by IN reporter Sean Boone
Sometimes politics beats logic.
For Jack Nobles and the rest of City Council, they proved just that on Monday night by voting down a proposed port lease amendment for Pate Stevedore cold storage–even with the majority in favor of the proposal.
The amendment would have given Pate the option to expand into a 68,000 sq. foot warehouse on port property, move its current lease from 24 to 22 years and change the name of the company to Northwest Florida Cold Storage.
But the amendment died–until next month.
With just seven members present after Sam Hall left early in the meeting, Nobles suggested those who were in favor of the proposal vote against it, so it could be brought up at the Jan. 8 meeting with a complete Council in attendance.
Under Council rule, if a majority votes against an agenda item it can later be brought up again at a meeting after going through its appropriate committee.
Without Mayor John Fogg and Council members Mike DeSorbo and Hall, the vote would have more than likely been 5-2 in favor of the lease. But Nobles and Marty Donovan both switched their votes, giving a majority in opposition.
Those in the audience in favor of the amendment–such as members of the Pensacola Propeller Club and Pate family members and friends–were visibly disappointed at the irregular decision.
But members of Council who voted yes, quickly let their support be known.
It would be ridiculous to turn away jobs at this time, said Council President John Jerralds, who was acting as mayor in Fogg’s absence.
Jewel Cannada Wynn jokingly said the only way she wouldn’t support the lease is if “Warren Buffett came forward with a $1 million check.”
The port has projected the city to make up to $850,000 annually if Pate expands, and could create as many as 70 new jobs. It would also allow the company to use blast-freezing cells to freeze large amounts of poultry and other goods on location.