City reorganization taking shape

[thelakelander]

City reorganization proposal

The mayor’s office also included in the public records its own “City of Jacksonville Proposed Reorganization” document.

It states that its methodology was guided by the “Mayor’s policy priorities” and “reviewed” four areas of information: The transition report by former Mayor John Peyton’s administration, Brown administration reports, the Marsal & Alvarez report and “our personal departmental interviews and recommendation.”

According to the proposed reorganization document, it was prepared by Hyde, Bowling, Acting Director of Human Resources Jarik Conrad, former Florida Power & Light executive Jim Poppell, human resources executive Jim Johns, JAX USA Partnership President Jerry Mallot and Shea.

Hyde, Poppell, Johns, Mallot and Shea are listed as loaned executives, indicating they are volunteering their services.

The reorganization time line shows the proposal could be filed with City Legislative Services Nov. 2, be introduced to City Council Nov. 8, be up for its first reading Nov. 14, second reading and committee review Nov. 21, third reading and committee action Dec. 5, and full Council action Dec. 13.

The City proposed reorganization shows that the Chief of Staff; Chief Administrative Officer; Chief Economic Development Officer; Chief Financial Officer; Military, Veterans and Disabled Services; and the Education Commissioner would report directly to Brown.

In more detail:

• The Chief of Staff, a position held by Hand, would be assisted by a Deputy Chief of Staff, now Michelle Barth. Reporting to the chief of staff would be an executive staff, advisory boards and commissions, public affairs and intergovernment affairs.

• Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, a position held by Hyde, would be the Deputy CAO, now Bowling, and reporting through the deputy to the CAO would be Citizen Services, Employee Services and Intragovernment Services.

Citizen Services would include Neighborhoods, Public Works, Recreation and Parks, Fire and Rescue, Special Services and JPL, which is how the Jacksonville Public Library is known.

Employee Services would include human resources, the Administrative Services Division and risk management.

Intragovernment Services would include Information Technology, Procurement and Fleet Management.

• The Chief Economic Development Officer, which would be a new position, would work with the City administration, Finance and Compliance office and work closely with the private JAX USA Partnership.

Reporting to the Chief Economic Development Officer would be the Office of Economic Development; Planning and Zoning; the Downtown Development Authority; Public, Private Partnerships; and Sports and Entertainment.

The Office of Economic Development would include Small Business, the Enterprise Zone and Community Redevelopment Agency, Cecil Commerce Center and Incentives Negotiation.

The DDA would include a board. Reporting to the DDA would be Development and Redevelopment as well as Parking. The DDA would also work with Downtown Vision Inc. and Visit Jacksonville, which operate separately from City Hall.

Sports and Entertainment would include Sports, Events, SMG and Film & Television.

In addition to the organizational charts and the time line, the proposed reorganization outlines action steps that include:

• Organize recommendations and prepare for decisions.

• Fill positions when candidates are identified.

• Task each department and division to submit operational review by Jan. 31.

• Each department would then submit suggested cost reductions of 15 percent through right-sizing, innovation, contract negotiation and privatization.

• The suggested savings would be incorporated into the fiscal 2012-13 budget.

• Specific measurements of governmental effectiveness would be prepared to begin a Jan. 1 measurement and benchmark.

Another time line shows that screening for potential candidates for second- and third-level positions and salary decisions for second- and third-level appointees would take place by late November.

According to the plan, the goals of reorganization are to better align City government with the interest of its stakeholders; direct attention and resources to the mayor’s top priorities; position City government for the “new” economic reality in fiscal 2012-13 and beyond; clarify roles and primary responsibilities; and simply to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

The stakeholders are listed as citizens, Council, City employees, constitutional officers, the business community, regional partner,; national development targets, the interfaith community, the academic community, nonprofits and an area called “transition.”

Brown’s policy priorities are listed as economic development, education, public safety, pension reform and quality of life. Listed as economic development priorities are jobs, business growth, Downtown development, the port, the military and small business.

Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=534710

[tufsu1]

Interesting the companion article that talks about the work Marsal & Alvarez did...they sure spent a lot of money on airfare, hotels, and meals!

[lowlyplanner]

Can MetroJacksonville get ahold of the documents that are mentioned and post them? 

I think that's one of the best things about the "new media" - you don't need a newspaper to interpret documents when there's a crowd of people here who would love to see them.

[Kay]

Don't know what I think about Planning being under Economic Development.  That was the model for decades here and you see where that got us.

[Charles Hunter]

Don't know what I think about Planning being under Economic Development.  That was the model for decades here and you see where that got us.

Well, the name has been the Planning and Development Department for a long time.

[north miami]

Don't know what I think about Planning being under Economic Development.  That was the model for decades here and you see where that got us.

Well, the name has been the Planning and Development Department for a long time.

And Planning and Zoning to report to the Chamber of Commerce/JAXUSA.
Actually nothing substantially different in this regard either.