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Government Consolidation Plan Begins To Take Shape; Read The Report
November 18, 2009
The Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission has compiled a status report and listed its tentative findings.
The Consolidation Commission was created by the Florida Legislature to study the feasibility of consolidating the governments of Escambia County, Century, and Pensacola into one, or unifying the administrative services of the three bodies. The commissions plans will be presented to the Florida Legislature in January and then to voters as early as November 2010.
The Consolidation Commission must present a status report to the Town of Century, Escambia County and the City of Pensacola by the end of November. In order to present that report and begin to draft a consolidation plan, the commission has voted on a number of issues and decided how certain aspects of a consolidated government would be handled.
Today, we begin a two-part series looking at the Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission’s findings to date. Tomorrow, in part two of our series, we will take a more in depth look at the commission’s findings and what they might mean to the residents of North Escambia and Century.
Below is a summary of the commission’s findings and recommendations. The undecided issues, primarily those involving the sheriff and the actual form of government, will be up for a commission vote on December 8.
To read the actual 14 page report, click here (pdf).
Constitutional Officers
- Constitutional Officers (excluding the Sheriff) unaffected (not within consolidated government): The Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk of the Court, and Supervisor of Elections, should remain as independent constitutional officers. In other words, these official should not be included within the consolidated government.
Public Safety
- Unified Law Enforcement: (not yet decided)
- An elected Sheriff as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer: (not yet decided)
- Non-partisan election for Sheriff: (not yet decided)
- Unified Fire Departments: The Escambia County and City of Pensacola Fire Departments should be consolidated into a combined system of professional and volunteer firefighters.
- Unified Communications: The Communication Centers (911, etc) for Law Enforcement and Fire should be combined.
Administrative Services
- Unified Administrative Services: Under the consolidated government, all “structural impediments” to a full merger of the administrative services of the County and municipalities (i.e., Human Resources, Finance, Public Information, Information Technology, and Purchasing) can and should be merged.
Planning and Permitting
- Unified Planning and Zoning: The County and City of Pensacola Planning and Zoning Departments should be consolidated.
- Unified Permitting and Building Inspection: The County and City Permitting and Building Inspection departments should be consolidated.
- Unified Code Enforcement: Code enforcement should be consolidated.
- Code Enforcement Officers to be certified law enforcement officers: (not yet decided)
Utilities
- One Utility Authority: All utilities services in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola should be consolidated under a single utility authority. The utilities operating under this Utility Authority would include the services of: Natural Gas, Water, Waste Water and Solid Waste Management.
- Utility Authority Governing Board: The Utility Authority should be governed by a board of 7 members. Board composition should exist with five of the members being elected in the same manner as the present ECUA Board; one member should be appointed by consolidated government’s Council; and, the remaining member should be appointed by the elected Mayor.
- Powers and Duties of the Utility Authority Governing Board: Similar to the consolidated government’s Council, the Utility Authority Governing Board should not be involved in directing the day-to-day activities ofthe Utility Authority. The day-to-day activities should be the responsibility of the Executive Director. The primary responsibility of the Board responsibilities will be to select and oversee the performance of the Executive Director, approved the budget and set major organizational policy. The members of the Board should meet once each month in a public forum to conduct the official business of the Utilities Authority.
- Utility Authority Executive Director: There should be created a position of Executive Director of the Utilities Authority. The Executive Director should be selected and confirmed by the governing Board of the Utilities Authority. Serving at the pleasure of the Board, the Executive Director should be removed only by a majority vote of the Board.
- Powers and Duties of the Executive Director: If necessary, the Consolidation Charter may describe the position(s) as follows: Powers and Duties of the Executive Director of the Utility Authority: There shall be an Executive Director of the Utilities Authority who shall serve as the professional manager of the Public Utilities under the authority ofthe Board ofDirectors. The Executive Director shall be appointed and hired by the Utilities Authority Board and shall be responsible to the Board for the day-to-day – management and operation of the utilities. The Executive Director shall have sole authority to appoint, suspend, or remove all department directors, employees, and administrative officers of the Utilities Authority.
Roads
- Unified Roads Department: The County and City Road Departments should be combined.
Parks and Recreation
- Unified Parks and Recreation Department: There should be a consolidated Parks and Recreation department
Existing Special Districts and Authorities
- Special Districts and Authorities: Existing special districts and authorities should be left “as is” under the consolidation plan.
