by David Chapman
Staff Writer
When the next mayor and staff walk into CIty Hall next July to begin their tenure atop the City’s executive branch, they won’t arrive empty-handed.
Mayor John Peyton and his staff recently began formulating a series of wide-reaching transition papers to assist the next administration in settling in.
The papers will help the next administration “get its arms around” the issues and numerous processes of the executive branch, said Misty Skipper, Peyton’s spokesperson.
“Coming into office, it will take some time to get acclimated to all the procedures and policies, especially if it’s their first time in office,” said Skipper.
The process just started, said Skipper, and the papers likely won’t be ready until next year.
The legislative process and how documents go through various City departments are some of the first aspects staff members have worked on and will incorporate into flow charts and guides, said Skipper.
The General Counsel’s Office also has been asked to look at legislative issues and to add input to the documents, and will also assist with Sunshine Laws and training for the new administration, she said.
In addition, the procurement process also has been discussed as an addition, as well as notes and contact informa-tion for each of the City’s major departments and leadership.
“We just started, but we’re going to be working diligently to help educate the next administration,” said Skipper.
That will include some of the issues that the next mayor and staff will be dealing with, Peyton told JEA board members during a pre-agenda meeting Tuesday morning.
Council President Jack Webb said he applauds Peyton and his staff for taking the initiative to ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible and likened it to a military change of command briefing.
Webb said he’d like to see the discussions include the City budget, considering the last several years have been difficult with revenue sources disappearing and the need for services rising and future years looking just as challenging.
The budget process began months before Peyton proposed his final budget July 15. The next administration will take office July 1, providing a challenging timetable for budget deliberations.
Issues surrounding pensions would be another point Webb would like to see included and will be among the points of discussion he’ll have with Peyton next week.
While Council members don’t normally receive such a briefing from their predecessors, the idea might be one to explore, said Webb.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Webb of Peyton’s transition assistance. “I think it’s important that the whole process goes as smoothly as possible.”
University of North Florida President John Delaney, who served as mayor from 1995-2003, said he recalls “various notebooks on a variety of topics.”
“I don’t recall a notebook that I gave to Mayor Peyton for example, but I know that there were various papers, outlines and notebooks that were for each department.”
Delaney said he recalls notebooks for appointed positions, the organizational chart and an issues list.
However, that doesn’t mean the information is absorbed. Each incoming mayor historically has appointed a transition team and chair as he took office.
“Pretty much each transition team asks for what it wants and tends to ignore the past,” said Delaney.
“You may be amazed at how little each administration pays attention to the processes of the past,” he said.
Notebooks of information might stay on the shelf. “Historically, they become dusty quickly.”
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