members, the civil rights of thousands of Floridians have been restored – Floridians like Lisa Burford. Here’s Lisa’s story:
(Video of personal story about restoration of civil rights)
I am proud to say Lisa was able to cast her vote on January 29th.
I am also especially proud of initiatives we have launched in the past year at little or no cost to taxpayers. Proof that government can serve the people without spending their money.
Since December, we have helped over 28,000 Floridians receive discounted prescription drugs through the Florida Discount Drug Card. People like 20 year old Jackie who sent me this e-mail:
“Dear Mr. Crist, I’m a full-time college student and lost both of my parents by the age of 19. I have not been able to go to the doctor due to prescription drugs costing more than my doctors visit. I have applied for the card and I know this will help young adults just like me.”
The success of the program lies in the state’s ability to negotiate on behalf of millions of Floridians to lower drug prices. Eligible Floridians can go to FloridaDiscountDrugCard.com to sign up.
And what will we do in the coming year to continue moving Florida forward?
We will plan for the future while still protecting and caring for our most vulnerable – our children, our elderly and our disabled.
Fiscal discipline has afforded us financial reserves to invest in our future while balancing our budget during difficult economic times.
We have reserves for times when we need them.
For times when we need to sustain our commitment to those who rely upon us most,
For times when we need to invest in ourselves and our future,
For times when waiting can be too costly.
My legislative package sets clear priorities and outlines a comprehensive plan for moving Florida forward.
It strengthens the pillars that make our state great, the pillars that must be in place for us to be strong:
Healthy Families
World Class Schools
Safe Neighborhoods
A Vibrant Economy
Sustainable Natural Resources
These pillars must be our priorities.
The lack of health insurance is the primary barrier to accessing health care. In Florida, 3.8 million people have no health insurance – including 650,000 children. And this barrier exists not just for the poor and disadvantaged. Florida’s hardworking families and small business owners are facing the same barrier every day – business owners like the Silvermintz family. Here’s their story:
(Video of personal story about accessible health care )
This lack of access to health care is unacceptable. Together we can seek a comprehensive, market-based strategy that can provide uninsured Floridians with affordable health and dental care.
I am proposing $63.9 million for the Florida Health Access System. This three-year pilot joins the State, local hospitals and county health departments in partnerships to provide preventive and primary health care services to the uninsured.
Communities across our state have found it difficult to provide access to health care for their people. This is not of their doing, but that of government.
Anti-competitive, bureaucratic barriers to affordable health care must be eliminated.
I propose $60.6 million to be targeted toward enrolling more than 46,000 additional children in the KidCare program.
Child obesity is another threat to Florida’s children.
The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness is charged with developing a state plan to promote physical fitness and sound nutrition. Last week, we challenged our elementary students and schools to do even more by participating in the Governor’s Fitness Challenge. With us today is one of our state’s outstanding PE teachers – Suzy Corace, Lee County’s Teacher of the Year.
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We must maintain our commitment to protect Florida’s natural beauty and resources. We must establish a successor to Florida Forever. To strive for natural water flow, I also propose that we fully-fund Florida’s share of Everglades restoration and continue restoring Lake Okeechobee and downstream coastal estuaries.
Serve to Preserve is this Administration’s commitment to lead – and we are leading by example. We will work to conserve energy within State government and, together with the private sector, reduce our carbon emissions.
A recent Orlando Sentinel editorial recognizes that our choice is not whether we can afford to go green… but that – even in this tight budget year – we can’t afford not to.
Our economy is inextricably linked to our environment.
Many businesses are recognizing that there is gold in green. Publix is one such business. Allow me to introduce Mr. Dave Duncan, Vice President of facilities for Publix Super Markets.
(Video of personal story about energy and economic development)
Thank you, Dave and Publix, for your leadership.
We must continue to fuel Florida’s Innovation Incentive Program to bring cutting-edge, world-class research centers to the state. These centers are economic catalysts that drive discovery and collaboration, diversify our economy and bring high-wage, high-skill, secure jobs to Florida.
And this strategy is already working.
What Florida has done for biotech, it can also do for clean tech.
That’s why I’m recommending a $200 million economic development package for solar, wind and other renewable energy, and to promote biofuels in Florida and encourage alternative fuels such as ethanol. We have the opportunity to enhance the use of this cleaner fuel, while also providing a broader market for sugar cane and citrus waste. Thank you Commissioner Bronson for your work to explore non-food sources of ethanol production in your Farm to Fuel efforts.
