Today was the new DIA CEO's first day on the job. The Jax Business Journal has several articles on his plans for downtown revitalization. Here's one focusing on his plan to seek philanthropists. Do we have a Dan Gilbert out there? Welcome to Jacksonville, Mr. Wallace.
QuoteWallace told the Business Journal shortly after his June hiring that his No. 1 priority was to make capital more comfortable investing in Downtown projects. On Monday, he said he would seek money from philanthropic organizations to close the gap between project costs and a developer's profit margin.
QuoteBut to garner that kind of support, Wallace said, the authority will need to complete its Community Redevelopment Area plan, which serves as a framework for revitalization. Completing the plan will allow the DIA to access its own money.
"You can't talk to philanthropic investors until you have your actual house in order," Wallace said.
full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/08/19/dia-ceo-will-look-to-philanthropists.html
Yes, first a welcome to Mr. Wallace. :) Then a question "out loud" that is bumping around in my brain which is, seeing as how Mr. Wallace is so new to Jacksonville, I wonder what influence he can have on philanthropists locally or even how he hopes to identify them? Kind of reminds me of Mayor Brown's promises of all those lucrative "public/private" partnerships lifting the city out of decline when he was running for office. So far, those haven't manifested in any big way. Guess we will have to see what happens. Hoping for good things though. :)
Here is the latest TU article about Mr. Wallace. Seems as if there is discussion about creating a staff for him as well. Not sure how impressed I am with his acknowledgement that the Laura Street development could be catalytic. Folks have known that for years and it was a deal being done before he came on board. Not sure what the ill feeling in my gut is about this man and the DIA as well as growing government to support a new Director that basically has no funding to work with. This whole thing seems to be moving by the seat of it's pants and based in some outside hope that the council that has pulled funding for downtown will suddenly see the light.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-08-19/story/new-head-downtown-investment-authority-touts-laura-street-trio-catalytic (click to read entire article)
QuoteOn his first day as CEO of the Downtown Investment Authority, Aundra Wallace said he's eager to crunch the numbers with developers about projects such as renovating the historic Laura Street Trio in the heart of downtown.
Wallace, who came to Jacksonville from the Detroit Land Bank Authority, said he likes what he's heard about developer Steve Atkins' concept of bringing a hotel, two restaurants and a bank to the landmark buildings, which have stood vacant for years.
"Let's work collectively, see what needs to be done, and hopefully we can move that project forward and let it be a great catalytic project for the urban core," Wallace said Monday.
"Jacksonville has a lot of great things in the pipeline right now," he added in an interview about his goals. "There's great potential in the first year."
Wallace, 45, arrives in the $178,000-a-year job amid a swirl of questions about the financial resources of the authority, created last year to focus solely on bringing residents and businesses into the core.
As it stands, he is a one-man staff. But the authority board wants to give him a supporting cast. The board will discuss Wednesday a budget request for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 that would total $1.5 million. If approved by the City Council, that would contain funding for Wallace to hire four staff members
Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-08-19/story/new-head-downtown-investment-authority-touts-laura-street-trio-catalytic#ixzz2cSb9lDMr
Another piece from the Daily Record.
"In Detroit, we had less than $750,000 when I got there. I was able, fortunately, in three years to raise almost $30 million in capital," he (Wallace) said.Wow, that does sound amazing doesn't it? I wonder, did anyone at the city see a breakdown of the "how and where" of all these funds, this $30 million? It really is quite a claim. Not saying I don't believe him, just saying some documentation of this fact would be nice to see. I guess I am still left wondering that if this effort worked so well, why is Mr. Wallace here and not in Detroit? I know that I seem to be a little less than thrilled about this new leadership and frankly I am unsure at this point why I am not more excited about the new DIA or the new director. I am feeling a bit too much pie in the sky right now along with the realization that pulling $30 million from an area you know and doing anything close in community with the nuances and politics of Jacksonville will indeed be quite the challenge. Knowing the inside out of what it takes to do business and the political atmosphere here takes a great deal of time to understand, much less negotiate. Can anyone else give me something more concrete to use as a measure here other than saying give the new guy a chance? I am willing to give him and the DIA a chance. Make no mistake about that. But man oh man how many times is this city gonna travel the road where we create a new agency for the core, hype it, let it run, find out it's broken and dismantle it only to start the same actions over again. Seriously. What am I missing here?
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=540295
Quotethe pipeline'
Tuesday, August 20, 10:04 AM EDT
by Max Marbut, Staff Writer
With funding limited, new Downtown Investment Authority CEO Aundra Wallace said Monday he will seek assistance from the public, private and philanthropic sectors to invest in Downtown.
"I'm no stranger to working in environments where capital is limited," Wallace said Monday, his first day on the job.
"In Detroit, we had less than $750,000 when I got there. I was able, fortunately, in three years to raise almost $30 million in capital," he said.
Wallace is the former executive director of the Detroit Land Bank Authority and was selected to lead the Downtown Investment Authority by its nine-member after a nationwide search. His annual salary is $178,000.
"We need leadership and the community is looking to the DIA to provide that leadership," said board Chair Oliver Barakat, who introduced Wallace to the media.
Barakat said Wallace's time at the Detroit entity is similar to that of the authority in that Wallace was the organization's first executive director and grew the organization to a staff of 10 and an annual budget of $1.5 million.
"It's going to be a great challenge. I'm looking forward to it," said Wallace.
He anticipates hiring a five-member staff for the authority.
The first order of business will be to spend his first 90 days "meeting and greeting" all Downtown stakeholders and assuring them the authority is operational, he said.
"Now it's time for me to come in and lead the board in a management aspect," Wallace said.
Barakat said Wallace's arrival also will allow the board to be more productive and the authority will "have somebody who can focus exclusively on Downtown."
Establishing a Downtown master plan also is a priority, which the authority has retained a consultant to develop. Barakat said the consultant has projected it to be complete by February.
The plan must be approved by Council.
"We need to go into 2014 having a lot of these things behind us," Wallace said.
One issue currently in front of Wallace and the board is the redirection of a $9 million fund established for Downtown projects. The City Council Finance Committee as part of its budget review diverted those funds into a capital projects account.
"Reallocating that money at this time does interrupt momentum. Notwithstanding that, we continue to engage with developers. We will be lobbying City Council to try to explain why it's important to preserve those funds," said Barakat.
Wallace later said one of his goals is to have the development community comfortable with the authority as a "one-stop shop."
"They can come in and talk about a particular project and we are responsive to their actual needs. Having that reputation in the marketplace is critical for us," he said.
"Jacksonville has a lot of great things in the pipeline. We just need to figure out what needs to be done and get projects moving," he said.
mmarbut@baileypub.com
Good grief can't you people give this poor guy a chance ? No wonder top flight people don't want to come here to work you guys peck them to death like a pack of rabid bats.
Quote from: Stephen on August 20, 2013, 03:37:19 PM
Good grief can't you people give this poor guy a chance ? No wonder top flight people don't want to come here to work you guys peck them to death like a pack of rabid bats.
Hold on there Stephen. You can stop with the "you people" stuff. These are my thoughts and not those of other forum members. They get a pass on this so you can relax a bit. Now as far as the pecking rabid bats, I do believe bats bite, they don't peck. I haven't bitten anyone yet. lol
If you read what I posted and digested any of it you will see that I said I am willing to give both Mr. Wallace and The DIA a chance. You will also see that I remarked upon the claims made by Mr. Wallace about the monies he was able to secure in Detroit. I did not say he was being untruthful, but did state and "do" believe that some sort of documentation behind the claims would be a good thing to see. I also pointed out that the city has created several "agencies" in the past to deal with downtown and each one of those after much hype and grand expectation, was dismantled and the great "rebirth" of downtown has still not manifested.
I also stated that I am not sure what isn't sitting right with me about the new hire and the new agency and was sincere when I asked can someone, anyone give me some solid reasons (beyond) give him a chance that will help me to understand why others are so excited especially in the face of the reality that the current legislature has pulled the $9 million slated for downtown. Now everyone can copy and paste this post and throw it back at me if this all succeeds and Mr. Wallace resurrects downtown and finds $30 million for the core. I will gladly print it out and "eat my words" but I will not deny that something in my gut is bothering me about all of this and I trust my gut. ;)
Quote from: Stephen on August 20, 2013, 03:37:19 PM
Good grief can't you people give this poor guy a chance ? No wonder top flight people don't want to come here to work you guys peck them to death like a pack of rabid bats.
The new DIA director will need to hit the ground running but until he has time the jury is out. People are more critical online than in real life anyways.
Okay, following my gut now and looking for documentation about Mr. Wallace. Did you guys know about the Miami scandal? Looks like it was interesting enough to demand a
seven part series in the Miami Herald. I am going to try and get the rest of the series to see what it was all about.
QuoteDIA pick Aundra Wallace responds to Miami scandal
Wallace was with the Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust Inc. from 1999 to 2008, becoming president and CEO in 2005. He served the organization as a consultant from 2008 to 2009, after taking a job with the North Carolina Community Development Initiative Inc.
A 2007 seven-part series in the Miami Herald spells out very serious problems in the management of the Miami-Dade group, from "squandering tax dollars on risky projects" to "misleading progress reports with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — heralding successes that never happened and erasing failures."
Wallace said some of the issues in the reports weren't under his leadership. Others, like millions given to a developer with questionable credentials to build a biotechnology park that never came to fruition, were.
