Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward announced on May 10 his firing of Fire Chief Matt Schmitt and Deputy Fire Chief Joe Glover due to a “loss of confidence in their ability to lead the Pensacola Fire Department.” The decision followed an three-month investigation by Beggs & Lane attorney Russell Van Sickle of six complaints filed by Chief Human Resources Officer Ed Sisson against the fire chiefs. After a review of the investigation, Mayor Hayward determined that the findings of fact that emerged were sufficient to warrant the dismissal of both individuals. The mayor gave interviews to most of the local media, but he has yet to explain the report or answer specific questions about its findings.
Inweekly’s review of the report prepared Beggs & Lane attorney Russell Van Sickle found that Glover had been cleared of three complaints filed by Chief Human Resources Officer Ed Sisson, which concerned a free upgrade on car rental, comments made a fire department dinner, and a random drug test. Van Sickle determined facts surrounding Sisson’s complaint regarding raise requests for battalion chief found fault with Sisson, City Administrator Eric Olson, Glover and Schmitt. Sisson’s complaint regarding the hiring process used in January revealed that the HR director had not established written procedures for the process. The only complaint that may have any weight regards Lt. Deas, but even that one concerned different points of view over policies – a disagreement that could have been handled in a meeting with the city administrator or mayor. Inweekly asked Mayor Hayward for an interview to discuss the report. He declined. He also did not attend the May 12 council meeting.
Art, Culture and Entertainment, (ACE), Inc. announced on Monday the 21 recipients of nearly $300,000 in grant funding for the third annual Foo Foo Fest, the upcoming fall festival of arts and cultural events to be held November 3-14. Highlighting the list of grant recipients were the Friends of Downtown Pensacola who, through their grant submission, have been awarded an $88,250 mega-grant to paint a mural featuring iconic Pensacola imagery on the Jefferson St. parking garage in downtown Pensacola.
The City of Pensacola has not done job performance evaluations for its employees in several departments over the past four years. Inweekly made a public record request for the last job performance evaluations for 31 employees listed on the city’s website. Only one employee had a job performance evaluation more recent than 2011–Tom Lucia who received his last evaluation on Feb. 24, 2012. The City’s HR manual states that performance evaluation shall be done by supervisors on an annually on the anniversary of entry into the person’s job classification. Chief Human Resources Officer Ed Sisson declined Inweekly’s request for an interview.
Gulf Power announced that Capt. Keith Hoskins, former commanding officer at Naval Air Station Pensacola, will join the Gulf Power team June 1. Hoskins will serve as the Major Accounts and Military Affairs manager leading a team of energy experts who serve the company’s largest customers. Hoskins is replacing Ellis Oswald who is retiring.
With the resignation of Escambia County School Board District 1 member Jeff Bergosh, effective Nov. 21, Escambia County voters will elect a candidate later this year to fill the unexpired portion of his four-year term. Bergosh is running for Escambia County Commission District 1. This will be this time in more than a decade that a Bergosh will not be on the school board.
The Santa Rosa Education Foundation announced Kaylen Findley, a 7th-12th grade Agriculture teacher at Jay High School, as the 2016 Santa Rosa Rookie of the Year during their Rookie of the Year Reception Wednesday afternoon. She was selected from a field of 32 educators with three or less years of teaching experience who were honored at this event. The Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce presented Kaylen with a $500 Sara Caudell Scholarship.
The First District Court of Appeals released a ruling Wednesday rejecting an attempt by the Escambia County Property Appraiser Chris Jones and Tax Collector Janet Holley to rehear a case holding that land at Pensacola Beach is owned by Escambia County, and thus is not subject to ad valorem taxation. Jones and Holley had asked a three-judge panel rehear reconsider its unanimous opinion that it was improper to tax leased land at Pensacola Beach as if it were owned by the tenants. In the alternative, Jones and Holley asked that the issue be certified to the Florida Supreme Court as an issue of great public importance. Both requests were summarily denied.
On Thursday, Inweekly published an article on John Sunday and the importance of his home that is up for demolition. Read “He was loyal to this city.”
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday the arrests of 10 people and seizure of approximately $500,000 worth of narcotics. During a four-year investigation, ECSO investigators identified Alfred James Hayes as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking ring that dealt large volumes of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and pills in the area. This week, deputies and law enforcement partners arrested Hayes, several of his family members and an array of suspected drug suppliers, distributors and couriers.