Boyer to be new DIA CEO

[jaxlongtimer]

Just approved unanimously:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2019/05/15/downtown-investment-authority-selects-new-ceo.html?ana=e_jac_bn_breakingnews&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWVRJMVpEWXdNemM0TXpjNSIsInQiOiJZekhrTW1ielwvZUphNDRuQTBlWVdubm55MW5mYVJ5bnpldlBFd2FpS3JsdDBObVwvK0J1ZGc0REZaMjY4N0NwM2NubmdGTGlSeXB6elR6eGZnejBIb1wvcjhib1ZZMUlcL1pqVlwvUDlcL09GRWdqUUtRVGlzb2NDTDRMbXZzSERjem9QYyJ9

[heights unknown]

Could this be "promising" good news? I like her proposed vision for downtown.

[MusicMan]

What's her plan for The Landing?

[Tacachale]

What's her plan for The Landing?

Whatever the mayor tells her it is.

[tufsu1]

^ in the past 4 years, she has led the following:

- designating a trail connecting through Baptist and into San Marco
- working on waterfront activation citywide
- rewriting the downtown zoning code

oh yeah, and she served as Council President two years ago

[Alex Sifakis]

Boyer will be amazing for downtown.  She is brilliant, understands how important good design is, works her ass off, and is incredibility passionate.  And she knows how the city works, which is no small thing in Jax.  Big win.

[Bill Hoff]

^ in the past 4 years, she has led the following:

- designating a trail connecting through Baptist and into San Marco
- working on waterfront activation citywide
- rewriting the downtown zoning code

oh yeah, and she served as Council President two years ago

She was also key in having the Emerald Trail plan formally adopted by COJ.

[Steve]

My thought (since you asked):

I think Boyer will do a good job overall, within the confines that she can. Her challenge: Curry is going to do whatever he thinks is good for Khan. That isn't changing. So, how does she thrive in this role with that obstacle?

[CityLife]

This is a pretty huge hoop to jump through for two years.

"An opinion issued in April from the Florida Commission of Ethics says a former City Council member is not allowed to represent a group or the city's interests before the council for two years following their term.

In her interview, she said DIA staff would be used to address the City Council for routine issues, while an outside lobbyist could be hired to represent DIA interests with elected officials for larger development deals."

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/boyer-selected-as-next-downtown-investment-authority-ceo

While Boyer is sharp, has vision, and knows the lay of the land locally; she has no experience running a Downtown Development agency and presumably has minimal development connections outside of Jacksonville. The DIA is going to need a strong number 2. Hopefully, Boyer and co will look for a rising talent from outside of Jacksonville. Ideally someone from Orlando, WPB, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or Tampa's downtown agencies; or even someone from Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, etc.

[Steve]

This is a pretty huge hoop to jump through for two years.

"An opinion issued in April from the Florida Commission of Ethics says a former City Council member is not allowed to represent a group or the city's interests before the council for two years following their term.

In her interview, she said DIA staff would be used to address the City Council for routine issues, while an outside lobbyist could be hired to represent DIA interests with elected officials for larger development deals."

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/boyer-selected-as-next-downtown-investment-authority-ceo

While Boyer is sharp, has vision, and knows the lay of the land locally; she has no experience running a Downtown Development agency and presumably has minimal development connections outside of Jacksonville. The DIA is going to need a strong number 2. Hopefully, Boyer and co will look for a rising talent from outside of Jacksonville. Ideally someone from Orlando, WPB, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or Tampa's downtown agencies; or even someone from Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, etc.

Here's the way I look at it: Yes, that's a PITA for two years, but not much more than a PITA. It isn't insurmountable.

In terms of connections outside of the city, right now that to me isn't holding Jacksonville back. The biggest thing holding downtown back is the bullcrap that happens IN the city. I like the idea of a local person who knows how to wade through the bullcrap. Plus, it's not like Aundra Wallace (who came from the outside and seemed to do a pretty good job - he effectively got promoted so obviously people thought he did a good job) is hard to reach - if she needs to get an outside perspective I'm confident he'll answer her phone call.

Overall Boyer seems to be viewed pretty positively by both the city and by the constituents. That isn't easy to do.

[Ken_FSU]

Hooo boy.

When are we ever going to get our act together as a city?

https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190606/jacksonville-dia-board-violated-sunshine-law-attorneys-say

[thelakelander]

I see Lenny and CM Garrett Dennis are trading insults over this on twitter: https://twitter.com/NateMonroeTU/status/1136727467178283010

[Kerry]

They can't even vote correctly.  No wonder we can't get anything done.

[Bill Hoff]

I see Lenny and CM Garrett Dennis are trading insults over this on twitter: https://twitter.com/NateMonroeTU/status/1136727467178283010

It disturbs me that some of our civic leaders so frequently get in arguments on social media. I may be in the minority, but I see statesmanship as a positive.

[CityLife]

This was just a procedural error and likely done with no malice, just incompetence. That said, they will have to re-vote and now that everyone knows how the original vote went, some gamesmenship could be used. All it takes is a member or two to give their preferred candidate max points and drop Boyer's point total. The original margin was slim; Boyer had a total of 356/400 and Flisram had 346/400. I doubt anyone would actually do that, but if so what a debacle it would be.