The Herald report said that 47 percent of the loans the trust made defaulted or were written off, though Wallace said his default rate was 9 percent. He said the group did collect on some of the loans that were written off
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/2013/06/dia-ceo-pick-responds-to-scandal.html
How many folks are comfortable with the reality that the person picked to head the Downtown Investment Authority's experience is not in downtown revitalization but rather in dealing with foreclosed homes. How does that translate to rebuilding and revitalizing a downtown core. Someone "splain" please.
http://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/index.ssf/2013/01/detroit_land_bank_authority_to.html
QuoteThe Detroit News reports that the little-known, quasi-government entity Detroit Land Bank Authority will be taking on the nearly 8,000 properties.
MLive Detroit could not immediately reach Detroit Land Bank Executive Director Aundra Wallace for comment Tuesday morning.
Wallace, who was named executive director in 2010, has a tall order ahead of him, as the Detroit News notes that about 2,000 of the properties the DLBA will oversee are currently occupied by squatters, former owners who refuse to leave their property or tenants with no intention of moving:
"The situation is inherently combustible. There will be title issues, evictions and controversy that Wallace, a native of Georgia who built his career in real estate and community development in Miami and Raleigh, has avoided.
"We're a tool for land development," says Wallace, who has won over neighborhood residents, city officials and other land bank leaders during his tenure here. "I think of us as the special forces team."
Oh my oh my. Look at this Miami Herald piece called
"The Poverty Peddlers". Kind of interesting since the new DIA director Aundra Wallace is on record as supporting the effort he was involved in 100%. Looks like there were some serious rip offs under discussion. But hey read it for yourselves and ask why someone would support dealing with this guy. Don't kill the messenger guys. Just doing some research.
http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/povped/part1/index.html
Quoteportunities,'' he said.
DEVELOPER'S THOUGHTS HE PLACES EMPHASIS ON JOBS, INVESTMENTS
Stackhouse proposal
Stackhouse defends the project, saying the park will bring much-needed jobs and investments to Liberty City.
He denied any wrongdoing and said the double billing could have been a clerical error.
''If it were $500,000 -- and I doubt that it is -- what is that? Five percent of what's been spent?'' he said.
Although he told the County Commission he had big-name tenants lined up for the park, Stackhouse told The Miami Herald the list is not firmed up: ``Who the ultimate mix of tenants are remains to be seen.''
The trust also defends the project. ''We still feel strongly, 100 percent behind this project,'' said Chief Executive Officer Aundra Wallace
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/povped/part1/index.html#storylink=cpy
Oh goodness gracious, look at this. Looks like Mr. Wallace has a history of doing things "without" the approval of his board. My, my, my.
Quote
PROJECT LAGGING | PARTIES AND PERKS, BUT NO NEW BUILDING
Across the street from Joel Darvin's shuttered furniture store on Northwest Seventh Avenue, the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp. received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the trust for a redevelopment project that is years behind schedule.
Since 2003, the trust's board has passed four resolutions providing the MLKEDC with more than $630,000 for economic development activities in Liberty City and to convert its headquarters at 6100 NW Seventh Ave. into a $14.5 million business incubation center.
After nearly every resolution, however, the MLKEDC asked to change the scope of its contracts with the trust. And each time, the trust's former chief executive officer, Bryan Finnie, or current CEO Aundra Wallace obliged - without their board's consent, records show
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/povped/part7/index.html#storylink=cpy
And more interesting information and findings by the Miami Herald that Mr. Wallace refused to comment on. Wonder why?
Quote
Here's what the trust didn't tell the feds: The diaper store closed down. So did the pizza restaurant. So did the catering company. The gas station opened - but the cafeteria hasn't yet. The real number of jobs: seven.
To federal monitors and to the public, the Empowerment Trust has portrayed itself as the successful steward of a massive economic-development machine, generating about 1,900 new jobs in Miami-Dade County's most impoverished neighborhoods.
But a Miami Herald investigation found that while the agency was receiving millions in tax dollars, it falsely reported the number of jobs it fostered for the poor - claiming hundreds of new positions when no such jobs existed - in violation of federal rules.
In progress reports filed annually with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the trust repeatedly brought dead businesses back to life, conjuring jobs where none existed and cheering about jobs that had vanished - the businesses long shuttered.
A review of 15 reports the trust submitted to HUD this year found that only eight of 310 jobs could be confirmed by trust records - with more than half the companies out of business at the time the reports were filed.
The trust's files are so incomplete - and in some cases inaccurate - that it's impossible to say how many jobs it has created.
The trust's chief executive officer, Aundra Wallace, declined to be interviewed for this report
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/povped/part5/index.html#storylink=cpy
I've tried to capture all of my excitement and surprise in song....
http://www.youtube.com/v/bRE3t0qvDTE
Phantom Jobs? Really? Mr. Wallace refused to comment on this as well to the Miami Herald.
Quote
But a Miami Herald investigation found that while the agency was receiving millions in tax dollars, it falsely reported the number of jobs it fostered for the poor -- claiming hundreds of new positions when no such jobs existed -- in violation of federal rules.
In progress reports filed annually with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the trust repeatedly brought dead businesses back to life, conjuring jobs where none existed and cheering about jobs that had vanished -- the businesses long shuttered.
A review of 15 reports the trust submitted to HUD this year found that only eight of 310 jobs could be confirmed by trust records -- with more than half the companies out of business at the time the reports were filed.
The trust's files are so incomplete -- and in some cases inaccurate -- that it's impossible to say how many jobs it has created.
The trust's chief executive officer, Aundra Wallace, declined to be interviewed for this report.
Connecting the "dots".
http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2007_06_24_archive.html
QuoteOh, sorry wrong game. We are playing the Blame Game not the "name game".
The Miami Herald reported that the County Commission blames Burgess over biotech deal. Yes, he should have researched Stackhouse as I said in a previous post. Just a Google away was the information that would have nixed the whole deal. But I bet Burgess was under pressure...as always...to get it through. He more than anything, is obedient. Obedient to a fault!
Under fire from the Commission Thursday, Burgess did what any Manager would do: He passed the blame on. He blamed the non-profit Miami Dade Empowerment Trust, Inc. Hmmm. There seems to be a lot of blame to go around.
I looked up the Trust. Aundra Wallace was the Registering Agent and is/was the CEO and President. He also has another corporation with Irby McKnight. Willard T. Fair is on the Empowerment Trust corporate papers as is Dean Goldsby, Sr. and Willie Carpenter. Some are big powerful names in the Black Community.
Affordable Housing Cynthia Curry was the registering agent in 2000 when the Trust did their first annual report. At that time, Alex Penelas, Joe Carollo, Steve Shiver and Otis Wallace were the officers. What a crew! Red flag, red flag!
Empowerment Zone?
http://www.miamidade.gov/mppa/library/PDFs/businessplans/FY06/Q2/economic-dev_ez.pdf
While you're digging, a few more docs with other names you may want to include in your research....
The latest annual reports for his corps in FL.
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2006%5C0130%5C181004D8.tif&documentNumber=L04000022123
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2007%5C0124%5CU0594689.Tif&documentNumber=N99000001028
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2007%5C0124%5CU0594693.Tif&documentNumber=N03000000503
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2006%5C0130%5C16100349.tif&documentNumber=P01000029742
Cross-reference, connect dots and I'm sure you'll find even more interesting things.
I don't know what site you can use to search Michigan's list of corporations, but I'm willing to bet that you'll probably find more of the same.
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on August 20, 2013, 05:51:59 PM
While you're digging, a few more docs with other names you may want to include in your research....
The latest annual reports for his corps in FL.
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2006%5C0130%5C181004D8.tif&documentNumber=L04000022123
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2007%5C0124%5CU0594689.Tif&documentNumber=N99000001028
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2007%5C0124%5CU0594693.Tif&documentNumber=N03000000503
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ConvertTiffToPDF?storagePath=COR%5C2006%5C0130%5C16100349.tif&documentNumber=P01000029742
Cross-reference, connect dots and I'm sure you'll find even more interesting things.
I don't know what site you can use to search Michigan's list of corporations, but I'm willing to bet that you'll probably find more of the same.
Thanks, I am fixing to check the links. :)
Non-Redneck Westsider,
You know one of the biggest red flags on this for me comes back to those HUD programs and dollars again. Same background Alvin Brown comes from. Boy oh boy how the dot's do seem to connect. You know I told Stephen earlier that I hadn't "bitten" anyone yet over this but I may be fixing to. :) (http://i.imgur.com/R3NPvit.jpg)
Cha Ching! How convenient! Mr. Wallace seems to be in the real estate management business in Detroit.
http://www.corporationwiki.com/Michigan/Detroit/the-detriot-land-bank-authority/96424985.aspx
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on August 20, 2013, 06:56:37 PM
Cha Ching! How convenient! Mr. Wallace seems to be in the real estate management business in Detroit.
http://www.corporationwiki.com/Michigan/Detroit/the-detriot-land-bank-authority/96424985.aspx
Oh. My. How. Shocking.
And as you start cross-referencing the partners from his S. Fla corps I'm sure you'll find quite a few others that are also in the development side of RE.
Just. A. Hunch. ;-)
Then we have the great divide! I dunno but isn't communications a part of dealing with federal funds?
Quote
Federal dollars have been pulled back. "The president is not a big supporter of empowerment zones. The administration is looking at other stimulus" for poor areas, he explains. Essentially the federal government wants to provide tax credits as incentives so businesses invest in poor areas. "They want the private sector to see it as a good investment," Finnie says. "They are looking for something tangible when it's done, a building or a job."
Tangible? This is tangible: Overtown's unemployment rate is 22 percent; Miami's median household income is just $20,000; and nearly 40 percent of people 25 years or older don't have a high school diploma.
e-Equality president Donna MacDonald is angry, and she partially blames Finnie's agency. In a June meeting, she says, Aundra Wallace, the local empowerment zone's VP, verbally promised them renewed funding -- $120,000. After two months of unreturned phone calls and e-mails, MacDonald says, they were finally informed there would be no money. Without it e-Equality faced a devastating budget shortfall. MacDonald would have appreciated knowing sooner. (Finnie and Wallace maintain they never promised repeat funding and in fact warned that after the initial grant, e-Equality shouldn't rely on empowerment-zone money.)
