After it was revealed Mayor Alvin Brown banked more than $104,000 in three weeks of fundraising, I wrote that as an incumbent with high poll numbers and a good start on campaign cash, Brown was a "somebody" who will be difficult to beat in the 2015 election, especially by a "nobody."
Brown's "somebody" became bigger Wednesday with an announcement he has helped the City's pension problem with a reform package he says will save taxpayers more than $1 billion over 30 years.
Standing next to new Fraternal Order of Police President Steven Amos, Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters President Randy Wyse and Police and Fire Pension Fund board Chair Bobby Deal, Brown announced what might end up being the biggest achievement during his tenure.
Pension reform has been the gorilla in the room that has just become larger and escaped reform under previous Mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.
Everybody who is anybody has said for some time that a solution had to be found. Out-of-control pension costs have threatened to throw the City into long-term financial chaos.
While City Council will closely examine the package and vote on it, Brown and his team deserve credit.
A couple of highly publicized events probably helped the deal be accomplished.
Longtime FOP President Nelson Cuba was arrested when he was caught up in the Allied Veterans scandal, taking him out of the loop.
And, Police and Fire Pension Fund Executive Director John Keane has been hammered about his pension, salary and funds paid for unused vacation time.
Both were body blows that surely encouraged the police union and the pension fund to seek an agreement.
Insiders always have said Wyse has been a constructive force and wanted to find a reasonable solution.
Brown right on Seibold issue
When Brown moved the City Environmental Quality Division into the Public Works Department, he might have goofed.
That's obviously what Vince Seibold, who was fired as division chief, believes.
Seibold is without City employment because he continued to let his misgivings be known in public even after Siebold's boss, Brown, established the reorganization as policy.
As a result of Seibold's termination, some Council members are still up in arms because they view the dismissal as a stifling of free speech.
If you watched the latest Rules Committee grilling, it's obvious some see it as another step in cutting off information they want to flow to them from Brown's administration.
Several Council members have misgivings about Brown's reorganization, which currently seems confusing.
On Seibold's dismissal, one Council member said a "very strong opinion by a professional was suppressed."
Another said Seibold's firing sends the message that mayoral appointees cannot disagree with the boss.
The better question is whether mayoral appointees have the ability to disagree before a decision is made, not if they can disagree in public once the mayor sets policy.
Speaking "truth to power" is incredibly difficult.
Often, appointed officials would rather cling to their jobs than tell higher-ups what they need to know.
Seibold was hired in 2007, so he's been around long enough to know disagreeing with the boss in public or trying to sabotage a policy decision are probably unwise decisions.
Once policy is determined, such as moving the division into the public works, the mayor cannot allow members of his team to continue to question or criticize new policy.
It's a quick way to get branded as a troublemaker.
The potential of Metropolitan Park
It's looking more and more like the future of Metropolitan Park will not fade from the spotlight now that most of the public discussion about the "Welcome to Rockville" festival is dying.
Rockville attracted sold-out crowds during its two days and filled Downtown hotels with visitors from all over the Southeast who came into town for the popular event.
Because of the controversy and extensive debate about the festival's projected loud music and profane language, the City Environmental Quality Division stationed people with audio-level testing equipment in neighborhoods across the river from Metropolitan Park during the event.
In his very comprehensive report, Steve Pace, senior environmental manager, indicated there were only a couple of times over the two days when the music reached maximum volume levels.
Pace ran similar testing this past weekend during "Funk Fest," another two-day festival at Metropolitan Park.
The discussions leading up to Rockville focused attention on the riverfront park, which is a true gem on the eastern doorstep of Downtown.
Now, members of a Council Ad Hoc Committee on Metropolitan Park, chaired by Council member Denise Lee, want to keep the focus alive.
Let's hope Council Vice President Bill Gulliford, the presumptive incoming Council president, keeps Lee's committee running once he takes office July 1.
Over the past 28 years, Metropolitan Park has proved its value. It has been enjoyed by thousands upon thousands of people.
Metropolitan Park has become part of our DNA.
The renewed energy and excitement about the future of Downtown provides a great backdrop for Mayor Alvin Brown and the City Council to put Metropolitan Park on an "A" list of positive accomplishments
Capital improvements need to be made that could include a new design that relocates the park's stage so its rear is to the river, sending music away from residential neighborhoods.
There also needs to be a park policy to permit and encourage entertainment while being sensitive to those living across the river.
If we can marry an updated park and workable policy with more paid and free music events, we can continue to feed our Downtown hotels, restaurants and bars.
That creates and maintains jobs and it is good for taxpayers all over Jacksonville.
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