Longtime city administrator Sam Mousa died Jan. 22. He was 72.
Mousa joined the city as an engineer in the Department of Public Works in 1987 in Mayor Tommy Hazouri’s administration.
He was director of public works while Mayor Ed Austin was in office and served as Mayor John Delaney’s chief administrative officer. In that role, he managed the $2.2 billion Better Jacksonville Plan.
In 2003, after serving in Mayor John Peyton’s administration, Mousa left the city for the private sector. He was the executive vice president of J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. and managing principal with JBC Planning & Engineering LLC before returning to City Hall as Mayor Lenny Curry’s chief administrative officer.
Mousa retired in 2019.
Mousa was involved in the development of such projects as EverBank Stadium, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, VyStar Ballpark, the Duval County Courthouse, libraries, parks, roads, bridges and fire stations.
A memorial resolution enacted by City Council commended Mousa’s “keen ability to manage large and complex infrastructure projects, on time and on budget and he was renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of myriad subjects, tireless work ethic, attention to detail and financial acumen,” the resolution stated. “He could get any vision to materialize, he exemplified loyalty, and his tactics reflected his expertise and commitment to excellence.”
Mousa was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sept. 18, 1952, to Easa John Mousa and Farida Easa Mousa.
He moved to Jacksonville at 18, studying at Florida Junior College, now Florida State College at Jacksonville, then graduated from the University of Florida College of Engineering in 1976.
He and his wife, Sandy, were married for 47 years. They raised three children and had six grandchildren.