by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Mayor-elect Alvin Brown announced key staff members Thursday, filling the high-level positions with what he termed the “best and brightest” to help lead the City during his tenure that begins today.
Brown announced seven appointments, including chief of staff, chief administrative officer and chief financial officer.
Among the appointments:
• Chris Hand, an attorney with Terrell Hogan and a Brown campaign consultant, will serve as chief of staff.
• Kevin Hyde, an attorney with Foley & Lardner and an eight-year City Council member who concluded his term Thursday, will serve as chief administrative officer. Mayor John Peyton’s CAO Kerri Stewart will remain in her current role until the budget process is complete. Hyde said he would be serving in the position unpaid and will continue to work at his firm.
• Ronnie Belton, Riverplace Capital Management Inc. executive vice president, Brown supporter and chair of his Pensions Transition Committee, will serve as chief financial officer. Peyton CFO Mickey Miller, like Stewart, will remain in the role until the budget process is complete.
• State Sen. Tony Hill will be Brown’s congressional affairs director and will step down from his state legislative role at some point. Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland said Gov. Rick Scott will order a special election likely between August and November.
• State Rep. Mia Jones will serve as a special assistant to Brown. Unlike Hill, she will continue also to serve at the state level. “I think we can do both,” said Brown, referring to Jones’ double duty.
• Abel Harding, a political and business columnist with the Florida Times-Union, will serve as Brown’s communications director.
• Alison Miller, who has been Hyde’s Council assistant and is the former Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce director of government affairs director, will serve as Brown’s executive assistant.
Brown and several of the newly appointed staff called the future work “an exciting opportunity” with Brown complimenting each appointee during his introduc-tions.
One position Brown did not announce was his general counsel. Current General Counsel Cindy Laquidara will continue to serve until the next fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. Brown announced the short-term appointment last week and she was confirmed Tuesday by Council.
“I have some time for that one,” he said.
As Hill prepares for his new, two candidates from Jacksonville have filed to run for his seat in 2012. Terry Fields and Audrey Gibson are both former state representatives seeking the District 1 seat.
Holland said he has heard that some current Council members might step down to run for Hill’s seat. He said a special election to fill the Council and Senate seats would cost $180,000-$200,000.
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