OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL

117 WEST DUVAL STREET, SUITE 425

4^TH FLOOR, CITY HALL

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32202

904-630-1377

Rules Committee Special Meeting Minutes

May 16, 2017

Immediately following 1:00 p.m. regular committee meeting

Topic: Boards and commission review with the Jacksonville Children’s Commission, Jacksonville Human Rights Commission, and Election Advisory Panel

Location: City Council Chamber, 1^st floor, City Hall – St. James Building, 117 West Duval Street

In attendance: Council Members Garrett Dennis (Chair), John Crescimbeni (Vice Chair), Greg Anderson, Danny Becton, Jim Love, Tommy Hazouri, Scott Wilson.

Also: Peggy Sidman - Office of General Counsel; Kim Taylor -Council Auditor’s Office; Jessica Baker-Mayor’s Office; Colleen Hampsey - Council Research Division; Juliette Williams -Legislative Services.

Chairman Dennis called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.

Ingrid Montgomery spoke about the roles and responsibilities of the Election Advisory Panel. The Election Advisory Panel was created to make recommendations to the Supervisor of Elections to increase the quality of voter registration and education, improve election effectiveness, review ballot styles and submit an annual report to Council. The Election Panel is comprised of 9 members (registered Duval voters): 3 are appointed by the Council president, 3 are mayoral appointees, 2 are designated by the SOE and 1 is a SOE employee selected by the SOE. The Election Advisory Panel usually meets on a monthly basis and has made recommendations on Canvassing Board diversity, voting machine testing, poll worker misconduct, poll worker demographics and election law changes.

Supervisor of Elections, Mike Hogan, and Jason Teal, Office of General Counsel, spoke about the effectiveness of the Election Advisory Panel. Mr. Teal, who started working for OGC around the time of the controversial 2000 presidential election, said that many of the election issues studied by the panel are now under the State’s purview. Mr. Hogan agreed and recommended that the Election Advisory Panel’s ordinance be reviewed and possibly re-written to focus the mission and purpose.

Executive Director, Charlene Hill, spoke next about the status of the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission. The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is comprised of 20 members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by Council. The HRC’s purpose is to promote and encourage the fair treatment and equal opportunities for all people and eliminate discrimination. Ms. Hill said that the bulk of complaints to the commission are in the areas of housing and employment. Councilman Crescimbeni inquired about the process of evaluating complaints and how the status of complaint in tracked o an annual basis. Ms. Hill recommended revising the HRC ordinance to decrease the size of the board form 20 members to 11.

The final presentation was given by Matt Kane and Jon Heymann from the Jacksonville Children’s Commission. The Children’s Commission focuses on improving the lives of children and serves as the planning, distribution and evaluation center for the city’s children’s services. Working with community partners, the Children’s Commission supports after-school programs, camps, mentoring programs, mental health services, nutrition and the healthy families program. The Children’s Commission has 11 voting members, meets between 1 and 2 times per month and is not looking to make any structural changes to the board at this time.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:55 p.m.

Colleen Hampsey, Council Research Division

Posted 5.17.17 5:00 pm