Flomaton High School graduate tapped by county commission to lead engineering office
Ross
The Escambia County (Ala.) Commission voted unanimously Monday morning to name Parker Ross as the new county engineer.
It was noted that Brad Solomon, who has served as the interim engineer since the commission voted 3-2 to fire the previous engineer Bill Bridges, will remain in the engineering office as the assistant engineer and the county's chief bridge inspector.
Bridges was fired from his position as county engineer in January after holding that position for 25 years.
Parker, 35, is a 2006 graduate of Flomaton High School and is married to the former Tara Brown, who graduated from FHS in 2008 and currently teaches at FHS.
After graduating from high school, Ross attended Jefferson Davis Community College for two years and later received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering at Auburn University in 2008.
While in college, Ross worked with the Army Corp of Engineers and worked one year with the agency after he graduated.
He the began working for a private consulting firm and in 2020 worked with Martin Construction Co., in Atmore.
Parker said he applied for the position because he has a passion for the county and wanted to get back into the engineering side of the work.
He said his father, the late Steve Ross, sparked his interest in engineering and he followed that path. Steve Ross worked many years for the town of Century overseeing water and waste water.
"I'm excited about it," Parker Ross said. "You won't find anybody who loves this county more."
Ross will officially take over as the county's new engineer on July 24.
Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins said the commission advertised for the position of county engineer and received several applications. A committee of Wiggins, Commissioner Karean Reynolds and County Clerk-Administrator Ron Sink interviewed the applicants and recommended Ross for the position.
Wiggins noted that Solomon had done an outstanding job as the county's interim engineer and said he was glad Solomon would still be on board in the engineering office.
"You've done an outstanding job," Wiggins told Solomon Monday morning. "You went above and beyond the call."
Other commissioners echoed Wiggins' sentiments on Solomon and welcomed Ross as the new engineer.