Apparently Mr. Aundra C. Wallace was also applying for another job in Florida this year with Atlanta BeltLine Inc. In this article he is called "Drew". Odd as his middle initial seems to be a "C".
http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/04/atlanta-beltline-inc-releases-names-of-the-five-finalists-for-next-ceo/
Quote
Aundra "Drew" Wallace
Drew Wallace has provided leadership in a number of urban and economic development and financial roles throughout his career. Currently, he is the executive director for the Detroit Land Bank Authority, a quasi-governmental corporate body formed to assist in the effort to return abandoned, foreclosed and vacant properties to productive use within the City of Detroit. Prior to being named to this position, Wallace was the senior vice president for real estate development and living, a senior leadership role within the North Carolina Community Development Initiative, a public private partnership. Earlier in his career, Wallace spent nine years working in the Miami-Dade County community in a number of increasingly responsible positions including deputy director for the Office of Community and Economic Development and president and CEO for the Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust. He also served as the chief financial officer for the South Florida Super Bowl XXXIII Host Committee. Wallace holds an undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern University and his Masters of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta Universi
- See more at: http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/04/atlanta-beltline-inc-releases-names-of-the-five-finalists-for-next-ceo/#sthash.bptY3rvK.dpuf
In case you have not been following along with the story titled
"Poverty Peddlers" the seven part series by the Miami Herald that was quite "explosive", I want to point out yet another connection between that mess and the newly appointed DIA director Mr. Wallace. You will note the organization mentioned in this piece is called "The Miami Dade Empowerment Trust". Turns out Mr. Aundra Wallace was the head of that Trust. Who knew? Looks like he might know P. Diddy too! Infact the non profit using tax dollars Flew P. Diddy to town.
The round-trip flight cost more than $87,000, including $1,070 for in-flight catering. Kewl huh?
Stick a fork in this kids, I am done In fact my gut is now sick. Don't think I am willing to give Mr. Wallace that chance to prove himself anymore. Lord have mercy Jacksonville, you sure can pick em! ::) >:(
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail/EntityName/domnp-n99000001028-009c0418-ef33-491c-b8e1-420d0194ea8d/miami%20dade%20empowerment%20trust/Page1
http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/povped/part4/index.html
Quote
On Aug. 23, 2005, a chartered Gulfstream jet landed in Miami carrying a famous passenger: music mogul Sean "Diddy'' Combs.
Diddy flew in to host MTV's Video Music Awards at the AmericanAirlines Arena, where the hip-hop impresario known for his vast fortune and extravagant tastes handed his diamond-studded wristwatch to a fan in the crowd. Another luxury plane took him back to New Jersey the following night.
The round-trip flight cost more than $87,000, including $1,070 for in-flight catering.
But Diddy didn't pay the bill. Neither did MTV.
A nonprofit poverty agency picked up the tab -- using tax dollars set aside to help Miami-Dade County's poorest residents.
That agency, the Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust, was founded by county leaders in 1999 to take aim at the backbreaking poverty in nine designated "empowerment zones'' - among the most destitute neighborhoods in Florida.
As part of the largest federal poverty initiative in decades, the trust received $68 million in federal, state and local grants to pursue a broad and ambitious plan that included financing affordable housing, providing job training and improving social services
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/povped/part4/index.html#storylink=cpy
^When I attended the Vanguard Conference in Cleveland, a West Coast Vanguard member asked me if people in Jax knew what Google was. He was with two other Vanguard members from various cities across the country. They all were chuckling about our DIA search. He then pulled out is ipad and googled the Poverty Peddler's article. From what I recall, those in charge of making the decision to hire him didn't view the Miami stuff as being significant enough to outweigh his positives.
(http://31.media.tumblr.com/2ea7f697ed64d70e3a1ad2348c1363aa/tumblr_mo98w2339u1qcxjv8o1_500.gif)
Ennis, you know I am fit to be tied and this cannot stand. I hope to heaven that the DIA has some sort of probationary period in their contract with Wallace. Honest to goodness, does no one in this city get it? Does no one check into who they are hiring other than a cursory glance? This type of stuff just reinforces the attitude that Jacksonville is full of backwoods "Clod Hoppers" who don't know how to think and would not know a high quality candidate from a crook if their lives depended on it. I refuse to stand by and be one of those folks. I have already taken some action and intend to also pass on the information I uncovered today to the council and DIA. I do believe it may be time to say "no thanks" to Mr. Wallace and send him on his way. Seriously, this gets real old real fast!
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
Cheshire Cat, the Miami allegations were known before the selection:
QuoteDIA pick Aundra Wallace responds to Miami scandal
The Downtown Investment Authority's choice for CEO responded Friday to the scandal surrounding one of his previous organizations.
QuoteWallace said some of the issues in the reports weren't under his leadership. Others, like millions given to a developer with questionable credentials to build a biotechnology park that never came to fruition, were.
Quote"I'm proud of what we accomplished," he said. "When you work in high-risk neighborhoods, you have to be more creative and take more risks, and there are more challenges.
"I don't apologize for taking the risks. We had successes and failures."
full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/2013/06/dia-ceo-pick-responds-to-scandal.html
I guess they (DIA) may have been aware but not to sure how deep the scandal was looked into. Clearly they didn't look to deep enough. If no one is alarmed by the use of over $85,000 tax dollars to fly P.Diddy around and that those dollars were funneled through Mr. Wallace's own Miami Dade Empowerment Trust I honestly don't know what to say about leadership in this city I love and care so much about. That is just one questionable thing he is associated with. According to the Miami Herald there was much more. It's a matter of record people. I really don't think those making the decisions in Jacksonville did their due diligence, not by a long shot. I think they just needed to choose someone to move on with the DIA.
Honestly sometimes I feel like trying to open the eyes of the folks in Jacksonville is like trying to run up sand dunes. If we are all prepared to accept into leadership folks with scandal's attached to them to this degree then we have no right in my view to "bit@h" about Jacksonville "not" getting it and the needed informed and competent leadership we and downtown deserve. Not to mention his background is in single homes and HUD funds, not downtown redevelopment. Goodness gracious folks, what does it take?
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
I don't believe they made the "best choice" and I for one am not content to defer to leaders who don't seem to care about who we put into positions that impact all of us. The DIA failed this test in my view and needs to correct their error sooner rather than later.
Maybe a little of topic but I was just wondering about this statement,
"Establishing a Downtown master plan also is a priority, which the authority has retained a consultant to develop. Barakat said the consultant has projected it to be complete by February."
From the Jax Daily Record article....
Who might this be? Anyone associated with Metrojax?
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
Personally, I'm going to eventually start counting the fucks I give on both hands. This is one of those. How can you honestly say that the 'best' pick is one that has admittedly not performed the job he was hired to do in the past?
How can you honestly say that the 'best' pick is one that has proven personal interests in the funnel through which the money flows?
How can you honestly say that the 'best' pick is one that understands that 'risks must sometimes be taken' when they're using someone else's money?
Defer all you want, TUFSU, but we've already paid for the Shipyards to not get developed. I've got a feeling that we're going to be paying for them to NOT get developed again.
Quote from: HangingMoth on August 20, 2013, 09:48:25 PM
Maybe a little of topic but I was just wondering about this statement,
"Establishing a Downtown master plan also is a priority, which the authority has retained a consultant to develop. Barakat said the consultant has projected it to be complete by February."
From the Jax Daily Record article....
Who might this be? Anyone associated with Metrojax?
as noted in another thread, the firm is Prosser Hallock
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 09:52:08 PM
Quote from: HangingMoth on August 20, 2013, 09:48:25 PM
Maybe a little of topic but I was just wondering about this statement,
"Establishing a Downtown master plan also is a priority, which the authority has retained a consultant to develop. Barakat said the consultant has projected it to be complete by February."
From the Jax Daily Record article....
Who might this be? Anyone associated with Metrojax?
as noted in another thread, the firm is Prosser Hallock
Alrighty then...
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on August 20, 2013, 09:27:18 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
I don't believe they made the "best choice" and I for one am not content to defer to leaders who don't seem to care about who we put into positions that impact all of us. The DIA failed this test in my view and needs to correct their error sooner rather than later.
The other guy had some issues in his past as well:
QuoteAudit questions official's record A report says Kevin R. Hanna and his former agency "lost control" of a Ga. project. It says he should be debarred.
A federal audit from Atlanta describes runaway costs, questionable land purchases and $3.8 million in no-bid contracts in a project supervised by the housing official whom Mayor Street has since named to help run his war on blight.
The audit raises questions about the management record of Kevin R. Hanna, Philadelphia's $175,000-a-year secretary of housing and neighborhood preservation.
Atlanta city officials and Hanna's former agency, the Atlanta Development Authority, "lost control" of a project called Historic Westside Village, says the audit by the Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The feds say the City of Atlanta owes them $1.4 million, and shouldn't get any more redevelopment money until it proves it can control the money effectively. The auditors also urged HUD to consider possible sanctions against Hanna and other officials who ran the Atlanta project, including debarring them from handling future HUD funds.
full article: http://articles.philly.com/2003-06-17/news/25447274_1_atlanta-project-audit-questions-housing-official
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on August 20, 2013, 09:48:50 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
Personally, I'm going to eventually start counting the fucks I give on both hands. This is one of those. How can you honestly say that the 'best' pick is one that has admittedly not performed the job he was hired to do in the past?
