Escambia Says Goodbye, Promotes New Public Works Director

The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners welcomes Joy Jones as the new Director of Public Works, replacing Joy Blackmon, who is retiring from the position on April 2 after 19 years with the county.

County Administrator Jack Brown commented on the transition, “While we are greatly saddened to lose Joy Blackmon and her wealth of knowledge to retirement, we are very much looking forward to Joy Jones stepping up to an even greater level of leadership. She is well respected both with our staff and the local engineering community. We wish Joy Blackmon safe travels as she explores the United States and all its famous landmarks.”

Blackmon began her career with Escambia County in 1999 as an engineer. During her tenure with the county, Blackmon has held several positions including development plans review manager, chief of development services, division manager, assistant director of county engineering, interim assistant county administrator and public works bureau chief. Beyond the numerous road, drainage, bridge and sidewalk improvement projects for the county, she also assisted with recovery efforts from major disasters. Some examples include hurricanes George, Charley, Frances, Ivan and Dennis, and an ice storm and flooding in 2014.

Jones most recently served as Escambia County’s Assistant County Engineer and Division Manager of the Public Works, Engineering and Construction Division, a position she held since April 2015. Her responsibilities included providing oversight on real estate acquisitions and contract design and construction of local option sales tax-funded infrastructure projects like bridges, new roadways, roadway resurfacing, dirt road paving, lane widening, stormwater facilities, civil site work on public property and the construction of grants and other agency-funded projects. The division also manages contracted surveys, design and construction services for infrastructure projects funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Federal Highway Association, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, RESTORE and other state and federal agencies. As Escambia County's Public Works Director, Jones' responsibilities will include supervising engineering, roads, and traffic divisions within the department. To learn more about the Public Works Department and its services, click here.

Jones was born in Tennessee and spent her summers vacationing in the Florida panhandle with her family. She moved to Pensacola in 1985 after leaving the Air Force and has spent the last 33 years in the area.

Jones said she was initially drawn to a position with Escambia County while working as a senior project manager for Hatch Mott McDonald, after working closely with Joy Blackmon on a private consulting project.

"I was working on the private sector side and met Joy Blackmon while we were working to coordinate the water and sewer details for a project," Jones said. "She encouraged me to consider a position with the county."

Jones took her first position with the county in 2004 as an engineer. Her duties included the supervised technical reviews of stormwater designs, plats, traffic access, and environmental improvements to wetlands and coastal areas. She was also responsible for the review and approval of multiple complex construction plans for compliance with the Land Development Code.

Jones said she is enthusiastic about her new role as the Director of Public Works, as it will allow her to continue her work for the citizens of Escambia County.

"I'm excited to be able to continue to care for the citizens and infrastructure of this county, just like I've been able to do previously with the engineering and construction division," she said. "I'm also looking forward to working more closely with the traffic and road division."

Jones graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering and from Pensacola State College with an associate’s degree in general engineering. She has 23 years of experience in the field of engineering and is a member of the Florida Engineering Society, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Public Works Association.