How To Spot The Next Hot Neighborhood

[thelakelander]

Don't know anything about Elwood Hopkins.

Just remember that name.  In the upcoming years, we'll get to see his impact on urban Jacksonville.

[dougskiles]

I hadn't heard of him either - but that's not saying much.  How will we be hearing about him in Jacksonville?  As a developer? a policy maker?

[fieldafm]

There is an increasing leadership vacuum in Jacksonville setting the stage for the next generation to step up.  So I say step up!

Completely agree!!!  This is a monumentally important time to be in this city in my very honest opinion.  If that leadership void is filled in with some of the people I interact with then Jacksonville will be moving forward in a very exciting way.  If that void is filled by others then we'll be seeing much of the same.

It is in fact, time to step up!

Hey I heard that the "smart money" is on hogan because moran and mullanhey voters will cancel another out. maybe the best thing is for one of those two to drop out so they don't split the vote!

Hogan is going to have a message that reasonates well with the 'tea-party' type folk.  The 521's are going to benefit him well.  The same people behind the information-deflecting chaos of the last City Council budget public sessions are going to be a big factor next month, and that lends well to Hogan's chances.

I tend to believe that we will get more of the same if we elect someone who is going to govern to the least commmon denominator.   

However, I don't agree whatsoever with your ascertation that Moran and Mullaney are the same candidate.

I think Stephen's point RE:

I think his sole advantage over Audrey is the fact that he has a fully thought out set of policies and ideas that he is ready to execute on the second day he gets in office.

is pretty spot on.

If there is any criticism of Audrey it is that she is also supported by some of the same clowns and pirates that have wreaked alot of damage on Jacksonville over the decades.

You know, I have to say... I spent all of Sunday on my bike doing a photo essay on potential kayak launch sites and blueways and I spent essentially the entire day biking around Riverside/Avondale/San Marco/Springfield/Ortega/Ortega Farms.  Just looking at the campaign signs on certain people's yards... I say that you could say that same thing about Mullaney as well.  That's not meant to be a knock on either, but in the interest of fairness...

That being said:

I think Audrey would move the whole city forward.  She has a unique mind and is informed by a unique experience.

This is why she will be getting my vote... and I have no doubt I will be proud of the day I cast that vote.

[tayana42]

Audrey has vision and the ability to motivate people. We need that.

[fieldafm]

I think our next mayor should be a strong leader who has the ability to inspire people to care about things that can make this city a better place.

Look at the current list of candidates and hear them speak.  I urge you to vote for the person that inspires that kind of optimism in you.  Don't pay attention to the commercials from the 527's.

[Captain Zissou]

There is an increasing leadership vacuum in Jacksonville setting the stage for the next generation to step up.  So I say step up!

Completely agree!!!  This is a monumentally important time to be in this city in my very honest opinion.  If that leadership void is filled in with some of the people I interact with then Jacksonville will be moving forward in a very exciting way.  If that void is filled by others then we'll be seeing much of the same.

I've been poking my nose around trying to find these future leaders.  Where are they??  Is there some sort of group that is helping to grow these leaders and facilitate in their interaction with people in the city.  If so, I want in.

[simms3]

I have one question, though.  I agree we have had devastating policies, as has almost every city.  You don't have to give me a history lesson when I have been reading this website for more than half a decade (whenever Metjax first came to be).

My question is I hear lots of demonizing of residents of San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, and Ortega when these are the core neighborhoods filled with the people who financially support the core and the core's cultural amenities.  Many if not most of the businessmen and women in these neigborhoods are the people who have kept their businesses downtown or in the core.  Why do we give Gate Parkway, Queens Harbor, Beaches, Mandarin, and Baymeadows people a break when they are taking away from the core?  I know people in those areas did not enact devastating policies from 1948 to now (which is actually not true), but in all fairness, many of those policies were projected to actually help the core (ironically).

IMO, whoever residents in San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, and Ortega support should be an indicator of who is A) good for business, and B) won't forget about the core.  I know that residents of Ortega are fed up with incentives and subsidies to help put in new sidewalks and parks way out in the burbs and in cookie cutter developments when there are no sidewalks, inadequate sewer, and parks only via private funds in Ortega.  I'm sure Riverside and San Marco residents are even more in tune with who might be a champion of the core.  If they are voting for Moran and Mullaney, these "clowns" may be on to something.

[Dog Walker]

Where do the various candidates live?  That might say something about them. 

I know that Audrey Moran lives in Miramar and is a neighbor of Joanelle Molrain, who is a friend, and thinks highly of her. 

Joanelle, besides being an accomplished artist, has moved in the upper levels of business and politics in Jacksonville for decades.  She was on Senator Nelson's staff for his first term too and knows a lot about what an elected official needs to be like.  Her support of Audry Moran means a lot to me.

[fieldafm]

I've been poking my nose around trying to find these future leaders.  Where are they?? 

Be one!

[dougskiles]

I've been poking my nose around trying to find these future leaders.  Where are they??  Is there some sort of group that is helping to grow these leaders and facilitate in their interaction with people in the city.  If so, I want in.

I am going to respond assuming that you are coming from the perspective of wanting to be a future leader.  If I got that backwards (meaning that you want to train future leaders), please forgive me.

It's actually pretty easy to get involved.  Most neighborhoods have a neighborhood association, and most of those have a board.  If you contact the one that you live in - or near - I feel pretty certain they would be happy to plug you in.  The board positions may be filled, but you could serve on a committee and then eventually move into a board position.  From there you learn about more things that interest you and you get involved in those.  And it just grows as you grow.  I know at SMPS we are always on the lookout for more people to bring into the mix.  Particularly ones who can add to our diversity and bring a new perspective.

It doesn't have to be a neighborhood association either.  There are hundreds of non-profit organizations in Jacksonville that are in need of motivated, talented people.