I don't know what.

Yeah, yes, I don't know what.

It is four o'clock.

Do we have or need a quorum?

We good.

I don't know what he's doing.

All right.

Good afternoon and welcome.

I officially call this meeting to order.

This is the 2026-2027 special council meeting on leadership vote.

So let's do roll call.

Council President, we have a quorum with 18 present.

We have eighteen present.

We don't need any introductions.

So I'm going to turn it over to the council secretary to get us in order.

Oh, no, he said.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

This is the council leadership vote of May 26th, 20.

I'm on mute.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

This is the City Council leadership vote of May 26, 2026.

The council rules require paper ballots for leadership vote.

You should all have your ballots in front of you.

The council president vote is first, and the council vice president vote is second.

The council president will open the floor for nominations.

Once the nominations are closed for president designate, you can make your selection, sign your ballot, and legislative services staff will collect them.

Each signed written ballot shall be delivered to the council secretary who shall read each ballot orally after all ballots have been received and shall total and announce the results thereof.

When no nominee for an office receives a majority on the first ballot, the two nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be voted on on a second signed written ballot.

All other nominees being dropped from consideration.

In the event of a tie vote for the position of second nominee, the members involved in such tie vote shall immediately be voted on separately by all council members voting to break the tie, with the person receiving the most votes there from being the second nominee.

The process will be repeated for the council vice president designate.

Following the leadership votes for both offices of council president designate and council vice president designate, the president will extend the privilege of the floor to the newly elected officers.

You turn that back over to me.

Alright, before we open the floor for nominations, I see uh past President Carlucci in the queue.

Did you have a question or anything to add before we open?

Oh.

Alright, yes, we got you.

Okay.

So I officially opened the floor for nominations for the Office of City Council President.

Dr.

Johnson, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Colleagues, uh members of the council.

First of all, it's good to be here today.

I turned 50.

I just gotta say it.

It feels good, y'all.

Feels good.

Three years ago, I got to know uh the person I'm gonna nominate as a friend, uh Nick Howland, and I met him standing in line with royalty.

Uh now to be clear, the royalty that we had been visiting that particular day had been passed on for more than a tri-millennium.

We were at the King Tut exhibit surrounded by gold, antiquity, breathtaking art, and just an amazing experience.

However, the other royalty that I stood with was our uh the person I'm nominating, his mother, because even though we were in awe of the artifacts, I got to know someone who was just as beautiful as the jewels and wonderful things that I saw.

Uh I met this woman in line and she asked me about my family.

And I told her about my mom, who had passed away a few years before.

It's only had only been three years at the time.

And when I was at it, something inside me, she could tell that I had a moment when she asked me about my mother.

Now, anybody who's ever lost a mom knows that it is not an easy thing at all.

Those moments come back, however, even though her son was there and her daughter-in-law and her grandkids, she stood with me and stayed with me as we walked through the entire King Tud exhibit, sharing anecdotes and laughing and just enjoying a really special moment.

And at that moment, she saw what I needed.

I needed humanity.

And I said to myself as I walked away that absolutely there is no way this kind of woman could have raised a bad son.

And I got to know her son better year by year.

And in these last three years, Nick Howland has proven exactly who he said he was.

Not through slogans or theatrics, but through steadiness and discipline and service.

He's a Navy veteran, and I could name all the things that he's done in the ships he's served on, a businessman, a husband, a father, raising sons that attend Duval County schools, a leader whose resume reads like a mission of driven excellence.

But titles and those things are not the most impressive.

What impresses me about this individual and what I've come to admire is that he understands the difference between politics and purpose.

Because anybody can win an argument, but real leadership is what it means to win trust.

Anybody can dominate a headline, but real leadership is knowing how to hold the city together when the headlines fade.

Now, I'll be honest, Nick and I do not always agree.

Let's just go ahead and set the room with that.

He's a Republican, I'm a Democrat, and there are days where we arrive at the same destination, carrying maps and coming from different directions.

But the beauty of mature leadership is that we don't have to agree on the how, but we certainly agree on the why.

The goal is not for the party to win, the goal is for Jacksonville to rise.

And that's what I believe Nick Howland will bring to this council coming forward.

I saw it in our work when we honored the legacy and memory of a woman who was taken away from us far too soon, Johnny May Chappelle.

Nick showed something increasingly rare in public white life, and that's the willingness to lead with conviction and compassion, even though it was something that happened long before we were both born.

