Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves wrapped up a productive Monday of meetings on Capitol Hill, sitting down for the “We Don’t Color On the Dog” podcast to discuss his conversations with Florida’s congressional delegation and key local issues back home.
A Full Day of Federal Advocacy
Fresh from Senator Rick Scott’s office, Mayor Reeves detailed his packed schedule of meetings with Congressman Jimmy Patronis, Senator Scott, Senator Ashley Moody’s team, and visits to Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville’s and Senator Katie Britt’s offices. The mayor’s Washington agenda focused heavily on securing continued federal support for Pensacola International Airport.
- “We were fortunate to get $4 million from the federal grant program last year, and so we hope to continue that support,” Reeves explained, emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum on airport infrastructure improvements.
The conversations also touched on emerging opportunities in the space program at the Port of Pensacola. The mayor discussed American Magic and potential manufacturing possibilities that could bring new economic development to the area.
Childcare: A Multi-Faceted Solution
One of the more unexpected topics that dominated Reeves’ conversation with Senator Scott was childcare access. The mayor framed it as an issue that simultaneously addresses quality of life, education, workforce development, and military family needs.
- “When you can attack quality of life, education and workforce, and additionally the military, if you add that in, it isn’t often that you can have one topic that can cover that much ground,” Reeves noted.
The discussion went beyond simple subsidies, focusing on reducing regulatory barriers that might prevent qualified retirees from working in childcare and addressing the fundamental need for better pay and increased access across all levels of care.
Face-to-Face Advocacy
Mayor Reeves emphasized the irreplaceable value of personal relationships in federal advocacy, even when working with professional lobbyists and advocates.
- “There really is no replacing the figurehead, whoever that is, whether that’s the mayor, the county commissioner, or the sheriff, the decision maker,” he explained. “Because I think it sends a message that we care enough about this to stop what we’re doing in a busy week to come here and ask you to help us with something.”
He cited a concrete example of this relationship-building paying dividends: Senator Scott’s intervention with TSA last spring led to permanent staffing improvements at Pensacola Regional Airport. During the airport’s busiest day ever, average wait times were just 13 minutes—a dramatic improvement that Reeves directly attributed to Scott’s phone call.
Baptist Hospital Site: Finding Common Ground
The podcast also covered last Thursday’s productive meeting about the former Baptist Hospital site demolition and redevelopment project. Mayor Reeves expressed satisfaction with finally having a comprehensive discussion about the project rather than dealing with “half information through the media and one soundbite here and there.”
A significant development emerged during county commission discussions about carving out portions of the property for continued healthcare services in the community. When Commissioner Lumon May suggested right-of-first-refusal arrangements for healthcare-designated parcels, Reeves enthusiastically endorsed the idea.
“I’d sign that away in 10 seconds because if we’re taking those parcels that Baptist was planning to hang onto and turning them into public good; I don’t care—city, county, who cares? That’s better for city residents and county residents,” he said.
