The Daily Record surveyed the 2011-15 City Council members about the current Council year. Greg Anderson, a Republican, is a vice president with EverBank.
How have you prepared both personally and professionally for your role on City Council?
Focus is essential to meeting the challenging workload of City Council and EverBank. I have two demanding and invigorating jobs. My financial background has been very helpful in looking at the many opportunities in front of the Council. Immediately after the election I prepared for my new role by reading the bills before the Council and attending full Council meetings, committee meetings and several of Mayor Alvin Brown’s transition sessions. Council staff’s orientation and ethics training, as well as extensive reading, have helped to prepare me for the challenges.
Are you satisfied with your Council assignments and why do you believe you were chosen for them?
Yes, during the election I emphasized that my time on Council would be spent putting our financial house in order and bringing new jobs to Jacksonville. My financial skills are well suited to my new roles on the Finance Committee and as chairman of the Audit Subcommittee. My business experience has been useful as chair of the Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee and as the chair of the Courthouse Oversight Committee.
Which committees or assignments would you like next, and why?
My current assignments allow me to focus on my goals of financial accountability and job growth and I would welcome them again. I would also like to serve on the Rules Committee as it sets the agenda for the Council and approves many of the important appointments.
Is serving on the Council a part-time or full-time job?
I believe Council is a full part-time job. Each member must decide how to schedule his or her workload. In my case, my current assignments have me at City Hall several days each week and during budget hearings this year that includes many all-day hearings. There is no doubt that the Council workload requires a significant investment of time and energy. I am also fully engaged in my work at EverBank. This work enhances the skills and experience I bring to the Council. I am certainly working many, many hours.
What is the first piece of legislation that you have introduced or will introduce this year?
Technically my first legislative action was a floor amendment on the newly passed “mothballing” legislation. The amendment changed the number of years that a historic structure can be mothballed from five to three years. I felt that this created balance between the owner of the property and its neighbors. In the future, I will introduce legislation to further my goals of job creation, fiscal soundness, public safety and an improved educational system.