Economic Development
- Economic Development: The plan should make provision for an Economic Development Commission with the details of that commission to be left to ordinance by the council.
Office of General Counsel
- Office of General Counsel: There should be an Office of General Counsel to help resolve legal disputes between the different elements ofthe consolidated government (including its independent agencies).
Taxing and Service Districts
- Separate Taxing and Service Districts: Under a consolidated government, there should be eparate taxing districts with taxation proportionate to services provided.
Existing Debt and Pension Obligations
- Restrictions on existing debt obligations: The existing liabilities of the City (pension plans, Maritime Park, etc) should remain with the boundaries of the present city. More specifically, the repayment of debt service should be restricted to the same funding source or property which is subject to taxation for repayment to the source or property from which such ebt service would be paid had consolidation not taken place and before the effective date of the Charter.
- Pension Obligations: Current employees should be able to continue in their existing plans but future employees should be under the retirement system adopted by the Council.
Office of Independent Budget Analyst
- Office of Budget Analyst: An Office of Independent Budget Analyst as an independent department whose role is to advise and inform the Council on fiscal matters should be included in the Plan.
Forms Of Government
- Mayor-Council: (not yet decided)
- Council-Manager: (not yet decided)
- Personnel Sytem: Establish a merit system.
Comments
26 Responses to “Government Consolidation Plan Begins To Take Shape; Read The Report”
Well thank you Pensacola, we (yahoos) will take a no vote from any one who will vote down this consolidation, seems we are all on the same side after all.VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION!!!!!!
It looks like a bad deal for the city od pensacola to me. They will be giving their superior services to the yahoos in the county but retaining all the debt……what a con job. You can keep your volunteers and 15 to 30 minute responce times for cops, I’ll stay in the city with my higher taxes and better services.
NOPE WE DO NOT WANT THIS OR DO WE NEED THIS,YEA WE ALREADY LET THEM TAKE ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE WE HAVE PLEASE FOR ONCE LETS STAND TOGETHER PENSACOLA SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoever thinks that Century is a dump should not be or live in Century. Century may not have the same that Pensacola may have but, we don’t need to be consolidated with a city that is in trouble and wants someone else to carry some of the load. Century is a town in itself that may have problems but, we don’t need anymore.
Well of all the people that I know , and I do know a lot of people. no one has a bad septic system. No one. So push your rules on somone one else. This is exactly why no one wishes to join the city and be forced to change things that do work. Water run off is far worse than a septic tank, and yet they wish to build a maritime park and ball field, on the bay. So where is all that water run off going to go? Why in the bay of course. Sorry I do not buy in to all the so called threats to our enviroment. Is it call global warming now , or is it climate change? Or is it what we have always called it, weather. And by the way I do have a horse as a back up form of transport. Do you think I need to put a diaper on her? Out here we use poop as a fertilizer, and it grows really great earth worms.
Never said a waste water treatment plant can’t have a spill, especially during flooding, but that also makes septic tanks leak as well. In flooding, nothing is full proof.
The new systems I referred to that hopefully will take the place of a septic tank, actually clean the water before releasing it, where over flow out of a septic tank just goes into the ground, so people with wells could have contamination.
Robert if you keep your septic tank maintained, great, for most do not and thus the problem with them. But during flooding even a septic tank can leak out contiminated water. And doing a better system isn’t punishment but an improvement. If we cling to our established ways thinking any change is bad or punishment we’d still be riding horses.
Well Darryl you put your poop where you want to, and I will put mine in my nice, safe septic tank , and when it breaks I’ll fix it. Just because some people do not do the right thing in not reason to punish the rest of us. And so you also think that they can’t possible have a mishap and dump thousand of gallons of sewage in to the water? You are not facing reality. Sorry I’ll stay with what I know works, because I am in control of it.
Salt water intrusion, look it up. Desalination is an expensive undertaking, ask the Navy. It is and always will be about water. They tried years ago to say all “Unicorporated” water systems automatically were county owned, but a smart lady named Louise outfoxed the city slicker men and managed to educate the north end water systems and proper paperwork followed and the rural water systems still exist. There needs to be an uprising of folks who put the power people in their place and make them understand we don’t want their lifestyles, we don’t want their debt, we DON’T WANT CONSOLODATION. Exercise your right of freedom of speech and exercise your power and VOTE.
