Press Release: Hayward To Begin West Side Improvements,
ESP to Purchase Pipeline
As part of Mayor Ashton Hayward’s 20 Solutions for 2011 and other public campaign pledges, Hayward is submitting to City Council a request to fund much-needed landscaping and streetscaping projects in the city’s western neighborhoods, consistent with the Westside Redevelopment Plan.
The plan, authorized by the City Council in 2007, identified landscape, residential, and commercial redevelopment opportunities in Pensacola’s western neighborhoods, but has laid dormant for years.
“One of my campaign promises was to move this Westside Plan forward, and I intend to make good on that promise,†said Hayward. “Let’s be frank – this has been a neglected part of our city, and the citizens and businesses of the westside deserve better. I’ve said all along we’re not going to move our city forward, attract new business and create jobs when we’ve got a third of our city that is being left behind,†said the Mayor.
Next Monday, the City Council will take up a request from Hayward to allocate $256,000 to improvements along A Street, from Main Street to Cervantes. The funds will come from a combination of city sources, including the much-discussed Tree Fund, which is another aspect of Hayward’s campaign platform. Hayward cited the Tree Fund in his 20 Solutions document as well, noting that the fund was flush with cash but not being used to improve city streets and neighborhoods.
The request before council will be to move $150,000 from the Tree Fund, currently sitting on over $750,000 from assessments on new developments in the city. In addition, the request allocates $50,000 from the Community Redevelopment Agency and $56,000 from the prior year’s PCIP Neighborhood grants program.
Funds for the A Street improvements will be used to plant 200 trees, irrigation, and initial landscape maintenance. In addition, “hardscape†projects such as curbside wheelchair ramps, parking improvements, and intersection and crosswalk enhancements on A Street, which is part of a neighborhood corridor including Belmont-Devilliers, Westpointe Heritage, Westside Sunshine, Tanyard, and North Hill.
Mayor Hayward expressed optimism for the City Council’s consideration of his request. Under the new form of government, the Mayor may submit budget resolutions for reallocation of funds, but the Council must approve such measures.
“I hope the City Council will join me in supporting this much-needed project,†said Hayward. “We have some great neighborhoods in Pensacola, and I think it’s time that we as a city start working to make sure every neighborhood has the opportunity to be great. We owe it to the taxpayers and citizens of the west side to make sure they have streets and neighborhoods they can be proud of, and I’m ready to help that happen,†said Hayward.
Also on the City Council agenda for next week is a proposal to purchase 34 miles of natural gas pipeline from Gulf South Pipeline, which currently services the Naval installations in the western portion of Escambia County. The purchase of the pipeline by the city-owned gas company, ESP, is the result of several months of discussion with Gulf South, which owns the actual pipeline, but purchases its natural gas from ESP.
Hayward said the purchase of the pipeline gives the city’s gas company more opportunities to expand its services to the military, as well as to businesses and neighborhoods in the area, creating a positive economic impact and generating an estimated $160,000 in additional revenue for the City. “ESP is a tremendous asset to the City of Pensacola and our taxpayers. Thanks to ESP we as a city are able provide services to our citizens that would ordinarily cost more tax dollars to provide, but having a profitable utility allows us to do more for our citizens without raising taxes,” said Hayward. “One of my campaign pledges was to help create jobs and encourage economic development in the area. This gives our City and the County some real opportunities for economic development, and I’m excited about the potential of this project.”
The City Council will meet Monday, March 7 to discuss these issues at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
