Great second meeting today. While we missed having Evon, Robin, Clara, Sherry and Tonya, Jack, Peggy and I had a very productive meeting this morning. I know I was surprised when 70 minutes had passed!
Park/playground: We discussed various possibilities in consideration of the county land adjacent to the the Community Center as well as a block or so to the West. The brownfield status of some of the land (and much of our country!) was also mentioned.
Fixtures, Furniture and (whatever) E (stands for): There is $250,000 in current project budget, most of which is expected to be spent once programming is planned. Some things that are not programming-specific, for example, chairs, may be purchased previous to programming plans.
Renovation: Contractors AE New (aenewjr.com) have the keys and beginning next week there will be a pre-construction meeting and work is expected to commence.
Operations: There is $61,000 a year budgeted for utilities in the center. David Wheeler manages over two hundred and twenty buildings, so he’s fairly experienced! Utilities this year will be a little bit less than in subsequent years, because of all of the non-operational periods.
“Residential” Building: Did not discuss.
Volunteerism: We discussed the idea of there being ways of compensating or “honoring” volunteers. Peggy mentioned the “point” system at Richard’s Memorial thrift store, where volunteers get store credit. The idea of a Brownsville Foundation, which would be a legal entity with a board of volunteers, and that there might be people who are in Brownsville in even folks who are no longer in Brownsville who would share an interest in it’s renaissance.
HBC Role: Did not discuss. I suggest that outreach, organization and communication are key elements we can offer to the process.
Gathering of Interested Programming Participants: We talked about the idea of sending neighborhood-wide post cards as potentially useful, but we agreed that this would not be a meeting in which to create or add to a list of desires, but to organize as many of the parties as possible who are already or have shown an interest in offering programming at or through the center. Robin Reshard, who’s suggestion this was, has already met with Tonya Gant at least once and the plan is to have the first such event in late August or early September. Peggy, Jack and I compiled a small list of people whom we would want to reach out to. I imagine each of these will receive a personal invitation from at least one of us:
Families First Network
Blues Angel Music
DCF
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs (Vietnamese Church) – contact person? we can talk to our Vietnamese members. Doug Underhill may also know.
The Patel Family – contact person?
Escambia County Clinics
Leroy Williams
Play Pensacola
School Board
Local Churches
Library: There is a lot of excitement about the head of the WFPL, Todd Humble. The Library Board support development of Library in Brownsville. However their budget needs to to go Beulah at this time, where we agreed it’s more necessary. However! There are automated library operations similar to Red Box, which it sounded like would qualify the Community Center for Library Status in relation to E-Rate high speed internet service. There are also grant opportunities for Makers Spaces, and Todd is looking at ways in which the Community Center might be able to house a Makers Group. Thomas Asmuth was suggested as a regional expert of whom we think Mister Humble is already aware.
Sound System: The Architectural firm, Quina Grundhoefer are well aware of the high priority of the sound of the auditorium. Following the Pensacola Bay Center, the Brownsville Community Center (BCC) will be the largest performance center in the area. All Pro Sound are currently involved in technical renovations at the County Admin building in Palafox St. as well as another county facility and will be, if they aren’t already, involved in the discussion as the renovations of the BCC commence. Jack is also planning to repurpose items that are rotated out of use in administration buildings (items like sound system components, computers, etc), some of which may be designated for the BCC.
Transportation: County are looking at ways that people can be transported to and from the community center. Some decommissioned ECAT busses were considered, but did not make sense (in terms of size, maintenance, repairs.)
Programming: There are already two showers in the facility. There is a basketball court. There is a kitchen (this wasn’t mentioned today). There seem to be fairly solid plans for a computer center and recording studio.
Cyber Education: We know that Doug Underhill is in the cyber security field. The new head of NAS, Captain Christopher Marlin has also expressed enthusiasm for helping to engage and educate the areas youth in this growing and significant field.
New County Website: https://www.myescambia.com (Jack was beaming!)
Other Notes: Cliff Fields is interested in supporting (funding) soccer in the field near the T&W Market. We aim to get HBC / County Admin Meeting Number 3 scheduled promptly. Jack likes to play rhythm guitar, and first became interested in business when managing his high school rock band.