Solution Offers Energy Savings, Enhanced Data Analytics and Improved Efficiencies for City

The City of Jacksonville and JEA announced today that they will pilot a GE solution designed to enable a more intelligent city, offering an LED lighting solution coupled with advanced sensors and software that can enhance the City’s operations far beyond the LED benefits.
 
By connecting the street lighting infrastructure to the Industrial Internet, citizens, visitors, and city employees will benefit from access to real time data that never existed before. The pilot will focus on increasing efficiency through energy savings and better asset management of streetlights.
 
“Jacksonville is excited to be on the front lines with this pilot project, using new technology to increase efficiency and drive innovation, at no cost to taxpayers,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “This is another example of how public-private partnerships can drive innovation and provide a return on investment for our taxpayers. This technology has the potential to transform how our city solves problems by allowing us to use the power of data to drive outcomes that give us flexibility, efficiency and new, creative actions to enhance life in our city.”

Plan Outlines Four Key Strategies to Boost Exporting

Mayor Alvin Brown and the Northeast Florida Global Cities team released a regional export plan outlining specific steps local business, civic and government leaders will take to promote Jacksonville’s economic development. It assesses Jacksonville’s current export climate, sets market-based goals for increasing exports and lays out an implementation plan to support local businesses in increasing exports.
 
The plan is the culmination of a year-long process conducted under the region’s participation in the Global Cities Initiative, a five-year joint project of the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase. Launched in 2012, the Global Cities Initiative helps business and civic leaders grow their metropolitan economies by strengthening international connections and competitiveness.  GCI activities include producing data and research to guide decisions, fostering practice and policy innovations, and facilitating its Exchange, a peer learning network. As part of the Exchange, Metro JAX/Northeast Florida is developing a metropolitan global trade and investment plan.

View the Metro Jacksonville/Northeast Florida Export Plan | Learn more about the Northeast Florida Global Cities Initiative

City and State Will Improve Façade of Historic Venue

Partnering with City Council members, Mayor Alvin Brown announced the City will provide money along with a state grant to repair and restore the façade of the Florida Theatre.
 
Joining Mayor Alvin Brown to support the Downtown venue were City Council Member Jim Love, Florida Theatre President Numa C. Saisselin, Cultural Council Executive Director Tony Allegretti and the members of the non-profit Cultural Fusion.
 

One Spark Runs Downtown April 7-12

Mayor Alvin Brown joined One Spark Co-Founder and CEO Elton Rivas today to discuss the City of Jacksonville partnership for the third annual One Spark festival. The City and One Spark teams have been working together for the past several months to make this year’s event a success.

“One Spark has grown to be a signature event for Jacksonville, and Downtown has grown along with it,” said Mayor Brown. “This festival puts our city on a global stage, highlighting our greatest strength: our innovative, creative and hardworking people. I’m looking forward to six exciting days in the heart of Jacksonville.”

The City of Jacksonville is one of One Spark’s largest organizational sponsors.  The Downtown Investment Authority will be sponsoring One Spark’s Closing Ceremony on April 12 at 5 p.m. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department, the Public Works Department and the Parks and Recreation Department have also partnered with One Spark to ensure festival attendees have a great experience in Downtown Jacksonville from April 7-12, 2015. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is the official One Spark transportation partner, and is providing free Skyway rides and multiple bus routes for easy access to the festival.

The City of Jacksonville Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services (JaxParks) announced its 2015 summer schedule.
 
This year’s summer camps range from day-camp activities to sports skills to oceanfront experiences. JaxParks will host day-enrichment camps at 12 locations for ages 6 to 12, a Kids Camp for 5-year-olds, tennis camp for ages 6 to 13, Ocean Camp for ages 8 to 15 and Aqua Camp for ages 10 to 14. Most camps are offered in three two-week sessions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning Monday, June 22. Extended day is available from 7 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m.

The City of Jacksonville, in partnership with the Jacksonville City Council, will host the second annual tire and sign buy-back event at EverBank Field on Saturday, March 28 as part of efforts to curb neighborhood and urban blight.

Residents can trade in up to 10 tires at a rate of $2 per tire, or up to 40 illegal snipe signs for 50 cents per sign. In 2014, the city collected more than 23,000 tires and 6,000 illegal signs at the event. 

Ordinance 2015-60 Moves Forward Efforts to Invest in Underserved Neighborhoods

Mayor Alvin Brown today signed legislation that moves forward the efforts of his Renew Jax initiative.  The mayor was joined by Jacksonville City Council members and other city leaders at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church as he signed Ordinance 2015-60, which advances the city’s collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors to invest in Jacksonville neighborhoods. Jacksonville City Council passed the ordinance by a unanimous vote on March 10.
 
“I’m encouraged by the momentum and progress behind Renew Jax and the many partnerships that are making it possible. These collaborations will breathe new life into our neighborhoods and improve the lives of those who live in them,” said Mayor Brown.  “By leveraging public, private and non-profit investments, we are fostering a healthy environment that helps bring in more jobs and opportunity, and create safer, more vibrant neighborhoods for everyone in Jacksonville.”
 
Council Member Reggie Brown was in attendance at the event, which was held in his district. He was encouraged by the potential that Renew Jax holds for Northwest Jacksonville neighborhoods.
 
“The people in these neighborhoods have been looking for investments like these for a long time now. I’m excited to move forward on these concrete actions,” said Council Member Brown. “These enhancements will empower our neighborhoods by improving the lives of residents and creating safer, more attractive and lively communities where businesses can invest and thrive.”

The National League of Cities (NLC) recognized Mayor Alvin Brown and the City of Jacksonville for the recent completion of key health and wellness goals for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC). LMCTC is a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s comprehensive Let’s Move! Initiative, which aims to ensure that kids grow up healthy. LMCTC works closely with local elected officials nationwide to adopt policies that improve access to healthy affordable food and opportunities for physical activity for their constituents across five goal areas.
 
“We congratulate Jacksonville for your dedication to building a healthier community for children and families,” said NLC President Ralph Becker, mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah. “Through the tireless leadership and action of local elected officials in cities, towns and counties across the country, we hope to see continued progress in reversing America’s epidemic of childhood obesity.” 

Today Mayor Alvin Brown hosted the 23rd Annual Mayor’s Environmental Awards Luncheon, which highlighted the accomplishments of local organizations, companies and individuals in environmental awareness and advocacy.  Each award was presented by the mayor and leaders of local organizations.
 
“Everyone has a responsibility to be a steward of our environment,” said Mayor Brown. “The individuals and organizations we’re honoring today not only accept this responsibility, they embrace it. Jacksonville is fortunate to have great people who care so deeply and passionately about protecting our great natural resources.”

Initiative gives residents new, easy-to-use tools to identify and report blight

Members of the City Council Special Ad Hoc Committee on Neighborhood Blight and city leaders today unveiled the Fight Blight initiative, designed to give residents new, easy-to-use tools to identify and report blight.