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Local law enforcement, community leaders, lawmakers and residents met together at the Brownsville Community Center Tuesday evening for the third gun violence roundtable hosted by Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons.
After laying out a vision during the first two roundtables in October and January, Simmons came to the event with the starting point of an operation for all community leaders to work on making an imprint on a select area around Brownsville.
“The last couple of meetings, we’ve decided to try one geographical area and put all of our collective efforts in that area and then use that as a template,” Simmons said during the meeting.
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What area of Brownsville is part of the operation?
The current proposed area where local leaders will plan to invest resources begins at Kirk Street and moves all the way to E Street, while also moving from Avery Street to Jackson Street.
The area mapping out the boundaries of the operation creates a rectangle; the western half is under Escambia County and the eastern half is the city of Pensacola.
“The area is split between the city and the county so we can take advantage on this first geographical area,” Simmons said. “We’ll take advantage of the resources the city of Pensacola has and Escambia County has.”
How long will the operation last in Brownsville?
Simmons said the operation will last approximately two months, effectively beginning Tuesday and ending on June 23 where the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will host a movie night at the Brownsville Community Center.
Who is doing what in the Brownsville operation?
Simmons said Escambia County staff will be conducting roadway cleanups and Code Enforcement “is going to do what code enforcement does” specifically within the proposed area within the two-month window.
He also said that the Community Drug and Alcohol Council (CDAC), Minority Chamber of Commerce and the Escambia County School District will be hosting events as part of a “community conversation” within the proposed area.
“Animal control will be out here because (the community) has a problem with some wild animals and some wild dogs out here,” he added. “Parent University will, as I understand, have two events (and) the Florida license bus (Florida Licensing on Wheels) will park up here for a period of time.”
Florida Power and Light will also begin “lighting up Brownsville” by replacing burned out lights that the company has already identified.
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Rep. Michelle Salzman focusing on mental health
Rep. Michelle Salzman told the roundtable that she is working to get area coordinators assigned to the proposed area for mental health and substance abuse resources to potentially bypass the “long wait” for valuable resources.
“If we could have a dedicated leader in that in Lakeview or what not, and I can help with that conversation,” she said during the meeting. “I think that would really make an impact in this community.”
Salzman also said she would like to get resource guide door hangers and “put on the tennis shoes” to go door to door handing out information about resources available to all.
What is Commissioner Mike Kohler doing?
District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler said he wants to bring CDAC behavioral health counselors back to Escambia County and the school system.
“One of the things I needed to talk to you folks about is that CDAC doesn’t have any counselors in Escambia County,” he said. “They’re all in Santa Rosa − all 38.”
He also said he wants to highlight local neighborhood watch programs and advocates for more neighborhoods to begin the program.
What is Commissioner Lumon May doing?
District 3 Commissioner Lumon May said he didn’t wait for this third roundtable to begin to working for the community. He said he plans to continue with “probably the largest septic to sewer conversion in the history of Brownsville,” along with a project just behind the community center.
“Right behind the center is what you call Shoemaker Park,” May said. “There’s a house that we partnered with AMI, young people and young, at-risk African-American children (who) renovated that house that’s right behind you that’s a jewel of this community.”
He also said he helped begin a performing arts program in the community and a visual arts program is in the works for the Brownsville community.
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What are State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden and Circuit Judge Gary Bergosh doing?
Although it’s difficult for a state attorney and judge to be proactive, according to Escambia Circuit Judge Gary Bergosh, he and State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden both said they would like to partner with May to create a shadow program to expose youth to the innerworkings of the court system.
“Locally and throughout the circuit, we are an employment opportunity,” Bowden Madden said. “If I fully staff throughout the circuit, I’ve got about 230 employees. Only 70 of those are lawyers. Only 70 of those positions require a college degree.”
Bowden Madden said she would like to get individuals who care about the Escambia County community so that they can “give at the level that their interest is,” saying if anyone is interested then they can inquire with her office about prospective internships and job opportunities.
What happens in Brownsville now?
While not every event, strategy or resource was confirmed Tuesday evening, other local leaders attending the roundtable have the opportunity to contribute to the Brownsville operation. To keep track of their efforts, Simmons will provide a publicly available calendar of who is doing what on which day until June 23.
Simmons said the calendar will likely be available beginning Monday, stressing that not all events are a Sheriff’s Office event but a community event.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you all showing up, from the community and from the elected officials and those who represent the various agencies that are here,” Simmons said as he concluded the roundtable. “We could not do this without you.”
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