On consolidation, vote as you see fit, for you have to live with it. but Robert, over time septic tanks do leak and cause problems in our water system. There are studies and case studies with new systems that use certain plant species and means of slowly running water through a natural filtering system that hopefully take the place of septic tanks, and may even take the place of public systems in some areas.
I know one of the main contaminates in the rivers and bayous in Escambia County/Pensacola was fecal matter, which most was coming from old septic tanks. As to water quality and septic tanks look at some of the issues involved in links:
http://www-csgc.ucsd.edu/NEWSROOM/NEWSRELEASES/2009/CoastalWaterQuality.html
excerpt from NC piece:
“Sewage from the new development poses problems in the form of leaking septic tanks, poorly regulated “package treatment plants” (small unmanned sewage treatment plants that are typically designed to serve one development or business), leaking sewage lines, and poorly operated sewage treatment plants.”
link:
http://www.catawbariverkeeper.org/News/waterqualityfacts
and locally, here’s an old op piece:
http://www.pnj.com/article/99999999/NEWS10/90814013
excerpt:
“Meanwhile, the DEP report states, chemicals in prescription drugs and personal care products like soap, cosmetics, sunscreens, fragrances and over-the-counter medications have already been linked to disruption of the natural sex balance in fish, with more females and fewer males being born. They also cause more fish of “indeterminate sex.”
The real question: What is their impact on human reproduction?
And the most common source of these chemicals in the environment? Wastewater discharges (including septic tanks), sewage sludge and animal manure applied to land, and contaminated water leaking from old landfills. “
Vote No !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On Consolidation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Century is a dump, I don’t see how this could make things any worse, and if anything might get rid of some of the corruption.
I GUESS THEY ARE GOING TO SHOVE THIS DOWN OUR THROATS….I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS FOR THIS……
Another so called news site giving false information. At least not the full story. State Representative Greg Evers is the real culprit in this story. He had to introduce the bill for consolidation, before the State Legislature could vote on and pass the bill. Vote against Greg Evers if he runs for dog catcher. He is a crooked politician, bowing to the special interest instead of representing the people who elected him. I to was suckered into voting for him a couple of times. I guess I learned the hard way like a lot of other folks. REMEMBER THE NAME GREG EVERS and DON’T VOTE FOR THE SCOUNDRAL AGAIN!!
I disagree with total consolidation of this type. However, I am 100% in support of anything to rid ourselves of EREC. The cost for water we pay alone is almost 1 1/2 times the cost for what an ECUA customer pays for water and sewer combined. A septic tank/system is an enviromantal disaster waiting to happen. I have nothing against the services provided by EREC, or the customer support, they are just ridiculously overpriced for both water and electricity. Has not anyone but me recieved thier latest EREC water bill. An additonal fee of $18 has been added to each of your invoices as a “Utility Fee”. My wife called and voiced her opinion/complaint, let’s all get out and vote at that next change of command too and rid ourselves of this very overpiced service.
My septic tank always works, much better than relying on someone else’s system, than will most likely break during a hurricane. No thank you, if you want a city system, then stay in the city. And Pensacola needs to learn how to ANNEX like Mobile and other cities do, if they chose to grow. Pensacola can not even manage its own affairs, and i sure am not willing to give them a shot at trying to run a county. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
S. L. B. on the comment:
“Pure, clean well water for drinking and septic tanks for personal sewage are the only way to go! Who wants to drink and bathe in what is flushed down the toilets? I don’t care how many chemicals you put in it, it’s just plain nasty.”
Do you realize some of the pollution going into the streams and rivers is overflow from old or improperly designed septic systems, and if you want to protect water systems, the septic tank is not the answer. Either a city system or some of the newer and underdevelopment natural purification systems (these use plants and special drainage areas that force the water slowly through its system.
The consolidation issue does seem really loaded toward Pensacola. The city does have the extremely bad situation of being land locked and unable to properly grow as the needs for its services grow. It is a problem that will have to be addressed.
The new treatment plant is way too long in coming. It being downtown on the bayfront was just plain stupid, and environmental unsound.
