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A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

Jacksonville City Council’s Tuesday Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety (RCDPHS) committee meeting was highlighted by Pension Tax and Public Health talk, and an extended discussion of a controversial Fire and Rescue salary allocation from September’s budget hearings. The Health Department’s Kelly Wells announced new initiatives, such as the 60 Days to Better Health challenge […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

On Monday, the Jacksonville City Council Neighborhood Improvement and Community Enhancement Committee kicked off 2016. The ad hoc committee has become a source of consternation for many on Council, who note that it is unable to take action, and is just a deliberative committee. Some highlights included a further discussion of Land Bank issues and […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 21, 2015

On Monday morning, members of the Jacksonville City Council wrestled again with Consolidation Task Force recommendations. Just a few of the highlights: • A Jacksonville Strategic Planning Commission was discussed, with Finance Chairman Bill Gulliford pushing for it to be considered in Rules. Rules Chairman Matt Schellenberg then renewed his call for three terms, discussing […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 8, 2015

After a grueling round of committee hearings, the only question regarding the Jacksonville City Council’s approval of a $45 million investment into EverBank Field upgrades was this. Would it be 19 to 0? Or would dissident Danny Becton stand his ground and vote against the measure, as he did in two Committees? It turned out that […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2015

Rules, the third Jacksonville City Council committee deliberating the bill, approved the EverBank Field amphitheater package on Tuesday afternoon without even a moment of committee discussion. The bill allocates $90 million for stadium improvements, including a new amphitheater, a covered practice field, and other enhancements to the Sports Complex. With no discussion at all, Rules […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 24, 2015

The penultimate Jacksonville City Council meeting of the year, on “getaway day” before Thanksgiving break unofficially begins, had, in theory, a light agenda with expected heavy public comment on the HRO and related issues. In practice, though the agenda was light and the public comment was robust, the HRO commentary was surprisingly muted. The agenda […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 24, 2015

On Tuesday at high noon, a conference room in Jacksonville City Council’s offices had a Vehicles for Hire committee meeting, including Councilmen Bill Gulliford, Matt Schellenberg, Garrett Dennis, Jim Love, Anna Brosche, Reggie Gaffney, and Council President Greg Anderson. The Tuesday meeting’s main event: a phone-in presentation from Broward County Assistant County Attorney Annika Ashton regarding Broward’s Transportation Networking Company regulations, recently imposed […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 17, 2015

Jacksonville City Council committee meetings rarely resemble an episode of “Survivor.” But the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety Committee started three short: Katrina Brown, Sam Newby, and Reggie Brown were not in the house. Reggie Brown did materialize a few minutes in, however. And then Katrina Brown got in just before 10 a.m. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 9, 2015

Rookie Jacksonville Councilwoman Anna Brosche, as chair of this special committee regarding the oft-criticized public service grants process, has chaired a number of meetings looking to streamline operations. A rain soaked Monday morning saw another one of these meetings. Attention, as in previous meetings, was paid toward refining the application process with a goal toward ensuring […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 3, 2015

Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee drew a less robust crowd than the one two weeks ago, both in terms of interested parties and interested media. The highlight: Jacksonville Ethics Commission Chairman Joe Jacquot came to discuss the pending legislation barring texting during Council meetings. Jacquot noted that, during the Ethics Commission […]

Tag: Garrett Dennis

Jax rec committee talks public health, pension tax plan, JFRD budget

Jax NICE Committee kicks off 2016, discusses “Spring Clean Jacksonville”

Jax Council members discuss term limits, committee structure

Jax City Council approves EverBank Field upgrades 19-0, a “legacy for this council”

With no discussion, Jax Rules Committee greenlights Jags stadium improvements

Jax City Council light on agenda, heavy on public comment

Broward County Assistant Attorney presents to Jax Vehicles for Hire Committee

Jax health and safety committee clashes, then punts, on “prohibited outdoor storage” issue

Jax PSG committee continues work on streamlining grants process

Ethics Commission chairman talks texting ban with Jax City Council Rules Committee