JACKSONVILLE
RESEARCH DIVISION
RULES
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES-amended
November 1, 2016
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
Attendance: Council Members Garrett Dennis (Chair), John
Crescimbeni (Vice Chair), Greg Anderson, Danny Becton, Anna Lopez Brosche, Jim Love, Tommy Hazouri,
Scott Wilson; Council President Lori Boyer was in attendance. Deputy General
Counsel Peggy Sidman, Heather Reber, Council Auditor’s Office, Allison Korman
Shelton, Administration, Jeff Clements, John J. Jackson, Council Research
Division, Legislative Assistant Juliette Williams.
The Chair convened the
meeting at 1:36 P.M.
The Chair announced that the
Special Meeting would first have a discussion on the Council’s travel rule
followed by a presentation on the J-Bill process and procedures.
Heather Reber, Council
Auditor’s Office, reviewed the City Council travel budgets for the years
2010-2011 through 2016-2017.
Deputy General Counsel Peggy
Sidman reviewed Council Rule 1.304 on Council Travel. The Council President had previously asked
the Rules Committee to provide her with some direction on how she should
proceed with the rule governing travel.
Council Member Matt
Schellenberg provided some background on the letter that he had sent the
Council President on September 30, 2016 regarding travel expenses. Council
Member Schellenberg is the City Council’s representative to the Florida League
of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties. He felt that it was imperative to be at all
of the meetings. He explained that these
organizations shape policies at the state level that have impacts on Duval
County. Participation in the
organizations requires travel. The
meetings provide important opportunities to network with other city and county
representatives on policy and lobbying efforts.
If we want to influence policy, it is imperative to be at the meetings.
Council Member Anna Lopez
Brosche remarked on the importance of Jacksonville being represented at
conferences; seeing
what other cities are doing with problems similar to those that we encounter in
Jacksonville is helpful. Moreover,
participating in the various conferences helps “put Jacksonville on the map.”
When asked if the
Administration sent representatives to the Florida League of Cities and the
Florida Association of Counties meetings, Ali Korman Shelton explained that the
Administration does send representatives to these conferences. She explained that Jessica Baker has been
attending these conferences. She further
explained that because of the timing factor in registering, the Administration has
agreed to cover the costs of Council Member Schellenberg’s attendance and participation
in an upcoming meeting of the National Association of Counties’ Large Urban
County Caucus where he has been offered an opportunity to be on that body’s
national board.
Council Vice President John
Crescimbeni remarked that if the City Council annually allocates $105,998 for
membership dues in the Florida Association of Counties and $40,000 for
membership dues in the Florida League of Cities, then the City Council should
allocate funding for travel. He felt that
the City Council should not send one Council Member to attend the meetings of
both organizations. He felt that the
Council rule on travel should be left alone and that there is a need to define
what “special assignment” entrails. Mr. Crescimbeni volunteered to craft a
proposal that would fix the problems that we might have with the Council travel
budget. He recommended that the Rules
Committee report to the Council President that the Rules Committee has reached
a consensus opinion that travel to conference meetings of groups with which the
City is affiliated is a “special assignment.”
Mr. Crescimbeni put this in the form of a motion, adding that in the
interim, the Committee will work on permanent policy. He characterized the “special assignment”
policy that he will be crafting as a “temporary bridge” to a permanent
policy. The Committee voted to approve
the motion.
The Special Meeting next
turned its attention to the J-Bill Process and Procedures. Paula Shoup of the City Council staff, made a
PowerPoint presentation.
A J-Bill is a state law that
affects the Jacksonville Charter. The
kite boarding J-Bill affecting Huguenot Park was cited as an example.
Ms. Shoup explained that
local bills are generally proposed when the County wishes to be exempted from a
general state law or when the local government is limited in its authority to
accomplish a specific goal and has to ask the Legislature for a special
act. A local bill must have a House of
Representatives member of the Duval Delegation agree to be the sponsor of the
bill before the bill is filed with the Delegation office. Within days of the deadline for filing a
local bill, the bill(s) are delivered to the Council President and Rules Committee. Copies are then placed in the mailboxes of
Council Members, Council Secretary, Chief of Legislative Services and the Chief
of Legislative Research. The bill is
then filed as a resolution for consideration by the City Council. The Duval Delegation holds a public hearing
in January to discuss and vote on the local bills. When submitted to the Legislature, the local bills
are referred to the House Local & Federal Affairs Committee. If the House and Senate approve the local
bills, the Delegation advises the City Council of passage and informs that body
of the Governor’s action.
The City Council cannot amend
a local (J) bill. The proposed bill is
considered the property of the Duval Delegation House Member sponsoring the proposed
legislation.
Ms. Shoup fielded numerous
questions from the Committee.
There being no further
business, the Special Meeting was adjourned at 3:01 p.m.
John J. Jackson, Council
Research Division (904) 630-1729
11.07.16
Posted:
3:00 p.m.