Mayor Accepts Bill Killingsworth's Resignation

[tayana42]

Serving at the pleasure of the Mayor provides a useful means of removing deadwood when a new Mayor takes office; in this case, Mayor Brown is removing prime lumber...firing some of the best and brightest people we have. 

As Chair of the Group that created and developed the Riverside Arts Market we dealt with a number of department heads and senior city officials.  Most of them were showed average capabilities at best; some rarely accomplished anything they had agreed to do.  But one of them, Theresa O'Donnel Price, head of Special Events, was the one person who got it done and done fast.  Theresa did this though sound, trusting relationships with other city employees and staff, and a willingness to take action if she felt the request was in the community interest.  She was remarkable and a pleasure to work with.  WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???

[sheclown]

I'm in mourning:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=9848.0

Bill Killingsworth goes for a walk…
« on: September 22, 2010, 12:46:22 PM »

   
An extraordinary night, last night, in Springfield --  3 Layers -- standing room only. Trivia Extravaganza has reached cult status -- (people hyped up on strawberry cake & wine yelling out wrong answers & giggling)

-- but mostly Bill Killingsworth stopped by to take a walk with some of us from Preservation SOS.

Bill is a big dog in the city.  He runs a lot of stuff.  Building codes & inspections, planning & zoning, historic departments.  He’s the boss of it all, and yet he took the time to look at this condemned house on Ionia and talk to us about preservation.

He spoke to us about mothballing, surveying and community involvement.  We talked about the formal track and board & secure permits previous policies and new ideas.

He made us feel important and our issues seem significant.

It was all too much for Nicole last week when he called to set up this appointment.  She later told me, “when he said he wanted to help, I couldn’t help it, I just started crying.”

Sometimes when you are driving around on High Bulldozer Alert, with a hammer in one hand and a camera in another, you truly feel alone in the trenches. Last night, Bill Killingsworth showed us that we are not alone, that the city DOES care what happens in Springfield, and has the intelligence and wisdom to help.

(So, for those of you who saw my earlier post and PM’d me, yes, it was Bill Killingsworth, the tall and handsome city official, who went for a walk with us.)

Who else cared? 

[Dashing Dan]

Wasn't BK one of the spearheads / originators of the new mobility plan?

That was his baby.  It just won the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association's Award of Excellence earlier this month at the statewide conference in Palm Beach.

The mobility plan is likely to win additional awards.   Who will represent the city at those presentations?

[Charles Hunter]

This has Chris Hand's fingerprints all over it.  From what I've heard from folks who worked on the campaign, and at his law firm, this is his autocratic slash and burn management style.

[jcjohnpaint]

Mayor I voted for you and I believe I made a mistake... I guess I should not have voted at all!  This move is going to set us back big time!

[Tacachale]

Similarly the firing of Teresa Price is going to be a bit catastrophic for the Office of Special Events.  Her job is not a textbook kind of a position, and its based on networks, connections, relationships and an intimate familiarity with about a million details that go into planning citywide events.

No one realizes what a powerhouse Teresa is, and with the double loss of Teresa and Christina, two of the most capable and hard candy competent women in the city is going to be keenly felt.

The woman resurrected an urban jazz festival, for the love of mike.

Yes, he really blew it on this one too. Price is no small loss. I've said it before, but he's getting rid of people just to get rid of people. I mean, I need to see need to clean house and get your own people in, but you need to have a comprable level of talent (or better) and that hardly seems possible with all these hires.

[Mike Ockizard]

Just remember, folks, that NO ONE is irreplaceable. This includes long-time civil servants.

We have given the Mayor the discretion to do this;  let's let him do his job as he sees fit.  If these layoffs prove to be a monumental disaster (as some here seem to think), it will come back to haunt him at election time.

[buckethead]

FWIW, this is a crap decision by Alvin Brown. Killingsworth was definitely a keeper.

Agreed - but I bet there are many out there dancing in their strip-mall parking lots right now.

Ding!

[avs]

it will come back to haunt him at election time.

This will impact all of us long before election time unfortunately

[thelakelander]

Just remember, folks, that NO ONE is irreplaceable. This includes long-time civil servants.

We have given the Mayor the discretion to do this;  let's let him do his job as he sees fit.  If these layoffs prove to be a monumental disaster (as some here seem to think), it will come back to haunt him at election time.

Lets hope they don't turn into disasters. Those making decisions can move on freely in time but residents will have to deal with the results long term.

[Bridges]

Wow. 

What does a "civic position" mean?  Still involved?

[tufsu1]

Just remember, folks, that NO ONE is irreplaceable. This includes long-time civil servants.

We have given the Mayor the discretion to do this;  let's let him do his job as he sees fit.  If these layoffs prove to be a monumental disaster (as some here seem to think), it will come back to haunt him at election time.

sorry, but I'm not prepared to have our city waste 4 more years finding that out

[ChriswUfGator]

Just remember, folks, that NO ONE is irreplaceable. This includes long-time civil servants.

We have given the Mayor the discretion to do this;  let's let him do his job as he sees fit.  If these layoffs prove to be a monumental disaster (as some here seem to think), it will come back to haunt him at election time.

I'm sorry, but that's bullshit. Bill Killingsworth is irreplacable. He is a national award-winning planner, but he also understands what needs to be done to make this place work. Something that his experience taught him. We'll be lucky to find someone 1/2 as good for 2x the price.

[tufsu1]

Wow. 

What does a "civic position" mean?  Still involved?

civil service position just means they get demoted down a step or two...which, if you need the income, might be worthwhile for a period of time.

[Jumpinjack]

Completely agree, tufsu. Why should we see more of the same backward thinking in planning for Jacksonville and say, "Hey, it's just four more years"  I'm writing my complaint today - not that it will do any good since the deed is done.