And let me say plainly, in an era where public service has become what we know is a blood sport, Nick has remained composed.

Now we've all been called names up here.

We all know the names that we've been called, and you know I've heard Nick smile at those names.

Every last one of us has had those issues, but you see, he has been pragmatic and disciplined and smart and patient.

Politics will test your patience, your character, and sometimes your humanity itself.

But this gentleman has found a way to preserve dignity in all of that, and that we must respect.

Maya Angelou, the wonderful poet, once said that people will forget how what you said.

They will even forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

And Nick, you allow us on this council, Mr.

President, he lets us feel enough to be seen because there's something about a disciplined, elegant, sophisticated way of being seen, and he makes sure that he supports that even though he may not agree.

Now, we are 19 people up here who get to make changes and decisions for more than a million.

We do and make decisions that change lives, and history is watching at what as what kind of leaders we choose to become.

But what I know is that the kind of leader that Nick is, I believe he will carry forth what presidents before as we look at that back wall, and uh council president, your picture will be added to it very soon.

As we look at that wall and the legacy of presidents of this council since 1968, I believe that Nick Howland is the right person to lead us into this next movement and generation of what it means to lead the city council.

So today, Mr.

President, with enormous respect, deep admiration, and sincere belief in the future of this institution.

I proudly place into nomination my friend, my colleague, and the current vice president of the Jacksonville City Council, Nick Howland to serve as the 2026-27 president of the City Council because I believe his leadership will challenge us to be the best versions of ourselves.

And when we are challenged to be the best, Jacksonville gets even better.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All right, thank you, Dr.

Johnson.

We have a motion on that.

Do we have a second?

Thank you, Council President.

I raised his second nomination.

Thank you.

You rise a second, I'll give you your time.

He basically took all your time.

Uh there's two minutes on the clock.

Uh, we have at least four more possible nominations for first and second.

So uh you I know you won't take the time, and it's his birthday, so I gave him some uh some leeway.

So uh everyone else doing a nomination or a second, you're gonna get two minutes.

Thanks.

I've crossed out the middle section that had all the nice stuff about Nick in it.

So I'll get to the point.

Uh second this nomination.

Uh it's an exciting day for the Howland family.

Uh, Nick just came here from Stanton College Preps graduation.

So your son Lucas has been a Stanton grad like myself, like Joe, and a number of others.

Uh, we have Stanton grads and dads in here, so congratulations to Lucas.

And uh that really is a true measure of a father, the success of their sons, and so just so awesome to see uh Ben and Lucas graduating from Stan and now going to the University of Florida, which is like harder to get into Harvard than it would then when I graduated Stan.

Uh, but again, uh Councilmember Johnson uh said a lot of the things I was gonna say, but uh one of the things I just want to say is that you really are the common experienced leader that I think we need right now.

Your Navy background, you're the right guy to bring us helm orders.

We may uh may need some course corrections, and I just really looking forward to the leadership uh that you're gonna bring to this council in the next year.

So with that, I second the nomination.

All right.

So we have a nomination and a second for Nick Howland for the office of president.

Do we have any other nominations?

Councilmember Peluso.

Uh you're not recognized.

We have the ballots.

Let's go ahead and pass them out.

Oh.

Welcome.

We're glad to have you.

Councilmember Boylan, votes Nick Howland, Councilmember Clark Murray, Nick Howland, Councilmember Salem, Nick Howland, Councilmember Diamond, Nick Howland, Councilmember Gaffney Jr., Nick Howland, Councilmember Freeman, Nick Howland, Councilmember Gay, Nick Howland, Councilmember Carlucci, Joe Carlucci, Nick Howland, Councilmember Howland, Nick Howland, Councilmember Carico, Nick Howland, Councilmember Arius, Nick Howland, Councilmember Lennon, Nick Howland, Councilmember Miller, Nick Howland, Councilmember Pittman, Nick Howland, Councilmember White, Nick Howland, Councilmember Omaro, Nick Howland, Councilmember Johnson, Nick Howland, Councilmember Peluso, no vote.

Councilmember Matt Carlucci, Nick Howland.

You want to announce the winner?

Mr.

President, by a vote of 18 votes in favor, no votes against, and one abstention.

Council Vice President Howland has been uh chosen as council president elect.

We're gonna go ahead and recognize vice president elect excuse me, president-elect, vice president Nick Holland.

Thank you, Mr.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you, colleagues.

I'm honored to have earned your trust.

