JACKSONVILLE
RESEARCH DIVISION
SPECIAL RULES COMMITTEE MINUTES
October 4, 2016
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
Attendance: Council Members Garrett Dennis (Chair), John
Crescimbeni (Vice Chair), Greg Anderson, Danny Becton, Tommy Hazouri, Jim Love;
Council Member Scott Wilson was excused; 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 2:26 P.M.
The Chair announced that the
Special Committee would hear from representatives of the Construction Trades
Qualifying Board, the Jacksonville Housing Authority and the Jacksonville
Housing and Community Development Division.
Ronald Andrews, Chair,
Construction Trades Qualifying Board explained the composition of the Board and
its powers as enumerated in Florida Statutes and the Ordinance Code. The Board’s
duties include:
administering Chapter 342,
Municipal Code; ensure that an applicant for any certificate meets the
qualifications provide by law; provide for the preparation, administration and
grading of examinations; deciding questions of definition and interpretation of
the scope of work of the various construction trades covered by Chapter 342,
Municipal Code; make recommendations to the City Council for amendments to
ordinances that the Board is required to administer; provide a continuous study
of the different trades and crafts regulated by Chapter 342 and recommend the
regulation of additional trades or crafts as may be determined to protect the
public health, safety and welfare.
To make the Board more
efficient, Mr. Andrews suggested that more staff is needed to monitor the
licensing process. More City inspectors
are needed to monitor issues relating to permitting.
Richard Hickok, Executive
Director, Construction Trades Qualifying Board, spoke next.
Council Member Greg Anderson
wanted to know if a smaller Board would eliminate the quorum problems that the
Board has encountered.
Council Member John
Crescimbeni inquired about malfeasance issues with the permitting process.
The Chair, Council Member
Garrett Dennis, wanted to know how a citizen who has been cheated by a
contractor should be
directed to the Construction Trades Qualifying Board? How would citizens know
how to go before the Board with issues or complaints?
Mr. Andrews said that there
is a great need to educate citizens on how to report contractors that are not
legitimate. Citizens need to make
citizens aware of the rules, and to look for evidence of registration and
insurance.
The next topic in the Special
Meeting was the Jacksonville Housing Authority.
Eric Smith, the Housing Authority
Board Chair and Fred McKinnies, President & CEO of
the Housing Authority made remarks.
Mr. Andrews gave the
Committee an overview of the Authority and its history.
The Housing Authority used to
be a City department.
There are seven board
members; the board meets monthly.
Eric Smith characterized the
Authority’s work and accomplishments as a success story. There are happy people in public housing,
good people on the housing board.
JHA currently manages 2,881
public housing units. JHA’s public housing
consists of various sizes/types of housing ranging from scattered duplex and
quad apartments to high-rise apartments for the elderly. These units are owned and operated by
JHA. Rent in these units is set for each
family based on their anticipated annual adjusted income.
Mr. McKinnies described the
Section 8 voucher program. All Section 8
housing is private housing.
With a Section 8 voucher, a
renter can go anywhere in the County to find housing; it must be private
housing.
98% of JHA’s revenue comes
from the H.U.D. All other revenue comes
from rents.
Mr. McKinnies discussed JHA’s
programs for the homeless and low-income veterans.
Philip Mobley, Chair, made a
brief presentation on the Jacksonville Housing & Community Development
Commission (JHCDC).
He reported that his board
has had no issues with quorums.
The size of the board (11) is
stipulated by Florida Statutes.
Mr. Mobley recommended that
the board reflect geographic diversity.
Council President Boyer
cautioned against making geographic diversity a factor in the board’s
composition.
There being no further
business, the Special Meeting was adjourned at 4:02 p.m.
John J. Jackson, Council
Research Division (904) 630—1729
10.14.16
Posted:
4:00 p.m.