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Viewpoint: Bergosh – Disagreeing Isn’t Attacking
September 26, 2018
From Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh
A one-sided opinion piece was published very recently about Escambia County’s project to acquire the property in Beulah Known as OLF 8. The publisher would not allow me a written rebuttal.
Here are the key facts missing from that piece:
— The jobs-generating project at OLF 8 was the #1 economic development project selected by the County’s Restore Act Committee
–The jobs-generating project for OLF 8 was conceived, voted upon, and financial commitments were made long before I was elected to the Board.
—Our triumph gulf coast application, for which we stand to receive $30 Million dollars, creates at least 1,000 good-paying jobs with the OLF 8 property including quality of life improvements, biking trails, restaurants and retail amenities—all of which benefit Beulah and the region.
— I support this project because we must be good financial stewards with this soon-to-be county-owned resource; staying in the running for our $30 Million-dollar grant while intelligently developing OLF 8 is how we demonstrate this.
–The county expended $17.3 million dollars to acquire OLF 8 to create jobs–not for building “town-centers” or for sourcing land to benefit residential developers.
—I made the motion to sell 100 acres to NFCU for a market price plus the commitment of 300 jobs–so we only need to create a minimum of 700 more good jobs at OLF 8 to stay in the running for the $30 Million triumph grant!
— I made the motion to have staff create an RFP for master planning OLF 8 that: 1.) listens to residents, 2.) captures the maximum amount of value for this land, and 3.) stays within the guidelines of our Triumph grant request.
These are the facts missing from Sunday’s editorial.
I’ve attacked nobody in my disagreement amid concerns over what is being planned for OLF 8— despite this baseless claim being printed about me.
I simply feel residential development is inappropriate at this site—not because I have any dislike of residential development, but because more than 1200 apartments, condos, and homes are currently under construction within walking distance from NFCU’s campus already. The area in and around the proposed Beulah Interchange now has roughly 7,000 residential units recently completed, currently in construction, in planning, or going through development review…
Our roads and infrastructure simply cannot handle any more of this residential development! This is what my constituents are telling me, and I am hearing them loud and clear!
A final pressing concern that I have heard in listening to my constituents is this:
While there are many progressive, urban, mixed-used developments and town center concepts put out as examples of what could be built out on OLF 8–not all those concepts are necessarily applicable to Beulah.
Beulah is a rural, suburban bedroom community desperately trying to retain its rural charm and character despite the growth that is engulfing it rapidly. (I am working to help with this via a citizens’ committee and a regional master plan.)
Many constituents simply DO NOT want a big-city styled Mall-development with apartments and condos built on OLF 8 making traffic worse—And I agree with these constituents!
To agree with my constituents that do not want to build a “mini-city” on Beulah’s OLF 8 isn’t an attack.
Far from attacking anyone or insulting citizens (which I don’t do), I’m doing my job, listening to measured voices of reason from constituents like me that live right across the street from OLF 8.
I’m taking the county-wide, broad-view perspective on this issue.
Jeff Bergosh
Chairman,
Escambia Board of County Commissioners
Click image to enlarge.
Comments
16 Responses to “Viewpoint: Bergosh – Disagreeing Isn’t Attacking”
Traffic could be eased by having more than one way in and out of subdivisions and large businesses, but law enforcement years ago complained, they wanted to be able to lock down neighborhoods easily. Navy federal botts up against the interstate highway, they could put entrances and exits to the interstate freezing up some of the congestion on 9 mile road, many of their employees take the interstate to and from work.
Money can be saved by not going through with certain projects they know are going to be torn up and redone anyway, an example is a project that had been approved earlier, but scheduled for a later date, then a new project comes in that would negate the original project in the long run, why waste the money to do the first project when you know the second will just tear the first up. It’s wasteful.
