by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
Duval County’s state representatives and senators listened to 75 people speak about everything from nursing home funding cuts to a $400,000 salary request for nearly four hours Monday afternoon.
The annual public hearing and organizational meeting is the only official opportunity for local citizens to put their concerns and requests for state funding and legislation on public record. But as the number of people and organizations vying for government money and influence has increased, some have questioned the organization of the all-encompassing gathering.
“They (the speakers) were all of interest,” said State Rep. Audrey Gibson, “but there’s no question that fatigue starts to set in ... Maybe we have to come up with a better way of doing our agenda, or maybe having more than one opportunity for people to come and present.”
At the hearing, each speaker is allotted three minutes. Signals at the podium alert a speaker when time is up. With one minute remaining, a green light turns yellow. When time is up, the light turns red and a buzzer sounds.
Most nonprofit organizations and government officials use their time to give overviews of their goals and activities, along with binders and handouts for each delegation member to look over. Representatives then have the opportunity to ask questions – but for the sake of time, most refrain.
“The purpose of this is to allow the community to have input into the delegation,” said State Rep. Stan Jordan, the newly-elected chairman of the delegation. “It is not a workshop where we exchange. It’s really a one-way opportunity ... You have to hold the line when you have 80-plus speakers.”
Jordan said he tried to make this year’s meeting as swift and efficient as possible. Everyone gets a chance to speak, he said, no matter how long the meeting goes. Some past meetings have lasted six or more hours in the past, according to Jordan’s aide.
When legislators wanted to know more about a topic at Monday’s meeting, they had an aide or other assistant follow up with a speaker privately. For example, private investigator David Hodges spoke about statute reform that he wants to increase government oversight of building inspections. He said three legislators had contacted him before noon Tuesday to express their interest.
Hodges has been bringing various concerns before the delegation for more than a decade. He gathers statistics and information to support his arguments and visits the legislators at their Tallahassee offices, as well. He said his previous efforts haven’t yielded any particular changes, but he keeps trying because “they’re the ones that change the law.” He added, however, that the annual meeting would be easier on both speakers and the delegation if it were split into more than one session.
State Sen. Jim King, vice chairman of the delegation, said they might discuss a rules change at their next meeting, the local bill public hearing in January. This hearing’s nearly 80 speakers set a record high for the annual meeting, he said.
“How much can you absorb when you’ve been hearing three-minute presentations for four hours?” said King. “That’s tough on the people who are waiting. That’s tough on the delegation, many of whom would have liked to ask questions.”
The length of the presentations doesn’t allow for a lot of content, King said, but he still finds the hearings valuable. He said delegation members tend to focus on areas they have committee experience with, so the public input can be educational. King listens to arguments and information he “would never have been in a position to hear if it weren’t for the delegation meeting.”
The best ways to capture the delegation’s attention? Gibson said organizations that come back year after year should highlight changes that have impacted them rather than overview their work.
“We’re very familiar with who they are and what they do,” she said, “but what’s happened since the last time we saw your organization?”
King said presenters should “be clear and concise” and leave hand-outs of two pages or less – and don’t make that presentation the first or only contact.
“The three-minute presentation should not be the first and only approach to the delegation that is made,” said King. “Almost all of them (speakers) have seen all of us individually.”
All the delegation members interviewed agreed that the hearing represents an important chance for the public to be heard, whether it remains an annual, one-afternoon shot or not.
“I think the constituents appreciate the fact that they get a chance to say something,” said King. “Too oftentimes in politics, individuals feel disenfranchised. They truly do think their vote doesn’t matter.
“When they come to an event like a delegation meeting ... not only do they have a place to speak, but we are obligated to listen to them.”