City Notes

News

• Mayor John Peyton was asked recently what he has enjoyed most about being mayor. “Being married,” he said. “I got married right about the time I took office. Also, there is something very exciting about being in on the ground level of big plans for Jacksonville’s future. I’m excited about the literacy program and I think it has the potential to be a national model for addressing literacy.”

• More on being mayor: Peyton said it is important to keep from getting bogged down in the daily routine of the office. “You come home after the adrenaline rush and have a cocktail, usually,” he said. “My wife had been encouraging my drinking. She says my company is much better.”

• While there’s been no decision on whether the mayor’s office will replace former press secretary Heather Murphy, some folks at Ch. 30 have already expressed interest in the job.

• The City’s labor negotiations with its firefighters have been stalled by hurricane season. The Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters, strong supporters of Mayor Peyton, have been without a deal for a year and have been working under old terms. The two parties are supposedly close to a deal and were supposed to meet last Tuesday. But the fallout from Hurricane Frances and the threat of Hurricane Ivan have given Peyton time to focus on little else, said the union’s business agent, Larry Osborne. He said he expects negotiations to resume within the next two weeks.

• Barco-Duval Engineering, Inc. president Kathy Barco Lane is one of six finalists for an open spot on the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gov. Jeb Bush gave Mayor Peyton a list of finalists this week and asked for a recommendation.

• During next month’s leadership trip to San Diego, Council member Lynette Self, City Communications Chief Susie Wiles, Rogers Towers partner T.R. Hainline and Council Liaison Paul Crawford will take a look at that city’s park system. Wiles and Hainline are helping lead Jacksonville’s examination of its own park system.

• The Mayor’s Victim Assistance Advisory Council is hosting a free community forum — Victims, the Media and the Law — Friday from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Osborn Center. Speakers include State Attorney’s Office investigator Spencer Mann and attorney Jay Howell. For details, call Kathy Pannell at 630-1764 or Gwen Rhodes at 630-6300.

• The Wall Street Lounge in Five Points is hosting a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Thursday, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

• Clarification to our recent City Note on the Health Department needing $40,000 for a data base for special needs people. The money is actually needed for a health professional to triage specials needs people. The data base is already available.

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