As to zoning and building services, that depends. It can eliminate some of the mixed opinions on how to interpret the code and zoning, and IF the process is streamlined, can make it easier, but all too often, the administrators get all wrapped up in processes, and changes or more processes, and bog the system down.
Consolidation good for Pensacola and the beaches maybe, but not much for the rest of the county. I’m thinking… no.
Esc. Co.Florida citizens who live in the northend are NOT IGNORANT and we know exactly what the goals are with the Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission and what they hope to gain from this purposed consolidation.
waterlady501, when I read this article, I too was wondering the same exact thing.
My husband told me awhile back that when ECUA bought out Allied Waste, it was just a matter of time before they would probably take over all untilities up on the northend as they have in Pensacola. Another reason I bet they are building a new water sewage treament plant between the northend and the city.
ECUA superpower wants the monopoly and control.
We moved away from Pensacola 14 years ago so that we wouldn’t be forced to drink “turd water” and pay to “poop” in thier pipes. We would fill a glass up with water and if you let it sit for about 45 min. you would see stuff floating in it and/or settled in the bottom of the glass.It was so gross! Not to mention that the shower water stinks too.
Pure, clean well water for drinking and septic tanks for personal sewage are the only way to go! Who wants to drink and bathe in what is flushed down the toilets? I don’t care how many chemicals you put in it, it’s just plain nasty.
Everyone….Please vote NO to consolidation!
I guess the Molino Utilities better be watching their backs. ECUA will be your boss!! Instead of the idea of Century being consolidated, I guess the downtown money hungry powers that (in my opinion) have screwed up the City of Pensacola, now they want the whole county to run. I guess we will have to give up our first born as well. At first glance I thought it might be a good idea, but now
I SAY NO TO CONSOLIDATION. GREED IS A GOOD WORD FOR THE DOWNTOWN BUNCH.
This hasn’t worked in Jacksonville so who says it will work here, its just a ploy to get all of our resourses ( money) to let the city play ball.
Bigger government = Bigger taxes
Bigger government = competition to small businessman
Compete against the government = failure of small business
Failure of small business = no revenue in area
No revenue in area = depression
Bigger government = more control for THEM / less control for me
Less control for me = Loss of FREEDOM
Nothing is free Someone pays —————the tax payer
The tax payer = ONE WHO WORKS FOR A LIVING
I agree with Robert Hudson! The City has been trying for years to get the county to consolidate all of the county so that they can use the money for their purpose – NOT NORTH OF 9 Mile Road. This section of the county is always LAST to receive any benefits from the county. We need to VOTE NO!! Look at the Civil Center, it could have been located in more accessible place, but NO, it had to be in the city. That along should let the North end of the county know that Pensacola is only out for Pensacola.
I want to keep our water and electric co-op, and I want to live in the country and have dirt roads. Why is government that is supposed to reflect the wishes of it citizens, ALWAYS wanting what THEY want to happen, no matter what those that elect them want? Power, money, and “you know.” Same o, same o, throughout history. Citizens need to wake up and VOTE!!! Every time the polls open!!! I wonder if , one day, we will wake up to find a world with wall to wall concrete, steel, asphalt and corruption? I hope I’m not around if and when that happens. It is becoming more and more disgusting!!!
One question: The plan states that “All utilities services in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola should be consolidated under a single utility authority.” Is this a reference to utility services currently being provided by governmental agencies only (such as ECUA, City of Pensacola, Town of Century) or is the intent to include (in other words, take over) all the independent/rural utility services in the county as well?
This form of government is nothing more than a scam to funnel money, our money , in to supporting the city. The city is broke , loseing residents, and still spending way more than they have. And they need us to bail them out. We need to vote this down again, and send a strong message to the city that we do not wish to be governed by them or their so called strong mayor( If they even pass that.) VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION!!!!!!!!!!
Existing Debt and Pension Obligations: The current debt owed by the city of Pensacola is climbing through the roof and Pensacola badly wants and needs consolidation as a bail out! If you believe that county residents won’t take on Pensacola’s obligations down the road, you are only kidding yourself. Once the “change” takes place, it’ll only take a vote by the new high power council with its 7 members to force the payments on us; 3 who will automatically vote for the city’s position followed by the 2 politically appointed ones, which will give the council a 5-2 super majority.
Consolidation will not bring better government for the county, but it will save Pensacola from going bankrupt. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION!