JACKSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL

RESEARCH DIVISION

 

 

PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES

 

AUGUST 6, 2007

4:00 P.M.

 

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER

1st floor, City Hall

117 W. Duval Street

 

 

Attendance: Kevin Hyde (Chair), Mia Jones, Johnny Gaffney, Ray Holt, Stephen Joost, Don Redman, Clay Yarborough; Warren Jones

Philip Zamarron – Legislative Services Division; Janice Billy – Council Auditor’s Office; Steve Rohan – Office of General Counsel; Adam Hollingsworth – Mayor’s Office; Jeff Clements – Council Research

 

The meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m.

 

2007-818

ORD Apv (that Portion to be used in Jax - Renovation of 1800 Danese Court for Social Svcs) the Issuance of a Portion of the Proceeds from $13,000,000 City of Tampa, FL Variable Rate Rev & Rev Refunding Bonds (Volunteers of America Proj); Apv an Interlocal Agreemt. (Rohan) (C/M Shad)

Public Hearing Pursuant to Sec 147(f), Internal Rev Code - 8/14/07

 

1. 7/24/2007 CO  Introduced: F,PHS

 

 

F: 2nd and rerefer

 

Read 2nd and rerefer

 

2007-820

ORD Declaring Surplus a 1970 65' Eugene Johnson Boat; Auth Sale in Accordance with Pt 8, Chapt 122, Ord Code. (McCain) (Req of Mayor)

Public Hearing Pursuant to Chapt 166, F.S. & CR 3.601 - 8/14/07

 
  1. 7/24/2007 CO  Introduced: F,PHS

 

F: 2nd and rerefer

 

Read 2nd and rerefer

 

Dr. Robert Harmon, Director of the Duval County Health Department, gave a presentation on the department’s functions, budget, and working relationship with the City.  He stated that Jacksonville is the only one of the 67 Florida counties to be contemplating the large cut in local support for the county health department that Jacksonville is proposing, and expressed his regret that the proposed funding cut jeopardizes the good working relationship the department has always had with the City.  He noted that the Duval Health Department is fairly unique among Florida health departments in the amount of clinical medical and dental services it provides, in its well-regarded research and statistical analysis unit, and in its extensive jail medicine program.  Dr. Harmon also noted that the proposed funding cuts, both from the City and now from the state, threaten the department’s ability to do the kind of preventive medicine that saves money in the long run by reducing the burden on hospital emergency rooms (particularly Shands Jacksonville) when illnesses are left untreated until there are serious complications.  He also noted that the City’s financial contribution of less than $2 million is used to leverage large amounts of state, federal and private funding, so the effects could be very serious for the department.

 

Adam Hollingsworth responded by noting that Jacksonville has and will continue to provide the Health Department with nearly $350,000 per year in infrastructure and in-kind operational assistance (office space, utilities, computers, etc.), and pointed out that Jacksonville’s contribution of approximately $1 million per year is a small portion of the Health Department’s $55 million budget.  The administration has taken the position that the drastic limit on and rollback of local government revenue imposed by the state forces a drastic local response, and since the Health Department is a state agency, the state is going to have to be responsible for its funding.

 

Mr. Frank Brendan of the Paxon/Biltmore Heights Improvement Association made a presentation concerning the poor quality of City street lights.   He believes that the high pressure sodium lamps predominantly used by the City are insufficient to meet the community’s needs, both in their color and overall lack of light and in their short life span.  He believes the dark streets contribute substantially to the crime problem, and to the inability of citizens to “be the eyes and ears of the JSO” because they cannot adequately see what is happening in their neighborhoods.  He recommends the City and JEA adopt the use of QL induction system (bright white) lights, both for safety and for longer lamp life.  He suggested a temporary surcharge ($5 per month for 4 months) on all JEA electric bills to pay for the purchase of new street lights, and for a small permanent surcharge for maintenance and replacement thereafter.  Staff was asked to research whether other cites have made this switch and, if so, what their experience has been.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:12 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Jeff Clements, City Council Research

630-1405