by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
With a full house of family, friends and supporters, the 2007-08 City Council was installed Thursday evening in Jacoby Hall at the T-U Center.
Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland, Sheriff John Rutherford and Property Appraiser Jim Overton were also sworn in for their four-year terms.
Out-going Council President Michael Corrigan presented the 2006 Robert O. Johnson Award for Outstanding City Employee to Jack Gilrup, chief of Disabled Services, on the eve of his retirement.
Gilrup commented on the outpouring of affection he has received lately and said, “If I had known people were going to be this nice, I would have retired years ago.”
Kevin Hyde, who was Council president in 2005-06, received the Charles D. Webb Award in absentia. He was unable to attend the ceremony, as was Council member Art Shad.
The evening wasn’t without mishaps. During the Presentation of the Colors, one of the members of the Naval Hospital Jacksonville Color Guard sent his rifle flying into the first row. There were no apparent injuries.
Also, while administering the oath of office to Council members, County Court Judge Gary Flower experienced a momentary but profound constriction in his throat.
That prompted emcee and Duval County Republican Party President-elect John Falconetti to remark, “It’s not good for a judge to choke on the words ‘ethics laws’ when administering the oath to the City Council.”