Business As Usual: Century Council Does Not Discuss State Senator’s Suggestion Of Unincorportation Or County Takeover

November 7, 2023


In the first town council meeting since a state senator publicly floated the idea of unincorporating the Town of Century due to their finances, the town council did not directly discuss the issue Tuesday night and went about business as usual.

Sen. Doug Broxson’s comments came during a meeting last month of the Escambia County Legislative Delegation — Sen. Doug Broxson, State Rep. Alex Andrade and State Rep. Michelle Salzman — in Pensacola. Gomez had addressed the delegation, thanking them for millions in state funding that has gone to projects in Century, including a bridge replacement, wastewater treatment plant repairs and repairs to a failed water well serving the state prison.

I’ve been dealing with Century for 14 years,” Broxson told Gomez. “I know you’ve had tremendous challenges there. Your tax base is very low, and your needs are very great. I can tell you this delegation has doubled down on trying to help Century.”

Broxson is chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In 2019, a grand jury found the town was in a “state of financial emergency” and failed to prepare and approve budgets that were “realistic or financially solvent.”

“We are praying for you, we know you have a big challenge, we want you to do well,” Broxson continued. “But we know you are in tough circumstances. I would hope that at some point if things continue where it’s a challenge to meet your budget, that you would consider de-chartering Century so you could come under the umbrella of Escambia County and let them take their resources and help you with some of your major problems. I’ve watched it, “I know you’ve tried, but we really need a bigger hand to help you get to where you need to be.

Tuesday night, the Century Council held no direct discussion on any potential unincorporation or future finances.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Comments

16 Responses to “Business As Usual: Century Council Does Not Discuss State Senator’s Suggestion Of Unincorportation Or County Takeover”

  1. tg on November 9th, 2023 9:37 am

    The misery has to end for Century. Make city hall north end headquarters for sheriffs department.

  2. IMHO on November 9th, 2023 12:46 am

    @Christian Quartermaster. Standing Ovation!!!’

  3. Truth be told on November 9th, 2023 12:09 am

    Century. Prichard on the Escambia

  4. Christian, Quartermaster, Paratrooper Sargent Rose Edward J former USA Army on November 8th, 2023 3:44 pm

    @M in Bratt, look up the word bigotry. Money being given to ” community centers ” that don’t do anything for the community is called stealing from the public for personal interests groups and is how they might be supporting the bigotry which has keeped Century in the 19th Century. The onky minority ethnic group I see around here are from some part of what we call India. The bigotry I speak of is from groups of people who only do handshakes with people in thier groups and most likely are the ones getting kick backs for owning these ” community centers ” by calling them churches.

  5. Christian, Quartermaster, Paratrooper Sargent Rose Edward J former USA Army on November 8th, 2023 3:06 pm

    obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
    “the difficulties of combating prejudice and bigotry”.

    Some people here in Century treat new people with ideas they don’t understand as outcasts. Where are the economic development projects? Why isn’t there any sustainable cell or internet towers so that everyone within a 50 mile radius of the town can communicate and conduct uninterrupted business with the rest of the modern world here in Century Florida? Why in a town surrounded by nature and farmers have such high food prices and very little to no local fresh produce? With so many churches in one small location, Why can’t the homeless have a shelter? Why do so many drink to much or do hard drugs to escape the reality they are surrounded with in Century Florida? Why is there no economic growth in a area of Florida that Alabama takes advantage of all the time ? Why can’t the surrounding towns to include Alabama work together as Americans to clean up Century Florida to have our own Winterfest and celebrate other American culture holidays as a community? I have experienced it to be because of bigotry.