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Our current path in education has reaped significant gains in student achievement in reading and math over the past five years. Florida’s school performance has now risen from 31st to 14th among all states and risen to 7th in achievement.
While the vast majority of teachers are committed, some demonstrate exceptional creativity in bringing out the best in their students – our children.
In the same way, the Merit Award Program you created last year rewards our best and brightest public school teachers. I recommend we fully fund these teacher bonuses for those who improve student achievement and who work diligently to improve their teaching skills through national peer review.
It is important we continue to tell our best teachers – Teachers like Michelle Lingo, Escambia County’s Teacher of the Year: Thank You for a Job Well Done.
Florida’s universities and community colleges provide the next critical step in the education of our people. These institutions are producing the future leaders of our state, our nation and the world. We must continue to invest in higher education.
My budget provides for more than $5 billion for higher education and that is an increase over last year.
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Not only is it essential that we stand by our schools, we must also stand by our neighborhoods.
In the Preamble to the Constitution, one of the primary roles of government is defined as ensuring domestic tranquility, which means keeping our people safe.
We are fulfilling this responsibility with tougher laws and increased enforcement along with crime prevention strategies within the criminal justice system. Effective legislation such as Stop Turning Out Prisoners and 10-20-Life is making an impact on the crime rate, while the Anti-Murder Act will prevent future tragedies. Thank you for passing this important legislation. And we must also work together to address crime in our state, including gang activity.
I was proud to launch the Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Unit in 2005 to thwart the actions of those who target our children. Attorney General Bill McCollum has made fighting this crime a top priority. Thank you, General.
For families to feel safe, for them to be truly safe, they cannot be worried about losing their home to foreclosure. That’s why I recently announced the Florida HOPE taskforce charged with making recommendations to help families who have found themselves victims of the housing crisis. Chief Financial Officer Sink, the Lt. Governor and I look forward to working with you on this very important issue.
All of us in this chamber are guided by our instincts, but we must also continue to be responsive to the people who sent us here. Their wisdom and their experience in the real world makes up a significant portion of the knowledge base from which we must lead.
Even in this election year, we must remember our first duty is to the people, not to our parties. Our first duty is to work together, and our first duty as, Abraham Lincoln declared, is to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Abraham Lincoln declared to the nation this is a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
I admit to not having all of the answers and believe all of you in this chamber will admit to the same. But we know where to find them.
We can find answers in the hearts of the people of Florida. They are our most important resources. The people of Florida offer us our daily education and inspiration. They look to us to be their voice.
We too must inspire. Yes, we face some challenges – or opportunities – but all of us would do well to remember Ronald Reagan’s words. He said we must:
“…keep our rendezvous with destiny … uphold the principles of self-reliance, self-discipline, morality, and, above all, responsible liberty for every individual that we will become that shining city on a hill.”
Fellow Floridians, President Reagan inspired us to see what is possible and dared us to be great. He was daring us to be leaders.
I love Florida, I love her with all of my heart. Her possibilities are endless, and our optimism should be boundless.
Together we are moving Florida forward.
Thank you and God Bless the Great State of Florida.
Bratt Elementary Names February Students Of The Month
March 4, 2008
Bratt Elementary School has named their February Students of the Month. They are:
Front row (left to right): Kelley Bradley, Myles Harrelson, Ann-Margaret Boothe, Cameron Long, Memory Peebles, Wyatt Windham and Savannah Roley.
Middle Row: Fisher Spence, Hannah Nelson, Luke Ward, Taylor Kearly, Amy Branch, Sidney Reaves and Raegan Harrell.
Top Row: Nicholas McBride, Amber Freeman, Shalmali Bhadkamkar, Aaron McDonald, Autum Ates, Daniel Wilcoxon and Tyler Houston.
Not pictured: Leah Fischer
Submitted photo, click to enlarge.
Century Council Member Walks Out Of Monday Meeting
March 4, 2008
Century Town Council member Sharon Scott walked out of Monday night’s council meeting after almost getting into a verbal spat with the chairperson of the Carver Community Center.
Early in the meeting, council member Henry Hawkins questioned a $204 bill from the town’s attorney for a phone call made by Mayor Freddie McCall. McCall stated that the purpose of the telephone call was to seek advice on several issues, including an inquiry as to whether or not a vote by a council member to approved funds for the Carver Community Center would be a conflict of interest if a council member was serving on the community center board.
