Mayor Accepts Bill Killingsworth's Resignation

[sheclown]

geez.  Under the best of conditions it is tough to get something done downtown.  What will happen now?

[Dashing Dan]

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.

Please expand on this, starting with "Who is Chris Hand?"

[Mike Ockizard]

StephenDare and all the rest:

Maybe Killingsworth's removal is a bad move, I don't know.

All I'm saying is that it is the Mayors PREROGATIVE to make these kinds of decisions.

If you don't want future mayors to have this kind of power, then lobby to change the City charter.

Perhaps BK's removal will spark a move for some real change in how we run our city.

[fsujax]

Word has it that there are many high level cross over Reps and Dems who supported Brown that are very unhappy and are wandering what in the hell is going on.

[Ocklawaha]

Unless Mayor Brown pulls a nationally recgonised planning leader, one that would run over our backwardness like a tornado in a trailer park, this remains a disaster.

Stephen, Lake, I'm onboard for a meeting with the mayor, we've got at least 4 issues to discuss.

OCKLAWAHA

[Noone]

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? 

+1

I didn't know Bill as well as a lot of you did. But my limitted exposure gave me hope that some positive things were going to happen.

Bring on the new Downtown Independent Authority.

[fsujax]

Get it Stephen! we cant sit by and let all this happen.

[avs]

They work for US. WE hired them!  Our tax money pays them.  They aren't "in charge" of the public for goodness sake.  The elected officials in this country need to remember that representing us does not mean telling us what to do or hiding what they are doing!  I have been very disappointed at Brown's movement toward the right after his election.  I voted for a democrat who was supportive of downtown development.  Killingsworth was a great ally to aid in Brown's downtown promises - this goes against what he campaigned on in my book and I am sorely disappointed by this and the fact that they have no comment.  He is losing public support quick, as I hear more and more people say the same thing.

[downtownjag]

Good luck Stephen. The zoning code rewrite is imperative to TOD development. Someone in City Hall needs to understand this.

we literally cannot afford to lose this guy for that reason alone, Fsujax.  And we also literally cannot afford to replace him with a person of comparable talent.  This is one of the most random acts of capriciousness that I think Ive ever personally witnessed in this town. 

John Peyton won in a large landslide, and was richer than most people on the planet.  He was beyond convincing of anything, and really didnt care if he won or lost the second election.  Hard guy to convince of anything.

Alvin won with a razor slim margin, and represents a coalition of regular people, metrojacksonville included.

His people cannot govern like republican autocrats, unless I miss my guess.  We need to remember who is responsible for this city.  Us.

And we should take a more participatory role.   In fact, I think we intend to.

Any luck getting a meeting with the Mayor yet Stephen?  We would all be very grateful if you did. 

[downtownjag]

It is very reassuring to know that when we hear about misguided decisions like this; there is always a group watching over... We need to get you guys a "MJ" light like Gotham had when they needed Batman:)

[Ocklawaha]

Ready when you are Stephen, lets do it.

OCKLAWAHA

[Jumpinjack]

It is very reassuring to know that when we hear about misguided decisions like this; there is always a group watching over... We need to get you guys a "MJ" light like Gotham had when they needed Batman:)

  and they all need super hero capes to wear. Hey, maybe there are a few left over in the Orlando Workforce offices. 

[Doctor_K]

It is very reassuring to know that when we hear about misguided decisions like this; there is always a group watching over... We need to get you guys a "MJ" light like Gotham had when they needed Batman:)

  and they all need super hero capes to wear. Hey, maybe there are a few left over in the Orlando Workforce offices.

Stephendare in a cape and cowl, and thelakelander in a domino mask...

It does make for an amusing picture.

Joking aside, thank you to all involved for identifying and staying on top of this.  It's amazing work that you guys (and gals) do here.

[urbanlibertarian]

You know, it seems every time the mayor has been in front of a TV camera lately he mentions this massive reorganization of city government that is coming soon.  Could it be that yesterday's actions were just phase 1 of that effort and that we will see some of these folks return to prominent positions after the dust settles?

[BridgeTroll]

You know, it seems every time the mayor has been in front of a TV camera lately he mentions this massive reorganization of city government that is coming soon.  Could it be that yesterday's actions were just phase 1 of that effort and that we will see some of these folks return to prominent positions after the dust settles?

That has been my thought... if this is the case... more transparency would go a long way...