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Escambia Children’s Trust Director Tammy Greer Submits Resignation
August 16, 2023
Tammy Greer, executive director of the Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT), is resigning.
With a subject line that simply said “Notice”, Greer emailed her resignation to board members late Tuesday afternoon.
“This job is unbelievably political. I knew it would be: Pensacola is indeed a small town. However, my leadership is now being questioned, and my 37-year stellar career is getting a stain on it that cannot be erased. Perhaps I am not the best fit. My best is not good enough,” Geer wrote.
The ECT board has expressed issues with how staff handled “single source” grant requests. The board voted to seek an opinion from the Florida Attorney General on whether the Trust can use funds to purchase property for a children’s resource center. The City of Pensacola wants just under $3.5 million to purchase and renovate the Morris L. Eaddy Activity Center on Lakeview Avenue. It would become a resource center and a location for youth healthcare.
“I hate that there is constant chaos when powerful people in the community don’t like the way things go. I did what I thought the Board wanted. I told people about the Trust and what we can do … giving examples of what other CSCs/Trusts have done. I see now that I should have spent the last 18 months in my office, not in the community. For that and all the drama I have caused, I apologize. I am sorry that getting all the funding out into the community and engaging new grassroots organizations in our system was not enough,” Greer continued in her email.
“I took this job because I wanted to help the children of the county where I grew up. I was that poor kid – the one who was homeless, in foster care, needed to see a dentist, needed mental health assistance, etc. – like the kids the Trust was established to serve. I have done the best I could to build this organization.”
Greer is exercising a 60-day notice provision in her contract that would make her last day October 15.
In November 2020, 61% of participating voters in Escambia County supported the creation of the Children’s Trust to be funded by an increase in ad valorem taxes of up to a maximum of 0.5 mil. The Children’s Trust will provide early childhood education, safety, developmental, preventative, health, and well-being services, including after school and summer enrichment programs.
Comments
24 Responses to “Escambia Children’s Trust Director Tammy Greer Submits Resignation”
With regard to the insinuation of vote counting fraud helping to pass the referendum, the 2020 ballot measure passed 61% to 39% by 35,485 votes.
Just looked over my “Notice of Proposed Property Taxes”.
The Children’s Trust accounts for 2.42% of my estimated total property taxes due for 2023. I can live with that.
alot of pepole had moved to this county before this vote ! count of rent verse owners /buyers & all shoud read these laws closer before voting !@!!
In all fairness, knowing what we know now, we need a recall vote on the Children’s Trust referendum. Let’s see what the taxpayers think now.
Thanks, to the ones who voted for this and now admit it was a scam. It was nothing but another government bureaucracy to make a select few, money off taxpayer backs.
Can anyone tell me how much money it has taken in? What percentage of that actually went to helping kids? How much does administrative make? You will never get these answers.
Just like ECUA, spend all you get and then demand more.
No need for duplication of services and at worst, a politically based expenditure of public funds with no oversight or input by the public on how and why the monies will be spent. A blank check without limitation on spending and the guaranteed increase of this tax for every year thereafter.
Good old Boys and Girls strike again!!!!
Im soooo sick of politics, both in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Both Counties are being ruined because of politics and greed.
Full disclosure…I did vote for this because as a 33year former teacher, I saw a great need in this county for classroom needs students needs and infrastructure updates…silly me…I should have known that with such an emphasis on building and development all over this county, I should have realized that the ones that need help the most, were not going to benefit. I DID NOT VOTE FOR MONIES TO BE SPENT ON REAL ESTATE, I VOTED ON MONIES TO BE SPENT ON THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS NEEDS!
There is absolutely no need for the children’s trust. Hogwash money grab to support parents that wont support their own children. Children have gotten to school and home again forever This should not be an ad valorem tax. I can see no benefit I receive and yet I am made to pay this. “The Children’s Trust will provide early childhood education, safety, developmental, preventative, health, and well-being services, including after school and summer enrichment programs.” Welcome to socialism. Pay your own way and support your own.
