Escambia County is pleased to announce James Higdon as the county’s Public Works Director. The promotion was included as a recommendation to the board on the Thursday, Sept. 22, BCC meeting, which passed unanimously. His responsibilities as the Public Works Director include continued oversight of daily operations, including budgetary planning and allocation for Public Works and all its divisions, and long-term planning for maintenance of county roads and stormwater drainage systems.
Higdon’s career with Escambia County began in the Public Works department 2015, where he started as a Fleet Maintenance Supervisor. In 2017, he was promoted to the role of Division Manager and assumed the role of Deputy Public Works Director in 2019. Higdon has been the Interim Public Works Director since June 2021. Prior to joining Escambia County, Higdon served at the Escambia County Sheriff's Office from 2009 until 2015.
“I’m grateful for the recommendation from county administration and the support of the board to step into a permanent director role,” said Higdon. “I came to Escambia County in 2015 and found a home with a great team to work with. As the permanent director, I will continue to carry out the direction of the board to serve the citizens of Escambia County and help the department succeed. I’m excited to hit the ground running and continue our forward momentum.”
In his role as Interim Public Works Director, Higdon oversaw each facet of the department, including road infrastructure, fleet maintenance, and Pensacola Beach Public Works, and responded to concerns involving roads, right-of-ways, drainage and holding ponds. Higdon also worked with Escambia County’s Public Safety department to provide fleet maintenance for Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services, ensuring that vehicle and equipment repairs and maintenance were performed timely and efficiently. Higdon also oversaw vehicle procurement for all county departments as well as disposal and auction of county vehicles. In addition, he has been an instrumental member of the county’s emergency operations team, directing departmental resources and coordinating with Emergency Management to prioritize the needs of the county during a disaster or other emergency.
“I’m pleased to offer James the role of Public Works Director,” said County Administrator Wes Moreno. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with James since he came to Public Works. He has proven himself tremendously and I look forward to working with him for years to come.”
Higdon has already outlined his goals for Public Works, placing an emphasis on thinking outside the box to help the department become more efficient and identifying ways to streamline budgetary expenses. Higdon is also working with other departments in the county to overcome staffing challenges by implementing new strategies and opportunities to attract outside talent.
Learn more about Escambia County Public Works here.
Original source can be found here.
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