How can you honestly say that the 'best' pick is one that has proven personal interests in the funnel through which the money flows?
How can you honestly say that the 'best' pick is one that understands that 'risks must sometimes be taken' when they're using someone else's money?
Defer all you want, TUFSU, but we've already paid for the Shipyards to not get developed. I've got a feeling that we're going to be paying for them to NOT get developed again.
Amen! The degree of absurdity in supporting this pic for DIA director along with what appears to be the outright dismissal of the spurious activities of a persons past dealings is to me at least, jaw dropping. I mean in what alternative reality is squandering and misusing tax dollars now something to be ignored, accepted and then rewarded with a high level position in a city that deserves so much better than is repeatedly handed to it? What is going on in peoples heads when this is now okay and a past history set out by the Miami Herald spelling the whole miserable situation out is simply dismissed? I hope all who visit this thread actually read the posts and what they link to because seriously people, this is not good stuff.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 20, 2013, 09:58:54 PM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on August 20, 2013, 09:27:18 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
I don't believe they made the "best choice" and I for one am not content to defer to leaders who don't seem to care about who we put into positions that impact all of us. The DIA failed this test in my view and needs to correct their error sooner rather than later.
The other guy had some issues in his past as well:
QuoteAudit questions official's record A report says Kevin R. Hanna and his former agency "lost control" of a Ga. project. It says he should be debarred.
A federal audit from Atlanta describes runaway costs, questionable land purchases and $3.8 million in no-bid contracts in a project supervised by the housing official whom Mayor Street has since named to help run his war on blight.
The audit raises questions about the management record of Kevin R. Hanna, Philadelphia's $175,000-a-year secretary of housing and neighborhood preservation.
Atlanta city officials and Hanna's former agency, the Atlanta Development Authority, "lost control" of a project called Historic Westside Village, says the audit by the Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The feds say the City of Atlanta owes them $1.4 million, and shouldn't get any more redevelopment money until it proves it can control the money effectively. The auditors also urged HUD to consider possible sanctions against Hanna and other officials who ran the Atlanta project, including debarring them from handling future HUD funds.
full article: http://articles.philly.com/2003-06-17/news/25447274_1_atlanta-project-audit-questions-housing-official
The money was pulled for downtown. It is going to take a couple of years for any new hire to get up to speed. Now is the time to say so long to Mr. Wallace and start a new search for the position. Perhaps looking to hire someone who is actually from Jacksonville or who has lived here and understands our needs and comes without scandals tagged to their shirt tails is what should be happening. Seriously, we have the talent here, lets use it for heaven sakes and let expect more in the area of ethical behavior. Is that so unreasonable Jacksonville?
You know what is really sad is that Mr. Wallace (or Drew is it?) also applied for a similar position in the tiny town of Lake Worth, Florida (population under 40,000 and seasonal). He didn't make the final cut and was not hired but a few short years later he comes to us with HUD experience from the failed and broke city of Detroit, scandals in his past and Jacksonville is all in. Something is seriously wrong with this picture
Pretty much everything in this thread was mentioned back in June when the selection process was still ongoing. This may have something to do with the lack of outrage. Many not believing the DIA will be anymore successful in turning downtown around than the old DDA was may also be a factor.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 20, 2013, 10:10:28 PM
Pretty much everything in this thread was mentioned back in June when the selection process was still ongoing. This may have something to do with the lack of outrage. Many not believing the DIA will be anymore successful in turning downtown around than the old DDA was may also be a factor.
Honesty Ennis. I was amazed they went ahead with the hire after the funding was pulled. Now having taken just a few hours today to look seriously into the scandals associated with and actions of Wallace via his non profit, using over $80K of tax dollars to fly P. Diddy around has me seriously outraged. That was flatly an illegal use of those funds. He gets no pass from me. The facts as shared via the documents I posted and what was exposed by the Miami Herald should have more folks hot under the collar and this fellow want's to grow himself a staff of five. Seriously?
^I'm not going to touch the "scandal" stuff...but there is PLENTY of positive stuff a DIA director can do for downtown without the $9 million. Not to mention many other potential funding sources, credits, and incentives that he can utilize.
A $180k a year salary is absolutely nothing compared to the value that someone who is good at that position can bring to Downtown and to Jax. Whether or not Wallace is the guy, only time will tell, but the $9 million shouldn't be the end of the DIA.
Quote from: CityLife on August 20, 2013, 10:31:14 PM
^I'm not going to touch the "scandal" stuff...but there is PLENTY of positive stuff a DIA director can do for downtown without the $9 million. Not to mention many other potential funding sources, credits, and incentives that he can utilize.
A $180k a year salary is absolutely nothing compared to the value that someone who is good at that position can bring to Downtown and to Jax. Whether or not Wallace is the guy, only time will tell, but the $9 million shouldn't be the end of the DIA.
I agree with what you are saying about there being much that can be accomplished by an experienced and ethical individual in the drivers seat of the DIA. On the issue of Wallace in that position I think I have shared enough info to say he perhaps not the right guy for Jacksonville.
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on August 20, 2013, 09:27:18 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
I don't believe they made the "best choice" and I for one am not content to defer to leaders who don't seem to care about who we put into positions that impact all of us. The DIA failed this test in my view and needs to correct their error sooner rather than later.
I think it was Lake (not positive though) who reported from the final interviews that Wallace was clearly the most prepared candidate that day. He was a long shot amongst members of this website to be the pick, but those in attendance said the other candidates displayed a bit of ignorance and unpreparedness, while of course our favorite of the bunch withdrew his name from consideration.
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 20, 2013, 10:47:50 PM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on August 20, 2013, 09:27:18 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
I don't believe they made the "best choice" and I for one am not content to defer to leaders who don't seem to care about who we put into positions that impact all of us. The DIA failed this test in my view and needs to correct their error sooner rather than later.
I think it was Lake (not positive though) who reported from the final interviews that Wallace was clearly the most prepared candidate that day. He was a long shot amongst members of this website to be the pick, but those in attendance said the other candidates displayed a bit of ignorance and unpreparedness, while of course our favorite of the bunch withdrew his name from consideration.
I believe Ennis was the one who shared those thoughts and I think he is also correct that the lack of outrage the last time some information surfaced about Wallace and the Miami scandal had to do with the fact that the process was still underway and other individuals were still in the mix for the position. Perhaps some assumed no one in their right mind would chose a person to head an organization who there was and is serious question about. The fact that he was accepted in a corrupt Detroit does not win points for him in my book. I really don't believe that all of those who made the decision to pick Wallace (which it appears was the best of a group of weak candidates) fully understood the depth and entirety of the scandal that was chasing him. If they knew and went ahead with the hire anyway, then "shame on them". Jacksonville deserves not only competence but unquestionable integrity in leadership and it's time we start demanding that for ourselves.
Quote from: CityLife on August 20, 2013, 10:31:14 PM
^I'm not going to touch the "scandal" stuff...but there is PLENTY of positive stuff a DIA director can do for downtown without the $9 million. Not to mention many other potential funding sources, credits, and incentives that he can utilize.
A $180k a year salary is absolutely nothing compared to the value that someone who is good at that position can bring to Downtown and to Jax. Whether or not Wallace is the guy, only time will tell, but the $9 million shouldn't be the end of the DIA.
Wow City... Let's not touch the 'scandal stuff', and while I agree with you that a DIA director CAN do a lot of positive things for the city, why should we be left with the one that has a history of making un-kept promises, frivolously spending others' money and unable to track the simple payments of invoices on a project?
Sure $180k/yr may not make a hill of beans in our city's overall budget, but are you kidding me? How many shells, funnels and pass-throughs does it take to multiply that salary 3X in the process of a single $30M project?
In my humble, ill-informed opinion, we've just hired a scam artist that may be capable of turning $.75M into over $30, but dollars don't always equal production. Hell, how much have we already 'invested' in projects that have had ZERO return? I can think of quite a few parking garages and a really large grassy area.
The scandal stuff is the most positive thing about Jacksonville. The Public Trust just destroyed. I know for me one of the most disturbing things about our community is a pension was awarded to a convicted child molester by a vote of the PFPF Board with community support. Governor Scott where are you on this one? Can't the governor override this?
FSCJ- scandal and Wallace. (No Relation) And the attorney landed a job where?
JTA- scandal and Blaylock-
Palms Fish Camp- Another scandal next to a FIND project. We are so LOST.
Allied Veterans scandal trial starting soon.
Shipyards/Landmar scandal- Isn't some of this $9,000,000 DIA play money from the refinancing of this debt?
The title of this thread- DIA CEO will look to the Feds to close gap between project costs, profit
DIA Board meeting today. Anyone going? I plan on being there. Let's start with Sunshine.
When all the Miami Herald stuff came out, I thought it would torpedo Wallace's job offer. Obviously it didn't. I can only assume that when the DIA heard Wallace's side of the story, they were satisfied. The whole thing just seemed to go away.
I have to wonder if power and money is being shifted away from DIA, because the mayor and the council believe the Herald's version of events, and don't want to risk a reoccurrance here.
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 20, 2013, 10:47:50 PM
Quote from: Cheshire Cat on August 20, 2013, 09:27:18 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on August 20, 2013, 08:51:51 PM
Personally, I'm going to defer to the DIA Board fro now. There are some real giid quality people on there and trust that they made the best decision based on who was in the applicant pool
I don't believe they made the "best choice" and I for one am not content to defer to leaders who don't seem to care about who we put into positions that impact all of us. The DIA failed this test in my view and needs to correct their error sooner rather than later.
I think it was Lake (not positive though) who reported from the final interviews that Wallace was clearly the most prepared candidate that day. He was a long shot amongst members of this website to be the pick, but those in attendance said the other candidates displayed a bit of ignorance and unpreparedness, while of course our favorite of the bunch withdrew his name from consideration.
