Bay Biz Vol 8/ Issue 2 (April - June)

INFRASTRUCTURE SURTAX A COMMUNITY BENEFITED OPIOD USE AND YOUR EMPLOYEES THE PANAMA CITY CRAYFISH AND THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

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april - june 2018

departments 6

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

8

POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE The Panama City Crayfish and the Endangered Species Act

16 EDUCATION A Million Thanks for Our Military 18 HEALTH Opioid Use and Your Employees 22

DEFENSE INTEL Defense-Friendly Bay County, Florida

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ECONOMIC PROFILE

30 TECHNOLOGY The Smell of Technology 32

WORKFORCE CONNECTION

34

BIZ LIST

36

NEW MEMBERS

37

MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

12

22 18

features 12

COVER STORY Infrastructure Surtax: A Community Benefited

28

2018 ANNUAL DINNER & AWARDS CEREMONY

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The Bay Biz is published quarterly by the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, 235 W. 5th Street, Panama City, FL 32401, 850-785-5206.

POSTMASTER send address changes to: Bay County Chamber, 235 W. 5th Street, Panama City, FL 32401 or email taylor@baychamberfl.com.

The Bay Biz welcomes story ideas from its readers. To have your story added, please email taylor@baychamberfl.com. To request additional copies, contact 850-785-5206.

PUBLISHER Carol Roberts

ART DIRECTION, LAYOUT, AND DESIGN GORGEOUS (getgorgeo.us | 850-888-8GRG)

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Taylor Smith

COVER Crews resurfacing roads thanks to Infrastructure Surtax

FOLLOW US ON: CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kim Bodine, Bill Cramer, Brandi DeRuiter, Caitlin Lawrence, Tom Neubauer Tricia Pearce, Carol Roberts, Valerie Sale, Taylor Smith, and Garrett Wright CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Bay County Board of County Commissioners, Bay County Chamber, Bay Defense Alliance, City of Panama City, Gardner Photography, Gulf Coast State College, and Florida Fish and Wildlife

BAY BIZ MAGAZINE c/o Bay County Chamber of Commerce 235 W. 5th Street Panama City, FL 32401 850.785.5206 panamacity.org | information@baychamberfl.com

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Thank goodness Spring has sprung and we are out of the cold winter we experienced.

And, can I just say how great it is to be on Daylight Savings Time! I am in the process of dusting off the old party barge to get her ready for her maiden voyage here soon. Summer is the perfect time to get out and explore our beautiful part of Florida where, whether you are a freshwater or saltwater lover, we have the best of both worlds. Visit our ecotourism map at panamacity.org to plan your next outing.

There are so many great things happening in our community that it is hard for me to select just a few to focus on in this article.

Our cover story on the Infrastructure Surtax is the first to come to mind. Kudos to the County and all of our municipalities for utilizing those collected funds to improve our community. We are now resurfacing roads that would have taken ten plus years to finish had we (our citizens) not approved the surtax. Now, not just property owners are paying for infrastructure improvements, but visitors are as well. I have never seen so many road improvement projects going on. Although we may experience some inconveniences at times, it will be well worth it in the end. I am proud this Chamber took on this worthwhile campaign as we felt strongly this was the only way we could possibly meet the infrastructure needs of our growing community. And, it is working.

The Panama City Marina redevelopment remains high on the priority list for our organization. We, as well as others, were extremely disappointed in the feasibility study (or the lack there of) produced by Sonnenblick Development. As many know, we encouraged city officials to see it through to this stage to determine the future of the project. The lack of information provided by the developer was a good indi6

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cation that we need to pause and take a look at the overall plan. It is certainly sad there are individuals applauding this misfortune and are content with the current state of our downtown area. We are looking at it as an opportunity to find a plan the majority can embrace while creating a destination and economic drivers to prepare our city for future generations to come.

Speaking of preparing for the next generation, the Chamber and Gulf Power are teaming up with a retail research, marketing and recruitment company that will focus on redevelopment in most all of our cities in Bay County. NextSite, of whom is based in Birmingham, AL, has been very successful in Alabama and Georgia in filling vacant big box stores, commercial/retail corridors and new developments. Not only will they be marketing partnering cities at appropriate retail shows, but they will also produce data/market research that will be of interest and use to existing businesses. We will keep you posted as this exciting opportunity unfolds.

As I close out this article, I have to pause and remember the lives lost in the Parkland, FL school shooting. Our hearts break for those families directly and indirectly affected. Our country has certainly changed. I never thought we would see the day we are discussing arming teachers to protect our children. It saddens me to see the fear felt by all in what used to be one of our safe places. We, as parents, grandparents and guardians, must stay informed as to our children’s activities. We all want to think our children are perfect and can do no wrong, but that is just not so. The root of this issue starts at home, so as the recent saying goes, “if you see something, say something�.

Carol Roberts President/CEO

Dr. Samir Patel interventional cardiologist

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political perspective The Panama City Crayfish and the Endangered Species Act by: Brandi DeRuiter, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Bay County Chamber of Commerce

A

t just 2 inches long, this little crustacean is creating quite the stir in Bay County. Many can remember the Panama City Crayfish (PC Crayfish) issue surfacing throughout the years; but this time, regulations may be here to stay.

State Status Rediscovered in 1986, the Panama City crayfish was thought to be extinct. A year later, conservation efforts resulted in it becoming a state listed Species of Special Concern (SSC).

This listing brought some protections, created public awareness campaigns and generated guidelines to help conserve the species and its habitat. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission issues permits at this level on the basis that the action will not be detrimental to the survival potential of the species.

However, in 2006, a biological status review recommended a reclassification for the PC Crayfish. Attempts sought to state list as Threatened due to its limited geographic dis8

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tribution and continuing decline. This listing action sat idle for several years as officials worked to revise the listing process. Completed in 2010, the newly revised listing process phased out the SSC status and proposed to up list all species to a threatened status, if they met the criteria. Draft management plans were developed for this species but have yet to be finalized. Once management practices are approved, the listing status of Threatened, along with new regulations and permitting requirements, will be in full force and effect.

Federal Status The PC Crayfish was not on the federal worklist until 2010 when the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list 404 aquatic, riparian, and wetland species in the Southeastern region under the Endangered Species Act. The PC crayfish was one of the species petitioned and studies ensued. The Center for Biological Diversity again filed a complaint in 2015 stating the Service had not completed a 12-month finding in the timeframe required by law.

The Service entered into a court-approved settlement agreement stating the 12-month finding would be completed and submitted by September 2017, later extended to December 2017. As part of this process, comments were accepted to the Federal Register from January to March 2018. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, final determinations are largely driven by the number and types of comments the agency receives during the public comment period. Consideration is given to comments based on biological or commercial data. A final listing status is anticipated before the end of the year.

PC Crayfish Characteristics Not much is known about this species, but it is believed its original habitat consisted of open pine flatwoods that predominated the area before human development occurred.

Today, the PC Crayfish is found in human-altered settings including utility rights-of-way, shallow sloping ditches, planted pine plantations and natural settings such as wet-prairie marshes. Its habitat is limited to a 56-square mile area in Bay County with about 90 percent living on private property.

One of the reasons the PC Crayfish is located in a relatively small area and has failed to expand its habitat range is its preference for soil types. Primary soils include Pamlico-Dorovan complex, Rutledge sand, Plummer sand, Pelham sand, Pantego sandy loam and Rutledge-Pamlico complex. These soils typically have a high water table that is one-foot below the surface.

This small semi-terrestrial crayfish is brown with a dark brown and light brown stripe that stretches from its head down to its tail. It has a 1.5 to 3 year lifespan. Eight crayfish species occur in the same area and two other species are “superficially identical� to the PC Crayfish, but may be distinguished by male reproductive organs.

Impacts/Identified Threats Federal protections would restrict and result in expenses associated with mitigating loss of habitat. These additional costs are generally passed on to taxpayers on all levels of government-funded projects, resulting in lessened services or additional taxes as mitigation expenses drive up the cost of project plans.

