City Council Live Blog with Kassidy Lankford

[kassidylankford]

Kassidy Lankford here, sat at City Hall in a council meeting. The crowd murmurs each time the council members speak, men and women in business attire sit in a half-circle, moving through the agenda at an astoundingly rapid pace. Impatient crowd members fan themselves with papers, waiting for their turns to speak.

[kassidylankford]

Anna Brosche: Dark-haired and fair-skinned, sitting 3rd from last on the right of the political half-circle, head tilted in concentration, she is listening to her fellow council members with quiet interest. She is polite in demeanor, with few oppositions towards the agenda and little commentary.

[kassidylankford]

A man named Dennith is currently speaking to the council members about access to seeing his two daughters, one of whom was raped on August 10th. He wants to be there for his children, but is currently unable to be with them.

[kassidylankford]

Dennith is going into the green room to further discuss his issue.

[kassidylankford]

Mary Maxey, city employee and bespectacled redhead is at the podium, arguing that city employees should be paid fairly. She's of the stance that city employees should be brought to the same standards as other city workers.

[kassidylankford]

Curtis Lee, greying and slouching, is facing the council members, speaking about the lack of information released by the JSO regarding racial matters and other issues.

[kassidylankford]

City Council meetings are the only opportunities for Jacksonville's public to speak to the city's politicians, yet many of the council members are coming and going from their seats, many of them neglecting to hear the points of the people.

[kassidylankford]

Maddie Williams, standing out in bright yellow, is speaking to the council members about the issue regarding the city grant she received to renovate her home. The contractors they approved to do the work for her were incompetent, leaving her home in complete disarray. This has been going on for upwards of 8 years, and Williams has still not received help.

[kassidylankford]

AG Gancarski, who at first was opposed to being photographed, but quickly reconsidered.



Mike Weinstein, friendly Florida Gator fan. 

[kassidylankford]

Doug Skiles, whose pants match his socks. He's on a mission to raise money for extra tracks for the runners at Stanton.

[kassidylankford]

Bill Gulliford is in a pink bowtie, joking about hair implants with a speaker.

[kassidylankford]

Update: There has been no fight to the death between council members.

[kassidylankford]

The show is over, folks.

[dougskiles]

Good to see you tonight, Stephen, and nice to meet you, Kassidy.  And of course, thanks for the kind words.

P. S.  I like Greg Anderson's cheerfulness as council president.

[kassidylankford]

Lovely to meet you as well, Doug. Cute dog in the avatar.