Latest Headlines
- FDOT Plans Traffic Shift Thursday In Century Highway 29 Construction Zone
- Molino Man Charged With Throwing Object, Breaking Windshield Of Passing Car
- ECUA Considering Water, Sewer And Sanitation Rate Increases
- Highway 4, Highway 168 Bridges Across North Escambia Remain Closed. Here’s An Update.
- Free Summer Lunch Available For Youth At Libraries In Escambia County
- AAA: Florida Gas Prices Dropped 18 Cents In 10 Days
- Potential Sinking Of SS United States Under Consideration For Escambia County As Artificial Reef
- M-Braves Sweep Blue Wahoos
- Two-Time Super Bowl Champ Inspires Local Youth Athletes (With Photo Gallery)
- Century Woman Charged With Meth Possession After Traffic Stop
Letter To The Editor: Grover Robinson On 4-H Property Issue
February 8, 2014
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I was at a funeral earlier this week and the speaker made a comment about this area that is so true. He said, “in Northwest Florida we would rather fight over pennies than work together for dollars.”
This is a very true statement and it explains much of the controversy that the Escambia Board of County Commissioners (BCC) heard at its February 6, 2014, Public Forum related to the Extension Service and its relationship with 4-H.
Since the sale of the Matt Langley Bell 4-H property, an internal struggle within the Extension Service (IFAS) has occurred. The question is whether to build a building at the current Stefani Road property or invest that money in land and buildings further to the north of our county closer to its agricultural roots.
Both sides have come to the BCC claiming that they represent the children and that the other side is wrong and ultimately the BCC is wrong unless it does what they want. Having listened to both sides the challenge is they both have validity, standing and a future in the success of Escambia County. However, they seem incapable or perhaps unwilling to work together for a mutual solution.
The Extension Service, a joint participation by Escambia County and the University of Florida under IFAS, provides significant services to the community, both the traditional ag as well as other environmental services for the greater community. The challenges are, while our traditional agriculture based in the northern two-thirds of this county, the other services provided create benefits to the 80 percent of the population that lives below Nine Mile Road.
One side represents more traditional agrarian services such as 4-H in growing livestock for show and agricultural needs. The other side of this argument is the group that provides environmental and horticultural services to the urban core of our community otherwise known as Master Gardeners. Both groups serve a vital position within the Extension Services and within Escambia County.
Unfortunately, both want to control the future of IFAS and the proceeds that came from the sale of the Matt Langley Bell Center. Unfortunately, in doing so they have turned on each other and they both seek a political resolution created by the BCC. Let me be clear not only are both groups necessary to Escambia County, both groups are represented by honorable people who I greatly enjoyed getting to know through this process that I wish I could bring together for a solution.
On one side you have people like Jacob Gilmore who absolutely in his heart simply wants to make our community a leader in those areas which are critical to him including raising livestock. On the other side you have individuals like Justice Ken Bell and his brother who are part of the same character as their grandfather who originally endowed our Extension Service with the assets it enjoys now.
It has been my hope for some time that both sides would work together and see there is a need for a facility such as that identified at Stefani Road for providing environmental and horticultural services to the more populated southern end of our county. At the same time it is vitally important to have livestock programs centered on a piece of land in the northern portion of our county that focuses on traditional ag programs.
Commissioner Barry plans to bring a proposal to the next Committee of the Whole. Unfortunately, a series of emails and letters have created hard feelings on both sides before we have the opportunity to really evaluate a solution.
I hope and pray over the next week that we, in Escambia County, see that if we work together we can create more than if we simply line up to fight each other. The future of Escambia County and the future of our success is based on that collaboration of being the best of what we have both our traditional agriculture in our north end and our more urbanized southern end.
If we can ever find the opportunity to work together this community has great potential. I hope the future of Extension will be that catalyst for us to realize the dollars we can create together is much more than the pennies we have fought over in the past.