I attended the presentation where both Wallace and Hanna spoke about what they bring to the table. Wallace beat Hanna hands down that day, IMO (from my planner mind point-of-view). Wallace showed up prepared and at least gave a decent talk about downtowns. Hanna sounded like he had never had any real true experience with downtown revitalization. From what I can remember, the DIA members at the time, were interested in a CEO who could land and close big real estate deals and attract money. They were not necessarily looking for someone with vast successful downtown revitalization experience.
The Hanna presentation and following Q&A session reminded me of the JTA CEO presentation given by Frank Martin last year. Downright scary and leaving you wondering how that person made it to the finalist list.
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on August 20, 2013, 11:04:55 PM
Quote from: CityLife on August 20, 2013, 10:31:14 PM
^I'm not going to touch the "scandal" stuff...but there is PLENTY of positive stuff a DIA director can do for downtown without the $9 million. Not to mention many other potential funding sources, credits, and incentives that he can utilize.
A $180k a year salary is absolutely nothing compared to the value that someone who is good at that position can bring to Downtown and to Jax. Whether or not Wallace is the guy, only time will tell, but the $9 million shouldn't be the end of the DIA.
Wow City... Let's not touch the 'scandal stuff', and while I agree with you that a DIA director CAN do a lot of positive things for the city, why should we be left with the one that has a history of making un-kept promises, frivolously spending others' money and unable to track the simple payments of invoices on a project?
Sure $180k/yr may not make a hill of beans in our city's overall budget, but are you kidding me? How many shells, funnels and pass-throughs does it take to multiply that salary 3X in the process of a single $30M project?
In my humble, ill-informed opinion, we've just hired a scam artist that may be capable of turning $.75M into over $30, but dollars don't always equal production. Hell, how much have we already 'invested' in projects that have had ZERO return? I can think of quite a few parking garages and a really large grassy area.
Like I said, I don't want to touch the scandal stuff...I was just talking strictly about what someone competent can hypothetically do in that position without the $9 million.
Quote from: CityLife on August 21, 2013, 08:09:57 AM
Like I said, I don't want to touch the scandal stuff...I was just talking strictly about what someone competent can hypothetically do in that position without the $9 million.
Which now seems to be the burning question in everyone's mind. Did we have a 'competent' person in place or do we have a really smooth talker that has history of producing sub-par results with above average capital?
THanks, Lake. That's what I thought.
I hope everyone and anyone who wonders why our city just can't get things right will follow along with this story. The actions we have seen on the part of the DIA and what has been exposed about Wallace is alarming and disheartening. Seriously people. We see the city play games and support efforts like "Character Counts", even give out awards to the program and then through their actions often make a farce of the very idea that "Character Counts" in any way.
I have written to the entire council as well as "other entities" about this situation. Time to draw a line in the sand in Jacksonville and let everyone know that "business as usual" when it includes the hire of folks involved in such scandal is not a business model we the citizens will accept.
Below is an email response I received from Councilman Lumb on this issue and below that you will see my response to Mr. Lumb.
QuoteLumb, Robin (RLumb@coj.net)
Add to contacts
8:17 AM
To: Diane Melendez
Picture of Lumb, Robin
Ms. Melendez:
I read through the thread on MetroJacksonville. It was illuminating.
Unfortunately, City Council is not part of the hiring and confirmation process. The decision rests solely with the Downtown Development Authority's board of directors. Once hired, there is little or nothing City Council can do regarding my Wallace's continued employment.
The only oversight power that City Council has is through the budgeting process. In my view this is not sufficient to affect the DIA's direction or method of operation.
Best regards,
Robin Lumb
My response
QuoteRobin,
Thank you for your prompt response and I am happy you have been "illuminated" to the serious issues surrounding this hire. I know you on the council cannot "undo" the hire but you can all sure ask questions of the DIA about this scandal history Wallace has and why it was ignored. The DIA board must turn to the council for funding and growth, as such the council must make sure that the head of that organization is trustworthy and someone who should be handling the expenditure of tax dollars. I remind you of the findings of the Miami Herald which exposed the fact that Mr. Wallace used his own person non-profit to fund over $85,000 tax dollars to entertainer P. Diddy to fly him around and feed him royally. Seriously, how in good faith can anyone on the council "accept" without discussion this hire and entertain the expenditure of huge sums of money under the leadership of an individual who has already broken the law regarding the use of federal HUD dollars? Doing that is not an action that looks after the citizens interests, their tax dollars or is it one that instills integrity in city leadership. I hope you will "ask" many questions and openly. I will continue to do so.
Respectfully,
Diane Melendez
Avondale
If the state can vote for a governor that is a thief (but not convicted), why another CEO thief?
I do not understand why the DIA does not seem to have much oversight.
I don't think I could get a job with this sort of baggage or history.
Quote from: mbwright on August 21, 2013, 02:49:51 PM
If the state can vote for a governor that is a thief (but not convicted), why another CEO thief?
I do not understand why the DIA does not seem to have much oversight.
I don't think I could get a job with this sort of baggage or history.
I think the fact that we get so many thieves in office is because the people sit by and "allow" it to happen. I am not the sort of person to sit by while Jacksonville hires another person of scandal and not do something about it. I truly wish folks who want better for our city would speak up and ask why? Why are folks like this hired? Why does the public ignore this affront to our trust? Then having asked those questions and not gotten a response that tells us that things are going to get better, speak louder, longer and widen the circle of interest using facts and documents. Honestly if anyone who reads this really cares about our city ethical standards apparently being thrown in the toilet, please do something about it. Contact the DIA, contact the Council. For goodness sakes, take action to change the status quo because it is hurting Jacksonville and in this case downtown. This city deserves better.
Though I don't disagree with Diane, I do feel that this discussion is late to the game. Lets face it, we were caught sleeping and dropped the ball on this one. All of these facts were evident before the hiring of Mr Wallace and no one saw it fit then to follow through. Now that he is on site and in place, it would most likely be a greater loss to the City to remove him now. Most likely there is something in his contract that includes a payment should he not work out, and the budget really cannot afford to pay for him to leave and new one to come in. Though I admire your persistence to root out corruption within the government Diane, your letters should've been sent months ago when the option to vocalize such thoughts would've had a meaningful impact.
That being said, we know this now. We know Mr Wallace's past history and sordid dealings. The best solution, in my opinion, is to watch his moves. All his deals will still fall under Sunshine so it is our responsibility to hold him accountable. In these "scandalous" situations that arise it is never one person orchestrating everything. It is a group maneuvering for the common good of themselves. So perhaps that group from Miami has now been broken up and Wallace will have the new vision to see what can be done with downtown.
"Screw me once, shame on you. Screw me twice, shame on me." So Mr Wallace got in under the radar apparently. Shame on him and the committee whom hired him. But that's done now. So lets just keep vigilant so the shame doesn't fall upon the City and the taxpayers in the future.
To my view JayBird he has only held his position for a few days. The best course of action is to remove him now and find someone without the baggage and with downtown expertise to replace him. Considering the fact that the $9 million for downtown has been removed there is time to do this and get it right. There is no good reason that we the taxpayers should be forced to live with the hire of an individual who has such a past history of action. We employ these folks, the DIA doesn't. If the DIA is there to act in the best interest of the city then they need to start by hiring someone with experience and ethics. Seriously, we create the Office of Ethics to ferret out this type of stuff within the city. Why in the world we would allow the DIA to invite more via a hire like this? Foolish with the potential of being very damaging.
Oh I agree, but you're turning on the lights and sirens of the fire truck and trying to pull out of the station when the house burnt to the ground last night. Sure, you can clean up the damage but the reality is the house has burned. It is extremely hard to remove someone once hired, even more so once they are actually in the spot. Not to mention I'm sure there is some legal precedent that would prevent just such a thing from happening. All if this information was available before the decision to hire was made, therefore it cannot be used as a reason to terminate now.
Lets see what he does first. Lets see what he'll do with the money he brings in now. Your entire line of attack, though valid and honest and right, is just too late. You should've staged this barrage while the decisions were still being made. Now, whether or not you realize it, you are advocating for his removal (severance fee for no work), which I'm sure will be appealed (legal fees) and win (settlement fees). Then the City would have to do a new search(more money and time) and hire another leader (a second salary to budget for this year). Is that really the best use of taxpayer money?
The ball was dropped. You can continue standing on the sidelines complaining about butter fingers, or you can encourage others to watch his actions like a hawk and utilize public opinion to force him and his office to attract investment and use it wisely. In the big picture, which do you think benefits taxpayers more?
Quote from: JayBird on August 21, 2013, 04:08:06 PM
Oh I agree, but you're turning on the lights and sirens of the fire truck and trying to pull out of the station when the house burnt to the ground last night. Sure, you can clean up the damage but the reality is the house has burned. It is extremely hard to remove someone once hired, even more so once they are actually in the spot. Not to mention I'm sure there is some legal precedent that would prevent just such a thing from happening. All if this information was available before the decision to hire was made, therefore it cannot be used as a reason to terminate now.
Lets see what he does first. Lets see what he'll do with the money he brings in now. Your entire line of attack, though valid and honest and right, is just too late. You should've staged this barrage while the decisions were still being made. Now, whether or not you realize it, you are advocating for his removal (severance fee for no work), which I'm sure will be appealed (legal fees) and win (settlement fees). Then the City would have to do a new search(more money and time) and hire another leader (a second salary to budget for this year). Is that really the best use of taxpayer money?
The ball was dropped. You can continue standing on the sidelines complaining about butter fingers, or you can encourage others to watch his actions like a hawk and utilize public opinion to force him and his office to attract investment and use it wisely. In the big picture, which do you think benefits taxpayers more?