For many years here the builders & developers built without restraint as they financed the political campaigns of elected officials. No thought was given to roads , subdivisions tacked onto the backs of existing subdivisions with traffic flow through where folks already lived. The central northwest portion of the county drastically overbuilt for roads in place. I feel this land deal for OLF 8 is a boondoggle to secure land for Navy Federal just like the 4 H Club calamity. As a Klondike native (between Bellview & Beulah , 8 Mile to 11 Mile Creeks respectively) I have witnessed a steady decline in quality of life because of the aforementioned issues. Many of us were here way , way before Navy Federal . Elected officials stop selling us out to make a buck.
I agree with Mr. Bergosh above and I am definately one of those Beulah residents who “simply DO NOT want a big-city styled Mall-development with apartments and condos built on OLF 8 making traffic worse”. The decision years ago to bring in Navy Federal Credit Union may have been made before Mr. Bergosh was on the board, but those other commissioners who were there should have also started to improve 9-Mile Rd in that area BEFORE 6,000 people move here and start working at NFCU. When 9-Mile Rd is complete it will be nice to improve the increased traffic flow, but it should have been done already BEFORE NFCU got big instead of AFTER. If what Mr. Bergosh says here is correct, then I agree. Sorry for the “IF” but that’s the way of politics.
Keep building but just make sure they are treated like everyo other plce in the county that is over built without any infrastructure….Like Davis Hwy
Why do The commissioners get paid such a high salary. Most of them have full time jobs. They only do 10% of the work. The rest is done by staffers secretaries and other support personnel. This to me should be a concern that every citizen in the county should question. It might help to explain why our county is still in the good ole boy system. If you want progress to be made they should be at there office doing the jobs they have been elected to do not doing as a part time gig.
Any body note the detailed info and links Chairman Bergosh provides? Thank Jeff. You are the man.
@ Grand locust
are you suggesting ( by using e-mail ) address on these kinda sites can
lead to being outed ? Privacy be danged ? Is hacking going on ?
Tell us if that’s the case so all will know ! Thanks for your contributions !
Don’t for get to check out Bergosh blog and the two Facebook pages mentioned in these comments. The best way to stop corruption in government is to let them know collectively.
We see you.
I liked it when Bergosh was posting on the PNJ comment pages as Godzilla until he was outed. I wonder what name he goes by on these comment pages. Hopefully this time he will not use his email…….but I do miss his comments, along with Bob, Surf, Seaoat, Jepperman, Teo, and all the others who contributed. Sometimes you learn more from politicians by them being free to comment and post the truth on these news stories without someone knowing who they are. The traffic is going to need better planning, much further out than the current problems.
Taking the time to read what’s been written here by ordinary citizens…..seems
it’s time for any and all officials both elected and otherwise get their act together!
The time for campaigning and posturing should be over and get on with the
People’s business.. Many of us are tiring of the same-ole, same-ole “all talk
no do “
The facebook page Escambia Citizen Watch calls you names. The commissioner Dunderhill and his wife and others are name callers and they go in there and speak against the other commissioners and insult them and call them all kind of things. Barry has had to defend his honor. D2 reelected the scourge in the primary and a democrat is challenging this cancer. Democrats have hit rock bottom. On your blog Bergosh, you have spoke out against how it seems so many are hypnotized and are unaware they they have actually entered a trap which pushes his agenda and is an arm of the campaign. (which is true)You called them the peanut gallery and such, they call you Godzilla. You have called them boot licking, water carrying sycophants. (some are) We thought McMillan would win, he did not. The video you coined the term Peanut is the same one Barry had to defend himself from about 24 hours of insults from his colleague impugning his reputation. (June 22, 2017) You have also insulted JUECW ie (Jacqueline Underhill) escambia citizen watch and the owner of that f/b page doesn’t take criticism well at all. You call them tin foil hat wearers. You have called one the loudest voice in the room. An alternative site Escambia Citizen Watch (free speech) is an alternative, so there are no rules and the language is foul and unrelenting. You had enough guts online to call out Haines and Morgan for their corrupt ways then caved in at the last minute (all of BOCC did) So there you have it Escambia Soap Opera.
