April 2017 Underhill Update

April 2017 Newsletter

MyEscambia.com/District2

Leave No Trace Behind

At the Thursday, May 4 Escambia County Regular Commission Meeting, commissioners will hold a public hearing to adopt a Perdido Key Habitat Conservation, or “Leave No Trace,” Ordinance.  

A similar ordinance was adopted in August 2015 for Pensacola Beach, but Commissioner Underhill excluded Perdido Key from that ordinance, saying, "The private property rights on Perdido Key extend to the high water mark. It would be inappropriate for county staff to remove private property from privately owned land.  We need a model on the Key that is based on collaboration between the county and the property owners."  

The resulting ordinance allows for a dialog and teamwork between staff and property owners, using the existing code enforcement framework to achieve its objectives.  The ordinance is necessary to minimize "false crawls" that result in the failure of a nesting turtle to lay eggs. 

Commissioner Underhill brought the item for discussion at the April 13 Committee of the Whole meeting and will hold a town hall meeting Tuesday, May 2 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Southwest Branch Library, located at 12248 Gulf Beach Hwy. The public will be able to learn more and participate in tweaking the proposed ordinance.  

In addition, Commissioner Underhill held a special meeting with all the beach vendors to get their take on the ordinance. After the meeting, he explained, "It was important to me to have a dialog with our neighbors who make their living on the beach.  This group of equity holders are affected in ways that the rest of us are not, so I wanted to have a 'working group' style dialog with them.  As a result, we wrote into the ordinance a grace period that will allow them to transition their equipment over time."

If adopted by the commission, the ordinance will be in place in May. Staff will spend the next 12 months working widely to education property owners and tourists of the changes. To read the current rendition of the draft ordinance, click here. Please note, that the ordinance may change before the May 4 commission meeting based on public and wildlife conservation officials’ feedback. 

"Fishing-For-AHERO" Rodeo May 27-28

Calling all anglers! Memorial Day weekend marks the inaugural "FishingForAHERO" Fishing Rodeo. Held at the Shoreline Park facility in Gulf Breeze, Saturday, May 27 - Sunday May, 28, the event features competitive fishing with species, open and junior classes, food and music. The grand prize includes passes for two to fish aboard the Breathe Easy, a 68' Viking Fishing Yacht alongside wounded Veterans during the AHERO "Warrior Hook-up" Friday, Aug. 25. The grand prize will be awarded to the angler that raises the most funds for AHERO by participating in the FishingForAHERO “Pledge-per-Pound” program that enables registered anglers to get their friends, family and co-workers to pledge a certain dollar amount per pound of the largest Redfish and/or Red Snapper that they catch during the fishing rodeo.  One-hundred percent of the all event proceeds go the AHERO, an all-volunteer veterans support organization helping with the emotional and physical wounds caused by combat-related stress and successful re-entry into civilian life. 

Learn more at FishingForAHERO.com.

Watch our Latest Videos

Marine Resources Manager Robert Turpin speaks on the importance of Bayou Chico, its environmental challenges and the first steps towards cleanup activities. Click here to watch. The last weekend in April and first weekend in May will bring exciting pro water sports to the area as Pensacola Sports is proud to present the Pro Watercross Hydroflight Tour and Heyday Pro Watercross National Tour.  Both events are free for the public to watch. Click here to watch. Escambia County and ECUA ask you to reduce, reuse and recycle your plastic shopping bags for many reasons. One is the impact on our marine animals. Did you know that tens of thousands of plastic bags find their way to our waterways each year? Sadly, plastic bags are commonly eaten by sea life, killing over 100 million marine animals annually. You can help. It’s easy! Click here to watch.

UWF Named National Center of Academic Excellence Cybersecurity Regional Resource Center

The University of West Florida has been named by the National Security Agency as the National Center Academic of Excellence Cybersecurity Regional Resource Center for the Southeastern region. In this role, the UWF Center for Cybersecurity will provide leadership to advance cyber defense education among colleges and universities in the region and support new and existing CAE institutions.

UWF will serve as the CAE Regional Resource Center for all institutions of higher education in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Puerto Rico. The University will receive a nearly $200,000 grant and will work with the NSA CAE Program Office and other regional and national hubs across the country to enhance cybersecurity education and expand the CAE Program across the nation.

The CAE-Cyber Defense Program Office named six CAE institutions as CAE Regional Resource Centers, as well as four CAE National Resource Centers and four CAE Consultation Resource Centers across the nation.

In May 2016, the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security designated UWF as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The National Centers of Academic Excellence program seeks to reduce vulnerability in the nation’s information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and increasing the number of professionals with cyber defense expertise. To learn more about the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, visit uwf.edu/cybersecurity.

Commissioner Underhill spoke at the UWF Center for Cybersecurity the Future of Florida's Cyber Coast April 18. 

Jones Swamp Cleanup
Glynn Key Boardwalk, located at 402 N. Navy Blvd
Saturday, April 29
9 a.m.

Perdido Key Habitat Conservation Plan Town Hall
Southwest Branch Library 12248 Gulf Beach Hwy.
Tuesday, May 2
5:30 p.m.

BCC Agenda Review, Public Forum & Regular Meeting
Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building
221 Palafox Place
Thursday, May 4
9 a.m., 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Committee of the Whole
Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building
221 Palafox Place
Thursday, May 11
9 a.m. 

BCC Agenda Review, Public Forum & Regular Meeting
Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building
221 Palafox Place
Thursday, May 25
9 a.m., 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Offices Closed in Observance of Memorial Day
Monday, May 29