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| For more information, contact Jill Krug by phone: 850-332-7976, ext. 215. |
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| WFRPC staff has been meeting with citizens across the region to preserve and enhance the quality of life in northwest Florida. Here are a few snapshots from the past six months of outreach activities and meetings. |
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| Bay County TPO Vice-chairwoman, Mayor Pamn Henderson presents outgoing Chairman, Mike Nichols with a plaque of appreciation for his service. Mayor Henderson is the incoming Chairwoman and will preside at the August meeting. |
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| Left to right, WFRPC TPO Coordinator, Tiffany Bates, TPO Chairman, Commissioner Rob Williamson, WFRPC Executive Director, Austin Mount, and TPO Vice-chairman, Commissioner Jeff Bergosh listen to public comments at the June FL-AL TPO meeting in Gulf Breeze. |
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| FL-AL TPO staff has been reaching out to citizens to gather input for project priorities. Shown here are TPO staff members at popular local events Palafox Market and Tunes by the Dunes. |
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West Florida Regional Planning Council strives to partner with other state agencies as they work to preserve and enhance the quality of life in northwest Florida. (Left to right) WFRPC Public Involvement Coordinator, Annie Walthall, and WFRPC Planners, Tiffany Bates, Jill Lavender, and Kristen Barre attended the public meeting for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks. Topics discussed included future projects at Big Lagoon State Park, Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, and Perdido Key State Park.
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| Promoting Public Transit at “Dump the Pump” |
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| Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization and rideOn staff participated in the Escambia County Area Transit’s (ECAT) “Dump the Pump” Day on Thursday, June 21. The slogan of this year’s National Dump the Pump Day was “Dump the Pump. Ride Public Transit.” In celebration of this year’s theme, ECAT offered free rides to all fixed-transit riders for the entire day. |
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At the June Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization board meeting, incoming Chairman Nathan Boyles presented outgoing Chairwoman Amy Jamieson with a plaque thanking her for her service in the 2017-2018 year.
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| Corridor Management Plan Finds Audience with City Council |
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| After presenting the draft Beal Parkway Corridor Management Plan to the O-W TPO in April, the Fort Walton Beach City Council asked to hear the plan as well. Pictured here is WFRPC Planner, Jill Lavender, as she presented the plan to the City Council. The plan was adopted at the June TPO meeting. |
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| 2018 Northwest Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Forum |
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 A brownfield is a property that may have been contaminated by a hazardous substance or petroleum, thereby complicating expansion, redevelopment, or reuse. The U.S. EPA’s and Florida’s Brownfields Programs support revitalization efforts by funding environmental assessments, cleanup, and job training activities.
On June 14, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, US EPA, and the Apalachee and West Florida Regional Planning Councils hosted the Sixth Annual Northwest Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Forum. Eighty-six attendees gathered in Marianna, Fla. to enjoy the full day of local Brownfields updates, grant writing tips, and stories of ongoing and completed projects.
For more information on these programs and how to take advantage of them to revitalize your community:
US EPA: www.epa.gov/brownfields
FDEP: floridadep.gov/waste/waste-cleanup/content/brownfields-program
WFPRC: www.wfrpc.org/programs/brownfields
2018 Northwest Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Forum: www.wfrpc.org/events/2018-northwest-florida-brownfields-redevelopment-forum |
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Above: WFRPC Executive Director, Austin Mount, addresses the attendees of the 2018 Forum. Also pictured, left to right: Apalachee Regional Planning Council Executive Director, Chris Rietow; Jackson County Commissioner, Jim Peacock; and Director, Northwest District DEP, Shawn Hamilton.
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| McKenzie Tank Lines, Inc. joined efforts with the West Florida LEPC to educate hazmat technicians on responding to potential hazardous chemical incidents in the region. First responders were able to train on an actual tanker, gaining valuable knowledge from McKenzie operators on site. |
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| Bay Day Celebrated in Escambia County |
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The Bay Area Resource Council (BARC) and partners celebrated Bay Day 2018 with 125 youth at the Learn Play Grow summer camp at Ebonwood Community Center on June 19. Partners who helped make the day a success included: Florida Sea Grant with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Escambia County Extension; Pensacola Math, Engineering, Science & Stuff (MESS) Hall; Niche Energy Environmental Economic Resource Development (ne3rd); Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Escambia County; Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD); and Escambia County’s Water Quality and Land Management Division.
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