Letters: Bergosh’s leaked texts exposed a county-wide inability to maintain public records

Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are those of our readers and not the Pensacola News Journal. In order for letters to be considered for publication, they must be 250 words or less and include name, a full address and phone number. Only your name and city of residence will be published. Email submissions to opinion@pnj.com.

Bergosh mess exposes wider problem

We know Commissioner Jeff Bergosh habitually uses his personal cell phone to conduct county public business.

Bergosh wrote on his “Jeff Bergosh Blog” that he doesn’t want to carry separate phones for his personal use, civilian job and elected county office. He uses his personal iPhone for everything.

In February 2022, Bergosh directed county staff to fix his personal iPhone in a process that created a copy of its contents including his public records. Bergosh ordered the staff to delete it.

On Aug. 10, News Radio 92.3’s Andrew McKay asked County Administrator Wes Moreno about Bergosh’s use of his private iPhone for county business. Moreno replied, “It is what it is.”

Moreno said the county has no protocol to archive public records held on county employee’s personal electronic devices and added of Bergosh’s records, “He could have just deleted them.”

How many county employees like Bergosh send, receive and retain (and delete) county public records on one or more “personal” cell phones, tablets and computers?

If Bergosh had not directed county staff to fix his iPhone, would the county have ever even known that there are public records stored on his personal phone?

When a citizen, business or the media submits a public records request, how does the county’s public records custodian know if a county employee retains responsive records that only they know about?

Christopher J. Lewis, Pensacola

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Only God knows Trump’s heart

I never knew God was living in Milton as Tom Kaiser until I read today’s letter! Only God would truly know what is in Donald Trump’s heart or whether he has been born again. As a mere mortal I believe this to be true. There are many reasons I support Trump but listing them would be a waste because, as God Incarnate, you should already know them.

Oh, but I now realize you can’t be God, Mr. Kaiser, because God is not ignorant to the truth, nor does he want us to cast stones at those with whom we disagree. You may go to church every time the door is open, and you may pray to God and obey his commandments, but that doesn’t make one a born-again Christian. You are the hypocrite who is so enamored with yourself you can’t even find God.

Perhaps it is you who needs to atone for your arrogance and for spreading lies without having a clue as to the real truth. Enlighten yourself and then perhaps someone might listen to you.

Delta Hixon, Pace

Give PPBEP their due respect

I am writing in response to Mr. Grover Robinson’s Aug. 19 guestview.

Mr. Robinson wrote about the development and successes of the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program. Where I diverge from Mr. Robinson’s opinion is in his over-emphasis on the “youth” of Mr. Posner and the PPBEP staff.

Rather than emphasizing the PPBEP staffs’ “youth,” I encourage those interested in the health of the bays to look at the PPBEP staffs’ education, experience and accomplishments posted at ppbep.org.

In addition to their academic and professional achievements, the staff of the PPBEP brings practicality and knowledge from having watched and learned from “their elders,” which includes you, Mr. Robinson.

Mr. Robinson ends his guestview with this comment, “This young PPBEP staff...” I suggest replacing “young” with, “This well-educated, well informed, highly qualified, experienced, hard-working and dedicated staff…”

They are young and they deserve respect for what they have accomplished and for what they are working towards accomplishing. They are and will continue to be valuable assets to the Pensacola and Perdido Bay communities.

Kristin Bennett, Pensacola

MAT access crucial for addiction

Aug. 31 marked International Overdose Awareness Day, a time to remember the precious lives lost to drug addiction and illuminate the steps being taken in our communities to prevent future overdoses.

As an addiction specialist overseeing more than 30 opioid treatment programs across Florida and other states, I am concerned about a growing misperception that the only thing people seeking recovery need is a simple pill to ease cravings. This is untrue and dangerous for people with active addiction.

For over 50 years, OTPs have been the gold standard for treating opioid-use disorder because they provide evidence-based medication-assisted treatment. This approach goes beyond medication to offer counseling, peer support, and assistance with housing and employment, among other things.

I’ve seen first-hand how a structured approach that considers patients’ mental and behavioral health is critical to setting people on the path for a successful long-term recovery. Today, hundreds of thousands of Americans have achieved long-term recovery thanks to the evidence-based care they receive at OTPs.

Prioritizing education around MAT and expanding access to these types of programs is an important step in our country’s continued effort to end the opioid epidemic and prevent future overdoses.

Mark Stavros, M.D., Gulf Breeze

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You might be an extremist if...

You follow a leader who discriminates against gay people, women, migrants and Black people.

You believe the 2020 election was stolen.

You favor pardoning all persons charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the capitol.

You’re not overly concerned with mass shootings or routine Saturday night shootings as long as the liberals don’t try to take away any of your guns.

You see nothing wrong with electing a convicted criminal to the presidency.

You have more than one gun in your home, and one of these is an assault weapon.

You value your political party and winning elections over the needs of your country.

You believe we have a civil war or race war in our future.

You have hate message bumper stickers on your vehicle.

You rejected masking, vaccines, the CDC and Dr. Fauci during the pandemic.

You prefer tight controls on books, but no controls on guns.

You believe conspiracy and disinformation to be good tools against political opponents.

You believe that one’s religious values have nothing to do with political values.

You like to point out the extremists around you, and you see no similarities with yourself.

Charles Creel, Bagdad

Turn old Baptist into shelter

As one who has appreciated the Pensacola News Journal’s coverage of the homelessness problem, I was concerned to see recent headlines indicating that REAP lodges, one of the few shelters for women and children, could be forced to close.

Another recent article detailed the challenges faced by the Max-Well Respite Center, as well as their successes helping people get needed documentation, childcare, training and employment.

Although not everyone will follow the rules of transitional shelters, getting “heads in bed” is a first step toward helping those ready to be helped. According to an earlier PNJ article (July 17), the city of Pensacola is considering acquiring and tearing down the current Baptist Hospital building when it is vacated.

There are hundreds of beds in that fully functional, air-conditioned building, with “ensuite” bathrooms, a cafeteria, meeting rooms, elevators, etc. Why must it be torn down? Why can’t it, or portions of it, be rented to a local organization at a nominal rate to help house and, if possible, provide treatment, education and counseling for the growing number of people who need shelter?

Repurposing the building seems like a better alternative than razing it. Just a suggestion from someone who hates to see anything usable wasted.

Norma Bailey Muller, Pensacola

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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Letters: Bergosh’s texts exposed a county-wide public records problem