by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
JTA officials say the changes they had made and the changes they would like to make to the independent agency’s charter are “house cleaning.”
City Council Auditor Kirk Sherman is skeptical.
Sherman recently brought the changes to the attention of City Council. Among Sherman’s chief concerns are the fact neither he nor Council members were informed of the 2007 changes already approved by the State Legislature.
“During the 2007 legislative session, JTA had the State Legislature amend its Charter without going through the normal J-bill process,” said Sherman in a memo to all 19 Council members. “I recently learned of these changes and am bringing them to your attention because it appears that this information has not been shared with you.
“The JTA is also attempting to make changes to their charter during the 2008 legislative session.”
Mike Miller, spokesman for JTA, acknowledged JTA did petition the Legislature to amend its charter last year and is in the process of doing the same thing this year. However, Miller said any changes to the JTA charter require only the approval of the Legislature due to the independent nature of the Authority.
“We have our own statute in Florida law,” said Miller. “What we did last year was make amendments to our own statue.”
Miller said prior to approaching the entire Legislature, JTA got the approval of both the Duval Delegation and JTA attorneys.
“This has no impact on the City of Jacksonville,” said Miller. “It’s just housekeeping. There are no structural changes. This is all internal clean up.
“If the Delegation felt this should have gone as a J-bill, they would have kicked it back to us.”
Miller said the two biggest changes include the addition of a treasurer to the JTA board of directors and the exemption of JTA from the City Professional Services Evaluation Committee (PSEC) process. JTA’s board previously only had — in title — a chair, vice chair and secretary.
Miller said JTA has its own version of the PSEC, which is the evaluation layer for all major bids and contracts. Miller said JTA has its own internal process for securing goods and services and that JTA’s PSEC consists of two employees at least at the director level and a third from one of many JTA departments.
Sherman listed eight items he had concerns over, five of which pertain to the decision-making ability of JTA Executive Director Michael Blaylock or Blaylock himself. Those five issues are:
• “Replaced ‘may’ with ‘shall’ with regard to the authority employing an executive director.”
• “Added language that the executive director may hire such staff, permanent or temporary, as he or she may determine.”
• “Added language that the executive director may organize the staff of the authority into departments and units as he or she may determine.”
• “Gave the power to appoint department directors, deputy directors, division chiefs and staff assistants to the executive director, rather than the Board.”
• “States that the authority shall fix the compensation of the executive director.”
Miller said the changes do not directly affect or pertain to Blaylock.
“They have an impact on the way JTA operates,” said Miller.
Council member Jack Webb is the Council liaison to JTA and was informed of the changes. Miller said “it would have been a courtesy” to inform the entire Council, but it’s in no way a requirement.
“If this had any impact on the relationship between JTA and the City, it would go before Council,” said Miller.
According to Sherman, the proposed changes for this year are embedded in House Bill 311 and Senate Bill 1000.
“According to the State’s Web site, House Bill 311 and Senate Bill 1000 are identical,” said Sherman.