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A.G. GancarskiJune 24, 2015

The Downtown Investment Authority met with Lenny Curry‘s “budget SWAT team” helmed by Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa last week, and it didn’t go so well. Aundra Wallace is back for a second round as the first budget review of Wednesday. 12:50 p.m.: The mood is considerably lighter than the previous DIA session. Mousa made a point of shaking […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

Thursday’s slate of Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa’s Jacksonville Transition Team budget reviews continues with a romp through intragovernmental services with Paul Martinez, director, and a cavalcade of others, including Undersheriff Pat Ivey. A ton of cops here. Mousa: “They brought the heat! Whatever you want, it’s approved!” As if. 3:51: A look at IT’s 5 […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

Preface: It amazes me, again, how the “media” isn’t covering these events. Here’s a good reason why. A quote from Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa, before this session started: “We keep hearing rumors that Lori Boyer is pushing bills through” to “show product” from her CIP Committee. “Everyone’s running around like a chicken with its […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 17, 2015

New Lenny Curry Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa continues with yet another budget review, of the Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority with Aundra Wallace. To read about Mousa’s appointment, click here. This was a lively session. 2:37 p.m.: A discussion of $14,000 revenue collected. Wallace doesn’t know where that money comes from. Rent from somewhere? Who knows. 2:39 p.m.: Salary […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 17, 2015

Wednesday’s slate of Jacksonville Transition Budget Reviews continues with the General Counsel and Military Affairs offices. 10:53 a.m.: The budget is pretty stable, except for one salary reduction. 10:56 a.m.: Talk of the Jacksonville Electric Authority having its own in-house legal charter. This would drop their demand for OGC services, but there will “always be […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 17, 2015

The third day of Sam Mousa‘s review of Jacksonville City Government departmental budgets starts with Employee Services. These are, in theory, separate half hour sessions. As we have the last two days, and as we will until the end of this process, we will be posting blogs of these sessions after each one completes. 8:33: Employee […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 16, 2015

The final budget review of the day was sort of brutal. 4:33: Sports and Entertainment was bundled into Economic Development; was spun out in 2014. Four positions in the department total. 4:34: Salaries have gone up $74,000. Dave Herrell was hired at a rate that was the lowest in the salary range. About $125,000 number went […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 16, 2015

The third session of Tuesday morning is for the Library budget, which is perpetually under siege. 9:30: The library representative has offered a narrative story in brochure form. Sam Mousa prefers to talk about the numbers. 9:32: Overdue fines are being deposited into an account for capital improvements. Projected to be over $950K Mousa wants to […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 11, 2015

Florida Politics has obtained a cache of emails related to Jacksonville Mayor-elect Lenny Curry’s transition. The emails date back to May 22. They provide an invaluable record of the transition, as the self-styled “transformational mayor” moves quickly from the seemingly perpetual candidate to the city of Jacksonville’s chief executive. To highlight the nature of the […]

Tag: Shari Shuman
Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is developing a 'mini-brain' for those suffering from Lewy body dementia (LBD).

Jax transition budget meeting: Downtown Investment Authority (take 2)

Jax transition budget meetings: Intragovernmental Services

Jax transition budget meeting: Public Works, take 2

Jax transition budget meetings: Downtown Investment Authority

Jax Transition Budget Review: General Counsel and Military Affairs

Jax Transition Budget Review: Employee Services

Jax Transition Budget Review: Sports and Entertainment, and Special Events

Jax Transition budget review: Jacksonville Public Library system

Emails provide fly-on-the-wall perspective inside Lenny Curry’s mayoral transition