As I have previously mentioned Commissioner Valentino isn’t waiting for things to happen, he’s making them happen. Yesterday after nearly 2½ months of dealing with the BP oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, it was announced that his county would now be involved in the decision-making process at Unified Command in Mobile. Now Escambia and other Panhandle counties will have a representative member at Unified Command to stick up for their interests and be involved in operational and financial decisions, Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino said. Mike Sole, secretary of the Florida DEP, announced the new structure Thursday at a Florida Association of Counties meeting in Tampa. Keep an eye on Mr. Sole as well because I’ve heard very good things about him.

by Jack Foley