Kimberly Daniels takes on Kimberly Scott

[strider]

A battle of epic proportions.

Councilwoman Kimberly Daniels eyes subpoenas over city demolition

Posted: June 4, 2013 - 3:37pm

By Steve Patterson
A Jacksonville councilwoman says she may seek subpoenas to get answers from city officials about a decision to demolish the garage of a woman feuding with the city.

The concrete-block garage was torn down as an unsafe structure April 15 while owner Duchee Stevens and Councilwoman Kimberly Daniels watched. That was after a demolition contractor told Daniels city officials had instructed him to “call the police” when she showed up.

Daniels said she has tried to meet with code-enforcement chief Kimberly Scott and Scott’s boss, Neighborhoods Director Terrance Ashanta-Barker, but has been told consistently that they aren’t available. Issuing subpoenas would prod officials to make themselves available, and to ensure they discussed subjects truthfully, Daniels told members of the council Public Health and Safety Committee.

“It is possible it was a waste of taxpayers’ funds,” Daniels said about the demolition, saying the block building seemed solid.

Mayor Alvin Brown’s office said Tuesday afternoon it is working to get a response to the Times-Union’s questions.
The building, which was detached from Stevens’ house, had a roof that had deteriorated badly, and Stevens said a condemnation notice had been left on a fence around her property in March 2011.

Stevens has argued the garage did not need to be torn down, saying the decayed roof hadn’t affected the block walls. “There wasn’t anything wrong with the block. There was just something wrong with the wood [roof],” she said.

City records show that a contractor started to reroof the property in 2005, but failed a building inspection, after which the records are silent. Stevens, who is disabled, said the roofer was hired by a nonprofit that the city paid to renovate homes belonging to low-income people like her.

She has frequently addressed the City Council about her efforts to get problems at the property resolved, and has also talked to council members individually.

Daniels said she had asked Scott about the condemnation notice, and left thinking Scott bore ill will toward Stevens because of her earlier dispute with the city.

“They are dealing out of bitterness and retaliating against this lady,” Daniels said in an interview last month. “All that Kim [Scot] told me was what Ms. Duchee had done. … It is my opinion that this was personalized.”

Daniels called the demolition one of “the lowest things I’ve ever seen since I’ve been on the City Council.”

Daniels said she was being discharged from St. Vincent’s Medical Center after an operation when she got a phone call about the demolition. She said she headed to the site to be sure that Stevens remained calm, and said she phoned Scott about the demolition on the way.

When she got there, she said, the demolition contractor “ran up to me and said ‘I don’t want to be involved.’ ... He said ‘they told me when you got here to call the police on you.’”

Daniels said the contractor did not call police, and neither she nor Stevens tried to interrupt the demolition.
She said she later talked to Brown, described her concern over the demolition, and he said he would look into it.
Daniels said she hasn’t heard anything since then, and has been repeatedly frustrated trying to get answers from the city.

“I can’t even get a meeting with some of the staff members,” Daniels said.

Council rules allow subpoenas to be issued if needed, but would require support by most of the council. Several said Monday they were reluctant to do that unless no other choice remained, but wouldn’t flatly rule it out.
Daniels said she is considering asking for subpoenas to be issued when the council meets Tuesday.

“I am so sorry that it has come to this,” she said, “but it has come to this.”

Steve Patterson: (904) 359-4263

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-06-04/story/councilwoman-kimberly-daniels-eyes-subpoenas-over-city-demolition?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz2VHzbOkNy


http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-06-04/story/councilwoman-kimberly-daniels-eyes-subpoenas-over-city-demolition?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[carpnter]

City employees in those positions who cannot return calls from city council members have no business being in that job.

[thelakelander]

So let me get this straight. You get your building taken down against your will and a lien for demolition costs? Makes you wonder how many times this stuff has happened to residents who can't do anything about it. I'd love to see CM Daniels take this rogue agency out.

[tufsu1]

just don't say something like "whatever" to Kimberlay Daniels

[Timkin]

This arrogant rogue agency needs to be brought to heel.

I think its clear that Kimberly Scott needs to go.