I think correcting the problem now is what will protect taxpayers most JayBird and with all due respect I have never been one to stand on the sidelines complaining. I am taking action and will continue to. When did we reach the point in society that we simply stand by and accept bad choices? What's going through my mind at this point is the DIA hired a fellow who will be making at least five times what the average honest and hard working taxpayer in Jacksonville makes. If we are going to hire people using the blood and sweat of the average citizens efforts that person better be both ethical and skilled. It's not okay to ignore character, ever. IMO
Apparently it isn't okay to give benefit of doubt or give credence to the fact that someone may change either.
I am not disagreeing with you. However, instead of complaining about his hire, how about asking who hired him and why? And though I respect your previous role in the hiring atmosphere, it either wasn't direct or was some time ago because now, once hired there are laws that prohibit grounds for termination, especially the higher up the food chain you go.
And quite honestly, I'm appalled at your narrowed vision that it is better to throw him to the side and start over. Well, actually if he was removed it would probably be the end of the DIA for a little while. And that you think this is the better opportunity. How come you aren't raging against Scott as every decision he makes? How come you aren't out there campaigning with those trying to remove Angela Corey? Instead, you are harping on a situation that is done and over with. You had the chance to voice these concerns with the same facts you use today, yet for whatever reason you didn't. So basically, the other team cheated in the second quarter, and now that they have won you want the ref to throw his flag. That isn't settling, that's fact.
I typically respect, agree and even admire your positions on this board. I am hoping this is a little bit of pride or maybe pent up anger that is causing this view of yours. Was it wrong to hire him? In my opinion, yes. But he is hired. So instead of getting all riled up over what cannot be changed, how about we focus on what can be done moving forward? People often say Jacksonville's biggest problem is that they remain stuck looking backwards. Today, you are proving that theory true. I am in full agreement with you, right up to the point where we differ on the action should be taken now. So turn around, look forward, and maybe you'll see things slightly differently.
Of course, lets look at your solution. What grounds do they have to terminate? Nothing new has come to light. All of this was apparently known by the hiring committee. Now, if you want to fire/remove whomever was in that committee and decided to overlook those past incidents, then by all means let me know where I can sign up and whom I'll be picketing because to me they are the ones who violated the taxpayers, the DIA, and even Mr Wallace.
Thanks for sharing your opinion JayBird. Thank you also for reminding me that perhaps we have reached a point in Jacksonville where for many character no longer counts. It saddens me deeply, but I must thank you for helping me to realize that my concern and caring for Jacksonville about who is in leadership and how they get there is at the present a waste of my time and energy Clearly to point out the flaws of a city decision or person the city has hired using our tax dollars and asking for that to be addressed to you and many others is something to be considered appalling. If that is the case, I am done discussing my concerns via forum posting. When wanting better is problematic and serves as the basis to attack the thoughts and character of others it is time to step away.
I wish all of you on the forum well and hope that your dreams for Jacksonville come true. For me, I am putting the burden down once and for all. Thanks everyone for the respect and honest dialog. ;) Take care all. I mean that sincerely.
I'm at the DIA meeting. Wallace just spoke. The DIA office is in the Ed Ball Building. His number is 255-7577. He said his office will be a one stop shop for everything concerning downtown.
Quote from: JayBird on August 21, 2013, 04:50:58 PM
Apparently it isn't okay to give benefit of doubt or give credence to the fact that someone may change either.
I am not disagreeing with you. However, instead of complaining about his hire, how about asking who hired him and why? And though I respect your previous role in the hiring atmosphere, it either wasn't direct or was some time ago because now, once hired there are laws that prohibit grounds for termination, especially the higher up the food chain you go.
And quite honestly, I'm appalled at your narrowed vision that it is better to throw him to the side and start over. Well, actually if he was removed it would probably be the end of the DIA for a little while. And that you think this is the better opportunity. How come you aren't raging against Scott as every decision he makes? How come you aren't out there campaigning with those trying to remove Angela Corey? Instead, you are harping on a situation that is done and over with. You had the chance to voice these concerns with the same facts you use today, yet for whatever reason you didn't. So basically, the other team cheated in the second quarter, and now that they have won you want the ref to throw his flag. That isn't settling, that's fact.
I typically respect, agree and even admire your positions on this board. I am hoping this is a little bit of pride or maybe pent up anger that is causing this view of yours. Was it wrong to hire him? In my opinion, yes. But he is hired. So instead of getting all riled up over what cannot be changed, how about we focus on what can be done moving forward? People often say Jacksonville's biggest problem is that they remain stuck looking backwards. Today, you are proving that theory true. I am in full agreement with you, right up to the point where we differ on the action should be taken now. So turn around, look forward, and maybe you'll see things slightly differently.
Of course, lets look at your solution. What grounds do they have to terminate? Nothing new has come to light. All of this was apparently known by the hiring committee. Now, if you want to fire/remove whomever was in that committee and decided to overlook those past incidents, then by all means let me know where I can sign up and whom I'll be picketing because to me they are the ones who violated the taxpayers, the DIA, and even Mr Wallace.
She, like others, didn't start doing their own fact-checking into this until after the fact and once you start digging around you'll find lots of smoke.
I think she is most definitely questioning the people that did the hiring as well as the hire himself. Aren't you in the middle of an employee search? You haven't hired anyone, have you? Was it possibly because you couldn't find the 'right fit'?
Now, you have the option to go back and hire the best of the worst, but I don't think you feel that as the best decision for your division here. Because that's what I feel has happened. I'm just curious how, with all of the previous allegations and lack of producing anything substantial, he ended up being the most qualified? And why can't we just let him go? It's a right to work state, correct? Why should we have to wait for 18 months, dozens of empty promises and a DIA fund that is in the black because it 'borrowed' money from the city to pay for upfront billing on projects (sometimes 2-3 times on the same invoice)
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on August 21, 2013, 06:44:43 PM
She, like others, didn't start doing their own fact-checking into this until after the fact and once you start digging around you'll find lots of smoke.
I agree with that. And that is everyone's fault. That is our responsibility as citizens and the City's responsibility as our bidders, and the ball was dropped.
I think she is most definitely questioning the people that did the hiring as well as the hire himself. Aren't you in the middle of an employee search? You haven't hired anyone, have you? Was it possibly because you couldn't find the 'right fit'?
That was what I was trying to express, that it should be the people who made the decision to hire, not the man himself. He didn't hide any facts. He hasn't been convicted of any wrongdoing, just allegations. Though in my own opinion there is probably truth to them, but it is still only an allegation. And yes, I did recently hire, and no if they don't work out I need a valid reason to terminate. If it can be proved that I knew of that reason BEFORE I decided to hire, than I cannot terminate because of that. What you are suggesting would equate to hiring someone based on qualifications, but then firing them because you didn't like them. That isn't the case here, but do you see why those labor laws are in place?
Now, you have the option to go back and hire the best of the worst, but I don't think you feel that as the best decision for your division here. Because that's what I feel has happened. I'm just curious how, with all of the previous allegations and lack of producing anything substantial, he ended up being the most qualified? And why can't we just let him go? It's a right to work state, correct? Why should we have to wait for 18 months, dozens of empty promises and a DIA fund that is in the black because it 'borrowed' money from the city to pay for upfront billing on projects (sometimes 2-3 times on the same invoice)
That is exactly what has happened, we got the best of the worst. Not a good situation, but the one that we have. You also bring up funds, but yet propose spending MORE money to terminate a man whom has yet not done anything wrong in THIS position and go through the hiring process again. Wouldn't it be cheaper to watch over his actions and make sure that what occurred in Miami doesn't happen here? And if it does, to respond quickly and voice that opinion to those who are in the position of handling it efficiently?
Also I am not up to snuff on Right to Work, but I was under the impression it dealt with you not being denied employment in a trade/vocational job if you didn't belong to a union. I do know it has no bearing on my Corporate America job nor does it effect the work that happens in non-profits, so I don't see it's relevance here. But if it does affect government workers/appointees please correct me.
Also, in terms of character I hold everyone to high standard. To suggest that I or my generation or the people of this city lack character is not only wrong, it is flat out arrogant. I do not feel Mr. Wallace was the right or proper choice for Jacksonville. I fully agree with all of Diane's points, and thank her for the research she did to educate all of us. I only wish we had this information before, when the opportunity existed to speak out against his hiring. I just don't agree with the idea that we should spend the time and money to go through the process of removing him, which will be fought and which the city will lose, based upon something that the selection committee was already aware of. We do not know their reasoning, I do not even know exactly who made up this committee. So I just feel before we hang the rope up, we should see what happens and see what he does.
If we are going to start knocking out city employees/appointees for their misgivings in the past, than we better start printing a lot of pink slips. I am not advocating for corruption, or even supporting it. However there is a proper time in which the public input can be highly effective, in this situation that time has passed.
And it is my belief that character still does mean something, to me, to this generation, to this city. I hire people based on character, otherwise I would never have to do an interview I could just look at a resume to see their qualifications. My work with Prisoners of Christ is based 100% on judging someones character because it is up to us to make sure the citizens stay safe from recently released offenders. And for my Catholic Charities of Jax Refugee Resettlement Program I have to judge the character of every person in my case load to determine what jobs they will be able to assimilate into easily. Character is not lost in Jacksonville among its people, however it may be blinded in the eye of the government.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 21, 2013, 05:21:23 PM
I'm at the DIA meeting. Wallace just spoke. The DIA office is in the Ed Ball Building. His number is 255-7577. He said his office will be a one stop shop for everything concerning downtown.
good to know...maybe some folks who have concerns could call him up and ask for his side of the story
Yesterday, I had a very bad day and really wasn't feeling at all well. That led to me making an emotional decision that was a bit selfish and I declared that I was done with worrying about Jacksonville issues and forum posting. After a good nights sleep and some introspection I have reconsidered. I know how hard many who post and read here work for Jacksonville and how little return there sometimes is for caring or fighting for change, yet those who want positive change keep on keeping on. I generally have done the same for most of my life but am not as young as I once was. lol Please pardon my momentary weakness and lets get on with the business of improving our city and it's leadership. Thanks for your understanding. :)
One of my favorite sayings from my Buddhist friends.
