This Tuesday night is the next City Council Meeting. We will not have 200 people show up this week yet we do encourage you to attend as many council meetings as possible.

Get involved and show up wearing your t-shirts -- "Don't Raise My Taxes." Sit as close to the front as possible and remind them that we are still not happy with their votes. You can review the agenda at http://citycirc.coj.net/coj/CurrentYear/Council/78-October-12-10-AGENDA.htm

There a couple of bills that caught our attention and the biggest one is the establishment of an Ethics Committee and reinstating it into our City Charter. It was taken out in the 1970's and not sure why.

We contacted Carla Miller, Ethics Officer for the City of Jacksonville and asked her more about this bill. Read her answer below:

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STATUS ON ETHICS BILL
Meetings coming up this Tueday, Oct. 12th

The Ethics/Charter bill (2010-616--attached) had passed through Council Member Art Shad's committee (Charter Revision subcommittee) and last week, passed the Rules Committee (Council Member Denise Lee). Both committees passed the bill unanimously. It was set to go to the full Council for vote this coming Tuesday, Oct. 12.

I believe, although I have not been able to confirm this, that Council President Jack Webb, at his discretion, will be refering it on Tuesday to the Council Finance Committee to review.

In the bill, sections 1.203 and 1.204 as to finances. What it says is 1) that there shall be "appropriate support" for an ethics/compliance/oversight office, as determined (later) by City Council (in the budget process) and 2) that current offices for ethics and oversight shall continue until further action by City Council. So, this Charter amendment leaves most of the details for later discussion by Council (and the citizens) as to how this would be structured and what, if any, additional dollars would be spent on these anti-corruption initiatives.

Council Member Glorius Johnson, the sponsor of the bill, has set up a meeting (publically noticed) to discuss this with the Council President at onTuesday, Oct. 12.

Council Member Public Meeting - Ethics Code

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 1:30 p.m. (note: Glorius Johnson's notice had 2pm; I have asked her assistant to correct the inconsistency; so it will be either 1:30 or 2; check the city's website, front page,
www.coj.net to the left side is "Scheduled Meetings and City Events"-- the accurate time will be posted there by Monday evening; check it before you come down in case the meeting is rescheduled or cancelled.)

City Hall, 117 W. Duval St., Suite 425, Conference Room A

Notice is hereby given that Council Member Glorious Johnson and Council President Jack Webb and Steve Rohan representative from the Office of General Council (my note: I will be there too. Carla Miller) will meet on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will take place in Conference Room B, Suite 425, 4th Floor at the St. James Building, located at 117 W. Duval Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202 for the purpose of discussing, 2010-0616 (ORD relating to Ethics Code and the Charter). All interested parties are invited to attend.

Contact: Sandra Lane, Executive Council Assistant, to Council Member Glorious Johnson, At-Large, Group 5, at (904) 630-1387

As a result of that meeting and the regular "agenda" meeting for the Council meeting (Tuesday, October 12, 2010 4:00 p.m. City Hall, 117 W. Duval St., 1st Floor, Council Chamber), there are only 2 possible options (that I can think of): 1. the bill will not be referred to the Finance Committee and will go to a full vote of the Council on Tuesday night ; and 2. the bill gets referred to the Finance Committee for futher action.

As there are many citizen groups who have an interest in this bill, I will send out group emails on the status-- if you are not on the mailing list for the ethics office notices, please send an email to sstewart@coj.net to be put on it. This way, you can get updated notices on the bill. You can always contact me directly at ethics@coj.net and you can also email your city council members: http://www.coj.net/City+Council/City+Council+Members.htm

Thank you for your inquiries, attendance at meetings and interest in the ethics/oversight Charter amendment for our city.
Carla Miller, Ethics Officer, City of Jacksonville

"Laws can enbody standards; governments can enforce laws--but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time..when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy, or too frightened; when we fail to speak up and speak out-- we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice". Bobby Kennedy

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Kassi Obrien has also scheduled a meeting with Michael Corrigan at 3:30 that afternoon. She invites anyone who lives in his district to attend with her and have him explain why he voted to raise taxes.

You have many opportunities to be involved Tuesday in your local politics. Choose to attend:

1. Ethics discussion at 1:30

2. Michael Corrigan meeting at 3:30

3. City Council Meeting at 5:00

Will you be there? Please comment below and let us know.