SRIA Board Approves Cameras, Dog Catcher And Tiffany’s Sale
The Santa Rosa Island Authority Board at their September 24 meeting approved items intended to keep people and pets in compliance with the law.
The Board voted unanimously, with member Bruce Childers absent, to continue a partnership with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County in placing and maintaining surveillance cameras at Pensacola Beach Boardwalk and other locations in the core area. In 2024, the SRIA entered into a similar agreement, Phase 1, where they allocated $90,000 for purchasing cameras and would split maintenance costs with the County up to $3,000. The Sheriff assumed all costs above that.
In the 2025 agreement, Escambia County will pay up to $199,625.65 for installation of the second phase of cameras. The SRIA and County will split the maintenance costs of no greater than $3,000. The Sheriff will cover any other costs. This phase is divided into two installations. Seven multi-lens cameras and two fixed lens cameras will be installed in the parking lots of Casino Beach, the pier, Beach Visitors Center, Circle K and at the Flounder’s crosswalk; and 7 multi-lens cameras and one fixed lens camera will be located in the following areas: a beachside view behind the SRIA office, in the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk parking lot extending north to the picnic area at Quietwater Beach.
Cameras will be connected to the Escambia County Real Time Crime Center which provides law enforcement access to information, streaming videos, and enables collaboration in real-time.
The SRIA also approved an extension to the Interlocal Agreement with Escambia County for Animal Control Services on Pensacola Beach. The SRIA pays $59,197 for an Animal Control Officer to patrol 2,080 service hours. The Animal Control Officer reports to the SRIA Director of Development Services. The extension, which also must be approved by Escambia County, will expire September 30, 2026.
The iconic Tiffany’s, a hamburger stand that sits on Gulf front property at Casino Beach, will be sold to Local Pen, LLC after the lease assignment was approved by the SRIA Board. Terry D’Alemberte, who passed away in 1985, first obtained the lease in 1968 and named the business after his daughter Tiffany. Over the years, the business has been run by different entities, and most recently was renamed The Stand. Dustin and Mandy Vaughn, who opened The Local, a beach grocery store in the former RMI building this summer, will be the new leaseholders and plan to make the location and business a crown jewel at Casino Beach.
Board members accepted the financial report for July noting that the lease fee collections of $1,430,079 were 4.9% greater than July 2024. Year to date the SRIA’s income is 1% greater than the prior year.
The SRIA Director Developmental and Environmental Services Juan Lemos gave his final report. He is retiring October 1. He stated that ECUA has begun the next phase of the reclaimed water piping project, starting at the Shrimp Basket and moving west. The project, which has established a laydown yard in the parking lot adjacent to the Sandshaker, is expected to wrap up in late February or early March. The SRIA meets bi-weekly with the construction and project managers on site. Lane shifts, sidewalk closures and parking disruptions are monitored and adjusted to accommodate Beach events.
Board members and staff expressed their appreciation and best wishes to Lemos in his retirement. Mallory Jones, who has been at the SRIA since September 2, was hired to take the Developmental Services Director’s job.
In the Visitor’s Forum, Pensacola Beach’s Steve Luppert expressed his concern about the staff and board’s lack of responsiveness to his requests including to his request for a lease extension.
“If you can’t do it, just tell me. I can handle it,” he said. “A reply back would be good.”
He added that he does not understand why photographs which he submitted to illustrate his discussion topic were not made viewable in the boardroom during his 3 minute speaking time.
Tom Jardine, resident and leaseholder, voiced his support of Luppert’s lease request. He also voiced his displeasure with Commissioner Lumon May and called out SRIA Executive Director Mike Burns for lack of credit to the leaseholders for funding such niceties as lunch for the beach’s first responders on 9/11.
The Board unanimously approved and SRIA Board Chairman Jeremy Johnson read the proclamation declaring September 30 as ALS Awareness Day on Pensacola Beach.
The Santa Rosa Island Authority Committee meetings will be Wednesday, October 8 at 5 p.m. The meetings are open to the public for in-person attendance at #1 Via de Luna or remote attendance by dialing 1-301-715-8592. The meeting ID is 425 234 4682 and password is 2257.
Agendas and documents are posted at www.sria-fla.com.