• Though Michele Querry, the mayor’s office City Council liaison, is leaving at the end of the month, no replacement has been selected. Mayor’s office spokesperson Heather Murphy said an official search has yet to begin because Mayor John Peyton doesn’t want to make a hasty decision. Murphy added “there are still other people from [the mayor’s office] who have relationships with the Council.”
• Because the City Council still has two weeks before they have to approve their budget priorities for the upcoming year, Council members Sharon Copeland and Suzanne Jenkins would like another look at goals outlined and approved in an earlier workshop. Many Council members were concerned about the draft Council president Lad Daniels introduced last week for two reasons: the order of the priorities had been shifted and some goals — land banking for schools, for example — they never approved. Jenkins added it was inappropriate for Daniels to make changes and “try to act like a benevolent leader.”
• Currently on display at the spiller vincenty gallery on the Southbank is an exhibition featuring hundreds of handmade Fiberglas cherries on a white mattress. Asking price: $66,000.
• The St. Johns River City Band’s struggles raised the ire of several City Council members who wanted the JEDC to help the band out financially. When Warren Alvarez jokingly suggested that the Council could abolish the JEDC, Gwen Yates responded, “I’m about ready to.”
• The Council’s Finance Committee deferred action on a request to shift funds among the library projects amid concerns that some branches would be underfunded. Council member Jerry Holland said that it sounded to him like Library director Ken Sivolich “got thrown under the bus,” by proposed cuts to the library budget.
• More than 8,000 people are expected to attend the Fire Rescue EAST 2004 Conference and Exposition, being held through Saturday at the Osborn Center. The show officially opens at 10 this morning. On display will be the latest products, education programs and service information for fire and emergency services professionals.