Schellenberg wants to shrink Human Rights Commission

[Steve]

I'm sure it's a total coincidence that it's during the Ahmed renomination.

http://m.news4jax.com/news/Councilman-wants-to-shrink-Human-Rights-Commission/-/16626108/18455358/-/3cyh3sz/-/index.html

[Dog Walker]

NSS!  They are not paid so it's not a matter of money.  Shellenburg himself sits on a "committee" with 19 members and he hasn't suggested that the City Council numbers be reduced.

Your stated motive is a little thin, Mr. Shellenburg, and your your real motive quite obvious.

[cline]

I think the City would be far better served if the number of City Council members was decreased.

[tufsu1]

I will see CM Schellenberg on Sunday morning....and plan to ask him about this issue as well as the mobility fee.

btw, the article quotes Schellenberg as saying the commission is too big at 20 members

"I think when you get more than 11, I don't think they function as well. And that is why we limit it,"

umm....sir, City Council has 19 members (of which 14 are from districts)....is it too big as well?

[copperfiend]

Mayberry RFD

[L.P. Hovercraft]

Add Matt Schellenberg to the ever-growing list of troglodytic city council members that need to be voted out and replaced with rational 21st century homo sapiens (Don Redman, Clay Yarborough, Kimberly Daniels, Richard Clark, et al). 
Jacksonville needs better leadership than this sorry crop!

[Intuition Ale Works]

This city council never ceases to amaze.

[Mathew1056]

I think the City would be far better served if the number of City Council members was decreased.

I fully agree. Responsibility is defused among so many council members that citizens become jaded to the legislative process.

Does anyone know if council districts are every redrawn?

As far as the Human Rights Commission goes, on the heals of City Ordinance 2012-296, a strong commission is needed. If reducing the number of members is a move to make it more agile and effective, so be it. If this push by Schellenberg, who voted down both forms of the human rights bill, is to cripple the commission he is no better than Don Redman.

[Tacachale]

Schellenberg has a pretty weak track record with human rights matters: voting against the Human Rights ordinance, and now this. And this is an "emergency" bill? What's the "emergency"? The Ahmed nomination?

[RiversideLoki]

Where the hell is Randy McDaniel... he's bound to be sniffing around like the rat he is.

[Steve]

Wow, I totally missed that he put it through as an emergency. Even worse. I guess to him it's an emergency that a guy who has a different faith might be renominated to an UNPAID POSITION ON A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSSION

It's fine. Let's make it a three member board, and let him, Redman, and Yarborough just run the show. That will work well.

[Tacachale]

^Don't forget Johnny Gaffney.

[sheclown]

 I don't know which is more embarrassing -- the small-minded bigotry, or the tacky political move.

[sheclown]

emergency? 

oh.  Jacksonville. 

[tufsu1]

I spoke with Mr. Schellenberg yesterday.  While I don't agree with him in this case, he made a cogent argument for why he is proposing this bill.  He quite simply believes that 20 members is too big (and yes, he believes 19 members on Council is also too big).  Apparently, if the 3 spots up for nomination are negated and the vacant seats left unfilled, there would be 12 members on the board.  So, in order to get to an odd numbre, he is suggesting 11.

Whether you agree with him on policy or not (I rarely do), make no mistake....this guy is not another Don Redman.