After he introduced his pick to be Pensacola’s next police chief, Mayor D.C. Reeves fielded questions on topics ranging from the state DOGE report to e-bike regulations during Tuesday’s press conference, offering updates on several major initiatives affecting the city.
- Note: I will have more on Police Chief Eric Winstrom later.
DOGE Report Response
The mayor dismissed concerns about the Department of Government Efficiency’s findings on Pensacola, saying the city spent 655 staff hours cooperating with the August review but found nothing alarming in the results. Reeves contested the report’s methodology, particularly CFO calculations that compared population growth percentages to budget growth percentages.
- “If Amazon came and built a $1 billion building here, it would be the single largest property tax purveyor into the city budget. However, no one lives there,” Reeves explained, arguing that commercial development—including 1,200 new commercial structures over five years—drives property tax revenue independent of population growth.
- He pointed out Pensacola’s unique challenges as a 21-square-mile tourist city with an airport and port that “acts much larger than that in many ways.”
Major Development Updates
On Project Maive bringing 2,000 jobs to the port, Reeves said the company is engaging with local vendors and existing port tenants, calling it “an absolutely transformational opportunity for this city.” When asked about connecting Bridon with local shipbuilder Patti Shipyard, the mayor said he’s “happy to play matchmaker to any organization that’s coming in to fill 2,000 jobs.”
The Grand Hotel situation remains in limbo, with Reeves indicating any movement will probably tie into broader Bay Center discussions this spring. “If you want a large transformational change to happen at the Bay Center, if we merely look at it as here’s how many dollars are available from bed tax, then we’re shortsighted,” he said, suggesting public-private partnerships as a potential solution.
On e-bikes, the mayor is leaning toward age restrictions around 15 years old for Class 3 e-bikes but wants to see what state legislation produces before acting locally.
Hurricane Sally Funding Fight
Despite being told there was a “0.0% chance” of getting an extension on Hurricane Sally home repair funds, Reeves says the city is “scratching and clawing” for solutions, working with HUD, Florida Commerce, and county partners. A scheduled Friday meeting was rescheduled, but discussions continue.
Gregory & 14th Avenue
Reeves said he doesn’t have an update yet on the city’s most dangerous intersection. While the Gregory Street and 14th Avenue intersection is “really number one on our list,” the city has a lengthy FDOT punch list, including Sun Trail issues, MLK Blvd. two-way reconfiguration pricing, and Bayfront lighting problems.
When pressed on when he’d meet with FDOT to discuss it, Reeves said he’d have to check the schedule. He explained that conversations with FDOT on a Scenic Highway outfall issue have been “taking up the oxygen” lately, making it difficult to pin down an exact meeting date for the broader FDOT agenda items.
- So essentially, it’s a priority, but no update yet and no firm meeting date scheduled to address it.