I'm so deeply honored.

And Rockman and Will, those words mean the world to me.

Thank you so much.

You'll hear more about my plans in the June 25th installation, but my aspirations are clear.

In a time of revenue uncertainty and fiscal pressure, we must stay focused on the core.

Public safety, infrastructure, essential city services, while also advancing strategies that make Jacksonville the best city in the Southeast to relocate a business and for families to live, work, and play.

That requires financial discipline, spending smarter, ensuring resources go where they have the greatest impact on quality of life.

Looking for options to keep growing without using taxpayer dollars.

You'll learn more about that during the installation.

We'll also prioritize accountability and transparency.

So all voices are heard.

And so government works better for the people it serves.

In particular, that means the CPAX.

You'll see the CPACs get a seat at the table.

And you'll learn more about that at the installation.

Most of all, we'll focus on job creation over the next year, not government-driven job creation, but the Milton Friedman model, creating conditions for private investment and business growth.

That is that has guided my work on council so far, including my very first bill in 2022, and my efforts to accelerate great pay in aerospace industry jobs at Cecil Field.

That matters today more than ever because we do have an affordability crisis.

The cost of living is skyrocketed.

We can't control uh prices, but there are lots of things we can do to spur economic development to create jobs and to help our constituents afford to feed their families and stay in their homes because people are truly struggling.

If you give a family a meal, you feed them for a night.

If you give a family a job, you feed them for a career.

And the jobs are indeed coming.

Last thing I wanted to bring up.

I want to ensure that this council this year operates as a team.

I truly believe a 17-2 vote is better than a 10-9 vote because it means we've worked together.

I don't want to force outcomes, I want to build them through discussion and through consensus.

Even in an election year, that will be a clear objective of mine over the next year.

And that's what this city deserves.

So the installation will be June 25th at 5 p.m.

here in the chambers, followed by a reception at the JU College of Law.

I'm a Navy veteran.

This is a Navy town, and you can expect the Navy to be featured that evening.

Uh fitting as we approach this nation's 250th birthday.

So thank you again to all of you for the trust you place in me, and I look forward to a fantastic council year.

All right, and congratulations, President elect Howland.

Well done, sir.

Alright, we have a tight schedule.

We have a lot to do.

So we're gonna move on to the council secretary.

Did you have anything to add before we open up the floor for nominations for the office of vice president?

No, Mr.

President.

Alright, I officially open up the floor for nominations for Vice President.

Past President White, you're recognized.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I don't let you gain some time here.

I don't have a lot to say, but uh I want to nominate Joe Carlucci.

I'm gonna look out in the audience, I'll see his two sons there, and that's how long I've known Joe.

I actually knew him before he knew me.

Him, me and his dad goes a long way.

Uh, and I'm gonna nominate him, and I wish I could I could talk as long as Dr.

Johnson did on Joe.

I know that much about him, but I won't.

I'll save that.

But Joe, I'd like to nominate you as vice president.

Thank you.

All right.

We have a nomination.

Do we have a second?

Uh second by council member Arius.

You're recognized.

Mr.

President, I too want to nominate uh Mr.

Joe Carlucci as vice president for city council for uh this upcoming year.

Um, first of all, you look at the family out there behind uh in front of us right now.

Um that's the epitome of of who Joe is.

You see his family over here too on the diets, another great example of who Joe is.

Uh one thing's for certain that Joe will put his heart out there for not only for us but also for the constituents.

Him and I, the first time him and I connected, and I talked about this during when I was doing the petition was when we were fighting those storage wars that we ultimately lost.

But you know what?

Seeing you battle for your community for your district showed me who you are, your character.

No matter who was who were we up against, you still fought hard.

And uh that just showed me like the kind of person that you will be uh leading us in the future as vice president and hopefully one day as a president.

So I have many more words to say about you, sir.

But uh honestly, I'm just proud to be able to nominate you, my second nomination uh for vice president.

And I know that um if you were to become the vice president, you will do a heck of a job leading us alongside President Elect Howden.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

So we have a motion and a second.

So we have one nomination confirmed for Joe Carlucci.

Any other nominations?

Mike Gay, you recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh I'd like to nominate uh Chris Miller uh for vice president.

Um, I appreciate your leadership abilities that you've demonstrated over the uh years that I've I've gotten to know to know you, and uh, but I'll definitely be shorter than uh Chief White in my uh uh nomination here, but uh I firmly believe in you, and I believe you you would uphold the position and uh be able to uh fully uh be able to function as a vice president, and I have total confidence confidence in you.

