A Few Minutes with the Mayor – May 2021

This month, I would like to provide a short recap of my first three months serving as Mayor. I thought I was as prepared as possible to serve as Mayor, after six plus years on the HARC, three years on Budget Committee and 2 years as a City Councilor. Not even close! I would be lost without the experience I gained serving Jacksonville on these committees, but being Mayor is a completely different ball game. The responsibility of governing any size city is tremendous and we face many different levels of rules and regulations, especially adding an historic core district to the mix. With our very able City Council and experienced City Staff, I’m confident we will be able to achieve the goals we are presently setting. We have made some changes in our way of obtaining information and making sound decisions, based on learning as much as possible from experts in the fields related to issues affecting Jacksonville. We are also exploring new ways to communicate information to our citizens in a timely manner.

In February, I announced a new schedule for City Council meetings, based on dividing our meeting into two categories. We traditionally hold two Council meetings a month, on the first and third Tuesdays. We now hold a regular business meeting on the first Tuesday of the month. The third Tuesday of the month is a work session aimed at studying and discussing the best methods of handling eminent new projects, ongoing issues and wrapping-up old projects. Councilors will, at times, break into smaller groups of three or less, to comply with Public Meeting Laws. These small groups will gather information, share their findings to the full Council, and provide experts to further educate Council fully on issues. You may follow along using the ZOOM number listed on meeting agendas. There is no public comment during Work Sessions, however, when a topic becomes an agenda item at a regular Council meeting; requiring a Council vote; there will be public comment.

One of the most urgent issues is work, and public education, updating our Comprehensive Safety Plan. After the wildfires of last summer, it became even more apparent this is necessary. Councilors Mike McClain, Andrea Thompson and Scott Selbe took on this daunting task. They have hit the ground running and since February have put in many hours identifying areas in order of importance; and logical, tactical methods to keep us safe before, during and after a catastrophe. Please read their article in this month’s Review, discussing their work so far.

Our March Work Session included a presentation for Council by our City Attorney, on Council duties; a report from the above-mentioned Councilors on their progress on the Comprehensive Safety Plan, including the areas each Councilor is researching. You may listen to the audio of that session by logging on to the agenda section of the city council meetings. The first forty-seven minutes is on council responsibilities and the last section is the report by the Comprehensive Safety group. The Comprehensive Safety Plan is a long-term project that will have many pieces to develop and fine tune. We will be discussing Fuel Reduction, the Firewise Project, Evacuation, and the Emergency Response Plan, just to start with. Please follow the City Newsletter and the City Webpage for ongoing news about this project.

Future Work Session topics will include Urban Renewal, Urban Growth Boundaries, Traffic, the Historic Elements of Jacksonville, and a discussion regarding City-owned properties.

Ongoing City business this quarter has seen City Committee and Commission membership slots filled and approved by the Council with the exception of an opening on the Budget Committee. This position will remain posted until it is filled. Applications are available at City Hall and online. The Budget Committee will begin work on the 2021-2022 budget in May. We have been and will continue to work with a balanced budget, which is no small feat in these turbulent times.

The second story of the Courthouse, or “New City Hall” is progressing on track and on budget and should be finished before summer. We will be ADA compliant with an elevator, parking and new restrooms. The renovation is simple and tasteful, as is the building. We have added a small catering kitchen along with sound proofing, draperies and additional lighting. There is also a dais for use during Council and Committee meetings. The dais can double as a small stage. Utilizing earthquake retrofitting, remodeling, historic renovation, and preservation, the building is a milestone to be proud of. Original features of the Courthouse have been preserved and enhanced. Jacksonville’s designation as a Historical District is symbolized by this beautiful building that has been in use since 1882. This project has been funded through Urban Renewal Funds, grants, and donations.

Our firehall renovation, which I highlighted in March, is underway. The Fire Department will operate as usual, out of temporary headquarters between the library and our public works building. Please be aware of ongoing construction at our C Street location during this project. Completion should take about a year. Again, Urban Renewal Funds and grants have been used to fund this project.

Old City Hall continues to be our main Council, Committees and Commissions place of conducting business until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. We have temporary plexiglass dividers in place in OCH to protect against spreading disease, we are still masked and following regulations regarding public meetings. We continue to labor along using Zoom, in an outdated, technically challenged building. Until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, there is no point in spending funds, to build more temporary protection dividers, in New City Hall. Hopefully, we can return to open meetings soon. Conjecture about future use of OCH is rampant. Will we sell OCH, will we turn OCH into a museum, will we rent it… to name just a few rumors. Despite speculation, one thing we will not be doing is raising Fire and Police Surcharges to fund any use of this building. We don’t have an answer to OCH use, as yet. That will be a topic for a Council work session, as well as discussion on other city-owned properties. Please watch Council meeting agendas for dates when discussion regarding these topics is scheduled.

All in all, it was a very busy first quarter of 2021. As Mayor, with Council and Staff, we continue to strive to serve Jacksonville to the best of our ability. We look forward in the coming months, to enjoying new freedoms from COVID-19. We carry on working to complete the goals set by your Council, Committees and Commissions. As always, citizen input is welcomed and expected.