The coming week in City government

Below is the breakdown of what the Pensacola City Council will consider in the coming week. As always, direct expenditures are highlighted. Links to the full agendas are included at the bottom of the page.

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, July 6. The meeting begins at 9:00 AM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. The Finance Committee, the Economic and Community Development Committee, and the Community Redevelopment Agency will not meet.

Committee of the Whole

Appointments: Council will make one appointment to the Civil Service Board. There are two nominees: Rachel Templeman, nominated by Councilwoman Mack; and Dixie J. Wilkinson, nominated by Councilman Townsend.

ECAT: City staff is asking Council to transfer oversight of the placement and maintenance of ECAT bus stops (within the city limits) to the County. According to City Manager Al Coby, the transfer arrangement would stipulate that bus benches would be placed only at active stops, and that any bench would be removed at the request of the City.

Offshore drilling: Council will also discuss passage of a resolution opposing offshore drilling. Council passed similiar resolutions in 1990, 1999, and 2001.

Council goals: Council will discuss the “strategy statements” that came out of its recent goal setting session.

DIB presentation: The Downtown Improvement Board will make a presentation about parking management.

Neighbourhood Services

Parks & Recreation: Staff is asking Council to endorse the submission of Chimney Park, located on Scenic Highway, for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The chimney in Chimney Park dates from before the Civil War and was part of a sawmill.

Council is also being asked to approve the purchase of $33,035.18 in fitness equipment for the Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Community Centre. The vendor is Fitness Master, located just outside the City limits.

Staff is also proposing changes to the permitting process for events in Plaza Ferdinand VII. The changes were prompted by a lawsuit filed by a local church after they were told not to use the park for informal group fellowship meetings.

Parks & Rec will also present Council with an update on its major projects.

Gulf Power LED project: Gulf Power and the Electric Power Research Institute will replace one block of streetlights with newer, more efficient LED lighting as a test run of the technology.

Street maintenance: Council will consider a $221,012.72 contract for “the mowing and sweeping of specified State Roadways within the City.” The vendor is Transfield Services, is a Virginia-based company that does maintain an office in Pensacola.

Street name change: Staff is asking Council to change the name of Whispering Pines Road to Whispering Pines Drive, to correct an error in the plat.

Enterprise Operations

Airport: Council will consider the purchase of two parcels located at 2400 and 2401 Executive Plaza, adjacent to the airport. The price is $1,450,000, “plus $22,850 for closing, miscellaneous, and contingency expenses.”

The airport also needs a new street sweeper. The cost is $42,958.99; the vendor is Tennant Sales and Service Company of Minnesota.

The airport will also establish agreements with each of the rental car companies for use of the airport’s new rental car facilities.

Port of Pensacola: Staff is asking Council to approve an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation which will enable the Port to receive an additional $300,000 grant for the freezer expansion project.

Housing: The Housing Department is asking Council to approve the submission of  a grant application.

Links

• Committee of the Whole agenda
• Neighbourhood Services agenda
• Enterprise Operations agenda