PENSACOLAS WATERGATE? Here is the segment of last nights City Council meeting that was somehow deleted from the online version of the meeting and later restored when citizens complained. The AWOL minutes included Councilman Brian Spencers ludicrous attempt to undermine the reappointment of Buddy McCormick to a third term on the Community Maritime Park board. Councilman Spencer blamed citizens for asking him to draft legislation that would prevent people who didnt pay their port bills from serving on a committee - or who didnt live in Pensacola - or even those who didnt mow their lawns. Councilwoman Sherri Myers suggested that if Councilman Spencer chose to go there, she would love to ask the same of other appointees. Council President Jewel Cannada-Wynn reminded Councilman Spencer that the council had recently held an entire workshop dealing with boards and commissions, and that would have been a good time for him to bring up this topic. We suggest that he also could have raised these questions if he had been on time at the Agenda Conference on Monday. It is amazing that Councilman Spencer would even consider vetting an established CMPA board member who is bringing both jobs and money to Pensacola as VP of Offshore Inland. As the Pensacola News Journal reported in July: A new manufacturing facility at the Port of Pensacola is expected to bring as many as 200 new jobs and $52 million in capital investment to the city. ... The project, a partnership between existing port tenant Offshore Inland and Houston-based Deepflex, will make use of an existing warehouse and 3.5 acres of undeveloped land. The facilities, expected to be operational by the second half of 2015, would manufacture and test flexible, deep sea piping for use in the global oil and gas industry. Port Director Amy Miller said Thursday the project was one of historic significance for the city, which promised to strengthen the areas workforce and further differentiate the port from competitors in the region. As this city grows, it needs economic diversity, Miller said, and this project, along with other work going on at the port, will be an economic engine that will create great jobs and opportunities downtown ... I think it represents a turning point into a new niche for the port in the offshore services industry. Buddy McCormick, vice president of offshore operations for Offshore Inland, said the facilities would require a wide range of workers — from engineers making six figures to laborers making $18 to $20 per hour. The average salary for the positions would be in the $60,000 range, McCormick said. Area leaders and economists greeted Thursdays announcement with enthusiasm. I think that projects such as this — that service the offshore drilling and exploration fleet — are among the very highest and best uses of our valuable port property, local economist Rick Harper said. ================= Fortunately, Mr. McCormick amply held his own and was reappointed by the council to another term on the CMPA. Complaints to city clerk Ericka Burnett had this deleted segment of the council meeting restored online. https://youtube/watch?v=Kk5Eed8S_1Q
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 21:30:58 +0000
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