No argument here.  Who does she answer to??   


MCCD desperately needs an overhaul.  And decent management.

[Starbuck]

Maybe there is a law against letting your roof blow into your neighbor's and not fixing it for eight years.

[thelakelander]

^Pretty hard to go there, without knowing the context.  Nevertheless, if the roof is the problem, than perhaps that should have been addressed.

[carpnter]

Maybe there is a law against letting your roof blow into your neighbor's and not fixing it for eight years.

The city could have hired the contractor to remove the roof instead of taking down the whole structure. 

[GoldenEst82]

Subpena her ass (lol).

I am interested how one person could have such a personality as to piss off pretty much everyone who has dealings with her.
Unless... someone can name a positive experience?

*crickets*

But in seriousness, it takes an awful lot- usually foundation damage- to make a concrete block structure "a hazard" to the level where demolition is necessary. It is indeed a waste of taxpayer money, on two fronts. The roof was installed by a contractor hired by the city- who did a sub-standard job to start with, (failed inspection) and no one gave a big enough damn to see the project finished. 
Two- rather than correcting the mistake- and getting this lady a roof that was up to code- they just "condemned" the entire structure. ( far more costly than a garage roof).

Who ran the program that hired the sub-standard contractors?

[MEGATRON]

Subpena her ass (lol).

I am interested how one person could have such a personality as to piss off pretty much everyone who has dealings with her.
Unless... someone can name a positive experience?

Not defending MCDD, but no one is going to have much of a positive experience with an agency tasked with code enforcement.  I agree that change should be made but asking for positive experiences with such an agency is a little disingenuous.

Personally, with all the suitable matters on which to hang a challenge to MCDD, I believe the instant one is a poor example.  :twocents:

[drhandbook]

This is just so crazy it might just work!

[sheclown]

If you look at JSO, tasked with keeping the citizens safe, most folks have a positive response.  MCCD could be the same.  It could keep people safe while respecting historic structures and INSTRUCTING people -- educate them throughout the process.

The "personalization" of this -- making everything a grudge, and let me tell you I know a thing or two about that -- is so grossly unprofessional for someone entrusted with the safety and well being of our structures.

By the time her particular breakdown is done, what is going to be left?

[MEGATRON]

Subpena her ass (lol).

I am interested how one person could have such a personality as to piss off pretty much everyone who has dealings with her.
Unless... someone can name a positive experience?

Not defending MCDD, but no one is going to have much of a positive experience with an agency tasked with code enforcement.  I agree that change should be made but asking for positive experiences with such an agency is a little disingenuous.

Personally, with all the suitable matters on which to hang a challenge to MCDD, I believe the instant one is a poor example.  :twocents:

you are defending MCCD, though arent you?

Yeah, sorry.  I assume that's your cutesy way of disagreeing with me?

[carpnter]

Subpena her ass (lol).

I am interested how one person could have such a personality as to piss off pretty much everyone who has dealings with her.
Unless... someone can name a positive experience?

Not defending MCDD, but no one is going to have much of a positive experience with an agency tasked with code enforcement.  I agree that change should be made but asking for positive experiences with such an agency is a little disingenuous.

Personally, with all the suitable matters on which to hang a challenge to MCDD, I believe the instant one is a poor example.  :twocents:

you are defending MCCD, though arent you?

Yeah, sorry.  I assume that's your cutesy way of disagreeing with me?

aww!  you think im cute?  Well thanks megaton.  I like your iron biceps.

This thread took an interesting turn. 