There are several approved infrastructure developments and roadway expansions (widening of Star Avenue, Kern Avenue, Tram Road) that are expected to affect several crayfish sites. The type of impact and the amount of land involved will determine whether on-site or off-site mitigation or payment into a PC Crayfish Conservation Fund would apply.

Activities that result in the loss of population include development, silviculture (timber cultivation), bait, off-road vehicle use and drought. Infrastructure improvements remove specific soil and vegetation requirements, and can isolate populations. Off-road vehicles may rut and crush. Silviculture practices can affect PC Crayfish habitat through ditching, bedding, and roller chopping. Several crayfish sites are

utilized by fishermen for harvesting bait. In drought, the PC Crayfish may burrow up to three feet down to reach the water table. However, extreme drought causing the water table to drop below the burrow depth could lead to largescale mortality.

Species Conservation Currently, voluntary draft guidelines developed by the FWC can help guide development projects that may impact the PC Crayfish and its habitat, but these are not regulatory in nature. If the PC Crayfish were to be federally listed, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would be required to work to protect and recover it. Recovery means that the PC Crayfish would no longer need protection.

About 220 acres are in protection, however, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife states that the PC Crayfish needs 2,150 acres in specific areas, managed in perpetuity, for conservation. According to a cost assessment analysis prepared by the Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis at Florida State University, the cost for this acreage would be approximately $20 million. This does not include recurring costs to manage the lands.

Other conservation actions proposed include establishing partnerships, voluntary conservation management practices and funding opportunities.

The Service is working on a 4(d) rule which focuses on specific conservation efforts. In order to craft this rule, the Service wants to better understand activities that commonly occur in PC Crayfish habitat such as ditch maintenance. The Service proposes possible exemptions under this rule will be sheds, driveways, and pools for current residents, but new land clearings or developments will require a special permit, increasing the cost of affordable housing.

For further information, please visit the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.

Docket Number: FWS-R4-ES-2017-0016

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It’s been just over a year since revenues from the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for infrastructure improvements began flowing into Bay County and its municipalities’ coffers, fast-forwarding dozens of projects that would have otherwise taken years to fund and construct, if ever.

“The Bay County Chamber of Commerce took the lead in providing voters with the information they needed to make an informed decision, and those efforts are already paying off,” Bay County Chamber President/CEO Carol Roberts said. “I jokingly say that every time I’m stuck in traffic on a road improvement project I get a smile on my face, knowing that we took a leadership role in making this happen.” Roberts noted the infrastructure needs of the cities and county would not have been met without intervention. Before the tax, only property owners were paying for improvements; now everyone participates.

“The addition of the surtax ensures the cost of building and maintaining infrastructure is borne by everyone using it, including our visitors,” she said.

“The improvements are good for growth,” Bay County Commissioner, Robert Carroll, said. It can be witnessed by passersby at projects under construction throughout the county.”

“If we have good infrastructure, we can draw good businesses,” he said. “People notice when they’re considering moving a business to the area whether you’ve got good roads, good sewers – it makes growth easier to happen.”

Carroll was Chairman of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as well as a candidate for the Bay County Commission during the November 2016 election when the sales tax referendum passed by a margin of more 12

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than 10 percent; it sunsets after 10 years if not reapproved by voters. A commission-appointed Citizens Oversight Committee is responsible for ensuring the tax dollars are spent appropriately, as does each municipality.

The tax is for use exclusively in Bay County to repair local roads, increase neighborhood safety through pedestrian paths and sidewalks to schools, reduce neighborhood flooding, and reduce traffic congestion.

The sales tax is estimated to generate roughly $21 million annually, to be split between the county and each of the seven cities by a formula based on population. For Unincorporated Bay County, that means an extra $12 million per year in surtax funds. Its passage also allowed the county to discontinue an annual $3 million transfer from the General Fund to pay for bare-bones road improvements and inversely cut property taxes by .25 mills this fiscal year.

But the benefit reaches well beyond an additional $12 million for the county, as the new revenue stream makes available many millions in extra grant funding that requires a local match – a luxury the county never had before the surtax.

Since collections began through the first quarter of FY2018, Bay County has collected just over $12 million in surtax funds and another approximately $14 million in matching funds.

“For the first time in my career, we’re able to match grants that in the past the county never had the revenue to match,” Bay County Public Works Director Keith Bryant said.

An example, Bryant said, is needed partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to replace a one-lane wooden bridge at Scotts Ferry Road with a concrete structure projected to last 50 years or more. The coun-

ty’s contribution would be only 25 percent of the overall $3 million cost. Scotts Ferry was recently repaved and connects U.S. 231 and Calhoun County.

“Not only is it a deficient, obsolete structure,” Bryant said of the bridge built in 1942, “it’s downright dangerous having a one-lane wooden bridge in the middle of a paved two-lane roadway. In the past we never would’ve had the money to replace that.”

Company donated right-of-way along the route that extends the current Loop Road from State Road 79 to Nautilus Drive.

The project is much needed, Bryant said. “PCB Parkway fails every summer. There’s not enough asphalt for the amount of traffic we have out there, and all the signal timing in the world is not going to correct that,” he said. “Some problems, only asphalt can fix.”

The tax has allowed the county and some of the cities to work together on high-profile projects that would have otherwise foundered, in some cases for years. Repaving Thomas Drive, constructing the second phase of the “Loop Road,” widening Jenks Avenue, and replacing the bridge at East Avenue are examples of partnership projects currently underway.

Bay County is currently in discussions with other municipalities, such as Lynn Haven, for future partnership options.

Thomas Drive While it isn’t obvious to the casual observer, work is under way in earnest on a $4 million project to repave Thomas Drive between Bristol and Joan Avenues, thanks entirely to the availability of surtax funds. The pavement,” Bryant said, “is in fairly decent shape, but ill-placed underground utilities cause the ‘teeth jarring’ bumps in the road every few hundred feet. In some areas, years ago, utility pipes were drilled directly through stormwater pipes, causing the massive bumps in the roadway. We never knew how bad those pipes were until a couple of years ago when we robotically videoed the pipe system.”

Once Panama City Beach relocates the utilities away from the roadway, the county will fix the pipes and mill and resurface Thomas Drive. Bryant said the resurfacing component will be bid within the year.

“There’s a lot of underground stuff going on that the public doesn’t see,” he said. “We’ve got to do it right or we will be back in eight years with the same problems.”

Loop Road The second phase of the Bay Parkway, also known as the Loop Road, is a collaborative effort between the county, Panama City Beach, and the St. Joe Company. The county has applied for state grants to help with the overall $9 million price tag. Both Panama City Beach and the county have agreed to contribute $3.5 million toward the project, with the hope that the state will kick in funding too. The St. Joe

East Avenue Bridge Panama City Beach Mayor Mike Thomas, formerly a threeterm Bay County Commissioner before being elected mayor, said both the Thomas Drive and Loop Road projects are great examples of how the cities and county should be working together.

“This is a project that will happen within a year and a half, now,” he said. “It would’ve been five to 10 years down the road but for the help of the surtax. This is another positive step, to me, in the growth of Panama City Beach, and it wasn’t possible without the cooperation between the county and the city.”

East Avenue Bridge A project on the east side of the Hathaway Bridge that required city/county cooperation is the replacement of the East Avenue Bridge – an effort that will be critical to the operations of the Port of Panama City and Eastern Shipbuilding, and consequently, Bay County’s economy.

The County, City of Panama City, and the Port are splitting a required local 25-percent match to cover the state DOT’s overall $3.57 million cost of the failing bridge’s reconstruction.

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The roadway will help alleviate traffic at County Road 2321 and U.S. 231, an area that averages 25 accidents – many serious – annually.

The bridge will serve as a refreshed gateway to a planned port expansion and to Eastern Shipbuilding, where the company will construct $10.5 billion in vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard.

“The port is a huge economic engine for the city and county, and this is one way the city can participate, by helping rebuild the bridge,” Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki said.