Sincerely,
Grover C. Robinson, IV
Escambia County Commissioner
District 4
Comments
43 Responses to “Letter To The Editor: Grover Robinson On 4-H Property Issue”
I do not personally have a stake in this matter, but given the controversy I have started to pay attention. I do have kids that one day I hope can participate in the 4-H program. It sounds like an essential program for kids these days. I was in favor of the creation of new jobs for Escambia County, however I would consider it nothing but a TRAGEDY if these 4-H kids are shafted in the process! Who do you think will be filling these jobs in the next 10-15 years? It will be these kids and they are our future leaders who will be making similar decisions down the road. Please set a positive precedent for these young ones to follow! Do not move them to Stefani Road! The gardeners can take a hike as far as I’m concerned!
jeeperman, You are almost 100% on course! Cant agrue your .points here. Many of us opposed to IFAS called in and expressed our views. You need to go to the cBOCC and make your point there. Others too need to write, phone or email. These comments here are ignored or dismissed by those t hat can make changes.
Of course Mr. Place is concerned that the BOCC won’t spend $1.6 million in LOST money on the new building promised 4H.
The $1.6 million in LOST money was a bribe to get a vote from the 4H’ers to sell Langley.
Under the premise that a “like” property would be secured with the proceeds of the sale. And the BOCC would sweeten the deal with the LOST money put towards a building.
Now we see that the $1.6 million LOST money building is really going to be a new office building for the UF/IFSA controlled extension Service.
So UF/IFSA Extention Service gets a $1.6mil office building without spending any funds from their budget.
And the 4H’ers maybe get to use the building when and if it is not too inconvenient for the Extension Service staff to open it up.
There weren’t many activities taking place at Langley over the past few years because no one at the Extention Service wanted to be bothered to open it for use by the 4H’ers. And the Extention Service then used that lack of use as a reason to sell Langley.
That and the fact that the Navy Outlying Field property was not obtainable at any price.
Oh but wait, after closing papers on Langley are signed, we find out the county has been negotiating with the Navy to obtain the said outlying field afterall and is currently almost a done deal.
How many more bait and switch and out right lies are in the future?
Mr. Lamb,
“Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, are Trustees for the Escambia County Council of 4-H Clubs.”
The above is a direct quote from the minutes of a BOCC meeting on 10-21-2012.
http://www.escambiaclerk.com/bmpdf/20101021-1.pdf
Where the BOCC was in charge of certain 4H business expenditures and legal matters. Nothing has changed since.
In fact the BOCC, acting as 4H Clubs Trustees hired a part time caretaker for Langley Bell until at least Aug. 2014.
They did this in Dec. 2013.
Thank you Jacob Gilmore for standing up for the right thing to do . This has become a very bad situation for the Kids. Grown Adults trying to stick it to kids and they are suppose to be educated in the facts of right and wrong and good business practices. How are our Teachers and Parents to keep these children doing the right thing when the example are these kind of people running our Goverened bodies of community services and county operations . Bad Apples do spoil the whole bunch if left unchecked or given the opperitunity to run over kids and or people that can not make it to meetings or their voice is not heard. We all need to keep up the diologe for the good of the kids as well as for all citizens of Escambia County.
This was my statement to the BCC in Last weeks public forum
I just want to thank you for removing the 4-H Building project from the agenda last month. That was the right thing to do. I assume you have seen Dr. Nick Places letter dated January 28th urging the 4-H community to contact you to move the building ahead along with the email from the horticulture agent to the Master Gardners and most likley the home maker clubs. This letter was full of misinformation and I want to pubicaly clear some things up.
My brother and I, as well as my parents, are 4-H alumni and a product of this great organization. I want my twin daughters to have the same oppertunites that I had growing up. I want to make myself perfectly clear; I don’t know what Dr. Place is talking about when he states that the people the BOCC is listening to are not members of the 4-H but members of groups and organizations that benefit from 4-H programs and funding. I have never seen a dollar from this organization.
I agree there is an obligation to build a building for 1.5 million per the MOU and not a dollar more. In fact, in January 3rd 2013 George Tourat said, at a board meeting, that the building is expected to come in at 1.2 million and the remander of the money could be used to furnish the building. Now we are being told the finished building would be 1.65 million. $150,000 over budget. My question is what monies will be used to equip the building?
