Public Servants (Jacksonville: house, neighborhood, construction)

[Magnolia Bloom]

Pet peeve of Jax- public employees who do not return calls and always say that they didn't remember getting the call. I have to work with code enforcement and the office that schedules meetings before the code enforcement board and there is an employee in each who routinely does not return calls. They do absolutely nothing unless you push them. And I love the voice mail greeting that code enforcement guy has...Have a Blessed Day. Hey buddy- WWJD? He would do the job he was paid to do! It's like that nasty postal worker at the post office on Sunbeam with the I Love Jesus lanyard around her neck who treats people like garbage. Such phony baloneys.

Okay, not to be a total downer.... 630-CITY....I have consistently gotten prompt and curtious service when calling. And my city councilman and his aide are helpful, too.

Rant over!

[David in JAX]

I think they are pretty good here Jacksonville. I've had to work with city inspectors and code enforcement officials in just about every major city in the country. In some areas of the country they can shut down a project, building, etc. over something as small as a mispelled or misplaced word on a form. I've seen construction projects in California shut down for months due to code officials not understanding simple math and not calling someone back for weeks because they were to "busy".

[Magnolia Bloom]

Originally Posted by David in JAX

I think they are pretty good here Jacksonville. I've had to work with city inspectors and code enforcement officials in just about every major city in the country. In some areas of the country they can shut down a project, building, etc. over something as small as a mispelled or misplaced word on a form. I've seen construction projects in California shut down for months due to code officials not understanding simple math and not calling someone back for weeks because they were to "busy".

I finally spoke to both of them today after submitting a public records request for all documents. Both said they hadn't done anything because....they were so busy!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by HIF

And I love the voice mail greeting that code enforcement guy has...Have a Blessed Day. Hey buddy- WWJD? He would do the job he was paid to do! It's like that nasty postal worker at the post office on Sunbeam with the I Love Jesus lanyard around her neck who treats people like garbage. Such phony baloneys.

Rant back on.......

And how is that even allowed?! I know Jax is not alone, but this is a city that really turns a blind eye to the separation of church and state (these are government employees !).

Last week's Folio cover story "God is My Co-worker" about what is happening inside St. John's county's government was eye-opening .

[mawipafl]

One sector of public servantry that surprised me was at the Tax Collector's Office (Clay County, Bear Run Rd branch). We had to register our cars, and in another state in which we formerly resided, "Registry" and "Rude" were synonymous. Not so with these folks.

But HIF I feel your pain -- I've read some things in the papers and wondered how the heck some of the decisions were made. I've not personally had to deal with requesting public records or come up against any infringements of the Sunshine Laws, but I'm guessing that some public servants (or their supervisors) are still dwelling in the Dark Ages when we didn't have the right to know anything.

Thanks for posting your rant though. It keeps our eyes and ears open.

[Magnolia Bloom]

Went to the Sunbeam PO today and I heart Jesus girl wasn't wearing her lanyard.....wonder if a post office employee is reading CD?! She was still a B, though.

Maw- I, too, have been very impressed with the tag agency...but that is state government. Tax collector's staff has been consistently inefficient and haven't yet gotten the concept of cusotmer service.

Last month my mom requested sign-in sheets from a public hearing and she was told that it was confidential info. She asked me what to do and I told her to tell them it was a public records request. After a day, she heard back from a very apologetic public employee and received the info she requested.

If city council doesn't understand the concept of Sunshine Laws, I guess it is too much to expect staff to "get" public records requests. Yes, Bubba is still in the house here in Jax!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by HIF

Yes, Bubba is still in the house here in Jax!

Slowly being edged out though. Everytime I think we're heading in the right direction something like any of the above pops up and reminds me that we have a ways to go. Still, I'm optimistic. Jax has too much going for it and the momentum is on, the old guard will be "the past" someday .

[Magnolia Bloom]

Okay, so today's tale is the story of the speed bumps. I called COJ last week, was given the name and number of the engineer that I needed to speak to about getting speed bumps. Of course, he never returned my calls. Never at his phone when I called. So today I called his supervisor, who was out until the end of the week, but his VM gave me two other names to contact.

I call one of the names left on the supervisor's VM and leave a message. He returns my call (woo hoo, a first!) takes some notes and said the guy that I was trying to reach was outside his office, he would give him the message and he would call me back after lunch. After 3pm, the engineer that I need calls me.

Can't get speed bumps without a traffic study. Must fill out a form. ME: Okay, I will get it to you today. What's the turn around time to have the study done?

COJ: We don't have a contract with any companies to conduct traffic studies right now. We will add you to the list.

ME: When will the contract be signed?

COJ: I don't know if they have found anyone yet. I hope by the end of the month.

ME: When was the last study done?

COJ: I don't know, but it was last fiscal year, before October.

ME: How many names are on the list now?

COJ: More than twenty.

ME: What is the ordinance that references traffic studies?

COJ: Now I don't know that, I will have to research it and get back to you.

And the final insult- I have an estimate from Duval Asphalt for $850 for each speed bump. The city does it for $2400-$2600 each and will pay half the cost!

Welcome to the parellel universe of Jacksonville

[riveree]

We had them put in on our busier streets in my old neighborhood and it did take a while to get them.

I think we had some help from our city councilman, did you contact yours?

City Council Members

They can't speed up the process, but they can be sure you get on the list and check on it for you from time to time.

Also, you probably only need speed humps and not bumps. There is a difference and speed humps are easier to get since they do less damage to vehicles/they're safer (it's probably what you will end up with anyway if the city is doing the work).

It's just a technicality, but if "humps" will work (just to slow traffic down), you might want to word it that way from the beginning so there's no confusion...don't want anything to slow down the wheel of bureaucracy, y'know?!

[Magnolia Bloom]

Originally Posted by riveree

We had them put in on our busier streets in my old neighborhood and it did take a while to get them.

I think we had some help from our city councilman, did you contact yours?

City Council Members

They can't speed up the process, but they can be sure you get on the list and check on it for you from time to time.

Also, you probably only need speed humps and not bumps. There is a difference and speed humps are easier to get since they do less damage to vehicles/they're safer (it's probably what you will end up with anyway if the city is doing the work).

It's just a technicality, but if "humps" will work (just to slow traffic down), you might want to word it that way from the beginning so there's no confusion...don't want anything to slow down the wheel of bureaucracy, y'know?!

Within the development, we are referring to it as traffic calming. The city only uses "bumps", but they have specs to follow. They do not exceed 3" in height and are gradual.

What wheels of bureaucracy? The tires are flat! I think I will file a public records request for the waiting list.

Jack Webb is our councilman and his office is very proactive. I copied his aide on my e-mail to the engineer. I am going to follow up next week when she gets back into town, see if she can get Webb to make an inquiry. How can there be a requirement for a study when there is no company available to conduct it?!