Mayor's Office: it's not just a Jaguars issue

[Tacachale]

A pretty scathing editorial about the Mayor's performance in the Florida Times-Union yesterday. They could have added Brown's silence on the Human Rights Ordinance, the fact that his "reorganization" of city hall isn't complete after a year, and the lack of progress on downtown development. Hopefully it's a wake up call.

Saturday, June 2, 2012
Mayor's Office: It's not just a Jaguars issue

“I don’t want something like this to happen again.”

â€" Mayor Alvin Brown in The Florida Times-Union

The mayor was talking about what he termed a misunderstanding involving a city contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he could be talking about a number of issues.

In fact, miscommunication and disorganization are becoming hallmarks of the Alvin Brown administration.

Confusion over the Jacksonville Jaguars contract with the city shows just how serious this trend could be.

The Jaguars incident led to a testy letter from Jaguars owner Shad Khan, followed by apologetic letters from the mayor and general counsel.

The city is not in a dispute with the Jaguars, the mayor said. Yet he was more than willing to pull a quick trigger on the default claim that certainly has damaged â€" despite the apologies â€" the relationship between the city and the Jags.

This a shame.

City officials have not explained why they were unaware of the amendment to the contract. Nor did they explain their quick trigger on calling the contract in default.

MISCOMMUNICATION A TREND

What led to lack of communication to the City Council’s Finance Committee over the preliminary budget information to City Council?

The administration has every right to require changes in the Children’s Commission, but it is leaving the commission slowly hanging in uncertainty.

Controversy over management of the equestrian center has frustrated City Council members, leading incoming council president Bill Bishop to express “great concern.”

How did problems with the new courthouse fire safety system come as a big surprise just before opening?

Repeated attempts by Times-Union reporters for comments and information go into a zone of silence and dismissal.

The Times-Union endorsed Brown in the race against Mike Hogan and has been sparing in criticism to this point. A new administration needed time to get its legs.

When asked in a telephone interview Thursday evening what had caused the issues with the Children’s Commission and others, Brown said he did not know but offered assurances everything would work out in the end.

MORE THAN APOLOGIES IN ORDER

The apologies, and withdrawing the default claim, are steps in the right direction. It will likely take more than that, as well as time, to heal the rift beween the Mayor’s Office and the Jaguars. The citizens of Jacksonville are concerned, and watching very closely.

In the spirit of constructive advice, the mayor needs to assign an expert to get to the bottom of these communication and organizational issues and fix them. Is the mayor’s staff serving him well? Clearly, something is broken.

The city of Jacksonville needs an effective mayor’s administration.

There are too many important issues on the table.

[Charles Hunter]

I concur.  I supported Mr. Brown in the election, after favoring Audrey Moran earlier.  I think his vision for Jacksonville is much better than that of his opponent, Mr. Hogan.  I place that in the present, not past, tense, as I still believe Mayor Brown has a vision to improve Jacksonville - "the next level" as he is fond of saying.
But, if he doesn't get his administration moving in that positive direction, he will be even more vulnerable than being an African-American in this town.  There have been too many miscues.  Followed immediately by apologies and promises "that steps will be taken to see that it will never happen again".  From my contacts at various levels of government - from state agencies to CPACs - direct communication with the Mayor is virtually impossible.  His staff forms an impenetrable bubble around him.
Mayor Brown - get your house in order, or you may well be a one-term Mayor.

[urbanlibertarian]

I did not vote for Mayor Brown but have been VERY pleasantly surprised by his efforts to control spending by COJ.  The missteps so far are, I think, to be expected since his prior experience in government was very little and most of the people he brought in with him had similar government experience.  I happen to think a lack of such experience in a politician is a good thing.  I don't think he has yet been corrupted by power but it will happen eventually as it does to anyone.

[tufsu1]

I did not vote for Mayor Brown but have been VERY pleasantly surprised by his efforts to control spending by COJ. 

please expand on what exactly he has done?

[duvaldude08]

Its a mixed bag with me. Cant say hes the worse mayor in the world, but there is definately things he can do better. Im not concerned about downtown development during his first year. The city has much more pressing issues that need to be taken care of first. As far as the reorganization, the city council even concured that it was not going to cut and dry. I think the reorganzation is being held up by the mayor and city council. The problem I have is he is not showing the actual leadership he should be. You cant sit in the office and expect everyone to do their job.  You have to oversee things and make sure things are decent and in order and he is not doing that. He also must be vocal on ALL issues, not the ones he feels is important to him personally/ But I will say it mighty funny how criticle of brown we are, however we allowed peyton run the city in the ground for 8 years and did say a word. (as far as the citizens as a whole, not metro jax). I dunno just my view 

[urbanlibertarian]

I did not vote for Mayor Brown but have been VERY pleasantly surprised by his efforts to control spending by COJ. 

please expand on what exactly he has done?

www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=13781.0

www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=13640.0

www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=12853.0

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=12668.0

[tufsu1]

wow...so very impressive....right now he's pissing a lot of people off that he likely needs to succeed...time will tell what happens long term

[Timkin]

I concur.  I supported Mr. Brown in the election, after favoring Audrey Moran earlier.  I think his vision for Jacksonville is much better than that of his opponent, Mr. Hogan.  I place that in the present, not past, tense, as I still believe Mayor Brown has a vision to improve Jacksonville - "the next level" as he is fond of saying.
But, if he doesn't get his administration moving in that positive direction, he will be even more vulnerable than being an African-American in this town.  There have been too many miscues.  Followed immediately by apologies and promises "that steps will be taken to see that it will never happen again".  From my contacts at various levels of government - from state agencies to CPACs - direct communication with the Mayor is virtually impossible.  His staff forms an impenetrable bubble around him.
Mayor Brown - get your house in order, or you may well be a one-term Mayor.

As much as I hate to concur with this post, I totally do ! 

[fsujax]

I am so far disappointed in him. With Hogan we knew what we were getting with Brown not so much. To me this whole Jaguar issue is a huge embarrassment to his staff and the Office of the Mayor.

[heights unknown]

It appears he's not only inexperienced but also out of touch in a lot of govermental, legal, and political issues and areas. His ship is not tight; so Mayor Brown, borrowing from an old African American phrase.......TIGHTEN UP!

Heights Unknown

[Noone]

Is 2012-364 just introduced now going to replace 2012-212, 2012-213? Just asking. Anyone.

[Timkin]

Is 2012-364 just introduced now going to replace 2012-212, 2012-213? Just asking. Anyone.

Are these bills about the Jaguars ??

[Tacachale]

Those are the bills about downtown development and the new agency. I believe they've been withdrawn.