Live blogging DIA

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:19:53 PM

Harris is the Chair of DIA

Don Sheo heads the CEO Search Committee... who is meeting today. This is the only item on agenda. This is only for the CEO search committee which is Oliver Barakat, Melody Bishop, Kay Harper and of course Don Shea. Harris is here as well along with Paul Crawford and Eric Lindstrom of JEDC and Jason from General Counsel.

Kay Harper is nusing a cold today, incidentally

thelakelander · October 30, 2012, 02:20:47 PM

Quote from: stephendare on October 30, 2012, 02:13:37 PM
are there any board members missing?

Bailey, Allegretti, Perez, and Clements aren't present today.

neptunebeach · October 30, 2012, 02:23:50 PM

This is a meeting of the search committee. The DIA board meeting is at 3:00

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:26:31 PM

Paul Crawford mentions there is a professsional services account in the budget in the office of economic development to use for search committee, but would have to go through procurement which is subject to bid. City does have a search firm hired on contract at the moment.

Shea says this is a specialized field and that we wouldnt be gaining anything using someone that isn't familiar with how these things work by going with someone who hasn't had experience looking for CEO's that deal with downtown development corps.

Paul Crawford wants to 'avoid issues with procurement' by going outside of the firm who is on a continuous contract with the City.

Doesnt seem Bishop, Barakat and Shea want to go with the firm on contract with City... for obvious reasons, getting the best candidate available (real estate investment familiarity, budgets, economic development, inter-governmental relations, deal making, etc)

Harris repeats wanting criteria that is specific to Jacksonville, and having measurable timelines. Oliver believes we dont want to put the cart in front of the horse and really wants the process to play out (search firm guidance, interview process)

neptunebeach · October 30, 2012, 02:28:10 PM

Board meeting is in the same room. Both agendas posted earlier in this thread.

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:30:03 PM

Allegretti walks into the room

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:31:05 PM

Shea and Bishop dont want to rush it and want time to absorb similar criterias presented from other cities. So, specific timelines arent as important as 'getting the right person'.

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:36:57 PM

They are discussing budget issues. Shea tends to believe that this is 'buyer's market' b/c of so many similar searches going on around the country so DIA likely will be at the top end of any budget allocated.

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:41:05 PM

Everyone is in favor of suggesting to the full board that a search firm is necessary.

Harper asks Shea what is the typical cost of search firms? She responds it's usually a percentage of first year compensation (maybe 30% with guarantees).

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:43:32 PM

We are taking a short recess so comittee members can read over and absorb some of the criteria examples Shea provided from different cities.

As we get closer to 3, a few more spectators have entered the room.

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:50:38 PM

And we're back.

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:52:42 PM

Quote from: stephendare on October 30, 2012, 02:46:27 PM
Quote from: fieldafm on October 30, 2012, 02:43:32 PM
We are taking a short recess so comittee members can read over and absorb some of the criteria examples Shea provided from different cities.

As we get closer to 3, a few more spectators have entered the room.

anyone interesting?

The woman from the Urban CPAC that spoke at the Hemming meeting last week.

A few people whose faces I recognize, but not names.

Some cute blonde girl.

One of the public speakers from the last DIA meeting.. an elderly gentleman.

CityLife · October 30, 2012, 02:52:59 PM

Any mention of how they plan to tailor the criteria that other cities used to meet the specific needs of Downtown Jax? Are they going to seek someone with specific skill sets like residential development, arts and entertainment, corporate relocations? Or are they still figuring it all out?

I can certainly appreciate the need to get this right and hire the right person....that said the clock is ticking. It took waaay too long to even set the DIA up. This city, this administration, and Downtown can't afford 6 months or a year to hire a CEO. The learning curve for a CEO who is new to the city would be 3 to 6 months to even hit the ground running. With that kind of time frame, we will barely even have anything to judge Mayor Brown on when its time for re-election in 2.5 years.

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:55:18 PM

Shea is about to conclude the meeting with the promise that he will synthesize a very basic, general search criteria checklist primarily modeled after the Phoenix example.

Harper wants a bullet point about included about historic preservation, which is a 'huge deal in Jacksonville'

fieldafm · October 30, 2012, 02:57:08 PM

Crawford mentions he will have 'someone from HR here next time to talk about procurement issues'