ECUA District Four Candidates Face Off at Beach Forum

Pensacola Beach Chamber- Pensacola Beach Advocates Candidate Forum was held August 3 at the Beach Church. Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) District 4 Candidates Ralph Schofield and Greg Litton comments are below (they are edited for brevity).

Question (Moderator): Please introduce yourself.

Answer (Ralph Schofield): My name is Ralph Schofield. I’m running with no party affiliation for the ECUA Board District Four. I’ve been a lawyer for 17 years, the latter part focused on public health. I counsel the Escambia County Health Department and the Florida Department of Health in this region. My background includes public health, toxicology, risk assessment, environmental health regulation and enforcement, emergency preparedness, government contracting and procurement, public agency oversight, and public trust. I recently joined the Pensacola Environmental Advisory Board. My goals: reliable service, responsible stewardship of the environment, understandable decisions, and visible oversight.

Answer (Greg Litton): My name is Greg Litton. I played professional baseball for 12 years and have experience in the jewelry business, mortgage/financial industries, and worked with ProClean Restoration on water damage issues. I emphasize infrastructure maintenance to prevent water damage. My goals are to keep rates down, provide the best service possible, and maintain open communication with residents.

Question (Moderator): During Blue Angel Week there was a strong sewer treatment plant smell on the beach. We’ve been told that smell indicates the plant can’t handle waste transfer. How would you manage that?

Answer (Greg Litton): I’ve spoken with the current representative (Dale Perkins). The facility is built to handle maximum beach occupancy, but very large crowds can create temporary issues. I’ll investigate and pursue fixes where possible.

Answer (Ralph Schofield): All options should be explored from engineering and cost perspectives. If the plant stays on the island, it needs hardening and modernization and possibly temporary measures during peak times. We should also consider moving it inland given vulnerability to hurricanes; that possibility deserves evaluation.

Question (Moderator): There have been long-term sewer pipe leaks and fractured infrastructure on Fort Pickens. What plans or due diligence do you propose?

Answer (Ralph Schofield): ECUA often seems reactive—patching aging infrastructure instead of modernizing. We need proactive assessments to identify greatest environmental and public-health needs, then prioritize modernization rather than constantly “plugging holes.”

Answer (Greg Litton): Addressing old pipes is a long-term, ongoing challenge. ECUA’s financial position should improve in a couple years (payoffs/financing), putting it in a better place to tackle major piping projects, and I’ll advocate for prioritizing beach infrastructure.

Question (Moderator): Do you foresee removing the water purification/treatment plant off the beach?

Answer (Greg Litton): I don’t foresee it as a simple decision. Estimates to move it are high (~$80M). Moving requires massive lift stations and long force-main piping under the sound, which introduces new failure modes and odor risks. It’s worth studying and seeking funding, but it’s not an easy solution.

Answer (Ralph Schofield): I agree with Greg’s assessment. Moving inland has trade-offs and vulnerabilities; an engineering review is needed to weigh costs and benefits. Public preference to remove such facilities from visible areas is understandable, but decisions should be engineering- and cost-driven.

 (Moderator): Closing statements.

Answer (Ralph Schofield): This role should be decided on subject-matter expertise. I’m the only candidate with a public-health background who currently works alongside ECUA on water/wastewater/trash issues. I’ll provide independent oversight focused on reliable service, honest costs, and measurable results.

Answer (Greg Litton): I encourage voters to ask trusted friends who know me personally about my character. I promise to fight for the beach and the community, and I’ll be reachable and responsive.