The October report from Enterprise Florida on the state’s exports has good news for the Pensacola area and,according to port supporters, for the Port of Pensacola.
The top Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in growth of exports from 2007 to 2011 was Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent (142.2 percent) followed by Lakeland-Winter Haven (82.8 percent), Naples-Marco Island (81 percent). For the period 2010-2011, the Panama City MSA led with 92.1 percent with the Pensacola MSA in second (46.9 percent).
Janet Etheridge, who serves on the Propeller Club Board of Governors, touted the report as proof of the Port’s growth in an email to the Pensacola City Council and Carlon Proctor of the daily newspaper. (2011 Florida MSA Exports to the World)
“Please take a look at the tremendous growth that our Port has experienced in the last year,” wrote Etheridge. “This is absolutely unprecedented!”
When I was reviewing video of the city council’s meetings, I came across Dick Barker, the city’s finance director, giving a report to the council (I believe it was either in June or July) that said the port had two users that were past due and owed the city significant amounts for money.
Those users, Offshore Inland Marine and NWF Cold Storage, made little progress from July to September, according to information that our paper recently received.
As of the close of the fiscal year, Offshore Inland Marine owed the city $200.399.98 and the port’s major exporter, NWF Cold Storage owed $228,305.94.
The Independent News received, via public record request, yesterday the aged accounts receivable report for the Port of Pensacola. Over the past 15 days, Offshore Inland Marine had made significant progress on paying its past due amount, getting the Oct. 15 balance down to $117,140.59 with $77,119.73 over 30 days.
NWF Cold Storage, which exports frozen chickens, owes $192,749.58 as of Oct. 15, with $109,934.04 of that balance more than 60 days past due.
See: port receivables aged to 10-15-12.
While it’s great that the port users are having “unprecedented” growth, it is equally important that they pay their bills to the city on a timely basis. Otherwise, the growth is never felt by the city coffers.