I want to remind you that the MOU does not just state a new building will be built but also a new livestock facility would be built? To my knowlage there has been no committee’s formed or plans made to fulfill this promise of the MOU. Therefore I ask that you continue to hold off on this building until all obligations, including land for the children, can be met.
In Dr. Place’s letter, he said that all 4-H activites would come to a stand still without this new building so he wants to put pressure on you the BCC to get this thing built. I hope that each of you have been to the Stefani Road office and have seen the 2 large buildings used for group meetings and current 4-H activites. One of the buildings has a kitchen so NO programming would be at a stand still if you don’t move forward right away.
I have a Map here because some people are geography challenged. The intersection at Barrineau Park Road and Hwy 29 is the geographical center of Escambia County. I am tired of being referred to as the north end group. We are ALL residents of Escambia County, whether we live in Molino or Perdido Key.
The last issue I have with Dr. Place’s letter is that he states “real information is public record and accessible by a phone call or email.” I personaly did a public record request to try to learn the back room deals that was made between the local Extension Office and IFAS and recived a bill for over $5,000.00. Let’s find out what is being hidden before this building is built.
In closing, I want to refer to Dr. Langley Bell’s intention regarding the original donated land, directly from the 4-H hall of Fame document. Mr. Bell envisioned the camp as a place to provide opportunities for personal growth, leadership and citizenship development through the Escambia County 4-H clubs. His strong belief in youth fueled his desire for 4-H members to develop skills and attitudes, to strengthen personal standards and philosophies, and to work well with others. He wanted young people to discover, develop, and wisely use their individual abilities and talents. Let’s honor his request by doing the right thing now.
jeeperman: back in 1943 that is the way Matt Langley & Millie Bell set it up. I too feel that it still has legal validity, but somewhere in time when the the Adult 4H Foundation and IFAS got their paws into the program changes responsibility rolled over to them and BOCC was removed from the picture. I do not concur but that is a broad assumption of what happened. Personally I feel that BOCC stil has an oblugation especially since the BOCC gave 1.5 million to entice the sale of LBC for economic development/jobs. They see it differently.
@ Glenda Weekly. I share your sentements. Langley Bell should have never been sold. Now that it has been sold, the kids have been the ONLY losers. Mr. Bell entrusted the complex to a shady group. When he was alive, he’d never have entrusted this gift to the modern CC. The Stefani rd property is a sad excuse as a replacement. The kids deserve exactly what they had and it should have been determined precisely where the new place would be well before the transaction was completed. Shame on you County Commisioners if you attempt to short-sheet the 4-H kids.
My question for/to commissioner Robinson is that when the Langley Bell 4H Center was in operation, what percent of this urban core group “Master Gardner’s” which/that you state approximates 80% of the county’s population, used the Bell facility?
From what I can observe, there seems to be a sudden interest by everyone, now that there is blood/funds in the water. Why were your garden clubs not seeking their own venue of operations prior to this? Why the sudden interest in these children’s money?
I do not mean to mock or belittle you Mr Robinson, but your efforts smack of opportunism t the expense of others and possibly yourselves as it is agriculture that fills your bellies, not African Violets.
I wish not to awaken in the morning for to despise any person, but this smacks of opportunism at the expense of our youth and future.
Mr. Lamb,
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, are Trustees for the Escambia County Council of 4-H Clubs.
In that capacity, they have a duty to protect and look out for the well being of 4H clubs in Escambia County.
Allowing IFAS to make adverse decisions that adversely effect Escambia County 4H clubs is a malfeasance of the BOCC as Trustees for the Escambia County Council of 4-H Clubs.
Well said David. Not all of us are in the loop but if CC are the negotiators they need to stay firm with the promise. Please continue to be an advisory for the 4Hers. All of us need to continue to keep the heat on IFAS to do the right thing for them.
Please excuse my computer. It adds letters when it wants!
