The Jacksonville City Council will meet in Council Chambers today at 4 p.m. for the installation of the Honorable William I. Gulliford, Jr., as the 2013-2014 Council President, and the Honorable Clay Yarborough, as the 2013-2014 Council Vice President. In accordance with Council Rules the positions will become effective July 1, 2013.

The event is free and open to the public at City Hall - St. James, 117 W. Duval St.

Watch live video, starting at 4 p.m.

Don't just be ready this hurricane season, be JaxReady! The City of Jacksonville partnered with the Times-Union Media, First Coast News, the American Red Cross and WJCT to produce the 2013 Emergency Preparedness Guide, at no cost to taxpayers.

Download the 2013 Emergency Preparedness Guide

You can pick up a copy in the Sunday, June 2 edition of the Florida Times-Union, or pick up a copy at various locations throughout the city starting June 3, listed here. To learn more about Emergency Preparedness, visit www.JaxReady.com or get the JaxReady mobile app.

Hurricane Season Starts Saturday, But Residents Can Plan Now For All Hazards

Hurricane season starts Saturday, but the public should prepare now for any emergency.

Proper planning can help people have the right plan in place to respond and recover from emergencies – not just storms, but fires, floods and other hazards. Mayor Alvin Brown and leaders of the American Red Cross of Northeast Florida and Duval County Emergency Management are providing resources to assist residents and business owners with precautions in 2013.

Mayor Alvin Brown will host Mayor Brown’s Interfaith Breakfast on May 20 at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. The breakfast, featuring Bishop T. D. Jakes of The Potter’s House of Dallas, will focus on the theme "Faith, Family and Friends." The event will explore ways to build community partnerships that will improve education and reduce crime. During the event, Mayor Brown will launch initiatives focusing on mentoring local youth, as well as crime prevention and intervention.

Learn more about Mayor Brown's Interfaith Breakfast at JaxHappenings.com

Mayor Alvin Brown today announced an agreement on retirement reform with the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters (JAFF), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), and Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund (JPFPF).

The new agreement is projected to save taxpayers approximately $1.1 billion over 30 years, including almost $50 million in the next Fiscal Year alone (10/1/2013 to 9/30/2014). To put those numbers in perspective, the first year savings alone are the same amount of money needed to pay the compensation of approximately 800 city employees. The savings equal the combined budgets of the Jacksonville Public Libraries and the City Planning and Development Department.

“I greatly respect our brave public safety employees and the important work they do for our community,” said Mayor Brown. “This agreement is a product of partnership between the City and public safety professionals. Together, we have achieved retirement reform that will help ensure financial sustainability for both taxpayers and employees.”

Learn more at www.coj.net/RetirementReform.

Five City of Jacksonville Department of Public Works employees demonstrated excellence in equipment operation and winning skills at the Equipment Rodeo held on Wednesday, April 24, during the American Public Works Association (APWA) Florida Chapter conference held in Jacksonville.

The centerpiece of the day’s event was the Professional Skills Competition held in the parking lot of the Prime Osborn Convention Center. APWA-approved equipment dealers hosted eight challenging and innovative events aimed to test the skills, safety and time of competitors. Types of equipment featured at the event included a mini-excavator, a sewer cleaner, a backhoe loader and a remote-control mower. Competitions included obstacle courses and tasks emphasizing skill and agility.

Bank contributes $70,000 toward pilot project

Wells Fargo and Mayor Alvin Brown announced progress toward the opening of the Jacksonville Day Resource Center (JDRC) for homeless people with the company’s $70,000 contribution toward the pilot project.

Joined by the mayor, the center’s board and partners, Wells Fargo regional president Scott Coble announced the $70,000 contribution in seed funding to help move the project forward. The JDRC will lead a challenge grant campaign to encourage other businesses and community members to become involved as well through contributions.

$11 million reinvestment fund moving forward

Mayor Alvin Brown’s $11 million reinvestment fund to promote Downtown revitalization and citywide job growth is now official.

The plan calls for $9 million to leverage private dollars for Downtown improvement, and an additional $2 million is slated for citywide economic expansion. The investments result from a successful round of debt refinancing at the direction of the Brown Administration. The savings provide an opportunity for Jacksonville to invest in its future without taking on additional debt, using reserves or impacting the city’s solid AA+ bond rating. The refinancing provides $11 million for the 2012-13 fiscal year with additional savings in future years.

Watch video from the bill signing

JaxHappenings Keeps Residents Connected with Activities across the First Coast

Mayor Alvin Brown and the Office of Special Events announced today a new, free mobile app from the City of Jacksonville. The app, JaxHapps, is available now for download on Android devices, iPhone and iPad.

“JaxHappenings.com and the JaxHapps app are great examples of the work our city is doing to embrace technology and create a more effective and efficient reach into the community,” said Mayor Brown. “More than just a day or a night out for residents, special events are a driver for economic development and we should be exploring every option to ensure they are enjoyed by as many people as possible.”

Mayor Alvin Brown focused on strengthening parents’ roles in their kids’ education at his two day education summit on Feb. 28 and March 1, 2013.

The summit, a collaborative effort between the Mayor’s Office and Duval County Public Schools, featured an appearance by famed comedian and education activist Dr. Bill Cosby. The initiative continued the positive momentum in public education engendered by a host of recent successes, including better graduation rates, better school grades and unprecedented community activism.

As part of Mayor Brown’s vision and actions to enhance educational opportunities for Jacksonville’s youth, the summit brought students, teachers, administrators, elected officials and community partners together in an effort to spur action supporting the summit’s theme, “Increasing Parental Involvement.” Learn more

Mayor’s education summit seeks to rally community leaders and inspire students

Mayor Alvin Brown will focus on strengthening parents’ roles in their kids’ education at his upcoming citywide education summit featuring actor and education activist Dr. Bill Cosby.

City savings of $11 million to be reinvested

Mayor Alvin Brown has created a plan to inject $11 million this year into both Downtown revitalization and job-creating economic improvements across Jacksonville.

Joined by civic and business leaders Tuesday along the Northbank Riverwalk, Mayor Brown committed to investing $9 million in order to leverage private investment that will improve Downtown. An additional $2 million is slated for economic expansion throughout the city.

The investments, which are subject to City Council approval, result from a successful round of debt refinancing at the direction of the Brown Administration. The mayor announced the savings will be reinvested in projects with private-sector investment that invigorate Downtown and elevate the Jacksonville economy.