Mayor Alvin Brown believes his plan to reform City government can be accomplished in December, a 15 percent budget cut in each department is possible and economic development will be a top priority.
Brown met briefly with Daily Record reporters Tuesday to talk about pending plans to reorganize City government, which he emphasized was a plan to “reform” government.
“The best is yet to come,” he said.
Among his comments:
• In a draft reorganization plan’s “action steps,” it states that “each department is to submit suggested cost reductions of 15 percent (through right-sizing, innovation, contract negotiation, privatization).” Brown said 15 percent is possible. “It’s a goal,” he said. Brown said property tax revenues continue to decline, which presents an opportunity to streamline. “I want us to operate more effectively and efficiently.”
• He did not want to discuss projected budget savings next year and beyond from the reorganization. He said the plan is a draft. “No numbers,” he said. He did say the reorganization “will save taxpayers a lot of money, the City a lot of money.”
• The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission “will not be the same as you know it” after reorganization. As for economic development being housed within the mayor’s office, which is shown in a draft organizational chart, Brown said “that’s a good idea.” “That’s going to be a top priority,” he said. Economic development is the first bullet point under “Mayor’s Policy Priorities” in the draft and has its own bullet points of jobs, business growth, Downtown development, port, military and small business. Many of those topics are also the topics of advisory councils Brown previously has proposed.
• Brown believes that the reorganization legislation could be approved by City Council by his targeted date of Dec. 13, despite skepticism voiced by many Council members interviewed Monday and Tuesday by the Daily Record. “I think we can do it by then,” Brown said. “We have to make the tough decisions now. I’ll work with the Council to answer any of their questions.”
• Brown said he already has met with up to 10 Council members and will “absolutely” meet with all of them. According to his posted schedule, he will meet today with Council members Richard Clark, Don Redman, Warren Jones, John Crescimbeni, Matt Schellenberg and Robin Lumb. “I’m meeting with them every day, based on their schedules.”
• Asked if there would be more layoffs as a result of reform, in addition to those already made, Brown said he wasn’t sure and didn’t want to speculate. “These are tough times,” he said. “We are dealing with people’s lives.” He said he wanted to be fair to government workers, which can be “hard because you can have misinformation out there.”
• Brown said he didn’t have any names for new department heads. He has accepted the resignations of several department heads who offered to leave, a standard practice with a new administration, and named acting directors and division chiefs.
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