Mayor Alvin Brown announced five appointments to the City on Wednesday, including two who will serve as heads of the newly created Intra-Governmental Services and Public-Private Partnership offices under his proposed reform plan.
Retired Maj. James Cole Cartledge will serve as director of Intra-Governmental Services and report to the chief of staff.
According to a biography from the mayor’s office, Cartledge has experience in the private sector and military and most recently served as executive officer and senior legal adviser in the U.S. Army.
He was a 2010 graduate of the Jacksonville Regional Political Leadership Institute, an organization associated with JaxBiz, the political affiliate of the JAX Chamber. Brown graduated from PLI in 2009.
Cartledge will make $122,500 annually in the full-time role.
Intra-Governmental Services was formerly known as Central Operations and is responsible for “provision of resources and services essential for the overall management of consolidated government operations.”
Brown’s proposed reform legislation says the department’s responsibilities include provision of administrative and clerical support; the acquisition of supplies, contractual services, professional services and capital improvements; information technology functions and services; motor vehicle and related equipment management; and other functions and services assigned by the mayor.
“His experience will make him absolutely indispensable as we look for ways to trim costs and do more with less,” Brown said.
Renee Finley will serve as an executive-on-loan and serve as head of the newly proposed Office of Public-Private Partnerships.
Finley is the vice president for corporate and market strategy for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and like other loaned executives will make $1 annually.
She will report to a yet-to-be-named commissioner of the Economic Development Commission, another newly proposed office.
In 2008, Finley was recognized as United Way’s campaign chair of the year and Brown said it was “exactly the type of fundraising experience and community involvement” he wanted with the position.
Also reporting to the economic development commissioner will be another appointee, Planning Director Calvin Burney.
Burney’s most recent position was as president and CEO of Transportation Planning Group Inc., a consulting firm specializing in transportation and land use planning, according to the group’s website.
Burney also was one of 15 who served on Brown’s transportation transition team.
He will make $120,000 annually in the full-time role.
Also in that department, Brown appointed Jack Shad as a community planner with a focus on Downtown development. Shad will make $75,000 a year.
Shad has experience with projects for the City and the Riverside Avondale Preservation association, according to the release, and is the building manager of 5 Points Theatre in Riverside. Shad previously worked for the City as an urban planner.
“I’m confident he will prove himself invaluable as my administration works on a plan to revitalize Downtown,” Brown said.
Brown appointed Betzy Santiago, the 2010 president of the First Coast Hispanic Chamber and a real estate professional, to serve as a special assistant to the mayor.
Santiago will assist with community outreach, according to the mayor’s office news release, and will make $70,000 annually.
Brown said more appointments would come “soon.”
There are still several vacancies, many within Brown’s newly proposed Economic Development Commission.
Those include the commissioner and heads of the Office of Economic Development, Jacksonville Downtown Development and the Sports and Entertainment Commission.
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