August 2016 Newsletter

MyEscambia.com/District2

Myrtle Grove Group Pushes for Revitalization

Reviving an area is never easy, but when neighbors unite to work together, you see the true power of a neighborhood. The Myrtle Grove Revitalization Group was created to change and reinvigorate the Myrtle Grove area with committees focusing on: youth programs, neighborhood beautification, community relations, public safety and business development.

District 2 Commissioner Doug Underhill attended the first meeting of the MRG at the Myrtle Grove United Methodist Church on July 26, in order to hear the thoughts and concerns of local residents. During open forum, residents were given three minutes to speak on a topic of their choosing with many expressing concerns about the lack of youth services in the Myrtle Grove area.

The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at the Myrtle Grove United Methodist Church.  Residents are encouraged to get involved and become active members of the community. After all, a community is only as good as its neighbors.

For more information, please contact Chairman Ronnie Rivera at nole1017@gmail.com or 850-529-2895.

County, ECUA to Hold Grand Opening of Recycling Facility

The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Board, or ECUA, and Escambia County Board of County Commissioners will hold a kick-off ceremony to mark the opening of the ECUA's Interim Materials Recycling Facility, or IMRF, on Aug. 22, at 9:30 a.m. The event will take place at the facility, which is located at the Escambia County Perdido Landfill (13009 Beulah Road, Cantonment).

This $10.6 million project was initiated to offer a long-term, regional recycling solution for our community, while at the same time, to assist Escambia County in reaching its state-mandated 75 percent recycling goal. On Feb. 12, ECUA broke ground for the IMRF, which encompasses a 53,460 square-foot fabric building with recycling equipment that is expected to process up to 165 tons of materials per day.

The event will be attended by the ECUA Board members, county commissioners from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, and city council members from municipalities within the tri-county area. In addition, representatives from the IMRF's planning, engineering and construction team will also be in attendance. Opportunities for photos and interviews will be available prior to and after the ceremony.

For more information, please contact Nathalie Bowers at nathalie.bowers@ecua.fl.gov or 850-969-3303 or Jim Roberts at jim.roberts@ecua.fl.gov or 850-969-3348. 

Want to go?

• WHAT: Let's Tackle Recycling IMRF Kick-Off Ceremony
• WHEN: Aug. 22 at 9:30 a.m.
• WHERE: Escambia County Perdido Landfill, 13009 Beulah Road, Cantonment
• INFO: www.ecua.fl.gov or 850-969-3303

Commissioner Underhill to Sponsor CyberThon 2017

District 2 Commissioner Doug Underhill is proud to sponsor CyberThon 2017 - the Cyber Coast’s premier cybersecurity education challenge. Hosted by the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association Blue Angels Chapter, the event will be returning Jan. 20-22, 2017 at the National Flight Academy and National Naval Aviation Museum.

CyberThon brings together community leaders, cyber experts and a cadre of cyber competitors from local schools, to observe and participate in real-world defense methods and cyber operations. Thanks to the phenomenal success of last year’s CyberThon, the event has been expanded to meet the need and high demand for more skilled citizens in the cybersecurity field.

“Making learning meaningful is key to engaging students and growing our cybersecurity workforce”, Underhill said. “It is an experience that can set a student on the course toward a well-paying profession, that’s in high demand right here in Escambia County.”

For more information contact AFCEA Pensacola at 850-944-7579, or visit their website.

Medical Marijuana Moratorium Fails to Gain Traction

After much debate and discussion, the medical marijuana moratorium isn’t happening.

The Escambia Board of County Commissioners has held two public hearings on the topic of a moratorium. After much debate and discussion, instead of voting yes or no on the moratorium, a motion was made to take no action and ask staff to return with the necessary tools to move the item forward to the planning board at the next committee of the whole at 9 a.m. on Sept. 8.

The topic of the moratorium originally arose due to an inquiry about opening a medical marijuana dispensary in Escambia County. According to the Escambia County Land Development Code, if a usage is not specifically listed, it is not allowed – such as a medical marijuana dispensary. Therefore, an ordinance change must be adopted and approved by the commission to be implemented into the LDC.

Once staff brings the necessary documents to the committee of the whole, they will be directed to the planning board. After going through the normal process for code adoption, the ordinance will receive final approval from the commission.

As always, feel free to check out the meeting for yourself at http://myescambia.com/ectv