Another grassroots effort may have won. City Communications Director Tamara Fountain has announced that Mayor Hayward opposes the proposed Probation and Parole Center on North Palafox. The North Hill Preservation Association sent out this email last night:
Dear Neighbors,
WONDERFUL NEWS!!!! The Mayor’s Communications Administrator, Tamara Fountain called the Association to issue a statement of the Mayor’s Formal Opposition to a Proposed Probation and Parole Center for 1625 North Palafox Street!
Earlier today, our attorney, Erick Mead had a conference with Tamara Fountain and Brian Spencer to discuss the project and the research that we had completed on the issue. That meeting went very well and the Mayor called me around lunch time to discuss his disappointment with the article in the Pensacola News Journal and how they did not accurately report his conversation with them while touring the area. He did NOT and does NOT feel that a Probation and Parole Office should be allowed close to residential areas and he has great respect and support for the residents of North Hill and the work of the North Hill Preservation District. The Mayor also said that he has personally called the Governor to discuss this issue and enlist his assistance.
The battle is far from over but this is definitely a ray of hope for North Hill.
The City Council’s Agenda has been published, (thank you Rachel Trahan for sending) and all our points are being presented in the review items for the Council. This e-mail program does not allow me to attach the pdf of the agenda, but I will try to post to our Facebook site. If not successful, you can go to the City’s website and download. You will see for yourself that it is yet another ray of hope for us.
Please plan to attend the City Council Meeting next Thursday, March 13th at 5:30 p.m. so we can gain the rest of the support from Council that we will need.
For those who have offered to assist in delivering flyers, volunteers will be meeting in the grassy field behind the Coke building this Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.
For those who can’t make this time, but would like to help, flyers are available NOW and will be through next week. Flyers may be picked up from my porch at anytime– 14 E. Gonzalez Street (just off Palafox Street-yellow Queen Anne). There will be a plastic box with flyers, instructions, and a sheet for you to notate which streets/areas that you will canvas.
Thank you so much for our many, many, many volunteers and for all your letters, phone calls, suggestions, and advice. Special thanks to City Councilmen Charles Bare and Brian Spencer for getting this issue to the City’s attention, and to our attorney and North Hill resident, Erick Mead who is working so hard on our behalf! Thank you North Hill and keep up the GREAT work!