The 18 transition policy committees developed recommendations for Mayor Alvin Brown. Here are some of the top findings from the majority of the committees. The Legal, Pension and Personnel reports should be available today.
Budget and finance
A summary of 5 of 7 recommendations:
• Structural budget issues must be resolved through a collaborative effort with the City Council.
• Recurring expenses can only be paid with recurring revenue. Revenues/one-time revenue or temporary grant funding cannot be used to fund expenditures without identified future funding sources.
• The overall size of City government must be reduced.
• A balanced budget can only be achieved through significant reductions in full-time head count, initially focused on middle-management and administrative overhead.
• Current and future pension obligations are unsustainable and must be addressed immediately.
Public health & safety
First recommendation from each of 5 areas of focus:
• Public health: Establish a Health Council composed of key stakeholders from all relevant public, private and academic sectors, including consumers
• Public safety: Establish a Criminal Justice and Safety Task Force composed of key stakeholders from all relevant public, private, faith-based and academic sectors, including private citizens.
• Public safety: Maintain a continuous dialogue between the mayor’s office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, including topical stakeholders and technical experts when necessary.
• Jacksonville Journey: The mayor should engage personally to maintain and expand the outstanding track record of the program and continue to provide the Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee the tools it needs to carry out its mission.
• Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department: Pursue additional resources for revenue maximization to fill gaps in fire service, particularly in the area of health.
Quality of life
The 5 items identified to be accomplished within the mayor’s first 100 days in office:
• Fund the Cultural Services Grants Program in 2011-12 to the level of the current year.
• Set a tone of inclusion, equity and multiculturalism.
• Dedicated funding to meet nutrient reduction goals to restore the health of the St. Johns River. Consider renaming the stormwater feet to be the St. Johns River restoration fee with a public awareness campaign.
• A 501c3 foundation should be explored to fund, especially capital projects, for the parks and recreation department.
• Maintain a healthy nonprofit sector with minimum funding set at current levels.
Workforce development
Top 5 of 11 recommendations:
• Consider designating, appointing, contracting for or employment at least one person responsible for coordinating and improving workforce development in Duval County.
• Establish a Workforce Development Council to advise the mayor on current and emerging opportunities for job creation in Duval County. It could be launched through a Workforce Development Summit.
• Provide summer jobs and mentoring opportunities for youth.
• Identify, research and secure all governmental funding available for workforce development.
• Federal dollars sent to the region should be proportionally allocated and spent based on the demographics and unemployment figures in the region, ensuring that dislocated workers will have equal access to training and development.
Seniors
First 5 of 8 recommendations:
• Consider seniors in every decision.
• Elevate the importance of senior issues.
• Immediate organizational changes to the Adult Services Division of the Recreation and Community Services Department, including immediately filling at least five vacant positions.
• Develop an integrated communications campaign with a communications coordinator to implement it.
• Strategically evaluate the current organization and services.
Military affairs
Top five immediate priorities of total of 13 ongoing, immediate near-term and long-term priorities:
• The Military Affairs, Veterans and Disabled Services Division is properly staffed, but must be repositioned as a direct report to the mayor.
• Naval Station Mayport faces short-term challenges prior to the arrival of a nuclear aircraft carrier and Littoral Combat Ships. Advocate for the assignment of an amphibious ready group or other lesser assets to be berthed at Mayport even before the nuclear carrier arrives.
• Cecil Field has immense potential currently limited by a lack of hangar space. More hangar space, a restaurant and retail activities to support the more than 3,000 workers would attract more private businesses.
• Retain, expand and recruit industries to Jacksonville that are militarily significant. Create two task forces, one of executives of small to medium-size companies and another of executives of large companies, to create inventories of programs and benefits and to identify shortfalls and impediments that inhibit growth and relocation to Jacksonville.
• Construction of the Jacksonville National Cemetery and the new federal road north of Jacksonville International Airport intersecting with Interstate 95 represents the largest cemetery in the U.S. and a significant development opportunity for properties around the airport.