M @ Bratt. Grover or any other county commissioner can not touch the 4H funds. They can only touch the 1.5 million LOST funds that they have committed and they will have a tough time creniging on that. They DO have a right to insist that ththe 1.5 is used wisely with stipulations.I feel that the BCC is doing that.
The BOCC cannot control IFAS, they can persuade or coax but that is all.
The 4H flou ndatikon, Escambia extension and UFL IFAS are the ones with the keys to the money and they are the ones to ven t your frustration to. BOCC is getting the dirty rap for IFAS stubborness. Those of us that have a different view are at odds with IFAS, not BOCC. We are taking olur battle to those that might be able to help. We may or may not be in the wrong place with BOCC. We are trying to inform BOCC of the tactics of IFAS and give BOCC the information as we see it for BOCC to make informed decisions in this matter. As former 4H members we only want Escambia 4H to be the great award winning program it once was and not the hohum program it is now. We want the kids to be rewarded for their mature reasoning to sell LBC for the betterment of Escambia County and they should be compensated for their decision, not treated like chess pans. 4 H is supposed to be for parts of the county all and not just the high populated end of the county. I would prefer that IFAS be cen tered around Molino but I also see that a compromise could be a satellite office ikn Molino or somewhere north of Molino with AG/ Livestock facilities at that location, a little more in a less populated area
Is anybody surprised that Grover wants to spend the money as close to his district as possible, without regard to the children 4H was meant to serve (farming and rural children)? Replace the 4H facility with a comperable facility in RURAL Escambia County. Let the Master Gardeners use the facility that is already in place on Stephanie Road.
I don’t know the exact numbers but I do know it is very close to 50 miles from Palafox Pier to the Florida/Alabama state line. That means that Molino is right smack dab in the center of our county. Sounds like a “no brainer” to me’ and that is just logistically speaking. There are plenty of other issues, that have already been mentioned that point out the obvious reasons that make the Molino area the better choice.
Some of these posts are way off base. Some are rkight on. I too feel it is about adults teaching character. I also beleive it is about “hand shakes”, a persons “word being their bond”. The appearance of promises of land were spoken by many to manipulate the 4H kids to vote to sell. When it looked as if they would vote NO , more insinuations of a better place were mentioned. Kids voted tlo sell. Then every one went south with the funds and chained them up so tight no one can get to them. All the so called promises were reniged on and now we have two sides fighting each other. Let me assure you that I have been a thorn in FAS’s side. So much so that my Mail goes straight to their junk bin! i have had some very good conversations with Grover and Steve n Barry. I respect them both and \th,ink they are doing a good job.They are not thne e nemy. Thnere is not much they can do.
I have called them, emailed them many times. I do not expect them to ikntervene. I just want them to understand why I am upset with Jerry Uruh and other foundation members, local exte nsion an d thneir sujperiors @ UFL IFAS. BTW Jerry and Mr Flight Surgeon I too am retired Air Force so dont play the retired game with me!
I have to visit my flight surgeon often for flight physicals! I wlould be willing tlo sit down and talk with those I am upset with. Get my phone # or email address and communicate. I have negotikated several CBA agreements with Boeing and am not fearful of putting the cards on the table! A golod dialog, as Grover said might be helpful. I am a native Escambkian, 4H alumni, Tate graduate and am nolw livking outside lof OLmahna Ne.
I was raised on the 4H center and spend a many of nights there at camp.
I have raised horses all my life and roded them to. Then I had two boys who rode and rodeo all there life and are still riding. I think it is a same for the 4H to have ever been sold. Kids need a place to learn about live stock and to be able to
camp. I hope that someone who has alot of land would consider donating some of it to the kids to build a new 4 H center. Water Management has alot of land maybe they would donate some. It is very important to get the kids involved in their childhood life. Being involved with animals and crop teaches you how to live off the land. One day we may have to go back to that. So please stop they fighting and allow our children to be able to enjoy life at its fulliest.
Mom of 3….well said!!
Bayer property has been sold….no longer available….
this is about honor, integrity, being true to what was spoken…after all…isn’t your word still a bond??