Other projects

»»

Bay County’s expansion of Jenks Avenue from Baldwin Road to State Road 390 is being funded via surtax and state DOT dollars to the tune of $7 million.

»»

The county is replacing a failing bridge at County Road 2297, an $8 million project being funded by $789,000 in surtax money.

»»

The county will construct with surtax funding a new road to connect County Road 2321 and State Road 390.

»»

A project is under way to rehabilitate the Deerpoint Dam Bridge, a structure Bryant says is the most important in Bay County, as it separates most of the county’s fresh drinking water source from the saltwater in the bay.

»»

The county completed resurfacing on several roadways in the northern part of the county, including Silver Lake Road, Center Drive and Camelia Street, and is working on paving several other roadways, including Bertha Nelson, a dirt collector road that connects U.S. 231 to Titus Road.

For Roberts, the Chamber’s involvement was a no brainer: “If your Chamber of Commerce is not a convener, we’re not doing our jobs. Ultimately someone’s got to take a leadership role in bringing issues to light. You’ve just got to stand up for what’s right.”

Details about all infrastructure projects can be found at www.bayhalfcent.com, a website dedicated to providing the public with information about how the tax dollars are being spent.

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education A Million Thanks for Our Military by: Bill Cramer, Chair Elect, Thanks A Million Campaign

M

ost of the public assumes our government fully provides for the education of active duty service members and veterans. Unfortunately, this assumption is false. Although benefits like tuition assistance and the G.I. Bill go a long way, all too often they do not go far enough.

Gulf Coast State College and its foundation are working together to fill the many gaps between government benefits and the cost of an education for our military students, who number almost 1,200. Last year, the college’s foundation announced the Thanks a Million Campaign, which I am privileged to chair, to meet the critical needs of active duty, veteran and dependent students. For convenience, I will refer to them collectively as “military students.”

Active Duty Financial assistance for active duty students at Florida’s colleges covers only tuition. They must pay for books, lab fees, distance-learning fees, capital improvement fees and financial aid fees, among others. These out of pocket costs 16

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can total hundreds of dollars per course, typically more than they can afford.

These expenses are particularly onerous for enlisted members of the Air Force, who comprise the largest proportion of military students at Gulf Coast. With rare exceptions, advancement to the highest enlisted ranks requires a degree from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), an accredited two-year institution chartered by the federal government.

There is a catch-22. CCAF is authorized to award course credit only for job-related programs. Civilian institutions, like Gulf Coast, must provide general education courses, such as mathematics and social studies, necessary for a degree. If Air Force students cannot afford all required courses, they will not graduate from CCAF. In these cases, the odds are stacked heavily against promotion to the higher ranks, as illustrated by the chart.

For example, a typical Technical Sergeant lacking a CCAF degree has less than a 10% chance of advancing to Master Ser-

P E R C E N TAG E W I T H C C A F D E G R E E AU G U S T 2 0 1 7

geant. Inability to obtain a degree creates morale problems, hinders retention and recruitment, and depletes leadership talent.

Other branches of the military face even greater obstacles.

They rely on American Council on Education evaluated courses for transfer credits, which Florida’s colleges generally do not recognize. Currently, Gulf Coast enrolls 153 Navy Sailors, up from 24 last year primarily because of the Thanks a Million Campaign. The Navy has reduced tuition assistance to 16 semester hours a year; a two-year degree requires 60. The Coast Guard faces unique obstacles because it now falls under the Department of Homeland Security, and therefore its members are ineligible for some essential benefits available to the rest of the armed services.

Our goal is to raise enough money to meet the various financial needs for all active duty students attending, or aspiring to attend, Gulf Coast.

Veterans Veterans face shortfalls in educational benefits as well as many other challenges, both financial and personal. They often have difficulty acclimating to a civilian environment or suffer from service-related disabilities. Even in cases where Americans make the ultimate sacrifice, government support may fall short of covering the cost of education for surviving family members.

Just last year, the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability published a study of veterans enrolled in community colleges that found: Many struggled to successfully juggle the demands and expectations of marriage and parenthood, employment, and education. Despite receiving assistance from the Post-9/11 GI Bill . . ., participants struggled to pay bills, including childcare, as well as their everyday expenses. Throughout the semester, participants worked full-time, part-time, and/or odd jobs to “get by.” For some, competing demands necessitated dropping or discontinuing classes.

Unfortunately, this study describes the experience of many veterans at Gulf Coast.

The Thanks a Million Campaign Whatever the reason, a financial crisis that causes a military student to drop out of college has the same effect: a missed opportunity for a better life. We conceived the Thanks a Million Campaign to provide that opportunity, and a guiding principle is flexibility to defray a variety of expenses, from the everyday to the course related.

The college and foundation will exhaust all other sources of funding, but if a worthy student runs up against a wall, we want to open a door. Therefore, there is no set limit for the amount granted for a genuine need.

The Thanks a Million Campaign is off to a good start. To date, our community has generously contributed over $800,000,

100%

99.9%

100.0%

Senior Master Sergeant

Chief Master Sergeant

90.3%

90% 80% 67.3%

70% 60% 50%

39.8%

40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

9.9% 0.6%

0.2%

0.9%

Airman Basic

Airman

Airman First Class

Senior Airman

Staff Technical Master Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant

but much more needs to be done. During the past year, the campaign assisted over 1,000 military students, at a cost of approximately $100,000. Although awards averaged around $100, each one allowed a military student to attend Gulf Coast who would not likely have otherwise.

Now that the campaign has gone public, more will be aware that help is available, and the need will grow. We hoped this would happen, but increased demand requires additional donations. We respectfully solicit your support.

A Building Exclusively for the Military The college is remodeling a facility dedicated solely to the needs of military students. Designated the Military and Veterans Resource Center, it will provide a “one-stop shop” for those seeking support, advice or peer interaction. The Board of Trustees approved naming opportunities for the building and rooms to recognize major donors. Money from the Thanks a Million Campaign will not be used for the remodeling.

Conclusion Since American warriors have been willing to leave everything behind on foreign battlefields to protect our way of life, we should do anything we can to help them prosper here at home. I fervently believe the most effective means available to us is to provide educational opportunities empowering them to achieve the American Dream they have sacrificed so much to preserve.

HOW TO DONATE The Gulf Coast State College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. To contribute to the Thanks a Million Campaign please contact: Margie Mazur, Executive Director Gulf Coast State College Foundation 5230 West Highway 98 Panama City, Florida 32401 Office: 850-872-3812 Email: mmazur@gulfcoast.edu

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health Opioid Use and Your Employees by: Tricia Pierce, Community Relations Specialist, Life Management Center

W

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e are all hearing more about the national opioid epidemic. We know there is a problem, and most of us believe something should be done to stop it. What should be done is a matter of debate and we won’t get into that debate here. What we do want to talk about is how it can affect your employees and what you can do to help prevent the problems in your business.

a more significant impact on the ability to work. According to the National Safety Council and the independent research institution, NORC at the University of Chicago, opioid users miss twice as many days of work as people with addictions to other drugs. Finally, employers are losing good employees as the substance negatively impacts their work.

Substance abuse issues, including opioids, are causing many problems. One issue is that employers are seeing fewer applicants for open positions when a drug screening is involved. Another issue is employees are showing up for work unprepared and unable to successfully perform their job due to substance abuse. Of course, that’s when they do show up for work. While alcohol abuse remains the most prevalent substance abuse problem, opioid abuse can have

So, what can you do to minimize the impact on your employees and your business? Most businesses are focused on how to help an employee receive treatment after a substance problem is already present. But, successful companies don’t approach other possible problems this way. Instead we try to identify problems before they arise and prevent them from occurring. Why don’t we do this with substance abuse issues?

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First, we need to understand that the problem, whether it is alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription drugs, typically is based in a problem deeper than the use of the substance.

Individuals with substance use issues tend to have a co-occurring mental health issue that contributes to the use of substances. If we can identify mental health and/or substance abuse issues early and provide treatment and support to these individuals, there is a better chance treatment will be successful.

