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information updated to include substantial projects and initiatives completed from 2008-2020 as both school board member and county commissioner
'''Jeff Bergosh''' is currently the Escambia County Commissioner for District 1. He has served on the Escambia Board of County Commissioners since his election to this board in November of 2016, where he defeated his Democratic opponent in that election by a margin of 69% to 31%. He served as Vice-Chairman of the Board during his first year on the board, and as Chairman of the Board from 2018-2019. During his time on the Board of County Commissioners, he has focused on Economic Development and Job creation as well as managing growth in his community in a more intelligent fashion. He created the first Escambia Youth Commission in 2019, and he has made it a priority to engage the public via monthly coffee meetings as well as frequent town hall meetings. Bergosh is currently a candidate for the Escambia Board of County Commissioner District 1 seat for the 2020 election, where he has two opponents in his race. Prior to his time on the Board of County Commissioners, he was the [[Escambia County School Board]] representative for [[Escambia County School Board District 1|District 1]]. He was elected in [[2006]], filling the seat vacated by his brother [[Gary Bergosh]], who won a [[Circuit Court]] judgeship in the same election. He was re-elected to the School Board in 2010, defeating two opponents (Luke Keller and Hosea Pittman) in the primary election where Bergosh captured 66% of the vote. Bergosh was elected unopposed in 2014 to the school board.
He came under fire in [[2007]] for posting controversial comments on the [[pnj.com]] message boards under the [[Wikipedia:Pseudonym|pseudonym]] '''Godzilla'''. His identity was revealed against his wishes in a ''[[Pensacola News Journal|News Journal]]'' story, which cited the website's registration database as proof, sparking discussions of both political and journalistic ethics. "Off the record" conversations between Bergosh and PNJ reporter Sara Rabb were also leaked in the "outing" of Bergosh. This conduct was rebuked in a subsequent media article on the topic. "<ref>[http://media.www.thevoyager.net/media/storage/paper977/news/2007/10/11/Opinion/Newspapers.Should.Report.Not.Exploit-3035316.shtml "Newspapers should report, not exploit."] ''The Voyager'', October 11, 2007.</ref>
Bergosh and his wife Sally have three children: Tori, Nicholas and Brandon.
==Education & career==
Bergosh is a 1986 graduate of [[Pensacola High School]]. After high school, he moved out west to attend college, earning an Associates of Arts degree from Grossmont College (El Cajon, California) in 1990 and a B.A. from San Diego State University in 1994. Bergosh has earned a Master of Science in Administration from the University of West Florida. Before entering politics, Bergosh had a ten-year career as a retail business operator and facilities management specialist, including about 1 1/2 years working at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]].<ref name="lookingout">"District 1 candidates looking out for students." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 18, 2006.</ref> When his brother decided not to seek reelection, Bergosh said he was asked by [[Escambia County Superintendent|Superintendent]] [[Jim Paul]] to seek the office.<ref name="lookingout"/> He was elected on [[September 5]], [[2006]] with 5,110 votes — about twice as many as his closest rival, [[Todd Leonard]].<ref>"Escambia County School Board." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 6, 2006.</ref>
==Initiatives and Projects Implemented as County Commissioner 2016-2020==
--No millage rate increases on Escambia County Homeowners.
--$Millions of Dollars in quality of life, infrastructure, public safety, and economic development projects in District 1 over the last 3 years
--Restrooms at Beulah Park--completed
--Traffic Light at Beulah Road and Mobile Hwy--completed
--Mitchell Avenue Sidewalks in Avondale--completed
--Drainage improvements and Sidewalks project on Merlin Road--completed
--4-lane and sidewalk addition for Longleaf Drive from Pine Forest Road to Wymart Road--fully funded and currently at 60% design
--Restore Act Funding requested for a new Boat Ramp and park facility on 39 acres at Perdido Bay
--$1.5 Million in D1 Restore Act funds utilized to help bring the $230 Million ST Engineering Aerospace Expansion to Escambia County--with over 1300 good paying jobs!
--Acquisition of OLF 8 in Beulah to be utilized to create mixed use development and amenities for the community and the county + an additional 300 jobs at NFCU paying an average wage approaching $50K yearly
--Voted to economize County Transportation by negotiating the function to become an in-house department-saving County taxpayers millions of dollars.
--Turn lane at Woodside avenue-completed
--Intersection improvements at Wilde Lake Blvd and Pine Forest Road-completed
--Hwy 98 Resurfacing and Safety Improvements from Blue Angel to the Alabama State Line--completed (state funded)
--4-lane and sidewalks from Exit 5 in Beulah to Beulah Road--funded and under construction with completion this year (state funded)
-- Upgrades to the Bellview Ball park, including a new score board and renovated baseball and softball fields--completed
-- Drafted and presented to the BCC the ordinance establishing the NW District 1 advisory committee--ordinance passed in 2018 and the committee was selected and seated in 2019. This 9-member committee will assist D1 with the drafting of an overlay district or a master plan to help more intelligently guide development in the greater Beulah area (precincts 43, 5, and 68)
--$300K in Restore Act funding submitted for the cost of the Beulah area master plan or overlay plan
--Myrtle Grove Fire Station--$80,000 mold remediation project--completed
--District 1's first Public Library--funded, building is purchased and design is underway. Construction to begin summer 2020 with completion in 2021
--As Chairman in 2018-negotiated/mediated a 4-year pay plan for the Escambia County Sheriff's Office to reduce attrition and provide more competitive pay for deputies
--Street Lights along Mobile Hwy at 8-Mile Creek Road, Klondike, and Millview--completed
--$3.2 Million worth of neighborhoods and streets repaved in District 1 over the last 3 years
--Escambia Youth Commission Initiative/Program--Ordinance Approved and program launched in 2019
--District 1 discretionary LOST funds projects programmed:
-Beulah Fire Station Modernization $1,000,000.00
-Bellview Public Library $250,000.00
-Regional Drainage Improvements,
-Godwin, Blue Angel, Sarasota Street $400,000.00
-Drainage project, Dunaway Lane $200,000.00
-Cerny Road/Muldoon sidewalks,
street lights/drainage improvements $700,000.00
-Splash Pad at Beulah Park $200,000.00
-Misc. street lights, sidewalks
and roadway improvement at various
-other locations throughout District 1 $225,000.00
=="Godzilla" controversy==