The Bayer property has been sold. No longer available. If we keep all of these CC in office that is not trying to help the 4H kids get the promise they deserve and been promised We will be just as guilty as they in talking without walking the walk. I have always said HEAD,HEART,HEALTH ,HANDS Motto I pleadge my head to clearer thinking my heart for greater loyalty my health for better living and my hands for greater service. If the CC will use this to run there office they will keep their Egos in check. Having a larger piece of property will help all involved including the Master Gardeners.
A fight over pennies was orchestrated by many leaders of our county and business sector back when Navy Fed made the purchase offer. The current uproar has NOTHING to do with fighting over money or pennies! This is about moral character and teaching the children that leaders and government are credible and trustworthy. Our county needs to do the right thing and help these children get what is rightfully theirs and most importantly, what was promised to them. All they are asking for is comparable property to the Langley Bell facility to continue their livestock and outdoor programs. It’s simple in the mind of a child. They don’t care about the political battle and millions of dollars and jobs that Navy Fed brought to Escambia county. These children don’t want to fight over a penny, they only want what they were promised.
The Stefani site is less than 1/10 of the size the 4-Hers gave up… and it is in a residential area that is getting more densely populated. The Extension Service should be ashamed of themselves for wanting to expand their facilities under the guise of it being a 4-H facility.
I have read that the Bayer property price has been reduced. This site is in a rural setting, has amenities that are commensurate with 4-H needs.
I don’t have a dog in this hunt, but I hate to see the 4-H kids being royally shafted by forcing them to accept the Stefani location.
Grover Robinson, and all of his ilk, are looters of the most vile nature. Their premise is that it was just OK to steal land “for the public good” that had been given specifically to serve as a 4H facility. What on earth gives them that right? The answer is nothing, but they assert that right because we elect these jerks to power.
The Langley Bell 4H facility had served regional children for a long time. Now, after the gift was dishonorably stolen by common thieves within our regional government, there are — surprise– problems with how to distribute the spoils!
Shame on Robinson, and how shameful it is that our community did not rise up to prevent this from ever being a problem in the first place.
When are ya’ll going to realize that this was never about the kids in the first place. The powers that be here in Escambia county could care less about the kids. They wanted the 4H property and found a way to steal it. This county has never really been about the children unless they belong to the rich side of the county. The BCC has always been a bunch of snakes working for thier own interest and the interest of thier circle of friends. They pull strings to subvert the hiring process so they can employ thier family and friends, They connive behind closed doors to plan one thing then tell the publlic something else. My point is if your trusting these people to do the right thing then your a fool, they will only do what puts more cash in thier pockets.
The 4H club has been given enough money to do what ever they want.
Politicians+money = doing the right thing takes a back seat, the kids lose.
Mr. Robinson,
The 4H IS NOT The Extension Service (IFSA).
AND the IFSA is NOT the 4H.
PERIOD
IFSA is merely providing administrative services.
Also, I believe Mr. Bell endowed the local Escambia 4H the land way back when.
Not the regional or state 4H nor IFSA.
Too bad you had to resort to this public tongue lashing aimed at the waring parties within the IFSA groups.
Perhaps Escambia 4H needs to break away from IFSA and take their $$ with them.
Before the bureaucrats within IFSA eat the 4H funds and leave Escambia 4H with nothing.
Well the BCC is doing it again taking over where they don’t belong It was they who talk the 4H into selling the land in the first place they said it was for the betterment for the county and they got what they wonted now they wont to tell them where they can bill I agre with mr Knowles Steffani rd, is no place for the 4H The kids have said they wont that land in molino let them have it that s what they wont.
I hate that this is going on for the kids. when Langley Bell was given to 4-H at the time it was out in the County and you could have livestock and things like that and no one said any thing about it . and as long the Camp was there their was still OK but Now their is zero. and every one wants to have a say . But the Kids . and I think that is what 4-H is for to Teach them what and How to do things In life. So what now If you put livestock on Stefani you know what is going to happen from the neighbors they are going to have a fit and the Kids lose again. The Bayer Place had every thing you could ask for . For livestock, growing plants from seed How to grow Crop How to Work your Livestock of all kinds. Could Bring In School kids and show them about How Live is Because a lot of your In town Kids Don’t know and Show them the live stock THAT IS WHAT 4-H IS ALL ABOUT.
