TOP FIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY-JUNE 2015:
1. Removal of the Confederate flag.
2. Opening of OHM Food Concessions at the Pensacola International Airport (food concession revenue exceeded budget by $154,815).
3. $940,000 Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program grant for Carpenter’s Creek and Baywoods Gulley.
4. Standard & Poor’s upgrades the outlook for airport to stable.
5. Firefighter’s contract ratified and pension reforms passed by legislature.
TOP FIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY-DECEMBER 2015:
1. City receives $4.3 million settlement from BP stemming from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
2. $1,531,546 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation for the Taxiway for VT MAE project, which offsets the $3.5 million in FAA Airport Improvement Program funds city wasn’t allowed to apply towards the project
3. A three-year agreement negotiated with AFSCME collective bargaining unit, which represents the City’s general employees.
4. Florida Department of Environmental Protection approved a $100,000 grant proposal to develop a low impact stormwater retrofit of the parking area and site of the proposed General Daniel Chappie James, Jr. Museum.
5. Federal government agreed to retain ownership of the moldy federal courthouse.
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TOP FIVE PROJECTS THAT HIT SNAGS FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY-JUNE 2015:
1. Deepflex halting construction at the port.
2. FAA denying $3 million grant request for VT-MAE project, Gov. Scott vetoing $3 million for airport.
3. Fish Hatchery delayed until 2017.
4. Corrine Jones Stormwater project slow to begin.
5. Disparity study recommendations still not implemented. ($250K Report completed Sept. 2012)
TOP FIVE PROJECTS THAT HIT SNAGS FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY-DECEMBER 2015:
1. DeepFlex problems continue.
2. VT-MAE completion date moved to March 2017.
3. Solving flooding issues in Delano, Long Hollow and Aragon areas. National Disaster Resilience Competition option didn’t work.
4. Disparity implemented in October, but the M/WBE program only has 13 MBE and WBE businesses certified–three years after disparity study was completed.
5. FEMA denies Baywoods Gully Stabilization & Dredging grant.
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TOP FIVE BLUNDERS FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY-JUNE 2015:
1. CBRE: Fee structure changed, city hall blames Ed Spears, but records showed mayor’s office was aware. Spears leaves city.
2. Miami developer for maritime park: Developer drastically cuts back the proposed project. Mayor’s office aware, but hides memo from CMPA board, council and public.
3. Manna Food relocation: City failed to reveal future land-use plan didn’t allow the warehouse to be built on Pickens school site.
4. Lysia Bowling contract: Original contract drafted didn’t meet charter requirements. Bowling helps to draft her own contract.
5. Radio tower: City gets in trouble for permitting a radio tower in the Long Hollow Conservation District.
TOP FIVE BLUNDERS FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY-DECEMBER 2015:
1. City attacks homeowner association president over emails: City Administrator Eric Olson calls the boss of North Hill Preservation Association to halt her using her federal email account.
2. Mayor fails to close a $20-million deal for the UWF Center for Entrepreneurship and a conference center at the maritime park. Last parcel leased at the maritime park was by Beck Partners in May 2013.
3. Voting Conflict: Planning Board member votes for a client’s project, even argues for it during a meeting.
4. SAO rules against Olson’s policy: State Attorney’s Office tells the city administrator that he can not instruct city employees not to answer emails from federal or any other email account.
5. City Attorney issues an opinion on Long Hollow radio tower that makes it possible for non-conforming structures and uses to remain in perpetuity.
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MANAGEMENT CHANGES
PERIOD JANUARY-JUNE 2015
Top Five New Hires:
1. Eric Olson – city administrator
2. Lysia Bowling – city attorney
3. David Alexander – police chief
4. Vernon Stewart – public information officer
5. Steve Smith – chief information officer
PERIOD JULY-DECEMBER 2015
Two Key Resignations:
1. Tamara Fountain – Chief Operations Officer
2. Steve Smith – CIO
Two Key New Hires:
1. Keith Wilkins – Asst. City Administrator
2. Donald Kraher– Council Executive
Two Key Openings
1. Fire Chief – since 2010
2. Airport Director – since Aug. 2014