Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners will return to two meetings this week as commissioners will hold meetings at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, and Thursday, Oct. 8.
Public comment is expected to be dominated by the proposed Navarre Beach Boardwalk, for which the county will host a public workshop at 6 p.m. Oct. 19 in Milton.
Both of this week’s meetings will be at the Santa Rosa County Administration Building in Milton.
South Santa Rosa Sports Complex moves forward
Santa Rosa County commissioners will either approve or deny a $6.6 million contract to Site and Utility LLC for the base bid and bid options 1, 3 and 5 for the South Santa Rosa Sports Complex.
Located near the Pensacola State College campus in Tiger Point, the project will consist of a new rec sports complex. The contract award includes phases 1 and 2 of the project, which will consist of a multiuse path and Phase 1 restroom and concessions facility.
Funding for the project will be from Area 3 impact fees, amounting to $1.6 million, half-cent sales tax funding and capital funding that was previously allocated for aquatic center design.
Boyles speaks
At Tuesday’s committee meeting, state Rep. Nathan Boyles, R-Baker, will give a legislative update to the Santa Rosa County Commission.
Boyles, a former Okaloosa County commissioner, is seeking his second term in the state House in a district that spans much of Santa Rosa County and northern Okaloosa County.
In his first year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis approved 12 of the 18 projects Boyles tried to get added to the 2026-27 state budget cycle. Those projects include $5 million for a health science and nursing center at Pensacola State College’s South Santa Rosa campus, $1.5 million at Milton’s wastewater treatment plant and $850,000 for new taxiways at Whiting Aviation Park.
Boyles will face Democratic challenger Ingrid Wadsworth in the November general election.
Navarre Sports Complex renaming
The Navarre Youth Sports Association will request the board consider a motion to rename the complex the Bill Pullum Sports Complex.
According to agenda documents, Pullum made “significant and lasting contributions to youth sports, community development, and the overall growth of Navarre.”
In a letter from the NYSA to the board, President Michael Kennedy said the renaming would not only be a tribute, but also serve as a reminder to the community of the impact one person can have on their community.
