by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Tax Collector Mike Hogan withdrew a bill that would have changed the way the City’s general counsel is appointed at Tuesday’s meeting of the Duval Delegation.
State Rep. and Delegation Chair Stan Jordan originally agreed to sponsor the bill, which wasn’t supported by City Council or the mayor’s office.
Hogan has backed the bill before and said he’ll spend the next year lobbying Council members who approved a resolution Dec. 12 that opposed amending the City’s charter and the section that addresses how the general counsel is appointed.
“I will not pursue it this year,” said Hogan. “My intention always was to be in agreement with City Council. I don’t understand why they don’t understand the bill. I have never lobbied them individually, but I will spend the next year talking with them on an individual basis.
“I have served in City Council before and I would not want state government pushing something down my throat. I think it’s just a misunderstanding.”
Currently, the general counsel is appointed solely by the mayor — a situation that has led many to believe the general counsel serves at the pleasure of the mayor. Hogan said the other constitutional officers — Clerk of the Court Jim Fuller, Sheriff John Rutherford, Property Appraiser Jim Overton and Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland — have read the legislation and agree it may prove to be a better method.
Under the proposed legislation, the general counsel would be appointed from a pool of local attorneys. That pool would be created by the mayor, the City Council president, the chair of the Duval County School Board and one of the constitutional officers.
The mayor would make two of the five appointments and one of them would be a former general counsel, if he or she would be willing and able to serve. The five-attorney committee would then develop a list of qualified candidates.
“This appears to be the right mechanism,” said Hogan. “Their biggest objection is that it weakens the mayor. He has two of the five appointments. That’s 40 percent of the vote.”
Hogan said he isn’t sure of the basis for Council’s trepidation and lack of support.
“They fear what they argue against and that is he’s the mayor’s attorney and should not be appointed by anyone else,” said Hogan, adding he’s hoping for better results next year. “I think if they hear me out, they will understand the entire process. They (the mayor’s office) argue that it weakens our consolidated government. I think it strengthens our consolidated government.”
Under the bill, current General Counsel Rick Mullaney would not be affected. If the bill passes, his office would only be filled during Peyton’s tenure — should he be re-elected — if Mullaney was fired or resigned.
Other developments from the meeting:
• Longtime Delegation office secretary Susan Stewart was appointed the new Delegation coordinator, succeeding Darla Wilson, who left to work for State Sen. Jim King. Stewart has been with the office for over 18 years and will be a one-woman show for a while.
“It’s going to be different,” she said. “We will not fill the secretary position at this time. I am looking forward to the challenge.”
King has been a vocal supporter of Stewart.
“She has been with us almost since the day the Delegation was formed in 1942,” joked King. “She has dutifully served under others. She is prompt in her work and she’s exact in her work. Over the years, she has pulled more than her share of the load. She knows the office inside and out and I can’t imagine that they would have found anyone as or more qualified.”
• State Sen. Terry Fields was absent. “He had oral surgery, he is in excruciating pain, he is under heavy sedation and he will not be attending.”