Here are a few approaches companies are taking to combat the problem:

■ Reviewing health plans to see if changes can be made that will help. For example, increasing coverage of physical therapy which could reduce use of opioids.

■ Encouraging employees who may be having a mental health and/or substance use problem to take advantage of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

■

Providing training to employees at all levels to increase awareness of the issue and empower them to support their coworkers.

■ In a recent article by Joel Bennett, Ph.D., in Workspan

magazine, several things in the workplace were pointed out that he believes can have negative impact on substance abuse in employees:

■ Routine use of alcohol as the way to socialize with co-workers,

■ A tendency to stigmatize substance use as a “they” or “them” problem,

■

The belief that seeking help is a weakness,

■

Blind acceptance of a “suck it up” workplace attitude,

■

Ignoring and pushing through one’s own stress,

veloping a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis by utilizing a 5-step action plan. In the United States, the training is operated by the National Council on Behavioral Health. To learn more about these classes and what trainings are available, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid. org. Locally, Life Management Center is currently providing classes. You can see their schedule at www.lmccares.org or contact them to schedule a training for your staff.

■ Looking the other way when witnessing harassment and bullying,

■

Ignoring the lonely or withdrawn co-workers who need encouragement,

■

Working next to someone who doesn’t make it safe for a worker to express himself or herself.

The article points out that any of these may be the cause, or an excuse for, someone to cover up some form of psychological pain. To combat these issues employers should provide training to destigmatize the issue and empower employees to step up and help their coworkers. This training can come in the form of lunch and learns, something more formal, or a combination of these.

One form of training that has gained popularity in recent years is Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). The 8-hour course teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. MHFA gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be de-

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N G E T T I N G H E L P F O R YO U R E M P L OY E E S , C H E C K O U T T H E S E RESOURCES: SAMHSA

https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

United Way’s 211

http://www.211nwfl.org/ or dial 2-1-1

Willie Pollard Ins Agcy Inc Willie Pollard, Agent

1317 N Tyndall Parkway Panama City, FL 32404-3200 Bus 850 872 0414 Cell 850 866 1077 Fax 850 872 8770 willie.pollard.cvlw@statefarm.com The greatest compliment you can give is a referral.

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FOSTER PARENTING & ADOPTION

Won't you help us find safe homes for kids?

As they say, it takes a village. When it comes to caring for the children in our community, that couldn’t be more true. It really takes a network of caring, supportive people working together for this greater good. Below are some ways you can help.

What You Can do as a Business Owner

What You Can do as a Co-Worker

Fostering a child is a responsibility greater than most people know.

Foster parents not only care for these children’s basic needs but also have to accommodate the child’s needs in regards to court hearings, visits with biological parents and additional doctor visits.

If you’re a parent yourself, you know how hard it can be to juggle schedules and the needs of your children. Scheduling for a foster parent is even that much more complicated as they juggle additional requirements of “the system” in caring for a foster child.

As an employer of a foster parent, there are many things you can do to help: • Good Open Communication • Provide Schedule Flexibility • Sponsor a Foster Child or Family as a business • Become a “Foster Friendly Workplace,” a designation of the Florida Dept. of Children and Families.

• Help us get info out to other community members by connecting us to your church, civic group, or another business that may be interested in helping spreadawareness.

As a co-worker, you really can provide help in a number of ways: • Help organize a group of co-workers to Sponsor a Foster Child or Family • Be Supportive - Sometimes just hearing the words “you’re doing a great thing” is the boost a foster parent needs at times.

What You Can do to be a Foster Parent Interested in becoming a Foster Parent yourself? Know of someone who would be a “great fit?”

We’d love to talk to you!

Our goal is to have 100 more foster families. We’d love to have you as one of those families. It all starts with a phone call or a visit to our website www.lmccares.org to find out more. You can fill out our “Inquiry Form” in under 5 minutes to begin the process.

Fostering a child is one of the most positive impact you can make on a child’s life lasts a lifetime.

It’s not what you do for a living, It’s what you do for a life.

Please Call Us at 850.522.4485 x8404 or email FosterParent@lmccares.org | Visit us Online: lmccares.org

defense intel Defense-Friendly Bay County, Florida by: Tom Neubauer, President, Bay Defense Alliance

B

ay County, Florida began to earn its defense-friendly reputation with the formation of the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee in 1946. That committee has since grown to nearly 300 members who have supported our bases for more than seven decades. Following the passage of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) legislation by Congress in 1991, it became clear our community had to take a more active role in supporting our installations and their missions, while building on the outstanding reputation of our Chamber Military Affairs Committee.

For the past 25 years, a group of 30 volunteers operating as the Bay Defense Alliance, otherwise known as the BDA, has been working on behalf of our Bay County military installations. The BDA was organized by former Chamber and MAC chairs and, upon its formation in 1993, was designated by the Bay County Board of Commissioners as the lead defense support organization for our community. The primary focus of the BDA (formerly known as the Bay County BRAC Committee) was to safeguard Tyndall Air Force Base (TAFB) and Naval Support Activity Panama City (NSA-PC) from potential impacts of the legislation which authorized BRAC 1993, 1995 and 2005. Through those years, while Larry Dantzler served as president of the organization, the BDA invested thousands of volunteer hours, built trusting relationships with our military and congressional leadership and learned everything possible about the contributions of our local installations to national defense.

The success of the BDA is the result of the thirty volunteer board members who are focused on keeping our bases and their important defense missions strong and viable into the future. One of the long-term strategies for NSA-PC in the 1990’s was to grow awareness of the unique mine and expeditionary warfare capabilities at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, and the synergies of strong tenant commands such as the NDSTC (Naval Dive and Salvage Training Center) and NEDU (Naval Experimental Dive Unit). In the 1990’s the BDA was instrumental in the formation of a Naval Congressional Mine Warfare Caucus and a Coastal Operations Institute at a

22

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time when it was important to promote the unique work of our Navy base. At the same time, the BDA was advocating for the procurement of the new 5th generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor and working to secure the formal training unit (FTU) at Tyndall. The goal was realized when the first F-22 landed on September 26, 2003.

Ten years later, the Bay Defense Alliance was faced with another major challenge. The Combat Air Force Restructure Plan resulted in the retirement of more than 250 legacy aircraft, causing the relocation of 48 F-15s at Tyndall AFB. Members of the BDA Tyndall Team engaged subject matter experts and the Florida Congressional Delegation, which ultimately resulted in a June 2009 visit to Bay County by the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley, and Air Force Chief of Staff, General Norton Swartz. After a presentation

by BDA, the leaders met with a Bay County delegation, which included area mayors, County Commissioners and civic leaders who presented signed proclamations of support from each of the communities, a plan orchestrated with the help of the Bay County Chamber. Soon thereafter, the effort was followed by an Air Force commitment to base an operational F-22 squadron of 24 aircraft at Tyndall. On October 1, 2013 Tyndall became part of the Air Combat Command and 24 combat-coded F-22s began to arrive in January 2014. In 2015, BDA members learned of another potential opportunity. One of the fastest growing components of the combat Air Force is the remotely piloted aircraft program. Following visits to the training unit at Holloman AFB, New Mexico and an operational wing at Creech AFB, NV, it became increasingly clear that Tyndall had a chance to compete in the strategic basing process for an MQ-9 wing, which would include a headquarters, a mission control element (MCE), a launch and recovery element (LRE), 24 MQ-9 Reaper Aircraft and 1603 military personnel. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson formerly named Tyndall as the preferred alternative in November 2017. A successful EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) is the first major step and will describe the impact the operation will have on the local environment and residents.

Throughout the ongoing strategic basing process, the bed down of MQ-9 Base Y will be guided by a SATF (Site Activation Task Force) and strongly supported by our Bay Defense Alliance and Congressman Dunn.