Thank you, sir.

All right, there's a nomination.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember.

Freeman, are you in the queue to second this nomination?

Is there someone in the queue to second the nomination?

Councilmember Boylan.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I I stand to second the nomination of Chris Miller.

He reached out to me just a few minutes ago to ask me to do so.

I'm so proud to do so.

Uh Chris is a stand-up guy.

I remember the first time that we drove my district together, and it was a point in time, a moment of contention.

He reached for his hip.

Wasn't used to that, man, for sure.

But he's a great guy.

I think he uh cares a lot about the well-being of this council, and uh I think he would serve well.

Uh uh president-elect uh Holland in his capacity as his vice president.

So I'm looking forward to seeing him being elected.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

So we have officially have a nomination and a second for Chris Miller.

Uh, any other nominations?

Councilman Freeman, past President Freeman, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh I rise with the honor of saying one, we have an outstanding list of candidates here, and I couldn't be more proud to serve with each of them.

Um I am fortunate to have been asked by one of them to nominate him, and with great pleasure, I will do so, uh, because he is a good man.

Um I stand to nominate uh councilmember Ken Amaro.

Uh he's a member uh obviously of this body, um, and I did not come to this lightly, as he's a leader who brings integrity, steady judgment, and a genuine commitment to serving every resident.

Ken, who is a retired five-time Emmy award-winning journalist, husband, a father, grandfather, a faith leader in his church, has demonstrated these qualities repeatedly through service, through action, and through unclouded vision for a stronger, more connected community.

Ken has shown a deep understanding of the issues that matter most.

Public safety, responsible budgeting, transparent decision making, and opportunities that uplift families in every district.

He listens before he leads, and he leads with a belief that government must be accountable, accessible, and responsive.

As we look ahead to the challenges and opportunities before us, we need a vice president who can unite this council, who believes in the power of collaboration, supports effective governance, and who has a heart to help guide our city with wisdom and fairness.

Uh Ken is that person.

Um as I reflect on it, and I was just Googling what was that saying in his I'ma tell Ken.

Um, telling Ken.

Uh, and I'll just give you an example of my interaction with Ken when he was a reporter.

Um, not many of us up here can say that you know every encounter with the media has been a pleasurable one.

And if you have tracked my journey in this space, you know I have definitely grown.

And it was during COVID, and uh, and the reporter asked to interview me right across the street, and it was Mr.

Amaro, and he asked me about a very close friend who had passed away, and it was a friend who married us, and I thought he was about to tell us all of the bad things that we've done in government and why we haven't done this and put mask here and this and that.

And instead, what he said to me spoke to my heart.

And I'll never forget this, Councilman Mara Luke and I and I say you should be the one running one day.

And so, with great honor and pleasure, I am nominating Mr.

Mara for vice president.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember, right to second the nomination of Councilmember Ken Amaro to be our council's vice president.

Over the past three years, I've appreciated getting to know Ken, admire his statemanship and the fact that you always know uh how he's going to vote and why on an issue.

And there's never a doubt that Ken is on Jacksonville's side.

In a TU committee meeting a while back, Councilmember Amara implied I was the cheapest person on council.

I don't think he realized how much this compliment has gone to my head.

We don't always agree on every fiscal matter, but we certainly disagree with civility.

So it is my honor to nominate Councilmember Maher to be our vice president.

All right.

So we have a formal nomination and a second for Councilmember Ken Amor.

So he is on the ballot.

Point of order.

Point of order, Mr.

Diamond.

The chair of our meeting, Mr.

President, I say, Rule 2.202 of the council rule says that every member of this body must vote on every question.

Quote, every question, unquote.

Yeah.

And also rule 2.202.

And therefore, I think for the election of council president must be redone because a member chose to abstain with that one declaring what the conflict was.

I don't think there is.

He has to vote, and it has to be in the affirmative.

All right.

I agree with that.

If you would give us the opportunity to finish the nominations on the VP, I'll get legal to whisper in my ear.

But the point is received, and we'll see how we proceed.

So back to Ken Marlowe has been nominated.

Any other nominations on the floor?

Councilwoman Pittman, you're recognized.

It is indeed an honor for me to place into nomination the name of Councilman Dr.

Rockman Johnson for Vice President of the Jacksonville City Council and also celebrating your 50th birthday today.

