Message from the Chairman - Kristine Karsten
Wow! I can’t believe that I’m writing my first “Message from the Chairman” to you. I am honored to serve the organization in my new capacity; however, I’m even more excited to serve among such passionate board members & team chairs with great leadership attributes.
PYP has been an important part of my life for the past 3 years. I first started off as a member of the Economic Development Committee that was chaired by Leslie Ingram. During that time the opportunity was presented to me by Leslie and the organizational leadership to develop and chair what is now the Pensacola Professional Development Institute (PPDI). Chairing PPDI has been a wonderful experience for me. It’s been a true test of my leadership as well as my commitment to servanthood. It also showed me how much of a difference we can make in our community. I am happily passing on my torch to an amazing team which I will now serve as a team member.
Since the inception of the new board and team chairs, there has been a tremendous amount ideas that has been presented from all teams. The new board along with team chairs will be having our 2010 Leadership Retreat on April 16 to set forth our implementation strategy and short & long term Strategic Plan for PYP.
I would like to encourage you to become actively involved on a team with goals and objectives that you’re passionate about. PYP has the abiltiy to enhance your life, strengthen the community and make a noticable difference. We can’t do this without your involvement. This is going to be an exciting year for PYP! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead this organization and taking this journey with me!
Respectfully Yours,
Community Issues
Multicultural Museum receives foundation pledge (from the Pensacola City Council)
The University of West Florida has announced that the charitable foundation of Southern Company has made a pledge of $375,000 toward the construction of the multicultural museum to be developed at the Maritime Park. That pledge is a match for a pledge of $375,000 from the Gulf Power charitable foundation made last year.
City Council Meetings (from the Pensacola City Council)
The following summary highlights the major actions taken by the Pensacola City Council during committee meetings on Monday, March 22. The actions will be voted on by the full Council during its regular session on Thursday, March 25, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Council chambers at City Hall. For complete agenda materials, click on each committee name. For the March 25th agenda, click on this link: City Council.
- Committee of the Whole Reappointed Jim Moulton, Hal Gordon, and Dewey Miller to the Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals.
- Reappointed David Mayo and appointed Eric Schade and Richard Sherrill to the Parks and Recreation Board.
- Appointed Clayton Taylor to the Zoning Board of Adjustments.
- Approved a procedure by which appointment of all Community Maritime Park board trustees would be by affirmative vote of City Council from a ballot containing the names of nominees to fill vacant positions or expiring terms as submitted by City Council and the Maritime Park board members. This action will be presented to the park board for approval.
- A motion to remove Jim Reeves as the newest appointee to the Maritime Park board failed by a vote of 4 to 6.
- Finance Committee Approved resolutions to convert several City loans to a fixed rate bond structure with the Gulf Breeze Loan Program.
- Sent back to staff for language changes an ordinance to prohibit contact between City Council members and respondents to bids, RFPs, and RFQs related to City contracting, from the time that solicitations are advertised until a project has been awarded.
- Approved an ordinance to increase the City Manager's spending authority to $100,000 for goods and services with businesses that are City certified Tier One Small Business Enterprises. The present spending limit is $50,000.
- Neighborhood Services Committee Approved the proposed FY 2010 street resurfacing project list, which consists of 305 blocks, to be paid for from Local Option Gas Tax proceeds ($850,000) and Penny for Progress proceeds ($530,000) for FY 2010.
- Economic and Community Development Committee Received a staff presentation on the exciting plan for the Hollice Williams Park and I-110 Linear Urban Greenway.
- Enterprise Operations Committee Authorized a grant application to the Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State, for a library construction matching grant of $500,000 for the new Downtown Library. Amount presently available for the library's construction is $7.6 million.
- Approved a rate increase for the Saenger Theatre to $2,000 per day (currently $1,700 per day for for-profit renters), and gave authorization to set up a rental assistance plan for non-profit renters.
- Approved Gunther Properties, LLC to provide professional real estate services for the leasing and management of commercial property in the Airport's commerce park for one year, and approval of a commercial lease agreement standard form.
- Approved a Memorandum of Agreement with the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce naming the Chamber as the fiduciary agent for the Port Security Grant Program at a cost of $149,925 over three years, to be funded by the grant program.
- Received a staff presentation on the successful single-family housing rehabilitation program funded by federal Community Development Block Grants.
- Received an encouraging progress report on business development at the Port of Pensacola
Exxon Mobil recently completed a $10 million capital investment in their Pensacola facility providing a significant increase in their capacity and adding 30 new positions.
On red-light runners and toxic utility poles (from the Pensacola City Council)During its meeting on March 26 Pensacola City Council renewed a discussion from the previous Monday's committee meetings regarding the problem of area drivers running red lights. Councilman Sam Hall and I have pushed for some time for a program of cameras and automatic citations at the most dangerous intersections in order to effect change in driver behavior. Staff has resisted doing so because Florida law does not support such efforts. However, there is a strong possibility that a "red light" bill being considered during the present legislative session may pass. In light of an incident March 25 in which children on a school bus were injured in the course of such a traffic violation, the Council directed staff to be prepared to institute a red-light camera program as soon as the hoped-for legislation is enacted. During open forum on March 26 City resident Sherri Myers reported on the possibility that AT&T may be installing poles that have been treated with toxic chemicals. The poles are easily identified by a chemical odor so strong that residents living in the vicinity thought there might be a meth lab in their neighborhood until the source of the odor was identified. Ms. Myers noted that she had reported the discovery to the local office of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which claimed it had no jurisdiction in the matter. Apparently, it did not occur to the DEP folks that rainwater will wash the toxic chemicals into the soil and eventually into the water table. City Council directed the staff to alert the Environmental Advisory Board and to research the matter in preparation for possible legal action against AT&T.
Golf Tournament
On Friday, June 4th PYP will host our 1st Annual PYP Golf Tournament at Marcus Point Golf Course. All members are needed to help plan, recruit teams, and work the day of the tournament. If anyone would like to get involved that is not already please email Chad Stacy at chad.stacy@edwardjones.com or George Moore at gwmooreiii@gmail.com Thank you!
Welcome New Members!
If you are a new member, the Membership Services Team invites you to attend a PYP 101 session. Learn more about PYP, our mission, teams, and projects, and most of all - how to get involved! To sign up for a PYP 101 session, contact Chad Stacy.