Please stop using the term north end so loosely. Highway 196 is the center pount of the county so actually moving toward Molino would make it more centrally located. I4 h is county wide, north end kids enjoy technology as much as city kids, and there are city kids who enjoy agriculture as much as the north end kids. 4h has inflated there numbers by enrolling every child involved in a after school or military program, to make it look as though these are the children participating. Most of these kids never participate beyond the program that is being brought to there location. If these programs were offered at schools in the center and northend of the county, there participation maps would look a lot different. If you look at were the kids who have been the leaders in 4h have come from, a large majority of them have been from the center and north end. The ones who have come from town are also the ones wanting to see everything moved to a central location.
By the way, I dont see as where master gardeners have a dog in the fight.
Here is another thought that has crossed my mind.. the kids asked navy federal at one of the first meetings why they didn’t just buy the flying field on the other side. Navy federal response was that they would love to have it instead but had tried and it wasn’t available. After the property was sold the story was released that the county had been negotiating that property for years and all of a sudden a piece of property had been found to do a land swap. Most of the comments that have been posted on this subject have been in favor of the bayer property or something similar. It really seems like a no brainer, considering future growth of the county. I hope that this isn’t being thwarted because of secret plans for this property also.
I have no part in any of this. With that said – the kids were promised one thing – they are not getting that – fix this! Steffani is not the answer!
Looking from a distance: The 4-H had a nice facility, before they sold it (which is a whole different political story). They had plenty of land, a lake, and nice facilities. It seems that the money they got for the land should go back into providing the same set-up for them. Duh! Now that there is money involved, everyone wants a piece of it. It seems ridiculous, to me, to take that money and try to provide the same facilities in a populated area that is only getting more populated, as time goes on. I believe that, if the politicians would forget about power, and the others involved would consider the kids, this matter could be resolved with a good outcome for the kids. Buy them a large piece of land, build them a lake and new facilities. It is the right thing to do.
And I have to agree with “Oversight” about the obama factor!
I have always been for the More Property, but I would think that what The Bell family (Matt Langley Bell Descendants) has to say should carry some wait, sense they made the donation. even if I disagreed with that decision.
The 4-H membership is willing to discuss and compromise. IFAS and the controlling foundation will only consider options favorable to them. Its all about control. If 4-H owns nothing, they have little to no say on anything. Below is one of the e-mails Commissioner Robinson is responding to:
“Sirs,
This is my personal response to the attached letter, sent to the Escambia 4-H membership on the behalf of Dr. Nick Place of UF/IFAS.
My three children were not in 4-H when the “Langley Bell” property was sold, but they are currently. It is a beautiful piece of property, ideally suited for their needs and they should have kept it.
It appears to me and many others that the proposed facility location was selected purely for the convenience of IFAS staff, with no regard for the needs of the children of 4-H. With that said I’m not totally against it, as it is a fairly central location to all Escambia 4-Her’s. However the children were told by the commissioners, and possibly others, that they would be able to purchase a comparable replacement property.
The “Langley Bell” property not only has a multi-purpose meeting facility. It also has a lake, cabins, an outdoor BBQ pit and facilities for housing, raising and showing livestock. IFAS has proposed numerous other properties, scattered around the county, to be used for various activities. No properties have been proposed for the 4-H livestock activities. The children wanting to participate in livestock activities have basically been told, by IFAS staff; if you want to raise and show livestock, you find somewhere to do it.
My three children can raise some livestock at home, as we have a 1+ acre animal enclosure. Other children do not have that luxury. The Barrineau Park 4-Her’s currently rely on one of their participants parent’s property to house and raise their pigs for the upcoming show. That is fine for now, but what happens in a few years when their child is no longer in 4-H and they no longer wish to participate. Every couple of years the 4-Her’s will have to find someone else to provide private facilities for their activities.