You know, I just like to say his leadership is about transition and navigating without losing purpose.

It is about being inclusive and moving conversation and legislation that will keep our government working and getting to the finish line.

I've known Rockman for more than 40 years, long before the title of doctor, long before the television appearances, and long before you were elected by the people.

I've had the opportunity to watch your journey firsthand.

And I think now is the time.

And throughout his career, he has been a communicator.

That has been your will house and your God gift.

An educator, an advocate, who is a bill uh bridge builder, leadership is about listening, finding common ground, and helping the council, work together, and come up with solutions, which he is an excellent candidate to do that.

In addition, he is a champion for neighborhoods.

He supports economic development opportunities, he elevates culture and history, and consistently work to ensure that government remains connected to the people we serve.

He comes prepared, he does his homework, and he makes sure that he gets the job done.

And coming to getting his homework done, trust me, if there's research to be done, I think we all know Dr.

Rockman Johnson has already done the research.

For these reasons, colleagues, and with great confidence in his character, integrity, and commitment to public servants, I proudly nominate Dr.

Rotman Johnson for vice president of the Jacksonville City Council.

All right, do we have a second?

Councilmember Harris.

All right, thank you, Mr.

President.

I rise to also second the nomination for Rockman Johnson as our city council vice president.

And while it sounds conflicting, you know, I just talked about Joe Carlucci.

Here we have another gentleman that I truly admire.

Um I have a list of reasons why to second his nomination, but let me tell you one thing.

Being in politics, it's not about being a Republican or a Democrat.

Being in public in politics is about doing the right thing.

And this guy right here has one of the biggest hearts on council.

Just like I talked about Mr.

Joe Carlucci, he has a heart.

I've seen him at LUZ.

Every time we're up here taking votes, he takes all his community into the green room to talk about what's going on, how to actually work the system out, work the process out, and figure out a solution for both parties, whether it's the applicant or the actual community itself.

Alright, when you're talking about us up here, we had disagree multiple times.

But the way we disagree sometimes, when I look at him, he takes it and he says, you know what, we could all agree to disagree.

We could agree to disagree and he takes it like a man, but also he takes it in a way where it makes you realize that hey, you know what?

Maybe he doesn't have a point.

Maybe I should take the partisanship out of it and actually figure out what's going on.

Like I said, I have a list of reasons why to nominate him.

But one of the biggest things that that really stood out to me is that, you know, during this process, I've been doing this for three years now, and every year it's literally months or weeks leading up to this election that people start knocking on your door, say, hey, uh, can we have a meeting?

Well, I haven't had that call from him at all.

All right.

On the contrary, he showed up since day number one.

Day number one, showing me his true character, all right, which is why I want to nominate him as vice president as well, too.

And I I look forward to uh hopefully serving with all of you guys tonight, and uh, we'll see how this goes.

My time is up.

Thank you so much.

All right, thank you for that.

We officially have a nomination and a second for councilmember Dr.

Rockman Johnson.

So everyone has ballots in front of them, reflecting the four council members that were nominated and seconded.

Let's go ahead and fill those out, pass them in, and we'll have legislative services read your vote into the record.

Anyone is wondering, it was whispered in my ear that you do have to vote.

If you're a president, this is a matter before the body.

You have to vote.

You can't abstain from this vote.

Mr.

Secretary, Councilmember Boylan, Canamaro, Councilmember Clark Murray, Chris Miller, Councilmember Salem, Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Diamond, Chris Miller, Councilmember Gaffney Jr.

Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Freeman, Chris Miller, Councilmember Gay, Chris Miller, Councilmember Joe Carlucci, Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Howland, Chris Miller, Councilmember Carico, Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Arias, Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Lane, Chris Miller, Councilmember Miller, Chris Miller, Councilmember Pittman, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember White, Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Ramaro, Kennemaro, Councilmember Johnson, Rockman Johnson, Councilmember Peluso, Rockman Johnson, Councilmember Matt Carlucci, Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember, two votes.

Councilmember Carlucci, six votes.

Councilmember Johnson, four votes.

Councilmember Miller, seven votes.

Mr.

President, no nominee for the office of the twenty twenty six, twenty twenty-seven Jacksonville City Council Vice President designate has received a majority on the first ballot.

Councilmember Miller and Councilmember Joe Carlucci are the two nominees receiving the highest number of votes.

With Councilmember Miller receiving seven and councilmember Carlucci receiving six.

