by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
There’s an all-volunteer army that many people don’t know exists. The mission of each foot soldier is different even though they all operate under the same rules of engagement. Each squad has its own theater of operation, but all share the same strategic mission. They are the people who serve on the City’s 65 advisory boards and commissions.
The areas of interest range from advising City government about the interests and needs of specific populations within the community to guiding and vetting Downtown development. One group is currently working on revising what is essentially the City’s constitution.
The panels fall into three basic categories: those that were created through legislation enacted by the City Council, those created by executive order and those mandated by State charter. Some members are appointed by the mayor, others by the governor. Some seats require approval from the Council while others do not. Some appointments come with professional or educational requirements while others only require an opinion and an interest to participate and contribute.
Most boards and commissions meet once a month, although at least one meets twice that often.
Mayor’s aide Chris Sutton oversees the operation of all 65 boards and commissions. He said the combined knowledge and experience of the volunteers who serve the City is invaluable.
“The people who serve are an invaluable resource,” said Sutton. “People who deal with topics daily bring a tremendous amount of subject matter expertise. Having the people who serve on boards and commissions saves a lot of time. When the City needs information we know where we can find it. We also need citizen involvement and to hear the voice of our constituents.
“It would be hard to quantify the financial value of what we get from all the groups, but it would have to be more than $1 million a year.”
Each group has its charge and area of focus and each has a chair who sets the agenda with input from the entire body.
Meetings must be properly noticed, open to the public and minutes of every meeting must be recorded and maintained. Sutton said those tasks are the responsibility of the staff liaison assigned to each group.
The members are also bound by the regulations which ensure transparency in government, also known as the “Sunshine Law.” They cannot discuss any public business or matters connected with the business of the board with any other member of the board except at a noticed meeting. That rule applies to all forms of communication including e-mail. To make it easy for members to understand the rules the City’s Ethics Officer has published a three-page guide to what is acceptable and more important, what is not.
“We used to send new appointees a 16-page package on the state laws, but we were concerned some people might not read it. What we have now is much more concise,” said Sutton.
Chris Flagg is a landscape architect and chair of the Downtown Development Review Board. It’s a subcommittee of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and functions as the planning commission for the Central Business District. Flagg has served on the board since 2005 and agreed with Sutton regarding the value of talent and input the City has at its disposal.
“The value of the intellectual capital is immeasurable,” he said.
DDRB membership comes with some of the stricter requirements for participation. It’s comprised of architects, urban planners, developers, realtors and property owners each with a vested interest in the subject at hand. DDRB’s mission is to evaluate every project in the urban core and make recommendations to City government regarding legislation. The board is charged with the authority to grant or deny approval for projects.
“It’s important to have outlooks from people in different professions. Every member brings their own talents and it’s a tremendous brain trust.”
He also said that while the meeting of the DDRB usually lasts about three hours from call to order to adjournment, serving requires more time. Prior to each meeting, the members receive an agenda containing all the pertinent information regarding projects that will be reviewed as well as the published minutes from the previous meeting.
“I spend time reviewing the material and since I’m chair I spend about two hours with JEDC staff to study each proposal. There’s also consultation with staff after meetings and even site visits. I’d estimate the time I devote to DDRB is equal to 1-2 days a month,” said Flagg.
One commission that is currently in session meets only every 10 years. The Charter Revision Commission is charged with making recommendations to the Council and the members of the Duval County Legislative Delegation concerning provisions in the Charter and other special acts of the Legislature affecting the Consolidated City of Jacksonville.
One of its members, Jeanne Miller, is the general counsel at Florida State College at Jacksonville. She brings quite a bit of experience and expertise to the deliberations. From 2002-04 Miller was an assistant general counsel for the City and the Office of General Counsel’s lead counsel to the local legislative body. Miller was also appointed to the JEDC when Mayor John Peyton took office and served there as director of business development, deputy executive director and interim executive director.
“I’ve had experience as an insider and as an outsider,” said Miller. “That gives me a unique viewpoint and I also bring an understanding of the roles of various parts of consolidated government.”
She also said serving has represented a substantial time commitment, between five and 10 hours each week, but Miller believes it’s time well spent.
“It’s a worthy investment if it makes a positive contribution,” said Miller.
Sutton said the reason there are so many different boards and commission is that, “All of them have some affiliation with some aspect of City government and each one affects things in citizen’s every day lives.”
For the specifics regarding each advisory board and commission including qualification requirements, current openings and applications for appointment, go to www.coj.net and select “Boards and Commissions” from the menu on the left side of the home page.
The following is a comprehensive list of every City board and commission that members of the public are eligible to serve on through either appointment or placement.
Advisory boards and commissions
These boards and commissioners serve an advisory role, providing advice, research and residents’ perspectives to the mayor and City Council.
• Asian American Advisory Board
• Better Jacksonville Project Administration Committee
• Blue Ribbon Commission on Cemeteries
• Charter Revision Commission
• Citizen Planning Advisory Committees
• City of Jacksonville Juvenile Justice Comprehensive Strategy Steering Committee
• Cultural Service Grant Committee
• Disability Council
• Downtown Development Review Board
• Duval County Election Advisory Panel
• Enterprise Zone Development Agency Board
• Hispanic American Advisory Board
• Industrial Technical Advisory Committee
• Jacksonville Advisory Council on Sexual Assault
• Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs
• Jacksonville Housing & Community Development Commission
• Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee
• Jacksonville Waterways Commission
• Jesse B. Smith Memorial Scholarship Review Committee
• JIA Area Redevelopment Agency Board
• Joint Planning Committee
• JSEB Monitoring Committee
• Keep Jacksonville Beautiful: A Clean City Commission
• Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Television, Motion Picture & Commercial Production
• Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women
• Mayor’s Council on Fitness and Well-Being
• Mimi and Lee Adams Environmental Advisory Board
• Metropolitan Jacksonville Area HIV Health Services Planning Council
• Northwest Jacksonville Economic Development Fund Advisory Committee
• Security & Emergency Preparedness Planning Council
• Sports & Entertainment Board
• Subdivision Standards & Policy Advisory Committee
• TRUE-Taxation, Revenue & Utilization of Expenditures Commission
• Victim Assistance Advisory Council
Oversight boards and commissions
These boards and commissions serve in a oversight capacity and may allocate city funding within some programs.
• Art in Public Places Committee
• Better Jacksonville Financial Administration Committee
• City of Jacksonville Retirement System Board of Trustees
• Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville
• Comcast Settlement Community Panel
• Duval County Job Opportunity Board
• Duval County Tourist Development Council
• Jacksonville Children’s Commission
• Library Board of Trustees
• Public Service Grant Council
Regulatory boards and commissions
Regulatory boards and commission exercise regulatory authority, such as the power to make rulings and impose penalties in accordance with various sections of the Ordinance Code.
• Building Codes Adjustment Board
• Civil Service Board
• Construction Trades Qualifying Board
• Environmental Protection Board
• Jacksonville Ethics Commission
• Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission
• Jacksonville Human Rights Commission
• Planning Commission
• Tower Review Committee
• Value Adjustment Board
Independent and quasi-independent boards and agencies
These authorities and commissions are integral to the smooth operation of City government and in most cases provide oversight and guidance to City agencies that provide key services.
• Duval County Research & Development Authority
• Jacksonville Aviation Authority
• Jacksonville Health Facilities Authority
• Jacksonville Police & Fire Pension Board of Trustees
• Jacksonville Electric Authority
• Jacksonville Economic Development Commission
• Jacksonville Housing Authority
• Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority
• Jacksonville Port Authority
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority
• Water & Sewer Expansion Authority
356-2466