CITY COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING MINUTES
April 8, 2008
3:00 p.m.
City Council Conference Room A
117 W. Duval Street
Attendance: Council
President Davis, Council Members Corrigan, Redman, W. Jones, Fussell, Johnson, Yarborough,
Bishop, Clark, Shad, Holt, M. Jones and Joost
Also: Peggy Sidman, Dylan
Reingold, Shannon Eller, Cindy Laquidara and Tracey Arpen – Office of General
Counsel; Kirk Sherman and Janice Billy – Council Auditor’s Office; Dana Farris
and Carol Owens – Legislative Services Division; Cheryl Brown – Council
Secretary; Lisa Rinaman and Sherry Hall – Mayor’s Office; Lin White and Bob
Williams – Dept. of Public Works; Brad Thoburn – Planning and Development
Department; Paul Crawford and Joe Whitaker – JEDC; John Crofts - Planning
Department; Dianne Smith, Celeste Hicks,
Suzie Loving, Sarah Balme, Suzanne Warren, Sandra Lane, Meghan Friel, Alison
Miller– ECAs; Rachel Welsh – Staff Services; Kevin Meerschaert – WJCT; Beth
Kormanik – Florida Times-Union; Mike
Miller – JTA; Michael Stewart – JAA; Shannon Hewett and Paul Harden -
consultants
The meeting was called to
order at 3:00 p.m. by Council President Davis.
Council Member Clark gave the
TEU Committee report.
Council Member Shad gave the
Finance Committee, noting that the courthouse construction third substitute
(2007-401) will have a public hearing tonight.
Council Member W. Jones gave
the Rules Committee report.
Assistant Council Auditor
Janice Billy gave the PHS and RCD Committee reports, noting that all items from
both agendas had been previously covered.
Council Member Corrigan gave
the LUZ Committee report. Council Member
Holt stated that a large number of citizens may be attending to address the
controversial light industrial rezoning proposal on
President Davis indicated
that he will bring up the
Council Member Bishop requested
the President’s approval of an addendum and requested that 2008-204
appropriating funds for a study of the effects of large water withdrawals from
the
Council Member Corrigan
requested that 2008-202 (employee secondary employment) be withdrawn. Deputy General Counsel Tracey Arpen stated
that there would be a floor amendment proposed to 2008-206 (special election to
fill vacant council seat) to deal with the possibility of additional candidates
should a lawsuit be filed to overturn the current judge’s ruling limiting
eligibility for the election to the two other candidates who originally ran
against Mr. Jabour. The group briefly
discussed the necessity or wisdom of the Council taking a stand one way or the
other about whether to open up the election to other candidates and whether to
act now or to wait until a legal challenge is filed by a third party to open up
the qualifying process. Mr. Arpen
explained that part of the difficulty lies in determining whether the election
to fill the vacant Jabour seat is a new election or is to be considered a
second runoff of the original contest.
Chief Deputy General Counsel Cindy Laquidara cautioned the council
against knowingly violating an existing judicial order. The bill will be pulled and re-referred to
committee.
Lisa Rinaman of the Mayor’s
Office requested an additional addendum bill regarding the City’s bonding
policies, which was approved. Council
Member Johnson requested addendum introduction of a resolution declaring May as
Mental Health Month, which was approved.
Council Member Fussell requested that 2007-401 (courthouse construction)
be additionally referred to the Rules Committee, which was approved. Council Member Mia Jones requested addendum
introduction of a 102nd birthday resolution, which was
approved. Assistant General Counsel
Dylan Reingold requested addendum introduction of an ordinance making changes
to the Comprehensive Plan recommended by the Florida Department of Community
Affairs, which was approved.
Tracey Arpen asked for
inclusion on the addendum of a Council Communication requesting scheduling of a
shade meeting regarding legal strategy regarding challenges to water
withdrawals from the
There being no further
business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:25 p.m.
Jeff Clements, Chief
Council Research Division
630-1405