They shall be voted on on a second signed written ballot, all other nominees being dropped from consideration.

Councilmembers, you're being passed out ballots that reflect Councilmember Joe Carlucci and Councilmember Miller to be voted upon for the twenty twenty six, twenty twenty-seven Jacksonville City Council Vice President designate.

Yes, Mr.

President.

Councilmember Boylan, Chris Miller, Councilmember Clark Murray, Chris Miller, Councilmember Salem, Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Diamond, Chris Miller, Councilmember Gaffney Jr., Joe Carlucci, Councilmember Freeman, Chris Miller, Councilmember Gay, Chris Miller.

Councilmember Joe Carlucci.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember Nick Howland.

Chris Miller.

Councilmember Kevin Carico.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember Arias.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember Lane.

Chris Miller.

Councilmember Miller.

Chris Miller.

Councilmember Pittman.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember White.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember Omaro.

Chris Miller.

Councilmember Johnson.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember Peluso.

Joe Carlucci.

Councilmember Matt Carlucci.

Joe Carlucci.

I know he's got a call for the vote, people.

Call the vote.

Mr.

President, the official vote for Council Vice President designate for 2026-2027, Jacksonville City Council with 10 votes.

Councilmember Joe Carlucci to nine votes.

Councilmember Chris Miller.

Now we can clap.

Mr.

Vice President Designee if you'd like to say a few words.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Man, that was uh, that was intense.

So all these other council presidents have had 10-9 votes.

That is, I do not envy you.

I don't want to ever do that again.

Um, but thank you.

I am so honored and grateful for this opportunity to help lead our council uh alongside council president-elect uh Hallen.

I want to say thank you to my wife and my boys for being here tonight.

All right, and wave uh thank you so much for your patience and your support through this.

I couldn't have done this without you.

Uh to my fellow council members and colleagues who supported me and those who didn't thank you at this at this point.

Uh and I want to commend also those who ran um for this race.

It's it's hard, and I commend all of you who ran.

Um, but look, now it's time to build consensus.

It's time to get back to work, and it's time to like council vice or vice president Holland said, we gotta we gotta build this, we gotta bring this team back together, go for it in 2027, um, and that's pretty much it.

Thank you so much, and I look forward to being your next vice president.

All right.

Back to the unfinished business.

Uh Mary, can you please explain the council rule and where we are at with the presidential election and the member who decided not to vote?

Can do, Mr.

President.

So um, as Councilmember Diamond previously indicated during his point of order earlier on the the last item, rule 4.602 of the council rules present present provides that each council member present at any meeting of the council shall vote on each question put.

And uh you and I have discussed Mr.

President as the ultimate interpreter of the council rules that you agree that a nomination for a council leadership position is a question being put to the council, thus this would apply.

Later on it says, unless a council member abstains from voting because of a conflict as set forth here and above, which references the state statutory and ethical and other types of conflicts, voting conflicts, then any council member who repra refrains from giving his or her vote when required to do so by this rule shall be deemed to have given his or her vote in the affirmative.

So there are a couple of qu uh options that I put forward to you, Mr.

President.

You could take a motion to reconsider the election of the president designate for the next council year and then take up the nomination and second again and then do another ballot, or you could confirm with Mr.

Peluso that his vote would be considered a vote in the affirmative based on his initial vow ballot, which he did not complete with a vote and move forward from there.

Ms.

So to save us all some time can you just uh say that say that you're in the affirmative for council member howland or would you like to do it a different way?

I will I will save everyone time.

I do want to speak after it though.

Thank you, Mary.

I will save everyone time.

Yes, I'm in the affirmative, but I do want something to say once we get to comments.

Alright, so then that's official.

We don't have to redo the vote.

Just want to confirm.

So yes Mr.

President and to confirm yeah we're gonna give you your ballot you can just correct it.

Alright now so to confirm it was 19 votes in favor of um the nomination of council member Nick Howland as the president designate.

All right thank you for that Mary.

Alright I see someone in the queue that deserves to speak on this even though we were trying to hold off on too many comments but his son just got nominated and despite no love lost between me and past President Carlucci I would love to call on you and let you speak and honor your son.

Well I love you Council President Jericho.

Of course I do I love everybody up here.

We just disagree sometimes look I I want to say this as we get a little quiet.

