Ken Garner | Navarre Press

County to discuss deeding land to Milton for wastewater disposal

Written by Ken Garner on January 7, 2023. Posted in News.

After more than a month off for the end-of-year holidays, Santa Rosa County Commissioners have a busy first meeting of 2023. A vote that could dramatically change the future of Milton’s $70-million wastewater treatment plant project highlights the agenda. Public forum begins at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the County Administrative Complex, 6245 Caroline St. in Milton. The commission will begin consideration of the published agenda at 5:30 p.m.

2023: Santa Rosa County faces a busy agenda

Written by Ken Garner on January 5, 2023. Posted in News.

'Tis the season…for looking to the year ahead. Sandpaper Publishing asked Santa Rosa County Public Information Officer Sarah Whitfield to help us preview the county’s 2023 to-do list. She consulted County Administrator DeVann Cook and Assistant County Administrator Brad Baker to provide the following issues to watch:

Looking ahead: Milton hopes 2023 brings more answers than questions

Written by Ken Garner on January 4, 2023. Posted in News.

The City of Milton’s 2023 will be shaped largely by forces beyond its control.

SRC Commission prepares to debut new forum format

Written by Ken Garner on December 29, 2022. Posted in News.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, the Santa Rosa County Commission will limit public forum to an hour before each meeting. “We felt like this was a reasonable compromise,” Chairman Colten Wright said at the commission’s regular meeting Dec. 8. “Once again, there was never any effort to squash anyone’s First Amendment rights or anything like that.”

Legislative Delegation: Election security, water quality highlight residents’ concerns

Written by Ken Garner on December 13, 2022. Posted in News.

Lawmakers hear a little bit of everything when they hold public hearings in their districts: funding requests, policy concerns, conspiracy theories and political attacks.

Bed tax uses, Whiting Aviation Park among SRC legislative priorities

Written by Ken Garner on December 5, 2022. Posted in Uncategorized.

Easing restrictions on how Santa Rosa County is allowed to spend tourist-development tax revenue and funding to build a taxiway and apron to connect Whiting Aviation Park to an NAS Whiting Field runway are among the requests County Commission Chairman Colten Wright will share with state legislators at the county legislative delegation’s annual public hearing at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the Gulf Breeze Community Center on Shoreline Drive.

BoCC to discuss industrial park giveaway, Jubilee roundabout and wildfire prevention

Written by Ken Garner on December 4, 2022. Posted in News, Uncategorized.

The Santa Rosa County Commission will discuss giving industrial property to a medical supply company, Jubilee’s developer building a roundabout, and preventing wildfires at its committee meeting Monday.

State delegation to meet Tuesday in Gulf Breeze

Written by Ken Garner on December 2, 2022. Posted in News.

The public is invited to address the Santa Rosa County state legislative delegation at a public hearing beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the Gulf Breeze Community Center, 800 Shoreline Drive in Gulf Breeze. The hearing is the only one scheduled in Santa Rosa County before lawmakers report to Tallahassee on Dec. 12 for interim committee meetings.

SRC Commission skips Calkins, names Wright chairman

Written by Ken Garner on November 29, 2022. Posted in News.

In a break from tradition, the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners skipped the sitting vice chairman and named District 5 Commissioner Colten Wright chairman for the coming year. Commissioner James Calkins, vice chairman for the board’s 2021-2022 term, presided over the first part of the commission’s organizational meeting Tuesday, Nov. 22.

Eddington, Smith take oaths of office

Written by Ken Garner on November 22, 2022. Posted in News.

The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners held its reorganizational meeting this morning in Milton, seating two new board members and electing the chairman and vice chairman for the coming year. Judge Robert Hilliard, himself a former county commissioner, administered the oaths of office to new District 4 Commissioner Ray Eddington and District 2 Commissioner Kerry Smith. The new board elected District 5 Commissioner Colten Wright to be chairman and District 1 Commissioner Sam Parker to serve as vice chairman until November 2023.

Author: Ken Garner