[TheCat]

In case you were interested in Kim Scott's linkedin profile:

I serve as Division Chief, with 17+ years of management and supervisory experience, for a large municipal government division, which enforces local property safety and maintenance/zoning codes; duties include direction, planning/policy-making, and oversight of the division's three sections to address code enforcement issues city-wide: Enforcement Operations & Administration, Contract Compliance Administration, and Special Magistrate Administrative Sections; as the division's liaison/representative for Mayor's Office and City Council inquiries, I respond to numerous public requests. Prior to the preceding job appointment, as Code Enforcement Manager for the city's 6 zones, I directed daily activities in the division's operations and administrative sections. Also, I oversaw contract administration (personnel, contracts, lien disputes/settlement) to ensure abatement of public nuisances, board-up of vacant/open structures, and demolition of condemned structures city-wide. In addition, these duties include divisional budget development and oversight, grant and special projects administration, research and subsequent report development, educating various civic and neighborhood groups, regarding the code enforcement process, municipal lien process (problems resolutions, settlement, etc.), research and report development/writing (quantitative and qualitative), and related services. I am also a member of the city's Empowerment/Enterprise Zone Board and Blueprint for Prosperity Committee

Specialties
Public Adm./Mgmt. of a large city division, leadership, supervision,project mgmt., research, contract adm., policy/report development, budget, grant-writing, & related matters. Graduate/undergraduate courses include:Urban Policy & Planning,Policy-Making Process,Issues in Public Management, Inquiry and Analysis, Urban Regional Planning, Social Psych., Research Design, Public Adm. Research Methods, Issues in State/Local Govt., Govt. & Minority Relations, Public Program Eval., American Legal System

Kimberly Scott, M.P.A.'s Experience

Chief of Municipal Code Compliance Division
City of Jacksonville
Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Government Administration industry
November 2007 â€" Present (5 years 8 months)

Chief of property safety/maintenance and zoning code enforcement for the City of Jacksonville; oversight of 3 divisional sections, which includes 3 managers, 8 supervisors, and numerous code enforcement officers, senior officers, contract compliance personnel, and administrative/clerical staff (75 employees); policy development to improve local code enforcement practices/laws; organizational re-development to increase and improve internal efficiencies; public education to discuss the enforcement process and services; responsible for development and/or oversights of $7.4 million general fund budget, $300,000 CDBG, and $1M Neighborhood Stabilization Program fund budget; division representative for Mayor's/City Council Offices contacts. Also serve as a member of the city's Empowerment/Enterprise Zone Board and Blueprint for Prosperity Committee
Assistant Management Improvement Officer - Code Enforcement Manager
City of Jacksonville, Property Safety Division
Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Government Administration industry
April 2006 â€" November 2007 (1 year 8 months)

Managed Code Enforcement Operations for the City of Jacksonville, including oversight of six zones (approximately 45 field personnel, senior officers, and supervisors) and administrative staff; budget; conducting research/analysis for division chief and composing white papers (various subjects) for same. Served as a member of the city's Empowerment/Enterprise Zone Board
Contract Compliance Administrator
Property Safety Division
Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Government Administration industry
January 2004 â€" April 2006 (2 years 4 months)

Administrator of contract compliance activities for the city's code enforcement division (contracts addressed public nuisance abatement, board-up of vacant/open structures, and demolition of unsafe structures); supervision of contract compliance staff (specialists, inspectors, and clerical staff); problems resolutions; budget and logistics manager
Kimberly Scott, M.P.A.'s Organizations

Regional Community Institute of Northeast Florida, Inc.
Member
June 2012 to Present
Kimberly Scott, M.P.A.'s Honors and Awards

Graduate
Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Academy
June 2012
Kimberly Scott, M.P.A.'s Education

University of North Florida
Master, Public Administration
2001 â€" 2003

Activities and Societies: Member of Pi Sigma Alpha Political Honor Society, Member of Golden Key National Honor Society
University of North Florida
Bachelor, Political Science
2000 â€" 2001

Activities and Societies: Member, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, Golden Key National Honor Society
Kimberly Scott, M.P.A.'s Additional Information

Groups and Associations:
City of Jacksonville Empowerment/Enterprise Zone Board member (as the local code enforcement official), COJ Blueprint for Prosperity Committee member, American Society for Public Administration member, Florida Association of Code Enforcement (F.A.C.E.) member, and University of North Florida Alumni

American Society for Public Administration

Code Officials of America

For GrantWriters Only

National Forum For Black Public Administrators

OneJax

University of North Florida Alumni
Honors and Awards:
Golden Key International Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kimberly-scott-m-p-a/6/692/563