So for a long time I have uh urged this council to have competition for this vice presidential vote and we did it tonight and it was a little bit of an awkward position for me as a father in this process and so I decided as I went into it to say something nice about every candidate in this race because I've had the honor of knowing every candidate in this race very well and it was easy for me to say the nice things that I did when I was able to speak because it wasn't long after that I had to keep quiet I couldn't say anything.

And um and so I think this has been one of the best exercises I've seen amongst this council and uh this uh having such four qualified candidates any of these candidates could have led this council um very well this coming year and um and I appreciate the way and the camaraderie that there have been shared motions for different candidates I I think that's something I've never seen before and I thought it was done in such a spirit of of goodness and a virtue I I want to do something else that I don't think has ever been done since I've been up here the last two times and I uh I I I think it's a good thing and I hope council member Miller because I know what a good man he is he's a very good man.

I've seen him in action before and I know where his heart's at but uh but something back in years past when we've had a tight race for uh vice president or even president the one that just doesn't quite make it believe me I've been there before I've been on the nine end of a 10 to nine vote um but uh might not be a bad might might be a good thing to make a motion uh even if it's just symbolic uh to uh make the vote for vice presidency unanimous and uh and that's just a way to kind of pull the council together and that's been done traditionally over the years and um and it will in a way of good sportsmanship and I leave that to you sir uh but but to make that um to make that motion that um that uh you respect all candidates but that you'd like to make a motion that the race for vice president be made uh unanimous amongst all of us and I think that helps kick off uh this new coming year in a really good way and so I throw that out as a just as a suggestion I don't mean to put you on the spot sir but I think I know your heart and I think that's something you probably uh would uh consider and I don't think it's something that has to get any particular council rule okay I've seen it done many times before and I thank you council president uh for allowing me this time and and uh one last thing I would be remiss if I didn't say that my son he's gonna do a very good job he will not disappoint and he will be fair and square across every council member here and uh he's a young man but um I can't tell you how proud he and his mama are his mother's here tonight and his family is and as a family I I haven't been able to say anything but I think I can now legally and just want to say son I'm proud of you and just remember everybody up here is a council member equal with one another and every council member's got their own particular needs and I've seen you treat everybody in an equal form and fashion and just continue to do that and um and that'll help you launch into a good year next year.

I love you and um I wish you the very best thank you.

Now we have a hard stop at 450 so the room can get reset for the council meeting which starts at five o'clock so uh the vice president and president designate uh Nick Allen is in the queue thank you Mr.

President I just want to congratulate Joe Carlucci on being vice president elect at Jacksonville City Council um we had four great candidates in this race today um between Rockman Ken Chris and Joe four outstanding candidates um all terrific council members who care for the city deeply um I hope it was one of the last 10 nine votes we have because uh as I said earlier I I prefer a 17 2 vote over a 10 9 vote any day um but I just want people to know I don't play retribution politics um I don't threaten I don't bully I don't intimidate um and um and I want this council to function uh together as a team and I'll choose my committee leaders that way I'm gonna choose committee leaders that are team oriented that are principled um and that are experienced um and uh most of all I look forward to putting um this vote behind us and turning our attention to a productive council year uh together with Joe thank you all right Dr.

Johnson I just want to say quickly thank you and to all the other candidates congratulations first of all to current council vice president Carlucci uh I want to say Mr.

President if I may recognize former Duvall County School Board Chair Betty Seabrook Bernie is in the audience um I just wanted to recognize her thank you for being here Miss Bernie and uh to the family members that came to support me just wanted to say thank you for being here it means so much all right one minute to go council member Peluso.

Thank you Mr.

President I just wanted to stand and explain my vote and explain kind of where my head was at congratulations to the council president designated and vice president I'm proud of you both and I believe that next year will be a good year.

My concern is this body means something to me this legislative body and the norms and traditions of this body need to be upheld last year under this current council presidency council member Carlucci and I were singled out and no vice presidential candidate nor presidential candidate did a thing to try to stop it and stand up.

Leadership means something to me protocol means something to me.

All of you mean something to me as well your constituencies elected you to be in this office as they elected me and they expect me to be on committees as they expect councilmember Carlucci.

I believe in protocol so much whenever I go to an event and there's another council member in the audience do I not point them out and say good things about them.

Not a single event that any of you have been to no matter if we're rivals or not or have an issue I always call you out because it's protocol it's what you should do.

It's the norms and traditions of this body and I just want to say before we break tonight um that I that I hope that we go back to those norms and traditions that's important to me and it should be important regardless of party thank you all.

All right.