Bay County’s defense support structure has become a model for other communities in Florida. The BDA board is comprised of 30 outstanding volunteers who are truly dedicated

B AY D E F E N S E A L L I A N C E Executive Board Tom Neubauer, President Jerry Smithwick, Vice President Guy York, Ph.D, Secretary/Treasurer L.N. Dantzler, President Emeritus

Board Major Gen. Larry Arnold, USAF (Retired) Bob Brooke, USN (Retired) Gen James Browne, USAF (Retired) Robert Carroll, Bay County Board of County Commissioners Craig K. Deatherage, Office of Congressman Neal Dunn, MD William Harrison Major Gen. William Hodgkins, USAF (Retired) Glen McDonald

to the support of our bases and their missions. This diverse group of board members gives unselfishly of their time, working hard to ensure mission sustainment and growth at both TAFB and NSA PC. Ten Board seats are designated for key economic development interests, including our chambers of commerce, the Economic Development Alliance, FSU-Panama City, Gulf Coast State College, the Bay County Board of Commissioners and our congressional delegation.

The BDA board also includes former military members, two commanders of the Navy Base, three Navy Senior Executive Service members, three former commanders of Tyndall AFB and other community leaders.

Capt. Christopher Moore, USN (Retired) Capt. Jessica Pfefferkorn, USN (Retired) John Robbins Capt. Fred Shutt, USN (Retired) Col. D.W. Smith, USAF (Retired) Ted Spangenberg Dr. Ace Summey, USN SES (Retired) Elizabeth Walters Leon Walters, USN SES (Retired)

Affiliate Members Jorge Gonzalez, Chairman, Bay County EDA Dr. Randy Hanna, Dean, Florida State University Panama City Becca Hardin, President/CEO, Bay County EDA Dr. John Holdnak, Gulf Coast State College Kristopher McLane, President/CEO, Panama City Beach Chamber Doug Moore, Chairman, Bay County Chamber Carol Roberts, President/CEO, Bay County Chamber Claire Sherman, Chairman, Bay County Chamber, Military Affairs Committee Dave Trepanier, Chairman, Panama City Beach Chamber

Legacy Members Tyndall Air Force Base and the Naval Support Activity Panama City contribute $2.6 billion annually to our local economy. While this economic engine is vital to Bay County, it is the men and women in uniform, the defense civilians and contractors who make our community a unique and special place. These military professionals accomplish amazing things and have a long and successful history of making significant contributions to our national defense. The Bay Defense Alliance thanks Bay County citizens for the strong commitment and unwavering support of our military. As partners with the Florida Defense Alliance and Florida Defense Support Task Force, they proudly contribute to Florida's reputation as the most defense-friendly state in the nation.

Lt. Gen John Campbell, USAF (Retired) Girard L. Clemons Joe Tannehill

Learn more about the Bay Defense Alliance by visiting: www.baydefense.org BAY B I Z

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23

economic profile current labor statistics for bay county LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED

UNEMPLOYED RATE

October 17'

95,196

92,080

3,116

3.3

November 17'

93,396

89,847

3,549

3.8

December 17'

92,475

88,865

3,610

3.9

October 16'

93,642

89,170

4,472

4.8

November 16'

92,473

87,947

4,526

4.9

December 16'

91,788

87,053

4,735

5.2

real estate sales

EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BAY COUNTY

FLORIDA

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

November 17'

253

$208,000

19,990

$240,000

December 17'

277

$216,700

22,903

$244,185

January 18'

229

$212,000

16,564

$240,000

November 16'

235

$195,000

19,763

$220,000

December 16'

281

$190,200

22,332

$226,000

January 17'

216

$183,500

16,779

$220,000

CONDO-TOWNHOMES SALES BAY COUNTY

FLORIDA

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

REALTOR SALES

MEDIAN PRICE

November 17'

131

$255,000

8,235

$176,000

December 17'

120

$260,000

9,193

$180,000

January 18'

124

$245,000

7,634

$179,000

November 16'

100

$234,000

7,794

$162,000

December 16'

108

$238,081

8,673

$166,900

87

$210,000

7,209

$161,000

January 17'

bay county sales tax collections

24

TAXABLE SALES

TAX COLLECTIONS

September 17'

$621M

$348M

$21.0M

Octobrer 17'

$650M

$323M

November 17'

$558M

$315M

September 16'

$617M

Octobrer 16' November 16' |

Bay County Population: 184,007 Median Age: 39 Labor Force: 91,120 Average Wage: $38,510 Households: 77,219 Household Income: $49,545 Per Capita Income: $39,717

bay county building permits

GROSS SALES

BAY B I Z

Bay County Demographic Snapshot

RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

November 17'

52

4

$19.6M

Decembrer 17'

68

1

$19.3M

January 18'

50

2

$376M

$22.7M

November 16'

30

1

$684M

$354M

$19.8M

Decembrer 16'

32

2

$536M

$306M

$18.2M

January 17'

33

2

APRIL - JUNE 2018

November 2017 - January 2018 from Garrett Wright, Vice President, EDA of Bay County “The Bay County economy is thriving.” This is a statement commonly used by elected officials, community leaders, the Economic Development Alliance of Bay County, and many who are familiar with the local economy. Bay County has attained numerous economic development successes in the last 18 months through rapidly-growing local businesses, a strong military presence and the continuous recruitment of new industry to the community. With an optimistic forecast for economic development in 2018, it may be asked how these positions will be filled in the coming months and years. To fulfill these positions a multi-faceted approach must be taken to ensure continued success for Bay County. This includes skills and workforce training, recruitment of talent to Bay County and filling positions with residents who are currently underemployed.

In addition, many companies will be filling positions within Bay County through the recruitment of new talent to the area. Numerous leaders at companies and institutions throughout our area were recruited to Bay County to fill a role within their organization. This method will continue in the coming years and will likely increase as job growth rates increase for Bay County.

Lastly, ensuring the underemployed are aware of their opportunities and strive to gain employment at these technically skilled jobs will be vitally important to Bay County’s success. While exact data is not measured, the current estimated national underemployment rate is 12.5%. If calculated for Bay County, it would account for over 11,000 employees who are currently in roles where they are not making full use of their skills, training, and abilities.

Bay County is home to numerous higher education institutions. Through institutions such as Gulf Coast State College, Florida State University Panama City, Troy University, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Haney Technical Center, many Bay County residents are being trained and educated daily for positions with employers who are currently in Bay County and are being recruited to the area.

In summary, the challenges that Bay County is facing regarding job growth and employment fulfillment due to recent economic successes in is an obstacle that communities desire.

northwest florida beaches international

bay county bed tax collections

airport passenger traffic

PANAMA CITY

PANAMA CITY BEACH

MEXICO BEACH

October 16'

$22,369.00

$258,863.00

$8,725.00

October 17'

$20,119.00

$256,327.00

$8,264.00

-10.06%

-0.98%

-5.28%

November 16'

$14,751.00

$96,891.00

$4,171.00

November 17'

$13,505.00

$113,084.00

$4,076.00

-8.45%

16.71%

-2.28%

% Change

December 16'

$13,059.00

$74,703.00

$3,791.00

December 17'

$12,178.00

$83,101.00

-6.75%

11.24%

% Change

% Change

% Change

TOTAL PASSENGERS

COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

November 17'

66,171

5,609

November 16'

64,473

4,998

% Change

2.63%

12.22%

December 17'

52,068.00

3,721

December 16'

52,956.00

3,380

-1.68%

10.09%

January 18'

49,353

4,471

$4,080.00

January 17'

45,712

4,266

7.62%

% Change

8%

4.81%

National, state & local unemployment rate (Oct 2010 to Oct 2017) October Unemployment Rates

14

12.0 12

10.0 10

8.0 8

6.0 6

4.0 4

2.0 2

0.0 0

2010 2010

2011 2011

2012

2013

Bay County

2012

2013

Bay County

2014 Florida Florida

2014

2015 2015 United States

2016 2016

2017 2017

United States

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25

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The Bay County Chamber of Commerce held its 2018 Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony January 19, 2018 at Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort. The event began with a social and silent auction benefiting Junior Leadership Bay (JLB).

