by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Perhaps it’s because he’ll be a father again in May, but Mayor John Peyton has added child care to his list of priorities.
“We must change child care in Jacksonville,” Peyton told the Meninak Club Monday. “If you want a sobering reawakening, go ask the (Jacksonville) Children’s Commission to give you a tour of some of the child care facilities in Jacksonville.”
Peyton said most of the 300-plus child care facilities in town are “sub par.” He said many receive vouchers from the state that allow them to stay in business — and even make money. However, providing quality child care before and after school isn’t evident.
“It’s an economic opportunity and has nothing to do with child care,” he said.
That will change, soon, according to the mayor. Peyton said he intends to implement a five-star rating system that will evaluate every child care center in Jacksonville. Those that can demonstrate they are providing quality care in several areas will remain open. Others will be dealt with differently.
“We are going to bring them or run them out of business,” said Peyton. “It’s one or the other.”
Peyton also touched on a variety of other subjects:
• Earlier in the day Peyton, Gov. Jeb. Bush, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw and several others were at Cecil Field where they toured the C-27J Spartan aircraft, which may be assembled at Cecil. “I think we’ve chartered a new course there,” said Peyton of the Commerce Center. On Nov. 7, voters defeated a referendum that may have returned Cecil to the Navy. That referendum caused several industries to take a wait-and-see approach towards Cecil. “We are back on track at Cecil. We hit the pause button for a while. The vote was never about the U.S. Navy. We are a military town and proud to be a military town. We have invested close to $200 million in infrastructure at Cecil. It’s a different place now. The vote gave us what we needed there which was certainty.
“I’d say Downtown and Cecil are the two areas we are focusing on for economic growth.”
• Peyton said there is one disturbing trend in Jacksonville right — the per capita income is dropping. “It was at 98 percent, now it’s 96 percent,” said Peyton, adding his Blueprint for Prosperity initiative aims to reverse that trend. “If we don’t focus, this trend will continue. Blueprint for Prosperity is not a study or research. It’s an ongoing plan and we are looking at things that would impact businesses looking to come to Jacksonville.”
• Peyton candidly addressed the murder rate in Jacksonville. “These are respect murders. Young males are settling their differences with a gun,” said Peyton. “Drugs are also part of the problem as is domestic violence. I think the turning point was the DreShawna Davis murder. Three thugs surrounded her home looking for her uncle who they felt had disrespected them earlier in the day. I think the community at-large reacted to this. I think that death was it — the flashpoint.”
• Not all of the talk was heavy. The entire club sings the Meninak song before the meeting and the words are provided for guests. Club president Dr. Ross Krueger also provided a few jokes. “The singing and the jokes are always a treat,” said Peyton. “Of course, the singing is better than the jokes and that’s not saying a lot.”
• Jane Lanier of St. Vincent’s Foundation will be sworn in Monday as the next Meninak president, along with the club’s other officers.
• Circuit Court Judge Fred Tygart was recognized as the member of the month. Tygart said he should have known something was up when Krueger went out of his way to make sure he planned to attend.
• Members of the club will volunteer as bell ringers for the Salvation Army’s red kettle drive Dec. 15 at the Publix on Riverside Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.