If someone behaves negatively towards you, it helps to remember that he or she is a human being like you and to distinguish between an action and the person who does it. If counter measures are needed to prevent someone doing harm, it's always better to do it with a calm rather than an agitated mind. If you act out of anger, the best part of your brain fails to function. Remember, compassion is not a sign of weakness.
QuoteIf someone behaves negatively towards you, it helps to remember that he or she is a human being like you and to distinguish between an action and the person who does it. If counter measures are needed to prevent someone doing harm, it's always better to do it with a calm rather than an agitated mind. If you act out of anger, the best part of your brain fails to function. Remember, compassion is not a sign of weakness.
I like that quote, very true.
From an article in the Business Journal, I really like DIA Chairman Barakat's viewpoint at the end(in bold)
QuoteThe office market, the longtime foundation for drawing people to the urban core, seems to have faded from the forefront of the Downtown revitalization conversation.
The city and state put together a $5 million incentive package that in late 2011 lured EverBank Financial Corp. (NYSE: EVER) from a suburban office park to 301 W. Bay St., where it leased 270,000 square feet, moved 1,500 people and took over the naming rights to the tower.
But since that deal, little has happened in Downtown's office market. In June, the city put together parking incentives to help convince C2C Solutions to lease one 30,000-square-foot floor in the EverBank Center, but AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is preparing to give back seven floors, or 245,000 square feet, in that building.
Is the occasional relocation of mid-size companies enough, particularly when such a large vacancy is coming on the market? I asked DIA CEO Aundra Wallace and DIA Chairman Oliver Barakat where office workers fit into a revitalization conversation that's largely turned to building a residential base and planning events to draw people Downtown.
"I think everyone agrees at the time of the EverBank move, Downtown was on the verge of a crisis, and that move and the incentives for that move were appropriate," said Barakat, who represented EverBank in the deal. "I think with that move, the vacancy rate has come down to a more acceptable 20 percent, and that there's probably just less motivation to incentivize another move like that."
In the current environment, Barakat said, incentivizing a company from outside the area to move Downtown might make more sense, but that's a conversation the board will be having in the coming months.
"I believe you have to do a little bit of everything, and even though I'm someone who makes a living off of leasing office space, I do believe residential is probably the most important component for Downtown development," he said. "From residential the demand for everything else will follow."
http://m.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/2013/08/where-does-a-push-for-more-office.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2013-08-22&r=full (http://m.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/2013/08/where-does-a-push-for-more-office.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2013-08-22&r=full)
Which makes this hire the more stranger... If the Chair of DIA truly believes that residential is the key to the revitalization of DT, then it would have made a lot more sense to bring in someone with a residential background.
Wallace does have both - Commercial redev. in Miami, and Residential redev. in Detroit, so on the outset, you clap your hands and say, "Great hire."
His results in Miami were far from commendable, lacked substance and were completely tainted with scandal.
His results in Detroit seem to be better, but it was also a re-use of existing homes, HUD financing and a more dire situation than anywhere else in the US. I'm sure the accounting hasn't even quite caught up and it's probably still too soon to see if his efforts are truly as good as they may appear. Remember, he has a history of not quite following through the accounting aspect or staying on course with his projects.
Sure, he appears to have turned $750k into $30M, but based on past lessons, where did the money come from, how much is the actual liability and how much, allegedly, was funneled through one of his own upstart businesses.
Maybe we should cut his $180/yr pay in half and use the remainder to hire an outside CPA ($55k/yr) and an office assistant ($35k/yr).
I can tell you from personal experience (depending on the job) if I have to bring in extra help to manage my projects because I'm either: a:) Overwhelmed or b:) incompetent, then some, most or all of that money is deducted from my salary.
^Good points and like the salary idea, that is very true.
To your point NRW, I was going to share a piece I saw earlier on Jacksonville.com, and to my surprise it appears to be gone, taken down for some reason. The piece talked about what the DIA and Wallace wanted from the City going forward. Among the want's was money to hire four more staff members for CEO Wallace one of them being a COO position. In essence Wallace is asking to hire another person to shadow his job (or perhaps do it). Two top dogs as it were. Wish the TU article was still up. I did find one from the Daily Record which discusses some of what happened yesterday.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=540316
QuoteThursday, August 22, 10:14 AM EDT
by David Chapman, Staff Writer
The Downtown Investment Authority Wednesday approved a $1.5 million budget and staked its position to City Council that a $9 million fund for Downtown revitalization should be retained in what the authority's chair described as a "new chapter" for the organization.
Authority Chair Oliver Barakat used the description for the arrival of authority CEO Aundra Wallace, who told the nine-member board he could take over some of the responsibilities from after a 10-month period with no dedicated or independent staff.
With Wallace aboard, Barakat said the group could relieve itself of day-to-day duties and "think strategically" about Downtown.
Wallace and Barakat are scheduled to address the Council Finance Committee today about the authority's budget.
Board members approved a $1.5 million budget that Wallace said was "fiscally conservative" and would include additional staffing. Mayor Alvin Brown's budget proposes an authority budget of $300,000.
The five-person staff would be Wallace, a chief operating officer, executive assistant and two project managers, with additional budget items dedicated to items such as professional services and internal service charges.
Board member Mike Saylor advocated for more funds for professional services and member Donald Harris pushed for more marketing dollars, but board Vice Chair Jim Bailey, publisher of the Financial News & Daily Record, warned the group it could be hitting a "buzzsaw" in the form of the Finance Committee that presses for budgetary detail.
Council member Lori Boyer, an authority liaison who is not on the committee, said she thought Bailey was right because the authority likely will "have to explain each item and why you need it."
No items were added and the $1.5 million budget motion passed.
The committee during its Aug. 9 meeting diverted a $9 million fund dedicated for Downtown development into a capital projects account, a step toward allocating the funds for fiscal 2013-14.
Last week, authority board members held a special meeting to determine how to react to the Finance Committee's action. Barakat drafted a resolution to Council that the money should be returned as a dedicated Downtown development source and presented it to the board Wednesday.
"I do not think it will be too detrimental," he told the board when describing the decision whether to submit it to Council or not.
He said that although he didn't know if the resolution would make much difference, members should consider the appearance to Downtown stakeholders if the board did nothing as a response.
"We don't have a real good history on these resolutions," Bailey responded, offering the best way to resolve the issue is "going toe-to-toe" with Finance Committee members and explaining in detail how the money and budget would spent.
While he said the resolution would not be a solution, he said he was not opposed to its message and supported it.
dchapman@baileypub.com
(904) 356-2466
Well, well, well....
Here are the follow up questions to that article:
1.) Who's responsibility is it to hire the staffers?
2.) Is the $1.5M an annual budget or just operating capital to get started?
3.) RE: The finance committee - why are they already trying to circumvent that department? They haven't even started and they're already not wanting to explain expenditures, lol. That could mean a couple of different things, but I'll leave the speculation to the individual.
Besides, if history is any indication of the future, the $1.5M he's being given should be about $60M within a year or two.... ;-)
It seems that there have been a lot of issues regarding finances and legislation recently that appear to have been worked "around" the proper city offices and committees as required by law rather than "through" them. That is always a red flag. We saw this recently with the SOE office selection that did not go through the RFP process. It's bad city business. This type of dealing is also the reason the T.U. is suing Alvin Brown and his office over the secretive pension discussions, the final deal in the end as most know was rejected by council. I would not be surprised to see the Finance Committee ask for a complete breakdown of expenses and payroll for the DIA that have already been expended along with what is now being requested. In fact I expect they will make these inquiries.
I attended last night's meeting, so I got to hear them talk about why it's needed. I'm actually fine with Wallace wanting an actual staff. If the DIA is to be a one stop shop for DT, you're going to need more than one guy for day-to-day operations. In all seriousness, you could easily argue that more than $1.5 million and five people are needed. However, you have to start somewhere. With that said, if you ask for the money, council should demand to know what it is going for. I'd hope that anyone elected to serve the public would ask those questions before approving a budget.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 22, 2013, 07:49:11 PM
I attended last night's meeting, so I got to hear them talk about why it's needed. I'm actually fine with Wallace wanting an actual staff. If the DIA is to be a one stop shop for DT, you're going to need more than one guy for day-to-day operations. In all seriousness, you could easily argue that more than $1.5 million and five people are needed. However, you have to start somewhere. With that said, if you ask for the money, council should demand to know what it is going for. I'd hope that anyone elected to serve the public would ask those questions before approving a budget.
From what I gathered in the TU piece that is now deleted and the piece from the Daily Record, it surely sounds like council will be asking a lot of questions about funding requests. Ennis, did they say who would do the hiring for the rest of the office if approved? My guess would be Wallace.
No, it never got that far.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 22, 2013, 07:56:40 PM
No, it never got that far.
Thanks Ennis. It looks to me like the DIA threw out a financial wish list and is waiting to see how it is received, which is to be expected at this point. Kind of testing the waters perhaps.
