by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
It actually is possible to have too much spice. But not in the world of Susie Wiles.
As Mayor John Peyton’s chief of communications and special initiatives, Wiles originally was asked to focus on parks, preservation and the river.
“I get up every morning grateful to be able to do that,” she said.
Wiles’ portfolio has also expanded over the past several months, and now includes involvement in Peyton’s literacy initiative, working with the public library, tending to environmental issues and being responsible for federal affairs.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” she said. “I like to think of it as the spice of the mayor’s office.
“It truly is a case of every day not knowing what you’re going to be called on to do. I love it that way. I do communications work, media relations and all that, in order to get a ticket to play in the public policy arena, which is my deep and abiding interest.”
Dealing with the media is not rocket science, Wiles conceded. But working in a way that benefits all sides, particularly the taxpayers, takes a bit more skill.
“There is no secret; that’s the news,” said Wiles. “You’ve got to be available, absolutely honest and forthright, and you have to have some appreciation for the job that’s getting done.
“If you can juggle those three balls at the same time, you’ll be doing this job well.”
“Certainly, a mayor’s ability to be successful in the public policy arena is at least partly dependent on his ability to communicate what he’s up to and why,” she added. “When I look at a newspaper article, a TV story or an op-ed piece — maybe about the mayor’s speech — and I see it’s right, we said it in a way that’s clear, then I think that’s a good day’s work.”
One of the realities of this administration that gets little play, Wiles said, is the Peyton work ethic.
“I’ve been in and around political figures at every level for almost 25 years now,” said Wiles, who worked on the Ronald Reagan campaign and was former mayor John Delaney’s chief of staff. “I have never seen an elected official work as hard as John Peyton.
“He goes from early morning to late evening with a huge appetite for learning, listening and ultimately translating what he’s come to understand and doing the right thing from a public policy perspective.
“But change is hard work. And progress requires a lot of elbow grease.”
Overall budget issues are at the forefront of the administration’s daily tasks, she said. Keeping the city safe from the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process would present a challenge to any community, “especially one that is so predominantly military as Jacksonville.”
The initiative that will have the greatest long-term benefit is the entwined relationship between literacy and job growth.
“To be the job growth mayor absolutely requires an educated and trained work force,” said Wiles. “Literacy is also a catch phrase for so many things that are important to a community. The mayor is working to narrow it a little bit so that we focus and direct our energy, so that we have a real benefit.
“That’s why, I think, we’re looking at early learning, early reading.”
An ability to explain the tough issues clearly affects the public’s attitude about government. And it may indicate how successful an administration will be.
“Government is inherently complex,” said Wiles. “Not because it needs to be so, but because it’s been made so over time. I don’t mean getting a permit . . . or any process that should be easy.
“But a major public policy initiative, almost by definition, is going to be complex.
“We work here to streamline the way we communicate that. A way that’s understandable and interesting to people.
“That interesting part is important. We’re not just reactive here. We’ve got to be proactive. Part and parcel of any proactive message that the mayor wants to communicate is keep it simple and interesting.”
Assessing her performance in a field that can be so subjective is difficult, but not impossible.
“John Peyton gets to grade my report card,” said Wiles. “As far as I know, he thinks I’m doing a good job. At least, he hasn’t told me otherwise.
“I like to make sure what we’re trying to communicate from the mayor’s office is actually getting out. There are some who think it’s got to have flash and dazzle. I just don’t subscribe to that theory. I’m about timeliness, accuracy, clarity, consistency — and realness, most of all.
“At the end of the day, if we’ve accomplished that, we’ve done pretty well.”