JACKSONVILLE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING MINUTES
September 11, 2007
3:00 p.m.
City Council Conference Room A
117 W. Duval Street
Attendance: Council
President Davis, Council Members Graham, Shad,
Also: Mike Miller – JTA;
Cindy Laquidara, Steve Rohan, Shannon Eller, Dylan Reingold and Peggy Sidman –
Office of General Counsel; Nelson Cuba – FOP; Kirk Sherman, Janice Billy and
Kim Taylor – Council Auditor’s Office; Dana Farris and Carol Owens –
Legislative Services Division; Kerri Stewart – Housing and Neighborhoods
Department; Lisa Rinaman – Mayor’s Office; Paul Crawford – JEDC; Kelley Boree –
Parks and Recreation Department; John Crofts – Planning and Development
Department; T. R. Hainline; Toney Sleiman
The meeting was called to
order at 3:01 p.m.
Council President Davis asked
if confirmation had been received that the Krestul family was going to be
present for the presentation regarding the renaming of
Council Member Jabour gave
the Rules Committee report.
Council Member Shad gave the
Finance Committee report. He noted the
2007-872 was not recommended by the Finance Committee. He noted that 2007-899 has two different
amendments, one from Finance and the other from TEU; he recommends adoption of
the TEU amendment. There will also be a
floor amendment proposed stating that the conditions run with the land
regardless of ownership. Ordinance 2007-813
(FY07-08 budget) will be substituted and re-referred to Finance. Mr. Shad will briefly update the public on
where the budget stands as of the end of the Finance budget hearings.
Assistant Council Auditor
Janice Billy gave the PHS Committee report, noting that all bills have been
previously covered by earlier reports.
Council Member Clark gave the
TEU Committee report, noting that all bills have been previously covered by
earlier reports. He requested that
someone (Floor Leader?) announce early in the meeting that the
Council Member Graham gave
the RCD Committee report, noting that all bills have been previously covered by
earlier reports.
Council Member Corrigan gave
the LUZ Committee report. Assistant
General Counsel Shannon Eller noted that airplane enthusiasts are agreeable to
2007-562 (permitting outside storage and maintenance of aircraft by zoning
exception) being withdrawn since pending bill 2007-955 will address their
needs.
A floor amendment will be
proposed for 2007-883 (consent agenda) revising the assessment roll.
Council Member Yarborough
announced that he will at some point be offering 2 floor amendments to the
budget ordinance (2007-813). He asked if
the budget ordinance should be referred to the Rules Committee given the fact
that Ordinance Code waivers are proposed and by Council Rule should be referred
to that committee. The Council President is inclined to leave the budget solely
in the Finance Committee for now.
Council President Davis asked
if each council member would please meet individually with Carla Miller, the
City’s Ethics Officer, and then possibly reconsider the Finance Committee’s
action to not fund that position in next year’s budget. Council Member Corrigan expressed concern
that the independence of the position (to whom it reports in the organization)
is vital to the Ethics Officer’s credibility.
Council Member Bishop plans
to offer a floor amendment to 2007-872 to incorporate the RCD Committee
amendment and to delete “median U-turn” and replace it with “at-grade
solution.” Council Member Corrigan will
offer another floor amendment to update the attachment to the bill to reflect
an additional project (
Returning to the subject of
the Ethics Officer, Council Member Corrigan suggested putting the additional
funding for the position “below the line” for now. Council Member Joost argued against creating
another layer of rules and regulations; Council President Davis responded that
the proposal does not create a new layer of rules, but provides for better
understanding and enforcement of what already exists. Steve Rohan pointed out that Carla Miller has
already been appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council as the City’s
Ethics Officer; the pending proposal would simply increase the salary for the
position and allow Ms. Miller to be hired as a city employee rather than doing
the work on a volunteer basis.
Council President Davis
thanked the council members present for their hard work and dedication to
public service. He knows that the
members are doing their best for the public good, and he appreciates all their
efforts.
There being no further
business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:25 p.m.
Jeff Clements, Chief
Council Research Division
630-145