  6. Christian, Quartermaster, Paratrooper Sargent Rose Edward J former USA Army on November 8th, 2023 1:19 pm

    Just because the town is ran by what some consdider a minority does not mean that bigotry isn’t the reason the town is failing. In fact it’s more evidence that bigotry is at play. It should not matter if the elected officials are considered a minority. They should be able to do the job regardless of ethnic background. They should not be catering to non progressive ideology or be oppressing a town because of thier personal beliefs. Surrounding this town are alot of secret corrupt organizations who claim to be churches yet don’t do anything for the poor, people on drugs or with drinking problems. There is no economic development projects. They allow the town to look like a pig pen, they don’t educate people on how to be involved in economic development that supports individual Independence or American individual sovereignty. Maybe look up the word bigotry? The town is so poor but the grocery store that is 100% employee owned hikes the prices up, then instead of fighting the economic disaster turning the town into a getto they have not one but two Dollar Generals and a Family Dollar the two worst possible franchises in America to be the main attractions. Why is the crime rate so high? Because the twom attracts trash.

  7. ensley boy on November 8th, 2023 12:48 pm

    A hand of help has been extended, now it’s up to the leaders of Century to accept it.

  8. IMHO on November 8th, 2023 12:45 pm

    In other words, if it weren’t for the State’s contributions the TOC couldn’t survive. Yet the State keeps supporting them. Why? Plain and simple. Demographics matter.

  9. derek on November 8th, 2023 10:19 am

    The legislature should mandate an audit and dissolve the city of Century with special funding for redevelopment!

  10. Tomas Paine on November 8th, 2023 10:18 am

    Pull the numerous violations of FL law such as the Sunshine Law, pull the utilities disparities in billing, pull the handling of the interim elections. There’s plenty of valid legal argument for the state to pull the charger BEFORE one gets to the media coverage which could be added as well.

  11. Rusty on November 8th, 2023 9:53 am

    Have any of these clowns ever had a real job or is this where incompetence goes to finish off a city

  12. M in bratt on November 8th, 2023 9:47 am

    @Christian Quartermaster; Instead of spouting about “bigotry” I wish you would kindly give us some examples so maybe we fix them. How could the mis-management of this town even be remotely related to bigotry when all the elected officials are minority’s? The only way that this town charter will ever be rescinded is for Sen. Broxon and the legislature enact legislation to rescind it. In the mean time, the legislature needs to quit handing TOC money for questionable projects that do little to enhance the quality of life for the residents; ie; How many community centers does this little town need or deserve to have paid for by the taxpayers of Fl.

  13. Christian, Quartermaster, Paratrooper Sargent Rose Edward J former USA Army on November 8th, 2023 8:58 am

    We moved here two years ago thinking that small farm towns would support small farming businesses. Yet due to the over bearing bigotry and obvious mismanagement of funds the town is stuck in a decline that worships the past mixed with racism they call the “good ol boy ” system. They can’t even clean up the town so that it matches the clean and friendly neighboring town of Jay Florida where they at least have strong internet signal from Verizon. When I asked how Jay did it they said it was mismanagement of broadband finances was the blame for Century not having any cellular service. With all the traffic that comes through Century there should be more small business, yet they have a Burger King that’s shut down. Whatabuger isn’t that great and with all the poor here needing jobs the lack of options invited crime. With all the land around here one might think people had thier own food gardens and supported local farmers markets helping feed the poor with prices that would compete in the food market to fight inflation. Sadly the bigotry keeps the people under its systematic oppression. We can’t wait to sell and relocate.

  14. Oversight on November 8th, 2023 8:43 am

    And give up their gravy train? Where do you think those millions of $$ goes that the town receives every year. LOL!

  15. rad on November 8th, 2023 8:31 am

    If Sen Broxson is that concerned, he should contact the Governor’s office because there are avenues whereby the State can pull the Charter without the City’s consent based on mismanagement. The only evidence Sen Broxson would need to send in is the hundreds of articles William has written since he started this website because it definitively paints a picture of decades of mismanagement.

  16. Concerned citizen on November 8th, 2023 8:00 am

    Your giving them more time to waste the towns they all ready had grants before these where did the money go? When is everyone going to get your head out the clouds and take over Century this has been an ongoing problem for years and the state just let’s keep going on! Enough is enough do something before they pocket all that money !!!!