So if everyone can put away their crayons and stop telling on each other (don’t forget PNJ editorial is Marlette and by the looks of his cartoons he draws well but is a total idiot none the less…consider the source.)
And realize the Master Plan IS a compromise and Escambia need the Triumph $$, then the rest of the citizens will benefit and we call recess at kindergarten is over.
Going to Myescambia and ECTV to watch the meetings and staying away from The turning Hourglass of the “Days of Our Lives”
It would be nice if for once, just once, our elected officials would put aside their own gain and stop with the petty bickering and really get down to what is best for the people. When I say people, I dont mean the people in your household or the people in your cell phone contacts, but the people of your district.
The ability to add career jobs that offer well above average wage and benefits should be a priority for our area. Although the economy is doing well at the moment, we still do not have an abundance of these types of jobs in our area. However, its not just about hiring, but the positive impact on other businesses in our area is equally important.
The roads should be near the top as well … have you driven our roads lately? It is if they tear one up, rearrange traffic flow, and then move to the next road to tear up. How about holding these folks accountable to deadlines and showing some urgency?
I will end with this …. things seem to be headed in a positive direction for the first time in a while. I would offer you a deal … we the people may would forget about all the underhanded land transactions and sudden change in votes and bids to friends etc if you would stand up, work together, and do what is best for our community.
Triumph Gulf Coast is run by Don Gatez , his son is in office if you don’t play by their rules no money . I’m really sorry that voters didn’t take the time to see how this family is stealing our money. The money they are getting comes from the BP oil spill settlement. It’s our community’s and should be given to us accordingly. We should not have to jump through hoops to get money we are due. Our county has a long way to go as far as doing things that are going to get us where we need to be. We can’t even get traffic lights to move the traffic smoothly. It’s so sad to see how far behind we are , and our leaders won’t look at how other communities have grown and ask for their help in developing our community to be successful.
I beg to differ – maybe he needs to go back and read some of his blog posts – better yet, why don’t everyone that reads the above do that. They will see how he has talked about his constituents. I have attended many of his ” town hall meetings” and he treats his constituents like they have no clue what they are talking about. If you disagree with him, you are against him is the way he sees it. You know it’s bad in Beulah when you see a Doug Underhill sign in Bergosh’s district – that ought to tell you something.
Could use a nice Golf
Commissioner Bergosh,
We need growth to help secure jobs, prosperity and for the long-term economic advantages for our children and their children. We know you are also a resident, living close to the Navy Federal Call Center so you are well aware of the traffic problems of 9 Mile Road. With the proposed and the approved projects from the chart you supplied, we not just need but REQUIRE a fast-track solution to the traffic problem. I understand FDOT is in charge of major projects but our roads, even upon completion next year, will be outdated and unable to handle the additional traffic.
As an example of small but very big and often overlooked problems for daily commuters in the area is Pine Forest Road from I10 to 9 Mile Road is only 1 lane. Now, this doesn’t make any sense since southbound is 2 lanes and on any given day during the week, try driving northbound after 3:30 pm and prepare to sit still. The simple addition of one extra lane will free up access to both east and westbound turn lanes and those wishing to proceed straight. It’s the small things in the details that make all of the difference.
Now back to Beulah. There was a huge discussion about the Navy Federal Traffic and in no way do I blame their corporation or their workers. The presence of Navy Federal is a blessing since Monsanto isn’t a large supplier of jobs in our area anymore and with the military base cuts every year since the end of the cold war, communities need to find a source for decent paying jobs which provide security, health care and give back to our community as they do.
We need a road/traffic fix sooner than later. We need to establish something better than waiting 10 years for the state to fix this since this isn’t a State of Florida problem, this is an Escambia County problem. WE NEED HELP Commissioner!