Running for reelection

If you haven't already heard, I filed today to run for reelection as your District 4 representative on the Pensacola City Council. I'll kick off my campaign after the New Year, but I wanted to make my intentions known to my constituents.

It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Pensacola on the City Council for the past year, and I feel like we've accomplished a lot. We've implemented citywide recycling, expanded the Roger Scott tennis complex, and have worked to make our neighborhoods more family-friendly. But there's a lot more that we need to do. I want to keep working to develop our waterfront, create incentives for businesses to locate or expand here, and encourage sustainable growth and green building practices where possible.

I look forward to the campaign, and as always, feel free to contact me with your feedback and concerns.

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Charter ballots due November 24, please vote

Mail ballots for the city charter referendum are due back by November 24. If you vote in the next few days, you can drop it in the mail (return postage is already paid). If you don't vote until later this week or this weekend it may be better to hand-deliver your ballot to the Supervisor of Elections to ensure your vote is in by the deadline. Votes must be received by 7:00 PM on November 24 to be counted.

If you have lost your ballot you can get a new one at the Supervisor of Elections office. You can also print out and mail in a duplicate ballot request form, but with just a week left until the November 24 deadline, that may be cutting it close.

The Supervisor of Elections office is located at 213 Palafox Place in Downtown Pensacola. You can also reach the office by phone at (850) 595-3900.

I voted YES on the charter because I believe it makes some important and necessary changes and provides a good foundation for Pensacola's future.

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Bayou Texar Foundation update

I received this in the mail last week by Ms. Eleanor Godwin of the Bayou Texar Foundation. It concerns several ongoing efforts the Bayou Texar Foundation is currently working on with the Partnership for Community Programs (PCP) and others including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Ecosystem Restoration Program (FDEP ERS). Please see the below information. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Godwin directly by phone at 850-433-6271 or email at egodwin17@bellsouth.net. We applaud Ms. Godwin and the Bayou Texar Foundation's efforts to improve our shorelines and water quality in Bayou Texar.

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Barnes & Nobles event

I recently participated in a great event at the Barnes & Noble bookstore which served as a fundraiser for the new Tryon Branch Library and an opportunity for me to sit down and read to some area kids.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support our library system!

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Fire pension board opening

One seat on the Board of Trustees of the Firemen's Relief & Pension Fund is up for appointment. The incumbent is looking to be reappointed but the City Council is now accepting applications for nomination. If you have an interest in serving on this board, please complete an application, available on the city's web site, submit it to the city clerk, and then contact a City Council member for nomination.

Constituents can contact me at ljohnson@ci.pensacola.fl.us.

Below is the City Manager's memo to City Council members about this opening.

Nomination - Board of Trustees, Firemen's Relief & Pension Fund

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