It didn't seem like that in person. It felt like an honest attempt to string together a draft form of an operating budget for the first year. From what I remember, 1/3rd of it was for staff and about 50% of it was for professional services like finishing the CRA plan. More money was included for the development of a DIA website and marketing. The discussion wasn't how the FTU made it seem either. Feedback was requested and that's what he ended up getting from several people. A few DIA board members thought more money was needed. Jim Bailey and Councilman Boyer felt that whatever they ask for, they need to be able to explain why it's needed. Now, they'll have to detail what was presented some more. That's pretty much how things came off to me.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 22, 2013, 08:10:01 PM
It didn't seem like that in person. It felt like an honest attempt to string together a draft form of an operating budget for the first year. From what I remember, 1/3rd of it was for staff and about 50% of it was for professional services like finishing the CRA plan. More money was included for the development of a DIA website and marketing. The discussion wasn't how the FTU made it seem either. Feedback was requested and that's what he ended up getting from several people. A few DIA board members thought more money was needed. Jim Bailey and Councilman Boyer felt that whatever they ask for, they need to be able to explain why it's needed. Now, they'll have to detail what was presented some more. That's pretty much how things came off to me.
I will defer to you on this as being there in person gave you a much better perspective on the requests and how they were received. I think the DIA understands that in order to get back the funding that was pulled with the budget as yet undecided, they will need to cross all the "t's" and dot the "i's". Thanks for attending the meeting!
They're lucky to have Councilwoman Boyer there in attendance. She knows her stuff.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 22, 2013, 08:23:15 PM
They're lucky to have Councilwoman Boyer there in attendance. She knows her stuff.
She sure does Ennis. Lori does her homework and can be counted on to look at an issue with a fair and open mind. She is a very intelligent woman and I do not believe she is not one to be persuaded to do anything but the right thing for the citizens and the city if at all possible.
As for the budget lets not forget the Parking revenue. Jack Shad wasn't there for the 8/21/13 meeting but doesn't the DIA now have control over all the parking revenue?
No, they don't control parking or parks.
But thats not to say they cant in even the near future.
And in all honesty they really should, in the least, have control over the downtown parking. Not only would it provide a source of revenue but it would also make sense to compliment any redevelopment strategy the DIA tries to undertake.
DIA does control the parking revenue. Look at the recent surface parking lots.
A big part of the DIA plan is revenue generated from parking. Is there an account set up?
Good question!
The DIA was scheduled to be in front of the Finance committee yesterday but the session ran long and set them up for another day next week.
This is a good question to pose to the committee
I believe I remember the OED saying parking is still under their purview and it was confirmed by Jason and Melody who then said the DIA can take control when they are ready.
?? What parking revenue and what recent surface lots? Last time I checked, parking barely was breaking even. I could have sworn it was mentioned the other day that they did not have full control of parking or parks within downtown's borders. This was one of the issues revolving around the hoopla of the changed Hemming Plaza RFP.
Quote from: Sunbeam on August 23, 2013, 07:29:05 AM
I believe I remember the OED saying parking is still under their purview and it was confirmed by Jason and Melody who then said the DIA can take control when they are ready.
This would make sense. I can't imagine something with no functioning staff or operating budget would be blindly handed control.
Quote?? What parking revenue and what recent surface lots? Last time I checked, parking barely was breaking even. I could have sworn it was mentioned the other day that they did not have full control of parking or parks within downtown's borders. This was one of the issues revolving around the hoopla of the changed Hemming Plaza RFP.
Parking is OED. And Lake is correct, DIA has no control over parks in downtown. To classify DIA as some big bad wolf is just not true. For the past year, it's been a body of unpaid individuals that meet regularly without staff, without much of a budget and without 'authority' over much of anything. They really can't spend much money without Council approval.
Nobody is saying DIA is a big bad wolf. But OED had the DIA Board vote away the power to negotiate on the document titled Authorization to Negotiate and Engage on Various Downtown Projects that was pulled out of the hat at the end of the 7/24/13 DIA Board meeting before Aundra Wallace officially started 8/19/13.
So OED has the control of the parking revenue instead of going into the general fund. So they must have an account set up and that should be separate given that JEDC was dissolved and OED has been created and collecting. Jack Shad should be able to clear this up. Or Ted Carter.
So OED then is also in a position to negotiate not only how much money each hand out recipient will receive but get the parking perks locked in too.
I'm not following you John, and I mean that sincerely.
In the absence of any DIA staff, who negotiates on behalf of DIA? What business person is going to go to a once a month public hearing to negotiate directly with the DIA board? In order to be effective, the DIA needs staff. Plain and simple.
As best I can tell, the on-street/off-street parking lost about $60k in FY2011/2012 (which begs the question, why are taxpayers losing money to make it hard for people to park and do business downtown?). When you factor in the 5 City-owned parking garages plus the motor vehical inspection stations, then Public Parking overall made about $490k in that same time period. That appears to be seperate from the millions in subsidies the City is paying for the sports district and Courthouse garages (however admittidly I don't know how much the Courhouse garage is being subsidized now that they finally have parking revenue and commercial rental revenue).
What hand out recipients are you referring to? The City owned garages, to my understanding, don't have nearly as much flexibility in their pricing structure as the private garages... I may be mistaken, but I really don't think COJ garages can give away much free long term parking.
Quotefieldfm:
As best I can tell, the on-street/off-street parking lost about $60k in FY2011/2012 (which begs the question, why are taxpayers losing money to make it hard for people to park and do business downtown?)
This sure caught my attention Mike. Can I ask where to get the original documents on these figures? Losing money to lose business downtown? Makes no sense.
That's straight from the budget available on coj.net.
Quote from: fieldafm on August 24, 2013, 06:54:55 AM
That's straight from the budget available on coj.net.
Thanks Mike. I will check out the online budget.
Another poster put this information in a different Wallace thread, but I think this one is more relevant to this recent article.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140529/METRO01/305290038
QuoteDetroit — City officials spent as much as $537,000 per home renovating 30 houses under a federal program to fight blight only to sell most for less than $100,000 apiece, a Detroit News investigation has found.
QuoteIn total, the land bank spent nearly $8.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on 30 homes. That's an average of $290,000 per home, and the 13 most expensive homes cost $300,000 to $537,000 apiece. The return on the investment from sales so far: $2 million.
QuoteThe money was spent under a former director, Aundra Wallace, who left last summer for an economic development job in Florida. He didn't return phone calls for comment. His successor, along with Mayor Mike Duggan, have distanced themselves from the program and instead are auctioning homes to buyers who will make repairs themselves.
"We are now moving in a different direction," said Richard Wiener, the land bank executive director who took over Jan. 27.
^Untouchable. Visit Jacksonville!
Quote from: fieldafm on August 23, 2013, 09:17:36 AM
I'm not following you John, and I mean that sincerely.
In the absence of any DIA staff, who negotiates on behalf of DIA? What business person is going to go to a once a month public hearing to negotiate directly with the DIA board? In order to be effective, the DIA needs staff. Plain and simple.
As best I can tell, the on-street/off-street parking lost about $60k in FY2011/2012 (which begs the question, why are taxpayers losing money to make it hard for people to park and do business downtown?). When you factor in the 5 City-owned parking garages plus the motor vehical inspection stations, then Public Parking overall made about $490k in that same time period. That appears to be seperate from the millions in subsidies the City is paying for the sports district and Courthouse garages (however admittidly I don't know how much the Courhouse garage is being subsidized now that they finally have parking revenue and commercial rental revenue).
What hand out recipients are you referring to? The City owned garages, to my understanding, don't have nearly as much flexibility in their pricing structure as the private garages... I may be mistaken, but I really don't think COJ garages can give away much free long term parking.
Parking was brought up briefly at a recent noticed DIA meeting. Remember that there are never any handouts for the Public at the full board meetings that I can attest to. Jack Shad would be the person if he is still in charge of parking. The comment was made that OED still getting the parking revenue and it was just mentioned that we (DIA) will need to address that. Terry Lorrince was there and may be able to add an observation or two. Hope she does.
The meeting was about the DIA and it's budget and they are going to be adding staff.
^ Jack Shad is still in charge of parking
So between that. COJ garages. Surface parking lots. New Rules. Fines. Compliance. What is the Revenue? DIA minds want to know.
Quote from: CityLife on June 30, 2014, 11:21:23 AM
Another poster put this information in a different Wallace thread, but I think this one is more relevant to this recent article.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140529/METRO01/305290038
QuoteDetroit — City officials spent as much as $537,000 per home renovating 30 houses under a federal program to fight blight only to sell most for less than $100,000 apiece, a Detroit News investigation has found.
QuoteIn total, the land bank spent nearly $8.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on 30 homes. That's an average of $290,000 per home, and the 13 most expensive homes cost $300,000 to $537,000 apiece. The return on the investment from sales so far: $2 million.
QuoteThe money was spent under a former director, Aundra Wallace, who left last summer for an economic development job in Florida. He didn't return phone calls for comment. His successor, along with Mayor Mike Duggan, have distanced themselves from the program and instead are auctioning homes to buyers who will make repairs themselves.
"We are now moving in a different direction," said Richard Wiener, the land bank executive director who took over Jan. 27.
The CRA/DIA meeting for today at 3pm has been cancelled. Let's hope that the new Jacksonville city council World Cup leadership will resolve 2014-305 new docking Rules and Penalties before the CRA/DIA is finalized and sent to the full Jacksonville city council for approval.
Visit Jacksonville!
Seems a better idea to give houses to people and let them do the renovations themselves.
Quote from: fieldafm on August 23, 2013, 09:17:36 AM
What hand out recipients are you referring to? The City owned garages, to my understanding, don't have nearly as much flexibility in their pricing structure as the private garages... I may be mistaken, but I really don't think COJ garages can give away much free long term parking.
Didn't this just happen? A give away of of free long term parking. 200 free (taxpayer subsidized) 5 year Yates parking garage spots.