299 city staffers told to resign Friday as part of Lenny Curry's mayoral transit

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville Mayor-elect Lenny Curry continues to stay out of the spotlight since his election win last week, but the transition work for his new administration is well under way, according to emails among City Hall officials and Curry's key transition team members.

Curry has asked 299 people Mayor Alvin Brown appointed to serve in his administration to submit resignation letters, standard protocol in Jacksonville mayoral transitions as Curry looks to fill the ranks. Those employees — who were notified of the decision Friday afternoon by an email from either Chief of Staff Chris Hand or deputy Chief Administrative Officer Cleveland Ferguson — have a chance to apply for jobs with Curry.

"If it's determined there are people in place who have the capacity to help serve the best interest of Jacksonville taxpayers, they will be fairly considered," said Brian Hughes, who is serving as Curry's spokesman during the transition.

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-05-29/story/299-city-staffers-told-resign-friday-part-lenny-currys-mayoral

[spuwho]

Jacksonville Mayor-elect Lenny Curry continues to stay out of the spotlight since his election win last week, but the transition work for his new administration is well under way, according to emails among City Hall officials and Curry's key transition team members.

Curry has asked 299 people Mayor Alvin Brown appointed to serve in his administration to submit resignation letters, standard protocol in Jacksonville mayoral transitions as Curry looks to fill the ranks. Those employees — who were notified of the decision Friday afternoon by an email from either Chief of Staff Chris Hand or deputy Chief Administrative Officer Cleveland Ferguson — have a chance to apply for jobs with Curry.

"If it's determined there are people in place who have the capacity to help serve the best interest of Jacksonville taxpayers, they will be fairly considered," said Brian Hughes, who is serving as Curry's spokesman during the transition.

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-05-29/story/299-city-staffers-told-resign-friday-part-lenny-currys-mayoral

Wasteful recycling of talent, where there is talent.

Get rid of the appointed and move back to meritocracy and let the cream rise.

[Jax native]

I just spoke with a brilliant, professional woman is out of a job in a few weeks.  That's politics, good & bad.

[sheclown]

It will be interesting to see who he puts in charge of Housing and Community Development.  This chief is responsible for administering federal grants.  We know what a mess this has been over the last decade:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-jun-busted-feds-audit-jax-after-kim-scott-demolition-spree

The demolitions were only a part of the problem with this department.  There is the issue of Jacksonville "lacking the capacity" to administer federal funds.  Let's hope that as Curry spoke in his campaign of the need for accountability, he places someone in this position with a strong educational  background in accounting, and proven experience in administration of federal funds.

[sheclown]

It will be interesting to see who he puts in charge of Housing and Community Development.  This chief is responsible for administering federal grants.  We know what a mess this has been over the last decade:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-jun-busted-feds-audit-jax-after-kim-scott-demolition-spree

The demolitions were only a part of the problem with this department.  There is the issue of Jacksonville "lacking the capacity" to administer federal funds.  Let's hope that as Curry spoke in his campaign of the need for accountability, he places someone in this position with a strong educational  background in accounting, and proven experience in administration of federal funds.

Like Denise Lee?  She's the rumor.

Its going to be very difficult to get rid of a career civil servant like Kim Scott, regardless of what Robin Lumb promised.
But I remain optimistic.

What are Denise Lee's qualifications for the job? 

[strider]

By accepting Kimberly Scott's resignation Mayor Curry will not be actually rid of her nor will we tax payers.  She simply will exercise her rights and be dropped down in the pecking order to a lower level civil service job.  But by removing her from the position of policy setter and also accepting the resignation of Mr Prado (who also can go to a lessor position), and bringing in new outside leadership, we could end up with a MCCD that does not harass, does not lie and make stuff up and does indeed help not hinder the very people who pay them, us taxpayers.  While the basic job that MCCD does is very needed, the issue has been how they do it and the apparent delight some of the leadership seems to take in the misery of others. By tying the enforcement to the helping of those they are supposed to serve, we could have a five star department. It could even be tied to a private/ public partnership and end up saving the city money. If for no other reason than the money being wasted by the current policies, Mayor Curry should change the leadership and change the direction the department has been heading for almost a decade of Ms Scott and Company.

The issue of Denise Lee is that she comes across as being of the same cloth as Corrine Brown and so I fear that Jacksonville will continue to be known as the city that lacks the capacity to handle the millions of funds it gets from the Federal government. How many millions have been wasted by the polices of appointees that lack the capacity to lead in a reasonable way? Are we really going to end up with a Housing and Community Director  who considers the very people she will be charged with helping "Human Blight' ?  Are we really THAT city?

[Steve]

^This is true. For those that don't know how this works, if you were named to an appointed position, and previously served as a civil servant, you may "revert" back. Now, yor salary reverts back as well. For some it's worth it, for others it's not. Not sure what Kim Scott's reversion position would be.

Now regardless, generally in all city departments the Appointed Employees or Officials set departmental policy.

[Grey88Supra]

Registered just to respond to this.

First off, I'm a City Employee, started Civil Service ~18 months ago, cleared my probation period, and got promoted one step up (more on that in a moment) just a small while ago.

Steve, I can assure you that Appointed Officials set departmental policy - not the Appointed Employees.  At least in my department, we do as we're told, and come up with solutions on how to do more with less.

