by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
In a quick, unanimous vote, State Rep. Stan Jordan assumed the leadership of the Duval Delegation Monday at the Delegation’s annual organizational meeting. Just as quickly, State Sen. Jim King was elected vice-chair after State Rep. Mark Mahon made King the only nominee.
“It’s not only fitting, but it’s time,” said King, who nominated Jordan for the leadership position of the 11-member Delegation.
Jordan succeeds State Sen. Tony Hill. He said there are several key issues the local delegation will face during the next legislative session. However, his role as chairman is more organizational than legislative.
“We’ve got a strong delegation. We’ve got a respected delegation in Tallahassee,” said Jordan. “We have a lot of issues to deal with that will require the strength of this delegation to deal with.
“As chairman, I am of service to the board. I am a facilitator and coordinator. It’s not an operational job and I don’t give direction.”
Jordan said the biggest local issue may be the health of the St. Johns River.
“That’s a big issue for the whole state,” he said.
Jordan, the president of Sterling Classics, was elected to the State House of Representatives in 2000 to represent Dist. 17. Since then, he has served on six House committees. Prior to being elected to the House, Jordan spent 16 years on the Duval County School Board and served as chairman four times. He’s a 1967 graduate of Jacksonville University and a Ret. Col. in the United States Army.
King was elected to the State Senate in 1999 after spending 12 years as a member of the State House. His Dist. 8 includes all of Flagler County and parts of Volusia, St. Johns, Nassau and Duval counties. A Florida State graduate, King was Senate Majority Leader from 2000-02 and Senate President from 2002-04.
Monday’s organizational meeting included two items — a Jacksonville Waterways Commission resolution and a discussion on a certificate of need for St. Luke’s and St. Vincent’s hospitals — that were deferred until the delegation’s Jan. 30 meeting.
The rest of the agenda included 80 individuals ranging from Public Defender Bill White to Lynn Drysdale of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid to University of North Florida President and former Mayor John Delaney to Jim Clark, president and CEO of daniel Memorial. All of the speakers were allotted three minutes, unless the delegation had questions.