The first new City Council standing committee established in the past 11 years convened 35 minutes after its originally scheduled start time Monday morning, following Mayor Lenny Curry’s presentation of the 2016-17 budget.
It’s the first addition to the council’s committee schedule since 2005, when the Government, Operations, Oversight and Human Services and the Economic, Community and International Development committees were introduced.
Second-year council member and Chair Scott Wilson called the Neighborhoods, Community Investment & Services Committee to order to consider an agenda filled with legislation seeking to appropriate more than $22 million for several low-income and affordable housing projects, along with issues related to city parks and workforce development.
Wilson last year was chair of the Land Use & Zoning Committee and was recognized as outstanding chair of the year.
“Not bad for a rookie,” he said.
The new committee will consider matters related to parks, recreation, affordable and public housing and property tax exemptions.
Also on the agenda will be legislation affecting the Jacksonville Public Library, Duval County School Board, Jacksonville Waterways Commission and Jacksonville Children’s Commission.
Farms, forestry, fish and game, historic preservation, vessels for hire and “public satisfaction with government services” will be on the committee’s agenda, as well.
Wilson said council President Lori Boyer saw a need to “focus more on certain legislative priorities” and the committee will serve to expand communication about legislation among all council members.
“We’ll be able to start conversations sooner and have more input,” Wilson said.
The committee will meet at 9 a.m. on alternating Mondays, the first committee to convene each week.
No special committees are planned to be established, in favor of a forum for discussion open to all 19 council members.
Wilson said the meetings will be scheduled from 9-11:15 a.m. After the regular agenda is finished, the committee will devote the time left until noon to learn more about city departments and programs involved in legislation the committee will review.
He’s planning sessions expanding the Adopt-A-Park program, how to recognize people and companies that donate to city parks.
“We’ll learn more about a lot of issues,” Wilson said.
The topic slated for the Aug. 1 committee meeting is how the city can maximize funds for low-income housing available from state programs and the city’s property registry that collects $150 annual fees from owners of foreclosed residential property.
Established in 2010, the registry has a balance of $3.5 million that may be used only for maintenance of vacant and abandoned properties and programs that offer assistance to homeowners in danger of foreclosure.
Wilson said his goal for the committee is for it to help council members “be more proactive and better understand issues.”
For Wilson, having a four-page agenda along with a list of future discussion topics was a good way to kick off a new committee.
“We really hit the ground running,” he said.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
• Scott Wilson, chair
• Reggie Brown, vice chair
• Doyle Carter
• Garrett Dennis
• Bill Gulliford
• Joyce Morgan
• Matt Schellenberg
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