Operations & infrastructure
First 5 areas of recommendation from Strategic Cost Management, one of six areas reported:
• Budget transparency.
• Consolidate administrative services.
• Outsource information technology
• Consolidate information technology.
• Implement a Lean strategy citywide.
Downtown revitalization
The first five recommendations among 8 areas:
• Establish an independent entity dedicated to and responsible for revitalizing Downtown to be the Downtown Community Empowerment Corp.
• Establish a dedicated funding source for the Downtown Community Empowerment Corp.
• Create a public-private partnership to create a convention center in the Downtown district.
• Encourage the mayor and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority to explore building a narrow gauge rail system connecting the current City convention center (the future multimodel center) with the Landing and then EverBank Field.
• Create walking police patrols and other community policing practices in the Downtown district.
City boards and commissions
Five recommendations among 25 pertaining to the more than 60 boards and commissions:
• The City should lead the development of a fiscal impact analysis approach that will have broad application across all agencies, boards, commissions and departments.
• Advisory boards should meet quarterly or more often if necessary.
• Members must have a 70 percent attendance rate, including subcommittee meetings, for mayoral reappointment to a board or commission.
• The current scope of duties and oversight of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission is too broad and needs to be reduced. A separate Downtown development authority is encouraged. The offices of JEDC should be located within City Hall and the leadership located within the mayor’s office.
• The Ethics Office is encouraged to review the current “conflict of interest” provisions for board and commission volunteers to ensure consistency with elected officials and employees of public office
Neighborhoods and housing
First 5 of 50 ideas:
• Make neighborhoods a major focus of the Alvin Brown administration.
• Aggressively promote collaborative planning and zoning.
• Strictly enforce current codes and laws to strengthen neighborhoods.
• Strengthen the Housing and Neighborhood Department.
• Encourage public-private partnerships to support, stabilize and enrich neighborhoods.
Economic development
The first 5 of at least 8 recommendations:
• Develop more creative public-private partnership structures with companies looking to invest large amounts of capital in new facilities.
• Create a local closing fund to help the City win more projects.
• Create an incentive for companies that are increasing their importing or exporting through the Port of Jacksonville.
• Create more aggressive incentives for targeted industries to locate Downtown.
• Eliminate self-imposed restrictions on using state Enterprise Zone and Brownfield incentives in Downtown.
Intergovernmental relations
First 5 of 8 recommendations:
• Establish a citywide Office of Government Relations.
• Establish and improve existing relationships with other government entities.
• Recruitment, selection and appointment of an experienced leader and appropriate staff for the above.
• Establish ongoing positive relationships with independent authorities and provide early focus on mayoral appointments for upcoming vacancies on their respective boards.
• Foster established relationships with staff of local elected officials.
Transportation
Top 5 near-term projects for the next 1-2 years:
• Mile Point.
• Bus rapid transit — Downtown and North Corridor
• Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center — Greyhound
• Passenger rail — System plan and alternatives analysis
• Develop Downtown circulation strategy
Education & children
The top 5 issues identified as high level:
• Establish and fill the position of Chief Education Officer and hire staff to support the officer’s work.
• Create a major campaign to unify the community with all involved partnering with the same vision, message and collaboration centered on education.
• Create and maintain a database for all available education and mentoring programs.
• Develop and implement a Universal Community Child Identifier.
• Develop and implement a P-16 Council inclusive of the needs of Jacksonville’s birth to age 24 population.
Strategic initiatives
The first 5 of 12 recommendations:
• Strengthen the River Accord and significantly increase the pace and scope of the Jacksonville Pedestrian and Open Space Action Plan.
• Avoid the mistakes of other cities in placing industrial structures, elevated expressways and unpopulated buildings along the riverfront.
• Revise the zoning code and land development regulations to comport with the rewrite of the comprehensive plan and the new mobility plan.
• Support and influence the creation of a Regional Transportation Authority for at least the five-county area.
• Information and technology, staffing, earned income, capital budget and maintenance challenges should be addressed in alignment with the Library board’s final recommendation from the Capacity Plan Study.