The board should resign. They’re a mess in every meeting. I’m a republican, and do believe our kids NEED the ECT, but we need a smaller board, and a better criteria for picking those members. I’m sorry to see Ms. Greer go.
Have watched several televised meetings “episodes” of the Escambia Children’s Trust and have come to the conclusion that they DO NOTHING other than Meet and Talk big about what Will Be Done. Have no idea of Anything that has actually been Accomplished.
Must say too that the televised meetings show ‘Board Members’ whose faces show a lot of UNhappiness, Frustration and sorta Anger. They are not a happy or confidence building group while talking about spending WE The People’s TAX Money.
Nope, didn’t vote for the thing, feel the school system and a multitude of already existing Services are providing the things that ECT proposes to do, but Has Not.
Only thing I’d vote FOR with ECT is to Disband it completely and Remove the 0.5 mill of Ad Valorem Tax imposed upon the Citizens of Escambia County, FL
Does anyone have a valid accounting of How Much Tax Money the ECT has taken in and Where Has it Been Spent?
Last I heard there is a question whether or not this Real Estate Deal they want to do with City of Pensacola has some big questions about legality.
Best Wishes to Ms. Greer and may you fare Well in the Future.
BIG Money Politics and a desire by a few to Totally Control Education in our county, same bunch as brought us the Appointed Superintendent of Schools. Time to un-do that too
Ms Greer,
You can only swim upstream before you are swept downstream. I am glad you are strong enough to swim to shore and not be carried down the”GOOD OLE BOYS” way.
BLESS YOU
Thank Studer for this.
I voted against the Escambia Children’s Trust because it is another political bureaucracy that will never produce the utopia that it promised the people of Escambia County.
May the Lord Bless you with a new beginning and a more peaceful work place. I understand the Chaos you may have had to deal with.
I didn’t vote for this Children’s Trust, as all it did was raise our property taxes to duplicate services that already existed in the county. Why not just bolster funds for the programs that already exist, rather than blaming them for not being able to do something with nothing? We didn’t need ECT before, and we don’t need it now. All it’s doing is costing me money for zero return.
Mrs. Greer I understand very well what you’re talking about. You will always find when you try to do the right thing “Opposition”. And it can be very frustrating when your Heart is in it. You did your best, No guilt concious, enjoy your life and continue to to what you do. “Care for others”. Bless you.
It’s not a mater of what the board wants..by Felicia!!
I am not a fan of the ECT and did not vote for it. As for political…..this town is and will be. I don’t see the need for ECT and the extra drama. Thought this was for the kids!!! It’s the adults that need to act right. Why not let the Board of County Commissioners oversee the funds, they know the needs of their areas. Best of luck to you.
Thank you for your service and dedication to the children of Escambia County. It’s regrettable that another professional, who could do so much more for the area, seems to have been pushed out by politics. It’s so unfortunate that the area can never seem to make any progress as elected leaders trip over themselves to make power plays. Pensacola and Escambia County continue to slide backward into a really sad depressing area to live because progress is always met with opposition.
Ms.Greet
I wish you would have stayed-but fighting the republican trumpers is a very hard job and the schools are now teaching good little republicans that think authoritarian ways to follow the governor and trump-both who feel they are “dear leaders” are gods–but I appreciate all your efforts-being threatened and harassed because you do not agree with them-life and no liberty is the motto
This “Trust” was an extremely dumb vote and without a doubt political. Escambia County gets duped regularly or maybe its not the voters but the vote counters winning here.
Ms. Greer, I don’t live in your community, but am in Escambia Co. I’ve never heard of you but, I’m sure you’ve done what you thought was best. I know you are hurt because of how it’s ending but…..I’m sure, someone is appreciative for the positives you’ve caused in their life.
I hope you can get past this period of time and enjoy whatever life brings to you afterwards.