In the General Election scheduled for this Tuesday, Nov. 3, registered Florida voters in the towns of Century in Escambia County and Jay in Santa Rosa County will vote on numerous national, state and county offices, six constitutional amendments and different county referendums.
Century
Registered voters who live in Century will vote to fill three municipal offices, including two town council seats and mayor.
Council seat 3 is filled currently by the appointed Brenda Spencer, but will be up for grabs to whoever wins the most votes between Shelisa D. McCall and Leonard B. White. Incumbent Ann c. Brooks and Dunette Lewis will vie for council seat 1.
Former councilman and Century native Ben Boutwell resigned from council seat 3 to run against Incumbent Mayor Henry Hawkins. Boutwell's priority will be the town's infrastructure if he becomes mayor.
“Our infrastructure, waste water, lift stations, they haven't been taken care of and maintained like they should have for the past several years, if not decades, that's a high priority, because that's a main infrastructure for our town,” said Boutwell. “Without that, not only do citizens not have appropriate water and sewer, how are we going to get businesses here if we cannot accommodate their needs? That would be a big concern, a top priority.”
Boutwell said cleaning the town up is a close second in his priorities.
“If we have a clean town, it will bring pride back I think, that is a big priority,” he said. “Holding people accountable, making sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing is the key, and the rest will take care of itself.”
Location plays a big part of the town's potential, Boutwell said, and he would like to see more people stop on their way to other places headed south.
“We've got Highway 29,” said Boutwell. “Everyone's coming from Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky and everywhere else in the southeast, coming through the town of Century, to go down to the beaches and visit Pensacola. They stop here, but don't have a major reason to stop besides Whataburger and just to see what little history we have. But we need to clean that up and get them to want to picnic in our parks and maybe stop at the river and check it out. If we had it cleaned up like it should be, it would really bring pride to the town and get people to stop.”
Boutwell has coached children's sports through the years and says he would like push for youth sports in Century.
“Its great for our children,” said Boutwell. “It gives them discipline, it gives them an area to go out and exercise and just promote good camaraderie with other children. That's huge in an upbringing to me.”
Incumbent Hawkins said he believes Century is on the right track but acknowledges that the wheels toward progress turn slowly.
“I feel good about what we've done and I knew coming in we couldn't do everything in four years,” said Hawkins. “Even in the next four years, everything won't be done, but we will be a whole lot closer to where Century needs to be than where we are, because now we are entertaining folks about coming to Century and bringing jobs and businesses.”
Hawkins said his priority, if he wins the election, is the town's infrastructure
“That's a must,” said Hawkins. “It's been neglected for 30 plus years and we've got to fix it, or in the next three or four years, it's going to collapse. If we can get the gas back up to where it used to be, it will be a moneymaker within the next year or two. Hopefully, if we see cold weather, we'll see an increase in our revenues.”
Hawkins noted that 85 to 90 percent of the new gas meters are installed throughout the town and by the first of November they should be finished. He said with the installation of the new meters, the town won't be giving gas away at 40 percent loss, as before.
Hawkins is in support of the county's referendum, which gives the Children's Trust of Escambia County the authority to levy one-half mill ad valorem tax to provide additional early childhood education, safety, developmental, preventative, health and well-being services, including after school and summer enrichment programs.
“I am for it,” said Hawkins. “It will help benefit our youth. On this end of the county, the money comes in, and we never see it. We get to have representation from this end to make sure that everything north of Nine Mile Road gets adequate representation and recognition.”
Incumbent councilwoman and council president Brooks will vie for seat 1 against candidate Lewis.
Century native Lewis said she decided to run for council because she wants the people of Century to know what their elected officials are doing and believes transparency builds trust.
“I'm passionate about the town of Century,” said Lewis. “I love Century. And I feel like the town is headed in a direction for substantial growth, but we need a united council to take us in the right direction. We need a united council who can collaborate alongside the mayor to work together with the mayor and other elected officials to continue on the right path.”
Lewis said her priority is to enlighten the people of Century.
“My goal is to make sure our residents are fully aware of everything,” she said. “I want everything to be transparent. I want everything that's going on in the town of Century to be revealed to the people of Century. I want to make sure that we're able to sustain jobs; I want to make sure that we're able to blur the lines of division within the town of Century; I want us to start by fixing what's broken and I want us to do whatever we can do to secure funding for the town of Century, for improvements for the road and to look into all the issues.”
Lewis said people she has spoken to have discussed issues, such as needing speed bumps and roadwork in different areas, to jobs, sustainability, and all of those things that need to be on the table. She said she hopes the town council can find a clear plan and work toward making a lot of changes in Century.
“The biggest problem in Century is funding,” said Lewis. “Monies are not being properly allocated. We need to make sure there that there is a paper trail with everything, like work needed to be completed within the town, how we are choosing who we give jobs to, whenever we get ready to give somebody a job, we need to make sure there is a requisition to make sure everything has a paper trail. “We need the ability to go back and look at those things to make sure everything is properly documented and disbursed.”
Lewis said she wants people in the town of Century to give her a chance to gain their trust.
“I love Century, and I've said in the past, we need to be in a race to fix Century,” she said. “I need the residents of Century to just trust me. Century is a great place to live, work, play, worship, raise a family, and also retire. I need everybody in Century to show people outside of Century what Century can be.”
Incumbent Brooks echoed Boutwell's priority of cleaning the town up to attract businesses if she keeps her council seat.
“We need a lot of changes,” said Brooks. “We need a town that is cleaned up. We need the needs of the town met as far as cleaning the ditches, providing services regular, trying to get the town in the position that we can attract businesses. That will depend on this election.”
Brooks said personally she did not want to run for her seat again, that she would rather have the free time, but she said she thinks Century needs her, needs the help she can give it. She said she is hoping for a new administration.
“Ben will need all the help he can get, if he can get it there,” said Brooks. “We need Century turned around. I wish people would go out and vote, particularly, the people who complain and never go out and vote. They need to care enough about the town to go out and vote, instead of just complain.”
Attempts to contact candidates McCall and White were unsuccessful by press time Wednesday.
Century voters will vote at Century Town Hall Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Jay
Voters in Jay will vote on the continuance of the half-cent sales tax, which funds law enforcement and fire and public safety facilities and equipment, transportation and drainage improvements, infrastructure projects and public facilities, recreation and natural resources and capital equipment for five more years from the current end date of Dec. 31, 2021.
“I will say I think 100 percent it will benefit the town of Jay and Santa Rosa County,” said Jay Mayor Shon Owens. “We get a percentage of that sales tax that helps us allocate funds toward road improvements and things like that. It's a huge benefit for us the last five years, and the town would be effected probably by not having it in place, because it has been such a huge benefit.”
Owens said he feels it is easier to spread the funding out over the whole population of Santa Rosa County and the town of Jay so that it won't effect anybody who just owns real estate in Jay.
Owens said even though the money is not an amount enough to pay for projects, it helps in other ways to prepare for those projects when they do happen.
“It helped the town prepare and do things necessary for the side of the roads,” said Owens. “Although the town has not been able to actually pave any roads because the money is not enough, it has helped them to fill potholes and other repairs on streets. That money goes a long way.”
Jay voters will vote in precincts 3 and 4 at the Linda Carden Community Center, located at 5259 Booker Lane in Jay.
For early voting, all locations will be open today, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
All locations will resume normal hours on Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31. On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
