Melissa Ross
They didn’t make their original goal of electing NINE in ’15.
Instead, only four women currently sit on the Jacksonville City Council in the year 2015 – Lori Boyer, Joyce Morgan, Anna Brosche, and Katrina Brown.
But the “9 in 15“ movement isn’t going away. Not by a long shot.
That was the message sent by powerful North Florida philanthropist Pam Paul at a weekend luncheon for influential local women held at her oceanfront estate.
The event was attended by Council members Boyer and Brosche, along with former Council members Alberta Hipps and Ginny Myrick, recently ousted Planning Commission Chair Lisa King, (who savvy observers think is poised for a future Council run of her own) and JAX Chamber Chair Audrey Moran. Also on hand, some of the local candidates who ran for office unsuccessfully, like Lynn Sherman and Ju’Coby Pittman.
Paul made a point of recognizing each woman who ran for office – whatever the outcome – with a gift and special round of applause.
It was also noted at the affair that Boyer was tapped to serve as interim mayor of Jacksonville while Mayor Lenny Curry and a Chamber delegation were on a fact-finding trip to Oklahoma City.
Jacksonville, of course, has never had a female mayor – yet. Something this high-powered group clearly believes needs to change.
For now, though, they’ve got their sights set on more women in office in general. “9 in 15” was first organized in 2012, helping to get 18 women on the ballot in various races. All with the goal of getting nine women elected to the Council’s nine open seats in the March 24 unitary election.
Only four made it through the process. But Paul and the rest of the leadership hinted this is just round one.
“There’s a wealth of data, nationally and internationally, showing that when women’s voices are at the table in key decisions, better results occur,” says Moran.
