There will soon be a new head of the Escambia County Commission.

Monday, commissioners voted to install District No. 2 Commissioner Raymond Wiggins as its new chairman.

Appointments are made on an annual basis, and Wiggins will fill the role currently held by District No. 1 Commissioner David Stokes. Stokes has served as chairman for the last nine years. Wiggins will be installed at the Jan. 19 commission meeting.

Once elected, commissioners are paid an annual $25, 489 salary. The chairman seat earns an additional $21,782.

District No. 3 Commissioner Larry White was voted to vice chairman.

In other business, the commission:

• approved a new uniform bid for the sheriff’s office;

• reappointed Carolyn Fountain to the county’s library system board and appointed John Stallworth to fill the unexpired term of Jason Dean on the county’s E911 board;

• set at 25 miles-per-hour speed limit on Autumnwood Drive; and,

• voted to serve as the host agency for a state Transportation Alternative Program grant for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The Tribe is applying for some $400,000 to install a second round of sidewalks on its property. If approved, the grant requires a 20 percent match.

-Stephanie Nelson