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Around Town Updates on Community, Education, Workforce & Government
Community Update
Mayor Gayle Oberst
City of Panama City Beach
The spring was a
busy time with City
elections and daily
operations of Panama
City Beach.
Both Rick Russell
and I returned to our
seats on the council
with Keith Curry
being elected Ward
4 council member.
The summer is proving to be as busy.
There seems to be a good bit of interest
in commercial developments here on the
island. The Harley Davidson project is expected
to break ground soon. Whataburger
and Hardee’s have had their grand openings
and the new super Wal-Mart is going
up quickly. Powell Adams Street’s facelift
that includes streetscape, landscape, sidewalks,
underground utilities etc. is moving
forward. The shopping center (Pier Park
North) scheduled for north of the Parkway
and across from Pier Park is moving forward.
The Planning and Building Department
reports more activity each day.
The City, County and TDC reached an
agreement for improvements at Aaron
Bessant Park and 2.6 million dollar renovations
are underway. The stage, restroom
area housing 56 new stalls, and the parking/
soccer field will be completed by the end of
the year. The parking area will support 800-
1000 additional parking and three regulation
soccer fields. Some additional fencing
and other work will be done at the veteran’s
memorial site.
As Mayor, I along with Bay County Commissioner
Mike Thomas asked the Tourist
Development Council (TDC) to bring residents
and business owners together to talk
about “those things that can make it better for
both those who live and visit here.” Based on
the discussions that took place, the County
and the City are working to implement suggestions.
This will include coordinating ordinances,
activities, and communication.
Long time City Manager Richard Jackson
retires on September 30. He is the only City
Manager that has ever served the City. After
an extensive search conducted by an outside
firm, the City Council selected Mario Gisbert
as City Manager.
On the Job Training
Program
Kim Bodine, Executive Director
Gulf Coast Workforce Board
The Gulf Coast
Workforce Board
is slated to place
160 individuals into
new jobs as the result
of an On the
Job Training Program.
Funded by
a federal grant, the
program is designed
to help unemployed
jobseekers gain skills in a new field while
working and offset the costs of training new
employees for local businesses.
“With this grant, we’re able to retrain people
for jobs that are available in today’s job
market while they earn a livable wage,” said
Kim Bodine, Executive Director of the Gulf
Coast Workforce Board. “On the Job Training
is a fast and efficient way to provide assistance
to those that are unemployed while
helping our local employers find and train
good workers.”
The program is open to individuals in Bay,
Gulf or Franklin counties that are unemployed
and receiving benefits or have exhausted
benefits. Local employers with
eligible job openings may also participate in
the program.
Through the program, the Gulf Coast Workforce
Board will recruit and prescreen eligible
applicants based on the specific needs
of the employer and then refer those qualified.
Once an eligible participant is hired,
the Gulf Coast Workforce Board will reimburse
the employer for 50% to 90% of the
trainees’ wages during the on the job training
period which averages 12 weeks. The program
is set up to be simple, with most of the
paperwork handled by the Workforce Center.
Furthermore, the program is designed to
be hassle free, provide prompt payments to
employers and to provide personalized assistance
throughout the entire process.
The Workforce Center’s OJT program is a
limited time offer and certain restrictions do
apply. For more information, please contact
the Workforce Center at (850) 873-4340
ext. 108.
Bay District School Update
Bill Husfelt, Superintendent
Bay District Schools
“All we have to decide is what to do
with the time that is given us.”
~Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring
Watching the
Olympics reminded
me that the Greeks
believed that education
included the
development of the
mind, body, and
spirit. I enjoyed
learning about
where the athletes
attended college
and was surprised that so many attended
American universities. I was awestruck to
see athletes achieve their personal best or
break a record. I was especially impressed
by the stories emphasizing character, highlighting
triumph over tragedy or devotion
to service. Mostly, though, I realized that
we have stayed true to the classical view of
education in our public schools.
Mind
It’s a given that Bay District Schools addresses
the development of the mind. From
kindergarteners reading their first books to
eighth graders programming robots to seniors
creating a multimedia presentation,
our students are working hard to be full participants
in the Information Age. This year
we celebrate our thirtieth year as participants
in the College Board’s Advanced Placement
program. Our most ambitious high school
students—our academic Olympians—can
choose from the most prestigious collegiate
level coursework through Collegiate Studies,
TRACCS, MAPPS, AP, IB and AICE.
Continued on Page 80
78 THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012