by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
The soon-to-be-vacant Duval County property appraiser’s seat has its first nibble.
Dr. Gwen J. Chandler filed paperwork with the Supervisor of Elections office to begin collecting campaign donations for the post. Incumbent Ernie Mastroianni cannot run for reelection because of term limits.
Chandler’s filing is not to be mistaken for a full-blown campaign, she said. Rather, she’s exploring the viability of a campaign.
“You know, it’s a very demanding job,” said Chandler. “I need to make sure I receive the backing from my party, the Republican Party. I need to see if contributions are there as well as clear it with my family and my confidants.”
Chandler, affectionately know as Dr. Gwen to friends and colleges, is currently an at-large City Council representative. Term limits preclude her from pursuing a third term on the Council.
Although she has not talked with Mastroianni, she plans to shadow the current property appraiser for a few days to get a feel for what his responsibilities are.
“I know the ins and outs of the office as it appears on paper, but nothing compares to the actual hands-on knowledge,” she said. “I’m a quick study. I don’t think there’s too much I wouldn’t actually know up front.”
The Duval County property appraiser is a constitutional officer. As it stands, the office does not lend itself to an issue-based campaign like City Council or mayor. Still, Mastroianni may leave behind some baggage. For over a year, he has been involved in a three-way dispute between the City, the State of Florida and his office over his choice of vendor to replace his office’s aging computer system. If the battle drags on, Chandler said she is ready to assume the fight.
Outside of that, Chandler promises to zero in on quality.
“The one thing one would really want to do is focus on customer service — both internally and externally,” she said.
When not in the public eye, Chandler is FCCJ’s department chair for the downtown campus library and a technology professor.