Carpenter's Creek Town Hall meeting

Carpenter’s Creek Town Hall

 Words cannot express the joy I feel now that Escambia County owns the 8-acre headwaters of Carpenter’s Creek on Olive Rd. Never in my wildest dreams did I image that this land would belong to the people.  We now have the most important piece of the Carpenter’s Creek watershed in the hands of the people. Without the headwaters, we would be fighting an uphill battle in our efforts to save and restore Carpenter’s Creek. Therefore, this town hall meeting on May 30, 2017, will be a special meeting of joy and celebration.  Here is what is on the agenda:

1.    A five-minute video of the 8-acre headwaters.

2.    Recognition of the Escambia County Board Commissioners.

3.    A discussion of all ideas from the charrette held on February 2, 2017, moderated by Pat Murphy. Professional urban creek and stream experts will also be on hand to discuss possible strategies for restoring Carpenter’s Creek and developing greenways, including the opportunities for early access to the Olive Rd., headwaters.

4.     Plans to obtain Triumph Gulf Coast and Restore Funds (BP) and other funds.

Location - Asbury Place behind Cokesbury on 9th Ave.
Date:   Tusday, May 30, 2017 

 We will have a Carpenter’s Creek Celebration cake, pizza and drinks.  Come, celebrate, get inspired and energized.   
  
If you need special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act please contact me as soon as possible.  For a sign language interpreter please allow 72 hours advance notice. 

222 W. Main Street, Pensacola, Florida

850-484-0902, Cell: 850-490-0054, www.cityofpensacola.com

smyers@cityofpensacola.com, Facebook,

Carpenter's Creek Town Hall meeting

From University of West Florida Archives.  Carpenter's Creek at Davis Hwy.   1940.

Carpenter's Creek Town Hall Meeting Fabulous

The charret town hall meeting on February 21st was fabulous.  About 90 people attended.  Small groups set at tables eating pizza, drinking iced tea and discussing their vision and priorities for the restoration and preservation of Carpenter's Creek. In spite of the weather, many of the older residents came and reminisced about growing up, playing, fishing and swimming in the creek.  At one time it was a major recreational facility in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola.

The energy and excitement in the Asbury meeting facility gave one a sense of hope and destiny .  Commission Grover Robinson participated and talked about the opportunities for Restore Act funds.   Dale Perkins, our ECUA board member was there and talked about water quality.  Many people were at the meeting, including people who live on the creek, nature lovers, environmentalist, and many more.

I want to give a special thanks to Laurie Murphy, her husband Pat who was the facilitator and Laurie's awesome son, Jordon.  The whole family worked hard to organize and set up the event.  Laurie is the director of the Emerald Coast Keepers.  I call her Wonder Woman.  

On March 25th, Laurie will have another clean up event.  Move information will be coming soon about that.  Also, I plan to have another town hall meeting the end of April or first of May.  We are planning an earth day event and petition drive to "Save Carpenter's Creek". 

In addition, I would like to thank Highpoint DBE and Eager Beaver for participating in the last clean up.  They brought the equipment needed to get heavy debris out of the creek.  I would like to give a special thanks to the incredible Pensacola City County Staff, Council Executive Don Kraher, and Sonja Gaines and Elaine Mager who got out the letters, flyers and announcements about the town hall meetings. Last, but not least, I would like to think Derek Owens, public works director, for the material about the City's storm water projects along Carpenter Creek and for the video that is now on the City's website about the efforts the City is making to prevent trash, garbage and other pollutants from going into the creek.

The Community is coming together in a powerful way to restore what never should have been lost.  

The 1940 picture of the creek is what Carpenter's Creek once looked like.  Now the creek barely  visible driving over the bridge just north of Airport on Davis Hwy.  I was glad to see Dr. Elizebeth Benchly from UWF archelogy at the town hall.  Thank you, UWF.

 

 

No Show Council....

Today was on of the most important days for the citizens of Pensacola residents.  The Council was scheduled to meet at 3:00 to discuss the Mayor's proposal to spend approximately $87,000,000.00 in Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) for the next 10 years.  
At 3:30, the City Administrator, Financial Director, Dick Barker and department heads assembled to brief council on capital projects, parks and recreation, public safety, fire and police and public works request for LOST.  Only two council members showed up - me and Councilman Wingate.
Unbelievable.   The council gave itself a $7,000.00 year raise, but I suppose it wasn't enough to get them out to a LOST meeting.  
Among the issues discussed was the $2,000,000.00 extra price  tag for the new Bayview Center, the one that wasn't included in the Bayview Master Plan.  The interest rate on the funds that will be borrowed to pay for the center and the $3,000,000.00 Fire Station #3 will be around $2,000,000.00.  I also learned that the Mayor has no plans to ask council for the $1,600,000.00 need to put sidewalks and drainage on Burgess Rd., so poor kids will have a safe route to walk and ride bikes to school. 
I don't understand.  I really don't.  Can someone explain how the city council cannot show up for a city council meeting. Please advice!! 

 

 

Update coming soon!!

Carpenter Creek/Bayou Texar

We still Have a Chance 

There is still a chance to save Carpenter Creek if we act now.  In spite of all of the clear cutting along Airport Blvd, there is still a chance.  In spite of all of the trash, garbage, invasive vegetation, pollution, and commercial discharges in to the creek, there is still a chance. In spite of an almost total destruction of the creeks riparian zone, there is still a chance.  In spite of negligent and indifference from the Pensacola City Council and Mayor, there is still a chance.

If we act now we can save Carpenter Creek and Bayou Texar.  Saving the creek will require our collect strength and will. For the first time in my memory, Carpenter Creek is on the radar of local Escambia County officials, Florida DEP, Emerald Coast Keeper, Laurie Murphy and the West Florida Regional Planning Organization, creating an opportunity to use BP oil funds to address the issues that plaque Carpenter Creek and Bayou Texar.

On November 1, 2016, at 6:30pm, I will hold a town hall meeting to discuss and organize to obtain the BP funds to restore Carpenter Creek and to discuss stronger environmental codes within the City and County.  The town hall meeting will be at the Cokesbury United Methodist Church located on 9th Ave., across the street from Pensacola State College. 

Last week council staff mailed out 300 notices about the town hall meeting to all of the property owners along the creek within the City limits.  With the assistance of Laurie Murphy, I have been going door to door delivering notices about the town hall to residents and businesses along the creek.  The success of any effort to save the creek will depend on those who own her banks and stream beds.  So,  I want to act as a catalyst to bring people and resources together on Tuesday, November 1st.