The Bayer property is nearly a turnkey purchase for all the needs. The one drawback, maybe, that it is a fairly long drive for some in the southern end of the county. The Langley Bell Center was a fairly long drive for us in the mid to northern end, but we are happy to drive there as, it is ideally suited for its purpose. Another suitable property, in the county center or elsewhere, in addition to the current proposed facility may serve the purpose. The 4-Her’s need an agriculturally zoned property of sufficient size, that the livestock activities currently performed at “Langley Bell” can continue at the will of the 4-Her’s. They don’t need to be begging to use facilities belonging to private citizens or other organizations, such as the equestrian center.
I hope the Escambia County 4-H membership; Escambia County Commission and UF/IFAS can define and implement a solution, satisfactory to all concerned. The children of 4-H, at least those participating in livestock projects, feel they have been miss-led by Escambia County and UF/IFAS leadership. I can’t say I disagree. The children of Escambia 4-H went from owning a facility with near unlimited options, to owning nothing and very limited options.
Feel free to call me concerning this issue.
Thanks,”
Commissioner Robinson – I think you’ve missed the main point to this debate and that is, the children were promised land similar to what they were pushed into selling (for the good of the County) if they agreed to sell the land. Now that the property is sold, IFAS is claiming control of the proceeds to expand it’s gardening programs, but offering the children considerably less than what they had at the Langley site. Here’s the compromise you’re looking for: allow the children to purchase the Bayer property in Molino and then build IFAS their building on Stefani Road.
I was a very big proponent of buying the Bayer property, or something similar for the kids, I still am. I have no heartburn with building a new 4H facility at Stefani Road, however, I still think that they need a large piece of property in the north end to show their big livestock and ride their horses on.
The other side of this is that property will not ever get much cheaper than it is now,
it’s a very good time to buy,
The only loser is the 4-H members. They have millions and the “crooks” won’t it or a least control of it. Selling the Bell property was never a good idea. The kids lose again!
Many years ago when was in FFA at Tate, the property that is at Stefani Road was used as a tree farm and used to raise soy beans. Now as you can see as the population in that area has changed, so has the property. So has the property we used at NEP and at Milestone. This will continue to happen if you continue to be short sided in your thinking and not find a place north of the population. As a former 4-H er it hurts that this fight is going on, the kids need a place that they can learn, farm, raise cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens and crops. Jacob is right on and as a young farmer maybe the county needs to listen to him and not listen to some people who have never raised an animal in their life.
And by the way,
It was never the Matt Langley Bell Master Gardeners Center.
Dear Mr. Commisioners,
There seemed to be no fight before the one side agreed to sell what they had to better the community. But once that was done there seems to be a fight over millions!
The other side still has everything they had to begin with but want more now.
The issue is property to some what offset the sale to navy federal and a lot of us would vote to do away the whole thing if we believe the kids get the short straw,so to speak.
All involved need to understand that the largest population may live south of 9 mile road but you are talking about live stock and Stefani road population has grown and is growing. Escambia County only has one way to grow. Further north people is what you need—BREATHING room! Just saying.
Just like a politician, talking out of both sides of his mouth.
A typical politician musing and no suprise after reading this letter to the ed that it is a worthless rambling. It sounds as if Obama wrote it, which isn’t a bad comparison for Robinson as he attempts to please everyone while actually doing and saying nothing. Come on Gover, pick a location for 4H and defend your position. By the way, master gardeners are for downtown’s old folk and 4H is all about our future, the kids.
Why put raiseing cattle in a area that is surrounded by houses ranging from the thousands to millions of dollars. You are catching slack about a pet pot bellied pig living in a neighbor now. This is just one animal not bunches as will be at the Steffani plot. You missed the best place by not buying that property in the Molino area. Buy a place where everyone can enjoy there country club atmosphere. No pun intended. The land on Steffani will make a better place to build a sub division that raising farm animals. With that said, the best place to raise cattle and farm is in the northern part of Escambia County.
You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas and walk away empty handed.