Mayor Alvin Brown’s government reorganization legislation is not on the agenda tonight for the final City Council meeting of the year, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a part of the discussion — or potentially voted upon.
Brown has pushed for the legislation to be approved tonight. It was introduced Nov. 8, five weeks ago, when he asked for it to be approved in Council by Dec. 13.
Council President Stephen Joost said Monday that the topic will be addressed at the 4 p.m. Council agenda meeting today. He will ask committee chairmen and the Council as a whole whether the bill has enough votes to bring it out of committee and to the floor for a vote.
The reform legislation did not emerge from any of the three committees that heard it last week. That means it would require action by the Council president or approval by two-thirds of the Council to discharge it.
“The mayor is pushing hard to get it done,” Joost said, referring to Brown and his staff members.
“We will find out if they have answered everyone’s concerns,” he said.
Joost said he supports the measure in its current form, a heavily amended Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety committee substitute that rendered a 3-3 vote and triggered an automatic deferral at the conclusion of a special meeting Thursday.
Council member Bill Gulliford, who chairs the committee, was one of the supporting votes.
He said he sought to pass the measure through his committee but would not push for any action today.
“Others might have a concern,” Gulliford said. “Given the awfully short timetable we were given, I can’t criticize or chastise anyone.”
Council Vice President Bill Bishop, who chairs the Rules Committee, said the technical and language corrections have been addressed and he has no problems with the ordinance in its current form.
Rules was the first committee to discuss the measure and made a substantial alteration by moving the Planning and Development Department, which Brown sought to be housed under a newly created Economic Development Office, to the Chief Services Commission.
“I’m quite happy with that,” Bishop said of the change.
The debate over the title of “commissioner” waged in several committees also was settled in Rules with an amendment replacing the title throughout the legislation with “officer.”
“The agenda discussion will be very important,” Bishop said.
Council member Warren Jones, Finance Committee vice chairman, served as chairman of the Finance Committee during its discussion of the proposed reform, but he wasn’t as sure Monday he wanted to see it emerge from the committee level.
“I think we need a little bit more time,” Jones said.
Jones said the Council has given the mayor the opportunity to reform government, but that it was difficult for members to perform due diligence in one Council cycle. Jones said that former Mayor John Peyton implemented two reforms that afforded Council members more time.
Jones said some of his questions and concerns include the placement and authority of the Jacksonville Children’s Commission, Jacksonville Public Library board and Community Development Block Grants.
Council member Clay Yarborough sits on both the Rules and Finance committees and said his concerns have been addressed at the committee level.
He said the vetting at the committee level “has been a good process.”
Even though he currently has no questions on the measure, that doesn’t mean other Council members do not.
“I would like to hear what, if any, concerns my colleagues have,” Yarborough said. “I’d like to hear their questions.”
Yarborough said he has heard that several members would like to see it deferred another cycle and he was looking forward to the discussion.
Council member Matt Schellenberg would like to see it deferred at least one more cycle.
Schellenberg said he believes the mayor should have given the current structure a chance before overhauling the system.
He sits on both the Rules and Recreation committees and has pushed for deferral in each.
He said Monday the Council needs more time and he would like to read the lengthy legislation again in full during the Dec. 19-30 Council break to think of any other questions and “let it sink in.”
“I think others should, too,” he said.
Several Council members said the topic will likely be a highlight during the 5 p.m. full Council meeting today, but they also have received emails from constituents regarding the proposed JEA union contracts that include salary increases, another topic expected to be discussed.
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