by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Ron Barton, executive director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, said he and staff will continue working as Mayor Alvin Brown determines changes in the City’s process to attract and maintain jobs.
“We’re just going to keep doing our job,” Barton said Tuesday, the day after Brown announced that a team of private economic development executives would examine the City’s economic development policies and procedures.
“Clearly, he wants to seek input on how we do that differently,” said Barton.
Brown appointed Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Cornerstone President Jerry Mallot to spend the next four to five months reviewing the economic development process and make recommendations.
Mallot, who runs the chamber’s Cornerstone Regional Development Partnership, will operate as an executive on loan as a volunteer.
Jacksonville Civic Council Executive Director Don Shea also is a loaned executive who will not be paid for his review of the City’s efforts to revitalize Downtown.
The JEDC has been the clearinghouse for City economic development efforts, including Downtown development, since 1997.
Barton joined the JEDC in August 2005, becoming its third full-time executive director.
After Brown was elected May 17, Barton was one of the department heads expected to submit his letter of resignation, which is standard procedure with new administrations.
Barton, who did not attend the Monday announcement about Mallot and Shea, said Brown asked him “to continue doing what I’ve been doing.”
The commission, created by the John Delaney administration, is the City’s economic development office.
It covers the county as it negotiates incentives for projects and monitors the deals, assists developments and also serves as the Downtown development arm of the City.
The stated mission of the JEDC is to develop and execute policies that result in sustainable job growth, rising personal incomes and a broader tax base throughout Northeast Florida.
Its five main objectives are to recruit and expand higher-wage job opportunities; promote and encourage private capital investment; increase the growth and expansion of small business; promote and leverage investment in economically distressed areas; and promote a healthy and vibrant downtown.
A nine-member commission meets regularly to review and approve economic development projects and then sends them to City Council for further approvals.
Barton said the JEDC staff, which had reached 42 people at its peak, is now at 16.
Barton said he had spoken with Mallot. “I talked to Jerry, he said he was looking forward to working with me,” he said.
Barton said he and his staff “stand ready to help the mayor evaluate whether the JEDC is the appropriate mechanism,” he said.
“Until such time there is a change, we’re going to continue doing our job.”
Abel Harding, Brown’s communications director, said Tuesday that the mayor was evaluating each department head.
“He is evaluating every single mayoral appointee and it’s part of a process to make sure we have the right person in each position that can deliver,” he said.
“Ron has graciously agreed to work with Jerry Mallot as he goes through the City’s process to make sure we are in the best position we can be,” said Harding.
The chamber has long been considered the City’s economic development marketing arm, while the JEDC has operated as part of the mayor’s office to provide City assistance and negotiate projects.
Harding said the City budget, due Friday, is Brown’s priority. “Once we are through that, we will have a better idea” of the status of the JEDC.
“The mayor does not want the City duplicating services that can be better offered in the private sector,” said Harding.
“Obviously, Cornerstone is a regional partnership and we don’t want to step on Cornerstone’s toes,” he said.
Harding said if the chamber is able to recruit business better, then Brown wants it to perform that function.
“Jerry’s role will be to look at what other municipalities are doing around the country and how they are working together in the public-private sector to, No. 1, sell the community and, two, deliver incentives packages that are accountable, that deliver the kind of jobs that we want” and that provide the proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Asked about Barton’s future, Harding said it was too early to respond.
“It’s just a process,” he said. “Every department is going through this.”
Harding said that once the administration receives Mallot’s recommendations, “then we will have a better idea.”
While Mallot agreed to spend four to five months reviewing the economic development practices, “sooner is better, obviously for both parties involved,” said Harding.
“Jerry has a very busy job and he doesn’t want to take too much away from that. The quicker we can get this wrapped up, the better for everyone.”
Harding said Brown wants Shea to meet with “the stakeholders, including the City Council, and work out what would be the best structure, the best way to go about delivering what we’ve all agreed on, and that is a more vibrant Downtown that generates tax revenues at a rate that can alleviate some of the burden in the suburbs,” he said.
Brown has advocated for an independent Downtown Community Empowerment Corp. to direct Downtown development.
Asked if the Brown administration might advocate for a Downtown agency without a JEDC, Harding said “I don’t think we are ready to answer that.”
“That is up to Don and Jerry” to recommend an efficient plan, he said.
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