by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
One of the traditions enjoyed each year by the outgoing president of the City Council is getting to select one person from among the more than 8,900 employees on the City’s payroll to be the recipient of the Robert O. Johnson Good Government Award. It recognizes a City employee who “personifies the outstanding public service and exemplary reputation for integrity and honesty to the City Council and to the people of Jacksonville that was set as a benchmark” by Johnson, the City’s first Council Auditor who retired in 2003 after serving for 25 years.
Mayor’s office receptionist Alice Newman received the award for 2008. A City employee since 1995, Newman has been working at the front desk in the chief executive’s office suite since 1996.
Newman said she wasn’t sure what was going on at the Council installation ceremony June 26 when someone tapped her on the shoulder and told her Council Director Cheryl Brown needed her to come backstage. A few minutes later, Brown told Newman she needed to get ready to go out on the stage at the T-U Center.
“That’s when I got really nervous, but then I heard (out-going Council president) Daniel Davis talking about the first person you see when you’re in the mayor’s office and how that person is a good servant of the City and always smiling,” said Newman.
When she heard her name called as the recipient of the award, “It was such a big surprise. Obviously I didn’t have a speech prepared so all I knew to do was accept it and walk off the stage.”
A few days later after Newman had time to collect her thoughts she said, “I consider it an honor to serve City government and it’s easy because I really enjoy what I do.”
Newman added she thinks the personal philosophy that led to receiving the City’s highest employee performance award is, “If you treat people the way you want to be treated, God will continue to bless you. That’s how I feel about it.”
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