When Does the Escambia County Board of County Commisioners Meet Again

Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh fabricated his case to win over his new constituents at a boondocks hall event Mon dark.

More than 130 residents of Perdido Key and Innerarity Point packed into a coming together room at Perdido Bay United Methodist Church building on Innerarity Point Route to hear from their new county commissioner.

Bergosh has been the District 1 commissioner since 2016, but final year, the County Commission and School Board agreed to move the Perdido Key area into District 1 every bit part of redistricting post-obit the 2020 Census.

Joining Bergosh at the meeting were Escambia Canton School Board District 1 member Kevin Adams and Emerald Coast Utilities Authorization District 1 fellow member Vicki Campbell. Both Campbell and Adams made remarks to the oversupply, only Bergosh'southward plans for the coastal community were the focus of the event.

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Canton staff had gear up upwardly enough chairs for 100 people in the coming together room at the church, and the room speedily became standing room only.

Bergosh told the crowd that despite rumors, he was non going to come up into Perdido Fundamental like "a wrecking ball" to disengage the Perdido Fundamental Habitat Conservation Program and Perdido Key Master Plan, which regulate development on the barrier island.

Bergosh said he intends to get out the plans in place.

"I'grand a process-oriented person," Bergosh said. "I'm going to follow the process, and I'm going to follow the rules. These ordinances were in place, then I intend to follow them. I just desire to permit everyone know that because again, in that location are rumors out there that I'm going to bosom the (development) cap and start developing. First of all, I can't do that myself. And second of all, I don't intend to. Third of all, I'1000 a dominion follower."

Bergosh also addressed a rumor that he intended to abolish the planned roundabout at Perdido Fundamental Drive and Johnson Embankment Road which he voted for last calendar month.

"Let me lay those rumors to residue," Bergosh said. "… I voted for it, and it passed unanimously. And so anyone that'due south calling or going on social media saying that 'Jeff Bergosh doesn't back up it' is simply non telling you lot the truth."

Bergosh said he'south agnostic when it comes to traffic circles versus traditional traffic lights, simply noted the projection was being funded with discretionary money from District ii that Commissioner Doug Underhill put forward for the project after Perdido Key was moved out of his commune.

He added that public meetings were held for the projection, and the roundabout option drew almost unanimous support.

Roundabout:Perdido Key roundabout projection approved for Perdido Fundamental Drive, Johnson Beach Route

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As Bergosh has done at previous town halls, attendees were given cards that said "concur" on 1 side and "disagree" on the other side. Bergosh asked the room how many people supported the roundabout at the intersection, and well-nigh 80% of those in the room said they agreed.

Another upshot many residents agreed on in Bergosh's poll was that traffic was a major problem in the expanse.

Bergosh noted a past effort to four-lane Perdido Primal Bulldoze under old Commissioner Gene Valentino was very unpopular in the community, and the project was killed nether Underhill.

He said he believes there is a demand to 4-lane Sorrento Route, which is the country-endemic route that connects Perdido Key to the north end of the county.

Bergosh said the project has languished and is listed at No. 45 on the listing of state road projects for the expanse.

He told the oversupply he would practice everything in his power to get the project moved upwards higher on the state'southward priority list, which drew applause from the crowd.

"We're going to get behind that project because it needs to happen," Bergosh said. "It should take happened, only it's going to happen. But it takes time. So I say that, but ten years from now I could be here and nosotros could merely be building it."

Perhaps the biggest alter from his predecessor will be public beach admission on Perdido Key.

Bergosh and Underhill clashed in 2018 over Public Beach Access No. iv, which is set to open this bound. Bergosh rallied the County Commission to motion to open up the land for public admission, a move which Underhill opposed saying it would exist better for the county to hold the country in conservation nether the Habitat Direction Plan to be able to open as of yet unpurchased lots for other access points.

"I'chiliad a embankment guy," Bergosh said. "I beloved the beach, and I love going out to the beach to fish. And I honey the idea of having public beach access for people on the westward side of Pensacola.

Bergosh said he planned to work vigorously to find additional public access points on the Fundamental as well as parking so Escambia Canton residents can enjoy the beach.

"I'thou going to discover more parking, and I'm going to find more embankment access, Bergosh said. "And we're going to play past the rules, but we're going to maximize what's out there and what I tin can afford to purchase. Because, once again, everyone deserves to have a day at the beach."

Bergosh also took questions from the oversupply written on a annotate bill of fare and answered every question submitted, which pushed the boondocks hall to more than two hours.

Questions hitting some of the major problems, such as traffic and flooding, while others were more obscure, like can the county stop shark fishing at beaches when swimmers are present. It turns out the answer is no because regulations over shark fishing are controlled past the state and not the county.

County Natural Resource Manager Tim Day noted, however, that shark fishing effectually swimmers was "not a adept idea."

One major question Bergosh answered was almost the recent canton lawsuit against the Clerk and Comptroller Pam Childers over her refusal to pay a contribution to three other commissioners' local retirement plans.

Bergosh, while noting he is non one of the 3 commissioners who takes the local retirement program, said he believes the controversy is really two issues.

He said the consequence over the lawsuit is whether Childers has the power to essentially cease a contract the County Commission legally approved, and the issue over commissioners receiving retirement contributions equal to 51% of their annual salary is a separate issue that he believes the commission will accost information technology once the lawsuit is decided.

"I can agree with anybody in the room that 51% is likewise generous, but exist that as information technology may, that was a plan that was within the county since 1997," Bergosh said. "… I think you're going to meet folks reevaluate and say this (plan) seems overly generous. I think that's function two, merely we've got to get past part i to get to part two."

Jim Lilliputian can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.

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Source: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2022/02/01/commissioner-jeff-bergosh-makes-his-case-perdido-key-town-hall/9297092002/

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