Escambia County Commission’s RESTORE Act advisory committee is beginning to take shape. While the full committee will reveal itself by the end of the month, some seats have already been assigned.
Earlier this week, a collective of local environmental groups selected Christian Wagley to represent environmental concerns on the advisory committee. That was the first seat filled.
Three county commissioners have now also submitted their nominees. Each commissioner was allotted one seat-selection on the nine member committee.
Commissioner Luman May has selected Bentina Terry, Gulf Power’s vice president of external affairs and corporate services. May’s representative will sit in a citizen at-large seat on the advisory committee.
Commissioner Grover Robinson has selected someone to sit as a governmental representative. He as selected Tammy Bohannon, a Pensacola Beach realtor and vice chairperson of the Santa Rosa Island Authority.
Commissioner Wilson Robertson has selected someone to focus on transportation issues. He has selected Alan McMillan, who was most recently the president and chief executive officer of the National Safety Council, from 2001 until his retirement in 2008.
Commission Chairman Gene Valentino will select the business seat and Commissioner Steven Barry will select the financial seat. They have not yet submitted nominees.
With the nominating deadline for the committee’s two at-large seats passing last week, that list has also been finalized. The contenders for those two seats are: Harlan Butler, Jesse Casey, Jim Cox, Jim Donovan, John Fogg, Gloria Horning, Michelle Inere, Michael Johnson, Barbara Mayall, John Peacock, Courtney Peterson, Vernon Prather, John Soule, Mike Turner, William Van Milheim, Deborah Velleco, Tracie Watson Valerie Watson, Frances Yeo.
County administration will present the list of at-large nominees to the commissioners to make final selections.
The city of Pensacola is still hammering out the selection of its representative. Mayor Ashton Hayward named David Penzone and the city council will consider the selection in a special meeting scheduled for Jan. 28.