I'm being asked for my resignation letter, due by June 5th.  Let me be clear, I'm NOT an Appointed Official - I'm considered an Appointed Employee.  Not because I was actually 'appointed' but because I worked my rear off, made massive improvements in my department, and was asked if I wanted to handle more responsibility, to which I responded with a huge YES!  The *only* step up was a move from Civil Service to Appointed Employee.

I'm wondering where these 299 appointed employees are, as I can tell you right now that quite literally half of ITD is listed as 'Appointed' (that's ~66 out of ~134), and are each being asked to resign.  Last I knew there are actually nearly 600 appointed employees around the City.

The entire Civil Service examinations / promotions were (I'm told) killed off years ago.  The only 'promotions' are to positions listed as 'Appointed Employees'.

We're ALL (Appointed Officials and Employees) being asked to turn in resignation letters.   We're not policy setters, decision makers, or anything of the like.  We're simple, hardworking people that had the audacity to do our job well, be recognized by our supervisors and co-workers, and elected to take on more responsibility in an effort to give the citizens what they deserve - better bang for their buck.

I get asking the Appointed Officials to resign - they're the upper level management.  Gutting the entire middle tier - people who KNOW their job, and have the experience necessary to see what needs to be done around the City, seems like a bad move, to me.

We're supposed to be getting a Q&A session tomorrow (Monday) and we'll see what we find out then.

I keep reading in the newspapers that this is 'normal' but people that have been with the City for 25+ years are telling me that they've never asked for the Appointed Employees to resign, as well; only the Appointed Officials have been asked to resign.

For someone with a family to take care of, these are not happy times.

[Charles Hunter]

I was kinda surprised the Council confirmed Folks Huxford as head of Planning, just in time for him to have to resign.  Why not wait until after July, when New Mayor Curry puts his team in place?

[sheclown]

Registered just to respond to this.

First off, I'm a City Employee, started Civil Service ~18 months ago, cleared my probation period, and got promoted one step up (more on that in a moment) just a small while ago.

Steve, I can assure you that Appointed Officials set departmental policy - not the Appointed Employees.  At least in my department, we do as we're told, and come up with solutions on how to do more with less.

I'm being asked for my resignation letter, due by June 5th.  Let me be clear, I'm NOT an Appointed Official - I'm considered an Appointed Employee.  Not because I was actually 'appointed' but because I worked my rear off, made massive improvements in my department, and was asked if I wanted to handle more responsibility, to which I responded with a huge YES!  The *only* step up was a move from Civil Service to Appointed Employee.

I'm wondering where these 299 appointed employees are, as I can tell you right now that quite literally half of ITD is listed as 'Appointed' (that's ~66 out of ~134), and are each being asked to resign.  Last I knew there are actually nearly 600 appointed employees around the City.

The entire Civil Service examinations / promotions were (I'm told) killed off years ago.  The only 'promotions' are to positions listed as 'Appointed Employees'.

We're ALL (Appointed Officials and Employees) being asked to turn in resignation letters.   We're not policy setters, decision makers, or anything of the like.  We're simple, hardworking people that had the audacity to do our job well, be recognized by our supervisors and co-workers, and elected to take on more responsibility in an effort to give the citizens what they deserve - better bang for their buck.

I get asking the Appointed Officials to resign - they're the upper level management.  Gutting the entire middle tier - people who KNOW their job, and have the experience necessary to see what needs to be done around the City, seems like a bad move, to me.

We're supposed to be getting a Q&A session tomorrow (Monday) and we'll see what we find out then.

I keep reading in the newspapers that this is 'normal' but people that have been with the City for 25+ years are telling me that they've never asked for the Appointed Employees to resign, as well; only the Appointed Officials have been asked to resign.

For someone with a family to take care of, these are not happy times.

thanks for joining in on the conversation!

Please.   Let us know what happens tomorrow and throughout this entire process.

Thank you for working hard for our city.  We'll be rooting for you and your family.

[Grey88Supra]

I think Kim Scott would revert to her previous position before appointment. Which would be head of Code Enforcement.

Certainly there isn't anyone with more qualifications on paper.

Perhaps thats what we will end up with, Denise in charge of Housing, and Kim in charge of Code Enforcement.

Perhaps not - Reversion only counts for Civil Service positions, and only for the position you held as a Civil Servant.  I'm pretty sure the head of Code Enforcement is still an Appointed position.  As an example, my reversion rights are back to the position I was originally hired into.

I have no idea how this will all shake out.

[strider]

Kimberly Scott could go back to being a code enforcement officer, which is I believe her last civil service position. The chief is certainly a Mayoral appointment.  She was originally in the library system so I guess she could go there as well.

While not pleasant for those being asked to offer letters of resignation, I would guess the majority will be held in case they are needed to make it easier to bring in whom the new division chiefs want. I would hope that most of the mayoral appointees would keep the majority of the "appointed employees" around as they are the ones doing the everyday lifting ... at least until they get a feel for whom does what and how well they do it.

[Grey88Supra]

Well, nothing new learned today.  We, the Appointed Employees, have a bunch of questions we'd like the transition team to help us understand.

Will we hear anything before our June 5th deadline to turn in our resignations?  I don't know.  I'm hopeful, however.

[Charles Hunter]

What happens if you don't turn in a resignation by the 5th?  Do the "resign" for you ... that is, fire you?

[Grey88Supra]

We don't know, they aren't telling us much, so far.