The main event, where nearly 700 community leaders and numerous elected officials, including Senator George Gainer and Representatives Jay Trumbull and Brad Drake, gathered to celebrate the Chamber’s successes of 2017 and to honor the outgoing Chairman of the Board, Claire Sherman of Lamar Advertising. Former Speaker of the House, Allan Bense, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

Sherman passed the gavel to 2018 Chairman, Doug Moore of The Panhandle Group. Sherman’s term as chairman included many successes such as – getting local individuals appointed to the Federal Judicial Nominating Committee; 28

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getting the Chief Judge of the Northwest Florida District of the Federal Court System to rescind her decision to close the Panama City Federal Court House; winning three communications awards from the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, celebrating the Bay County Chamber’s President/CEO, Carol Roberts’, 40th anniversary with the Chamber.

Also being honored at the Annual Dinner was the outgoing Military Affairs Committee (MAC) Chairman, Robert Carroll.

Carroll was the 2016 Chairman of the Board of Directors before becoming the 2017 MAC Chairman. Carroll officially passed the gavel to Claire Sherman who took over as the 2018 MAC Chairman on Tuesday, January 9th at the MAC Passing of the Gavel Event.

2018, stating more focus will be made on urban planning, educational opportunities with Bay District Schools, and partnering with the Bay Defense Alliance to prepare the community for the influx and impact the MQ-9 Reaper Mission could have on Bay County. Moore ended the Annual Dinner inviting attendees to join us in the greatest show on earth while helping us “build a better Bay.” A surprise performance of Aerial Dancers wrapped the evening up in a festive and lively way.

Each year the Chamber recognizes an outstanding member with its Member of the Year award. This year, two individuals were announced as the 2017 recipients: Waylon Thompson of Manuel & Thompson P.A. and Doug Smith of Burke, Blue, Hutchison, Walters & Smith. Throughout 2017, Thompson and Smith went above and beyond the call of duty, serving as the Co-Chairs of the Federal Court House Task Force.

Through their efforts, significant strides were made in the effort to keep the Federal Courthouse in Panama City.

The Chairman’s Award, of which has only been awarded on four other occasions, was given to two deserving individuals. Glen McDonald of Gulf Coast State College and Tom Neubauer of ERA Neubauer Real Estate were presented the award for their efforts in making Tyndall Air Force Base the preferred alternative for the Predator B MQ-9 Reaper Mission.

The last award of the night was the Lauren Merriam Memorial Award, the Chamber’s highest honor. Leon Walters (who was the 2015 recipient of the award), presented the 2017 award to Richard Dodd, who was chosen for his commitment to the community’s well-being, as exemplified by involvement in civic, charitable and/or endeavors contributing to the betterment of Bay County and the benefit of its citizens. Recipients of the award are selected by the previous award winners.

This event would not have been made possible without our sponsors: Klever Media Works, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort by Resort Collection, Barron & Redding, Bay Medical Sacred Heart, Bill Cramer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC, Early Education and Care, Inc., Florida State University Panama City, GEICO Insurance Agent - Panama City, GORGEOUS, Gulf Coast State College, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC – Florida, NAI TALCOR, Port Panama City, The Panhandle Group, LLC, Roussos Air Conditioning, SweetBay, and WestRock!

We would also like to thank our Junior Leadership Bay Silent Auction Donors: Aqua Medical Spa, Bay Medical Sacred Heart, Bay Point Golf Club, Bill Cramer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC, Brock Pest Control, By the Sea Resorts, C&G Sporting Goods, Capt. Anderson’s Marina, Chili’s, Coach, Community Bank, Diver’s Den, Emerald View Resort, Enterprise Rent A Car, Firefly, Firehouse Subs, Florida State University Panama City, G. Foley’s, Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, LLC, Harley Davidson, Holiday Golf Club, Hombre Golf Club, Hy’s Toggery, iHeart Media, Innovations Federal Credit Union, Lowes, Lucky’s Market, Maharaja’s Fine Jewelry, One Heart Yoga, Panama Pizzeria, Panhandle Educators Federal Credit Union, Panama Country Club, PCB Convention & Visitors Center, Regions Bank, Roussos Air Conditioning, Seaworld Orlando, Southwest Airlines, Spine Care Plus, SweetBay, The Bagel Maker, The Eye Center of North Florida, Tracy’s Fine Jewelry, Trustmark Bank, Vineyard Vines, Walt Disney World, and Whataburger.

Wrapping the evening up, 2018 Chairman of the Board, Doug Moore, gave his vision for the organization over the next year. Moore touched on the aggressive priorities for BAY B I Z

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technology The Smell of Technology by: Caitlin Lawrence, Public Information Officer, City of Panama City

A

If you’ve ever been through the area of W. 23rd Street or Michigan Avenue in Panama City, you’ve probably thought or even said out loud what is that smell? It’s often described as rotten eggs, a smell emitted from the St. Andrews Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at 2226 Michigan Avenue.

In addition to the smell, people have likely also heard the sounds of construction going on at the plant in the last year.

The facility, which was originally built more than 30 years ago, is being rebuilt on the existing site for $34,147,800, the largest project in the city’s history. The City Commis-

30

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sion awarded the construction contract to Marshall Brothers Construction & Engineering in October 2016 with actual construction beginning last January.

The plant currently processes about 2.5 million gallons of raw sewage each day. The new facility will have three new Sequencing Batch Reactors, which are 3.5 million gallon tanks that receive wastewater and treat it before it is released into St. Andrew Bay. This expansion increases the plant’s capacity to accommodate growth on the west side of the city such as the SweetBay housing development at the former airport site.

While residents won’t notice a change in their service, the upgrades are expected to reduce the smell emitted from the facility. For plant operators, however, Utilities Director Chris Lightfoot said the new technology being installed as part of the project will help the city more efficiently manage the plant’s performance day-to-day.

The IntelliPro Monitoring and Control System by Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. will upgrade the plant from a manual facility operated by a city employee to a full-automated system monitored by an operator.

Not only will the personal computer based program manage general operation of the plant such as turning on pumps, generators and valves and adjusting blowers, Intellipro will provide information on the wastewater treatment processes and biological actions.

into the 21st century, to get the processes updated, and to be able to use the technology is a huge benefit to the waste water treatment process.”

Among the other added benefits, Lightfoot said the technology will automatically make changes when sewage levels suddenly get too high to prevent sewer back flows.

The new St. Andrews plant is expected to be complete and fully online in January 2019, bringing the total construction time to two years.

The Millville Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at the end of E. 3rd Street by Watson Bayou, serves the east side of the city. Lightfoot said the plant is partially automated with operators still manually controlling some aspects of the facility. It was upgraded in 1998 and considered state-of-the-art at the time.

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.

The new facility will more efficiently treat the wastewater and reduce the number of nutrients released into the bay, which meets Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations and requirements.

Currently, lab techs at an on-site laboratory test and determine what amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, ammonia, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) are in the wastewater daily. However, test results can take up to two weeks to come back so adjustments made to the treatment process are not always timely. IntelliPro, though, can provide the information in real time so timely adjustments can be made to the treatment process, which will more adequately disinfect the discharge going into the bay.

“It’s a huge benefit to the city and its employees,” said Lightfoot. “To bring the St. Andrews Wastewater Treatment Plant

UnitedWayNWFL.org 602 Harrison Ave Panama City, FL 850-785-7521 BAY B I Z

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workforce connection Let Us Help You Fill That Position by: Kim Bodine, Executive Director, CareerSource Gulf Coast

In

the current economy, we know that business owners and managers are busier than ever. Did you know that CareerSource Gulf Coast offers a variety of employer services to help companies gain a leading edge?

The CareerSource Gulf Coast Job Center in Panama City offers a variety of free, innovative services that can save your business valuable time and money. Whether you need to fill one or one hundred positions, entry-level or professional, the knowledgeable staff at the center is here to help. You'll find the same expertise at our offices in Port St. Joe (Gulf County) and Apalachicola (Franklin County).

