Gulf Coast Board moves forward with some $32M in public projects for Panhandle counties

On the House map (H 8013), the border smooths almost unnoticeably between HD 1 and HD 2, but HD 3 withdraws completely away from the coast. Most territory south of East Bay now falls into the Pensacola-based HD 2, with Navarre Parkway serving as the divide between the districts stretching from that water body straight to the Okaloosa County line. Crestview now falls entirely with HD 4. Further inland, the old border for HD 6 now encompasses all of Bay County and nothing but Bay County. That means swiping some land back from HD 5. But the northern district makes it up, much like SD 2, by snatching all of Calhoun County away from Big Bend neighbors.

The Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors approved about $32 million this week for distribution and development of projects in four Panhandle counties.

The Board met in Pensacola this week and approved the new grant award agreements and permission to negotiate other deals. Three new grant award agreements got the green light while another project was advanced to grant award negotiations while two grantees were approved for initial term negotiations. The funding and projects are targeted for Escambia, Franklin, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.

The breakdown for the funding and actions by the Triumph Gulf Coast Board include:

— Escambia County: $617,227 to Escambia County Public Schools to reestablish the Automotive Service Academy at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment. The funds will go toward renovation and equipping a former auto body building into labs for an automotive service academy. Another project will enter negotiations for $3.32 million that will be used to start a Center for Water and Vessel Engineering program at the Port of Pensacola.

— Franklin County: approval of a $750,000 grant with the Franklin County Board of County Commissioners for contract work for a first responder communication system for use by Franklin County Emergency Medical Services, Fire, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and other county service and law enforcement agencies. The project will be accomplished in two phases and will involve employing a communications consultant. The money will also cover installation and staff training.

— Santa Rosa County: Pensacola State College will receive a grant up to $7.63 million for a new Diesel Maintenance Technician training program. The program is expected to generate more than 2,000 certifications from the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence. The center will be opened in the PSC Commercial Vehicle Training Center in the Santa Rosa County Industrial Park East.

— Walton County: Approval of negotiations for Walton County Commission request to begin negotiations for up to $20.15 million to purchase a new countywide land mobile radio system. That system will go to serve law enforcement and other first responder communications and would support nearly 1,100 users.

The Triumph Gulf Coast board is appointed by the Governor of Florida and other state officials to oversee the Panhandle municipalities.