CM Johnson & CM Boylan Council Leadership Noticed Meeting

CM Johnson & CM Boylan Council Leadership Noticed Meeting — Mar 24, 2026

>> Okay. You're good afternoon. Michael Boylan District 6 Rockland Johnson District 14. >> This meeting is about the 26 27 Council leadership cycle. I am so honored to have counsel born here. I've known you, Michael for years and years, especially in leadership with public television. And I guess the other thing, too, is your quest to be a council leadership, which I will say on record. We would have appreciated that. I was many of the things I would say probably it may not have been the best decision that I made to 2 not fight harder for your leadership. I must say as well. I appreciate your leadership with the sick you ally, which I was not a part of that. Then I also was a part of your leadership under the jail task force, which on that one of the subcommittees. So the first thing I wanted to ask is about your perspective on leadership and direction. And what do you see and what really you could impart to me again, what we need on this council having served as long as you have well. >> First, let me say how much I appreciate the fact that you put yourself out there and no is not an easy decision unknown. Some respect to the deck is kind of stacked already, but and that could easily discouraged you. But it didn't. And so I think you're to be lauded for that. I think I'm on record being very disappointed with the last 4 or 5 of them elections such as they were when single notice meeting was happened before, you know, it was a done deal. And I that was unfortunate. And that's why I was looking at perhaps changing somewhat drastically, the process of leadership. But be that as it may, I think what we need in the context of future leadership and obviously the vice president works hand in hand with the president in this process. And whoever is practice and protocol continues. The vice president likely will be next council president left, which I will no longer be on council, but it's going to be a challenging time. H each year is going to get more and more difficult. We've been blessed all the many challenges over the course of the past 7 years. Financial crisis was not one of them. It in that context, Andrew, we see that on the horizon now may be more difficult in 2 years. Well, you and I share a lot in terms of common interests and priorities and the nonprofit sector and quality of life and focusing on those kind of things. I think it's going to be very difficult. And when we look at the priorities of public works public safety and that kind of what people think are the bread and butter work of a city government. So I'm very much concerned about the prospect of how we continue to support the nonprofit sector is part of our work. I mentioned the other day with a comment about this one of our colleagues during a committee meeting. I said, well, if we I'm going to be doing in the future, you better drastically raise the funding for public safety because it's going to fall back in the laps of them to serve those who are underserved in a very different way, unfortunately. >> Was interesting. I just literally and walking out of the meeting with Greg met of being a and the team over it and they live in a great northeast, Florida habitat for humanity that you were always going to call them, have a tax that, you know, there's still always in our hearts have just a great America. Really good guy. And one of the things we're talking about is, you know, my day obviously have been a part of the nonprofit community player just and raising money and sitting on boards in those kind of things. I think one of the worst thing since I've been here and I wish I would have been, you know, I just I just started. But when we came in, there was that 15 million dollar appropriation that was requested that would have been matched by the community foundation to the to the 30 minutes of the south portion, which would have made 45 million dollar impact on this 92,000. Plus house is the number of houses that we need to satisfy the comp plan where we are. And, you know, people need a place to live, right? Had we made that investment. We would be in a different place now. I think it's a great point. You know, short-sightedness, you know, for the sake of political expediency. >> Pay me now or pay me later. It's real whole lot more later and keeping the private sector engaged with an opportunity like that and then losing that opportunity as a result is it really is going to cost us down the road here to see that happen. But >> that's when worked. Well, that would be my focus on and I've looked at it. That's why didn't just come in and try to shore for leadership. I wanted to say, how could I be of help? And then most importantly, how can I be in a place where my colleagues and I because I look at this as a family, we may not all agree. As I said in my statement, win, it launched. We might all agree, but we do want Jackson will be better. And so one of the things that I am really big on is ensuring that the right people in the right places, not because someone is being punished or and I set off to Betty Holzendorf taught me there are no permanent friends or enemies in this space. Only permanent causes like nonprofits and housing. And those are the things that are permanent. And so to me, I want to be able to look at those people like yourself who are superstars at knowing CQ ally. I look at it now to go back through and that work. Those rip that report is is highly academic. And. >> Alicia, thank you. And what I'm particularly proud of, we were ahead of the curve in terms of recognizing the potential. Not a lot of that quite frankly came out of the public comment city council meetings. People think we don't listen. Sometimes I listened understood we had a housing crisis are pending housing crisis. We had a home's this issue that we needed to address. And I think because of my work in the nonprofit sector as a board leadership on daughters, medicine, particular, I knew we were on a great track and McCain to access to health care. And I want to make sure that success continued. So it was a great time to do that. I think the the thought process by which I brought to the table that which continued then with JSO primary facilities work, I think it's the kind away we have to work together as a council. We can't have one council member having an agenda and having people sitting around him to move forward. That agenda was in that the information of the come out, your help, your son, your committee, the one came out amidst imposes committee, weren't necessarily things that I probably would embraced given my position in life and in terms of