CareerSource Gulf Coast can help your business find qualified, ready candidates in virtually any industry, and all free of charge. With thousands of individuals registered in our system at any given time, CareerSource Gulf Coast can help you tap into a large pool of local talent. Let us help you design a customized outreach plan. Our recruitment strategies include advertising and job postings, targeted searches for candidates and job fairs/hiring events.

When it comes to results, we will be ready to help you with screening. A powerful tool in our box is “Prove It!," a robust technology with a full range of quality pre-employment assessments. We are able to offer hundreds of tests free of charge. We use assessments to gauge a widely diverse range of skills, including but not limited to: typing, spreadsheet development, welding, industrial safety, graphic design, cost accounting, data entry, and word processing.

Our skills assessments lend themselves to multiple fields: accounting, clerical, construction, industrial, healthcare, legal professions, call centers, administrative services and so much more. We’ll also help you make sure your applicants have the computer skills needed. Our assessment pack32

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age provides skills testing for a full range of programs, including Microsoft Office and popular accounting software programs. As is true with all of our programs, the Prove It! assessment service is offered to employers at no cost. You need only post a job opening on EmployFlorida.com to access this service and others.

Our Job Center offices in Panama City offer prime space for conducting interviews and business meetings. Our Panama City site also hosts a large and small conference room, equipped with audio/video capabilities, as well as a computer training space for up to 24 people. In addition, we offer the use of business machines, including computers, printers, phones, copiers and a fax machine. The Job Center also has computer training space for up to 24 of your current employees. There is no cost for any of these resources.

For more information on our various employer services – get started with CareerSource Gulf Coast today. Visit our Panama City Job Center at 625 Highway 231, Panama City, or call us at (850) 872-4340 ext. 100 and ask for an Employer Representative. You may also call or visit the Gulf County office at 401 Peters St. in Port St. Joe (850-229-1641) or the Franklin County office at 192 Coach Wagoner Blvd. in Apalachicola (850-653-4981). We invite you to stay in touch at www.careersourcegc.com.

,P.A.

Jay W. Manuel

Jay@manuelthompson.com

R. Waylon Thompson Waylon@manuelthompson.com

(850) 785-5555 Phone • (850) 785-0133 Fax 314 Magnolia Avenue • Panama City, FL 32401 www.manuelthompson.com

Is your business connected?

Gulf Power’s business website includes a new Small Business Connect online tool that brings the top local resources together into one database to help start, grow and keep business in Northwest Florida.

Visit GulfPower.com/business to use the free Small Business Connect tool and get connected.

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Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

ECP is thrilled to welcome American Airlines and provide passengers with more non-stop destinations as well as easy access to global connections through hubs like Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Charlotte Douglas (CLT) beginning June 7, 2018. As the airport moves into its eighth year, leadership is proud of the growth of this airport which would not be possible without the strong support of their regional partners and board members.

With American Airlines joining the current legacy partner airlines - Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines - passengers now have the option of more than 650 one-stop destinations and international connections in major hubs like Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston and Nashville.

Bay Credit Union Bay Credit Union has appointed Bob Little as its new President/CEO. Little brings over 30 years of experience to the role, most recently in Ocala, Florida as a City President of a

regional bank. The Board hired Little in an interim capacity last October while they conducted a search to fill the vacant President/CEO position.

After serving as interim for some time, the Board opted to ask Little to remain permanently in that capacity.

Just prior to Little arriving in October, Bay Credit Union named Stefania Jones as its Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Jones has worked in the financial services industry for 13 years, most recently as the VP of Accounting and Audit for a community bank headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Mr. Trash

Mr. Trash is proud to announce the appointment of Brian Humboldt as its new General Manager. Mr. Humboldt was the former owner of MBEnvironmental Service of Bay County.

He has been the Manager of Municipal Services for Mr. Trash overseeing the City of Springfield since November 2016. Ownership, Helios Waste LLC, took this opportunity to utilize his skills to take the company to the next level.

Mr. Humboldt has been extremely involved in the community with the Bay County Chamber of Commerce; The Downtown Improvement Board, Downtown Business Alliance of Panama City as well as quietly supporting many Community projects.

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James Fullerton Edge Aerodynamix James Fullerton is a Research Engineer for Edge Aerodynamix Inc. a research and certification company that develops methods to improve the aerodynamics of aircraft.

James evaluates and develops the materials required to produce these changes in airflow making sure these materials are durable enough to stand the strenuous environment of aviation and to pass certification by the Federal Aviation Authority. In addition to materials testing, James also develops and conducts flight tests of these products to analyze the performance change produced by each product.

With an interest in innovation for all fields, James actively participates in the networking and business development groups of Bay County, such as Bay Young Professionals and Help Young Professionals Evolve.

James was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Being attracted to science and engineering, he studied biochemistry at James Cook University. He joined Edge Aerodynamix’s Australian affiliate company, Flightlog, with whom he developed his flight test and analysis skills, before being selected to be transferred to Bay County. In his spare time James enjoys martial arts, reading, politics and traveling the world.

DRIVING QUALITY FOR FLORIDA ROADS SINCE 1976

OUR LOCATIONS

C.W. Roberts Contracting, Inc. (CWR) is a premier highway contractor in Florida that specializes in asphalt paving. We provide our customers with the highest-quality material, asphalt mixes and cost-effective solutions. CWR has earned a solid reputation as the most reliable paving contractor and is widely recognized by the National Asphalt Paving Association, the Florida Transportation Builders Association and the Florida Department of Transportation for superior work and integrity.

Our experienced and knowledgeable staff successfully bids, manages and builds the most complex and demanding projects. CWR’s unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, creativity, reliability, responsiveness and safety are why our clients keep coming back.

CORPORATE OFFICE

C.W. Roberts Contracting, Inc. 3372 Capital Circle NE Tallahassee, Florida 32308

CONTACT INFO

CLIENT SERVICES • Airport Construction • Federal, USACE, DOD Work • Residential and Commercial Sitework • Highway Work • Asphalt Production • Subdivision/Parking Lot Maintenance & Reconstruction • Emergency/Disaster Work

Phone: (850) 385-5060 Fax: (850) 385-5420 Web: www.cwrcontracting.com

facebook.com/cwrcontracting linkedin.com/company/ c-w-roberts-contracting

Tallahassee Asphalt Plant 1201 Aenon Church Road Tallahassee, Florida 32304 Phone: (850) 575-0162 Fax: (850) 575-0304 Tallahassee Operations Office 22574 NE SR 20 Hosford, Florida 32334 Phone: (850) 379-8116 Fax: (850) 379-8188 Freeport Asphalt Plant & Operations Office 160 Industrial Park Road Freeport, Florida 32439 Phone: (850) 835-3500 Fax: (850) 835-3519

Panama City Asphalt Plant & Operations Office 1603 Bay Avenue Panama City, Florida 32405 Phone: (850) 769-6640 Fax: (850) 769-7775 Wildwood Asphalt Plant & Operations Office 4208 County Road 124-A Wildwood, Florida 34785 Phone: (352) 330-2540 Fax: (352) 330-2609 Plant City Asphalt Plant & Operations Office 2102 Jim Johnson Road Plant City, Florida 33566 Phone: (813) 756-2009 Fax: (813) 659-3787

For bid opportunities, careers, or to register with CWR as a subcontractor or vendor, please visit:

www.cwrcontracting.com/work-with-us

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new members Aerie Lane (850) 257-5866 436 McKenzie Ave. Panama City, FL 32401

Edible Arrangements (850) 541-0404 628 W. 23rd St., Ste. 19 Panama City, FL 32405

Alia Adhal, PA (850) 215-2275 214 W. 5th St. Panama City, FL 32401

Emerald Coast Dental Spa (850) 249-9311 900 Thomas Dr. Panama City Beach, FL 32408

Angel House Bereavement Center, Inc (850) 257-5036 1015 Grace Ave., Unit C Panama City, FL 32401 Beach Body Design (850) 249-8000 12202 Hutchison Blvd.

