JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 2, 2014 – Former Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Rod Smith will moderate public discussions over retirement issues between the City of Jacksonville (COJ) and the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund (JPFPF).  These discussions between the COJ and JPFPF will be held in the Sunshine. All meetings between the parties will be noticed to the public in advance and open for the public to attend.
In order to ensure that all members of the public have access, these discussions will be recorded. Meeting videos and written transcripts will be placed on the City of Jacksonville retirement reform web site at www.coj.net/RetirementReform.   Mr. Smith graduated from the University of Florida law school in 1975. He has a distinguished career practicing employment law, criminal law, and civil justice law.   From 1993 to 2000, Mr. Smith served as State Attorney of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. As State Attorney, he prosecuted the Danny Rolling case and was nationally recognized by the Association of Capital Litigators as one of the nation's preeminent prosecutors. Since 2000, he has practiced law at the Gainesville firm of Avera & Smith.  Smith served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2000-2006. He represented nine North Florida counties. Senator Smith served as Chair of the Agriculture Committee and as Vice Chair of the Criminal Justice and Justice Appropriations Committees.  During his Senate service, he worked closely with the late Senator Jim King of Jacksonville, who selected Smith to deliver one of two eulogies at his memorial service. 

Submitted By Durwin Davis of the Government Watch Action Team