City Council Listens to RAIL... and likes it...

[Ocklawaha]

Today:

City Council Chambers, 10 am, started with the usual blast of mark-ups and votes for dozens of nameless items, each thing that was whacked off the agenda, most deferred sent more and more of the small crowd out the back door. Finally, it was down to the full Council, myself and a reporter... No one else showed up!

Not JTA

Not FDOT

Not Groups or Landowners

Not MetroJacksonville or JaxOutLoud

Glorious Johnson, introduced me as the guest speaker and that I was to share my background and a bit of the new rail plan. She made it very clear that neither myself, Lake or the MetroJacksonville crew were local "good ol' boys" playing with trains and urban issues. She held up a copy of one of my books and told them straight up, this man is an expert... Listen to him.

The Chairman followed, with thanks etc... and added they look forward to meeting the rest of the group.

I was free to launch on the low points of BRT as JTA has it planned. I told them neither I nor the group was against BRT, just the "Super BRT" JTA has cooked up. They agreed with the bathroom to outhouse to bathroom parody of JTA's plan. They were SHOCKED to learn that railroads could be built much cheaper then highways, and that the capacity was 8 highway lanes of passengers per track. They learned of the Mayors challenge to give us a system plan, and wanted to continue to meet with us. Perhaps next week, 1 pm on Weds. Before I was done, Glorious asked to GO ON RECORD as supporting our plan and NOT JTAS plan, she told them "Listen to your Momma!" She read the riot act on the Hood back in the day, when the trains were running and stopping in local stations, and what happened with I-95 or I-10. She said frankly, I want these trains and trolleys back and I want them back NOW!

In fact, Glorious was the most forceful that I have ever seen in Council, she made the plea as if it were in blood, and she made it like the master she is... well crafted and straight to the heart of the issue.

Afterward, many made it a point to come down and meet me and tell me how much they've "prayed for this answer"... The guy with the curly red hair was all over the rail plan, as was the giant dark haired councilman.

I'd say our success rate just climbed by another 3-6 people, maybe more. The movers and shakers were shaking their collective heads YES!!

I next had to visit the VA clinic, and came home pretty beat up, took a nap then realized I missed the weekly meeting... Sometimes you kids have to remind us elders of these things! Oh the humanity!
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Ocklawaha

[downtownparks]

Great Job OCK!!!

[thelakelander]

Good work.  We have already been successful in stirring up the downtown community and getting BRT booted off Adams, Bay and Forsyth.  We'll have to continue to meet as many of the policy makers as possible.  Once shown the light, its hard for any logical person to publicly make an argument of why building dedicated busways as trunk lines is better than taking advantage of what we have and going with rail.

[Jason]

Excellent work Ock!!!  You are a true go-getter.  Getting one on one time with the council is a feat in itself, but to sway their support in your (our) favor is a HUGE victory.  Kudos man.

[second_pancake]

I wish I had a calendar of when all of these meetings go on.  I'd love to listen to the dialouge.

Great job!  I'm so glad to hear that there really are reasonable people in our city council. Thank you guys for all you're doing

[JeffreyS]

We have a calender on this site we should be posting to. We post the dates and times of events all the time. One more step use the link to calender button on the bottom of the screen. 

[JeffreyS]

Are you still meeting at 1 on weds? Are you wanting others to attend?

[Ocklawaha]

I don't have a confirmation from Glorious Johnson, however, if we are still on, by ALL means, come on down.
This is OUR city and it needs to hear OUR voice loud and clear.

Ocklawaha

[Seraphs]

Very impressive Ock!