At the February 4 council meeting, the council approved a motion by council member Nadine McCaw to make $2,000 donations each to the Carver Community Center, the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society, Century Little League, the Century Sports Association and the Century Chamber of Commerce.
“Why wouldn’t it be an issue for Alger-Sullivan or the others,” Hawkins asked.
“I asked him a question to keep use (the town or council) from getting into trouble,” McCall told Hawkins. McCall said he had information that a council member might be serving on the Carver board, but he declined to name that person.
Several minutes later during the public comment portion of the meeting, Carver Community Center Director Marilyn Robinson, questioned the council as to why funds donated to the community center might be an issue, and why the council had said “things” about the community center. She said that no one from her board served on the council.
“Sharon Scott ain’t said squat,” Scott said. Scott and Robinson began to bicker, with Scott saying she had concerns about the safety of some events at the community center.
“For my son’s safety, I don’t want him going down there,” Scott said.
Council President Ann Brooks repeatedly used her gavel in attempt go gain order in the meeting.
Scott gathered her things and walked out of the meeting.
Century Moves Toward Borrowing $1.7 Million, Conducts Other Business
March 4, 2008
The Century Town Council voted Monday night to move forward toward borrowing about one and a half million dollars from the Rural Development Program for projects around the town.
The money would be used for standby generators, water main improvements and a 300,000 gallon elevated water tank to improve water pressure, according to Mayor Freddie McCall.
The town’s accountant, Robert Hudson, told the council that the $1.7 million, 40 year loan would have an annual payment of about $87,000. But if the council could obtain state funds in the amount of about $300,000, they could “buy down” the loan to $1.4 million with an annual payment of about $59,000. Hudson said the water department had about $85,000 in “free cash flow” during the 2007 fiscal year.
Dale Long of Fabre Engineering told the council that the project had been in the works for several years, and that they needed to move forward before the funding opportunity was lost. He told them that a vote to move forward with the application process would not obligate the town to actually borrow the money at this point, nor would it cost the town any money at the present time.
The town recently sent a letter to the state prison system requesting over a half million dollars in back payments for gas services. While the state had made payments for service at the Century Correctional Institute, those payments to the town total about $568,000 less than the invoiced amounts. The council agreed that they money could be used for the “buy down” on the development loan.
The council approved a motion by Nadine McCaw to move forward in the paperwork process of applying for the loan, with the stipulation that the town not be obligated for anything at this time.
“We have nothing to lose by letting them go forward,” Council President Ann Brooks said.
In other business, the Kevin Merchant from Century Little League approached the council about the little league running the concession stands for this year’s ballgames. While the council had already approved such at a previous meeting, Merchant said he wanted to publicly come before the council with the request because, “I don’t want anybody thinking anything was done behind closed doors.”
State ethics complaints were filed against Evelyn Hammond, former Century mayor, in regards to her previous handling of the concession stands.
The council also approved Merchant’s request for help in installing “safer bases” purchased by the league at the city’s ballpark.
The town council approved buying out a uniform services contract. At a recent council meeting, the mayor’s request for $932 to purchase t-shirts to replace the rented uniform shirts for 10 employees. But McCall later discovered that the uniforms were provided under a 12 year contract that could be bought out for a one time payment of $1,320. The council approved that payment.
In other business, the Century Town Council:
- voted to authorize the town clerk to pay utility bills as they are received. Gulf Power recently cut power off to the town’s Habitat Building after a bill went unpaid. Bills in Century were not paid until approved at the first Monday of the month meeting of the council, forcing some to become delinquent. The town will now vote to pay bills at each of the two council meetings per month. A letter explaining the town’s bill payment policies will be sent to all vendors, except the utility companies.
- voted 4-1 to hire Debbie Nichols at $23.50 per hour up to a maximum of 20 hours per week to work on the town’s Enterprise Zone paperwork and assist in applying for various grants. Council member Henry Hawkins cast the lone dissenting vote.
- voted to hold a committee meeting to review bids for the review of the town’s comprehensive plan.
- heard from Georges Van Nevel from Helicopter Technologies. Van Nevel stated that his company once again had cash flow following a January federal raid. He said he had made his March payment to the town and would attempt to make back payments as soon as possible. “I assure the council that the town is not going to lose any money on me,” he said.
- heard from resident Jerry Simmons who complained Allied Waste does not pick up his garbage as they should. McCall stated he would look into the problem.