After a month of meetings, draft recommendations from several of Mayor Lenny Curry’s transition subcommittees are in for all areas of the city government.
One in particular spanned two groups: Bring back the city’s Neighborhoods Department, according to both the Infrastructure and Operations Human Resources & Productivity subcommittees.
It was a question posed early in talks for both groups, but formalized in the recommendations. What should be under such a department also was suggested.
Infrastructure suggested CPACs, special neighborhoods services and social, disabled and senior services be included.
Operations pitched including Municipal Code, Neighborhoods Services, Housing and Community Development, Animal Care and Protective Services and Mosquito Control.
Operations also suggested efforts should be made “not to forget” about the Beaches and Baldwin. One example not in the report but that’s been disputed for some time is the city’s role in providing Animal Care to the Beaches communities.
The Infrastructure group also suggested that calls and emails to 630-CITY should be responded to within 24 hours. Operations said the service should be placed in public affairs or directly report to the mayor, which could be a useful tool for operational issues.
Another Infrastructure suggestion: Split up Parks, Recreation and Community Development into three functions, leaving Natural and Marine Resources alone while breaking the rest into an athletics and aquatics programming component and a park programming function. It would show a commitment to park programming with the hiring of another division chief, the report said.
The Streamlining Growth and Opportunity group issued a detailed report, including pitching changes to area likes planning, building inspection and small business.
On the latter, among the suggestions was the city website becoming a one-stop resource for people opening a small business, using Boston, New York and Louisville as examples. It also recommended establishing a three-year pilot program that could help businesses navigate the permitting process that was labeled as “complicated.”
The group charged with fiscal responsibility suggested transparent budgeting that doesn’t incorporate pass-through charges tacked on — instead to just rely on what it does.
“Incentives to save money do not exist in the current environment since departments have little to no control over internal service charges,” according to the report.
And for those city managers who overspend, consequences need to be identified.
On the revenue side, the Fiscal Responsibility members say the city should commit to the exploration of alternative city revenue sources, such as an aggressive grants program. That could include hiring a “chief philanthropy officer” in the mayor’s office that engages with corporations and nonprofits to learn about funding opportunities.
Two groups charged with public safety functions also issued their recommendations.
Among those in the Prevention, Intervention and At-Risk Youth were restoring authority to the Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee, which would work to find a dedicated funding source for its programs.
And those in A Safer Jacksonville recommended adding three fire stations to address below-standard response times, replacing vehicles and equipment while also adding rescue units.
Recommendations from all the subcommittees can change before they are presented to Curry. Those not included in the released drafts dealt with economic development and the selection of a city general counsel.
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