politics. But at the same time we recognize them as part of the process. They're recognizing the value of your work and the work that you needed on on the other. You can transition component that he worked on. So I think that's what you need to do. You need to have diverse people. I think our challenge this particular year is that for the most part, the committees were largely stacked so to get a specific agenda through and that is unfortunate. >> What does it? And I guess my main question for you is what does you said it in many ways. But for you and I to me, it's a bad thing. I'll go ahead and say that you will not be on this council might buy. You have been the conscience. Thank you that a lot of just goodness. And you know, just personally even before I was elected have when I was making a decision to run, you're one of the people I called think we had some real conversation. Did we did? Would you say that individual needs to be successful? >> As a vice president and hopefully in moving the council for? That's an interesting question. To the extent a couple of things. I was the number one I think you want is you need to sit down with the council president saying, you know, what can I do to compliment you? Not necessarily do is you want me to do but to compliment you. Where are your blind spots? I think you have may have blind spots that I think I can help you with. Can I bring some of my colleagues along on your mayor and with respect to your priorities and how does that work? I can tell you that was one of the most probably the only contentious race in the past 7 years that I can recall Mike decision on who voted for for vice president with and 11 to 10 vote 9 to 10 vote was the interest of the council president in terms of who he wanted to see as his vice president. So that plays into that. So if you've not had a conversation and I encourage you to do so with a councilman vice pres Holland, this say let me help you understand how I can compliment your leadership and help you with your priorities. So I think that's where it goes. And then beyond that begin building that consensus, the Kerry that you can carry forward in 2 years president. >> It's so interesting how dynamics change. So I have seen since I've been here, but that's what I'm looking to. And I'll tell you what the reason why, if you will recall, I've never that you will be getting an email from me with the hopefully you will commit. But here's the thing and I just thought about this and I was reminded us that before I started this journey, I talked to former council members, right? I want to talk to Eric Smith son, Sam newbies in Warren Jones is and ask them the question like what you need and one of the things that they came back. Lisa, do you do realize that the pledge for means absolutely nothing. >> Right, that you can get it and share it. >> You can tell people that they're going to vote for you. But at the end of the day, it's not binding. It is not binding. So while I will send them, my focus has been on as I begin to more closely prepare what I do have what I'm looking for is that the only word I could use to come up with was platform. Sure, but I'm as I develop how I hope to approach leadership. I wanted to talk to all of the members one-on-one. That's why, as for notice me so I could get the feedback or to build what I hope will be a platform for me that will allow me to support the president, but also interject in those meetings that I'm in, those needs of my colleagues. So that's where I'm hoping that my staff to be a little bit different. >> Last year I asked Cosmo Hound to introduce me as a candidate. One thing he said is you don't need a title to be in to be a leader. And I think that's something I did appreciate that. And I think that's probably true here. If in fact, this doesn't play a few dozen preclude you from being a leader on this council. So I would you keep that in mind doesn't hurt to lose. Absolutely. Have lost a couple of times. I I know the hurt, but you have to recognize that some playing time. You have to keep doing what you're doing because you've been elected to do so. And I think leadership we all have an opportunity to lead when on initiatives that we feel a lot of, you know, have great passion for this kind of where I'm going with this. Again, my only advice to use have that conversation with council vice-president Howland and not so much to say what what do you want me to do as this is what I think I can where I can help you strengthen your you're and help you improve the prospects of your successes council president. >> I I appreciate the advice I'm thankful I wanted I didn't need a long time. I just want to get those questions. Are you know what I feel like? And I'm sure you appreciate this is a TV guys. Well, I feel like Bryant Gumbel interviewing the stars of of of it because these these conversations I'm having. >> We don't get to do this very. I don't know if the sunshine laws are can be very frustrating. Sometimes you just want to just want to just have a conversation about things and what he's not so much where you stand on a particular issue. Just what are your Pryor is? What do you care about these days? Because the changes from year to year in terms of where you want to put your focus, I mean, this year high, I assume from lane and the role of the PSG liaison will. So now I'm a champion for the PSG. And I'll be doing that this evening as matter of fact, Southern and JJ, too, for that matter. So I worry that that will change from year to year as to where your priorities are. But yeah, I think it's it's a great opportunity in ISIS started this conversation. I really do appreciate you put yourself forward because I think it's great to see the competition is for platforms and the forms that we have to do to help us understand given me this opportunity to say what I'm saying, it means a lot. So I do appreciate that. And I think it's you know, that's a big part of the Lord to Bowen's complimenting me probably the best compliment. He said you're a great listener that a lot of talking right now. I get it. But but I understand as do you important of listening. >> I appreciate you being here. I am. I'm thankful for your leadership, but most importantly, your wisdom that you bring into this counseling comes of age. I'm right behind you. Thank you again. And I hope you will consider on May 26th which the reason I know that date, it just happens to be my 50th birthday ago. As you may know, last year I was celebrate my 50th anniversary. I know. Remember, so was the married ones. Thank you again. Thanks for being in. The hope you'll consider voting for Mitt much of the City Council. Appreciate that. This meeting is adjourned