by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“The biggest joy of being an At-large member is you can focus on the big picture,” said Lad Daniels this week as he reflected on his eight years on the City Council representing Group 3.
When he wasn’t in his office on the fourth floor at City Hall, Daniels has worked his day job as president of Daniels & Associates, Inc. and the First Coast Manufacturers Association. He said he’s been able to take things he has learned in the industrial and management fields and apply those concepts to City policy and government.
While a Council member, Daniels has logged a long list of accomplishments including being elected Council president for the 2003-04 Council year and receiving the 2005-06 Charles D. Webb Award, the Council’s highest internal honor, but said he doesn’t think either was the high point of his two terms.
“If I were to be remembered for only one thing I did while I was a Council member, I would want it to be the Jacksonville Small and Emerging Business legislation we enacted. I felt City government wasn’t accomplishing what the minority set-aside regulations were meant to do. If you’re a small business – minority or not – we wanted to level the playing field.
“I’m as proud of that as anything we were able to do,” said Daniels.
He also sponsored a bill that was enacted last month to establish an Industrial Technical Advisory Committee and amend zoning codes to ensure compatibility with future industrial development.
“It will allow property owners, developers and builders to have the opportunity to communicate and work together to make sure we can compete on an international level. It’s a way to build consensus with the goal of making life better for everyone in our community,” said Daniels.
Another piece of legislation Daniels said gives him pride was also recently enacted to clarify the City’s policy concerning Council members respecting each other and the legislative process.
“I was part of the committee that studied how we do business on the Council. We were concerned about the apathy citizens sometimes feel towards government. Low voter turnout for elections is a perfect example of that apathy.
“We determined the first step was to change how citizens perceive us as a government in how we deal with each other. Showing a high degree of respect for colleagues creates a sense of trust and instills confidence. I think it’s a responsibility of local government to establish a high level of expectations,” said Daniels.
Another aspect of being an At-large Council member was that it carried the responsibility to know what was happening in all areas of Duval County. Daniels said his first committee assignment offered a perfect solution.
“My first year on the Council (then-President) Ginger Soud knew I was a real estate developer and she thought enough of me to let me chair the LUZ (Land Use and Zoning) Committee. That started a habit I carried forward for eight years. I visited every piece of land that was proposed for rezoning. Just about every Friday, I was out in town looking at properties. I learned so much about the community by doing that.”
The first day post-Council will find Daniels on the campaign trail. He’s seeking the Florida House of Representatives District 16 seat currently held by Mark Mahon, who is believed to be a leading candidate to join the bench in the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
“I’m excited about the race. It looks like we’re headed for a special election, maybe as soon as the end of July,” said Daniels. “I’d really like to walk the halls in Tallahassee representing the interests of the people of Jacksonville and the manufacturing community.”
Daniels also said he learned something during his first year as a Council member that he thought would be valuable to the new members: “When you first enter the legislative arena you think you can accomplish so much so fast, but the reality is we move more slowly and with consensus. That’s the strength of our system.”