Ste. 46 Panama City Beach, FL 32407 Beach Locksmith Services, LLC. (850) 463-2780 1201 Friendship Ave. Panama City, FL 32401 Brannan Aluminum, Inc. (850) 234-6754 520 Commerce Dr. Panama City Beach, FL 32408 Brian McKenzie Roofing (850) 625-3575 7729 Franklin Ave. Southport, FL 32409 Carillon Beach Inn (850) 334-9100 114 Carillon Market St. Carillon Beach, FL 32413 Coastal Mobility Transportation (855) 507-3503 93 Montclair Ave. Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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from December 1, 2017 - February 28, 2018

Emerald Coast Fl. Pro Redfish Series (850) 832-6000 PO Box 28197 Panama City Beach, FL 32411 Emerald Coast Marine (850) 974-2030 3901 Thomas Dr. Panama City Beach, FL 32408

Mission BBQ (850) 304-2140 508 E. 23rd. St. Panama City, FL 32405 Perennial Grace Financial, Inc. (850) 215-4070 236 Forest Park Cir. Panama City, FL 32405 Red Alert Diving (850) 792-8844 1619A Moylan Rd. Panama City Beach, FL 32407

Fresenius Kidney Care (850) 522-5407 2100 Harrison Ave Panama City, FL 32401

Red's (850) 252-6112 1305 E. 5th St. Panama City, FL 32401

Fresh Finish Coatings (850) 866-4596

ResortQuest @ Celadon (850) 236-1965 17757 Front Beach Rd. Panama CIty Beach, FL 32413

Horsley Constuction Group (850) 890-4888 3238 Nautical Dr. Panama City, FL 32409 House of Chan (850) 522-8828 1518 W. 15th St. Panama City, FL 32401 Johnny's Crazy Deals (850) 640-4817 1392 W. 15th St. Panama City, FL 32401 La Quinta Inn & Suites (850) 914-0022 1030 E. 23rd St. Panama City, FL 32405

Danna Gracey, Inc. (850) 995-9118 1352 Lisenby Ave. Panama City, FL 32405

Lays Insurance Agency, Inc. (850) 271-2710 209 Mowat School Rd. Lynn Haven, FL 32444

David Taylor Construction (850) 491-2311 1120 Pennsylvania Ave. Lynn Haven, FL 32444

Magnum Engineering, Inc. (850) 258-0994 1026 Pierson Dr. Lynn Haven, FL 32444

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Martin Theatre (850) 763-8080 409 Harrison Ave. Panama City, FL 32401

First Florida Bank (850) 585-0063 701 Harrison Ave. Panama City, FL 32401

Corbitt Moseley Plumbing (850) 769-2743 310 W. 13th St. Panama City, FL 32401

BAY B I Z

Mark Mercer & Associates, Inc. (850) 763-8072 1117 Jenks Ave. Panama City, FL 32401

APRIL - JUNE 2018

ResortQuest @ Palazzo (850) 238-8000 17281 Front Beach Rd. Panama City Beach, FL 32413 ResortQuest @ Seychelles (850) 236-9550 5115 Gulf Dr. Panama City Beach, FL 3240-8 ResortQuest @ Sunrise (850) 233-1330 14825 Front Beach Rd. Panama City Beach, FL 32413 ResortQuest @ Tidewater (850) 636-8000 16819 Front Beach Rd. Panama City Beach, FL 32413 Right Way Ministries USA, Inc. (850) 481-8795 2909 E. 11th St. Panama City, FL 32401

Smoky Barrel BBQ (850) 215-8435 422 Magnolia Ave. Panama City, FL 32401 Specialty Roofers, Inc. (850) 249-1832 102 N. Gulf Blvd., Unit C Panama City Beach, FL 32413 Stamps Family Dentistry (850) 769-3427 330 W. 23rd St., Ste. J Panama City, FL 32405 Sugar Sands Insurance (850) 238-3265 2110 Joan Ave. Panama City, FL 32408 Suzanne Vickers Construction, Inc. (850) 258-8332 1026 Pierson Dr. Lynn Haven, FL 32444 TBI One Love (817) 739-2850 8526 Lydia Lane, Ste. 12 Panama City Beach, FL 32408 The Garmon Law Firm (850) 684-4000 810 Grace Ave. Panama City, FL 32401 Transistor Tech Solutions (850) 730-8443 7313 Rachel Way Panama City, FL 32404 Vertical Communications & Security (850) 258-7336 4024 Riverside Dr. Panama City, FL 32404 Walborsky & Bradley (850) 872-9846 2714 W. 15th St. Panama City, FL 32401

member anniversaries

from December 1, 2017 - February 28, 2018

5 years

Aaron’s Sales & Leasing Caliber Home Loans Gorgeous Kindred at Home Kirby Studio Panama City Kiwanis Club Woman’s Club of Panama City

35 years Maxis360 NWFL

45 years iHeartMedia

Hate , and Heather y, Amy Hayes r, Stan Lindse Priscilla Hagle NMLS ID: 203006 l, zel Mi int Cl

10 years

Bay County Republican Party Chautauqua Services Inc. The Retreat at PCB

15 years

Emerald Coast Answerphone Publix Super Markets, Inc. #823

YOUR COMMUNITY BANK

20 years

For all your banking needs.

Adams Pharmacy Carpet Connection Emerald Coast Medical Assoc.

Guettler & Guttler Inc. Peaden Rotary Club of Panama City SAIC Tim Allen Photography

Stop by and see us today » 1002 W. 23rd Street One Stanford Centre, Suite 110 Panama City, FL

(850) 257-0231 www.ffbf.com

30 years

Giles Appraisal Group Inc. SSA Marine EQUAL HOUSING

LENDER

Better Business Bureau® 800-729-9226 bbb.org/nwfl #StartWithTrust

DON ALD GI LES

Free Business Reviews|Verified Customer Reviews|Scam Alerts

BAY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Company Name Sheriff Tommy Ford

MAI, SRA Cert. Gen. RZ356

Commercial and Residential Property Valuations

122 E 4th St Panama City, Fl, 32401 Phone: 850-769-6593 Fax: 850-872-9160 gilesappraisal@knology.net

Company Name

Street Address

2 Professionalism — Service — Address Integrity

3421 N. Highway 77, Panama (850) 747-4700 Position FollowTitle us on FaceBook @ Bay County Sheriff’s Office

Employee Nam e

City, ST ZIP Code Phone: 555.555.0125 City, FL 32405 Fax: 555.555.0145 E-mail address

APRIL - JUNE 2018 C o m p| a n y Name

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We offer nothing but

the best Holiday Inn Express, Panama city beach

About Our Company

BUILDING DIVISION

For over 59 years, GAC Contractors has turned a commitment to customer satisfaction into countless successful projects. Since 1958, GAC Contractors offered diverse construction services and have assisted clients from the conceptual design stage through project completion.

GAC’s team of professionals and surplus of construction equipment has completed nearly $2B in projects.

From the onset of each project, we work closely with the owner, engineer, and architect to provide you quality work that is completed in a timely and cost-efficient mannor.

Our gold standard level of quality is translated to projects of every size, from a $29,000,000 design/build road project for the Florida Department of Transportation to residential subdivisions to simple building remodeling projects.

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ROAD & SITEWORK DIVISION From land clearing to paving, we manage every facet of your Development progress to ensure seamless integration

Why Choose Us?

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Providing the necessary skills and guidance to build quality, cost-effective structures within a set time frame and budget.

APRIL -

4116 Hwy 231 N. City, FL 32404 J U N Panama E 2018

SPECIAL PROJECTS Our team is not limited to just road and commericial projects. Big our small, our team can handle any project from start to finish.

850.785.4675

2 3 5 W. 5 T H S T R E E T P A N A M A C I T Y, F L 3 2 4 0 1

WE BUILD TOGETHER

CONSTRUCTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR ANY BUILDING PROJECT Water and Wastewater Treatment Design/Build Services Underground Utilities General Construction

2305 Transmitter Road Panama City, FL 32404 850.265.8742 phone 850.271.0293 fax