jenkins for Mayor

[Gone North]

Just what we need, another non professional,,with no education or training or experience in how to run a major corporation, which is exactly what a city is by its nature. She is a light weight thinker and by no means an intellectual, she operates more on feeling than fact, haven't we had enought of that?
What makes her a good neighborhood activitist is exactly what will not make her a good Mayor. But let her run, the dialgoue and discussions should be interesting. I have watched her as a councilwoman and she does not have much original thought. It would be like following up little boy blue with the milkmaid, niether of them can run a farm(or a city).

[Jim]

Well, Peyton did have much of the coporate experience and look where that got us. Peyton had how much political experience? Jenkins has years of it.
Even if she couldn't by herself, she's the type to at least surround herself with those that can help and actually listen to them and the public.


Am I throwing my weight behind her, not yet. I'd like to see all candidates first but I'm surely not counting her out and given the performance of Peyton, it wouldn't take much to upgrade.

[JaxInvestor]

Even if she couldn't by herself, she's the type to at least surround herself with those that can help and actually listen to them and the public.



And this is, to anyone who has studied leadership, one of the most important skills in leading. Finding intelligent, capable and willing people and letting them run their part of the ship. The captain just makes sure the ship is heading in the right direction.

[Jason]

I think what GovWonk is saying, we don't need an upgrade, we need a new system.



Well, Peyton did have much of the coporate experience and look where that got us. Peyton had how much political experience? Jenkins has years of it.
Even if she couldn't by herself, she's the type to at least surround herself with those that can help and actually listen to them and the public.


I do think the Jenkins would do better than Peyton because of that simple fact Jim. She will surround herself with knowledgable associates just as Delaney did. The big difference will be the fact that she can and does consult other parties and is able to make a decisive decision.

[TheITSteve]

Thees best attrubute of a good mayor is their ability to listen, and develop logincal solutions base on what you have heard. Delaney had that ability.

[Joe]

I must have missed something. Since when is she running for mayor?

What is GovWonk responding to? A rumor that she will, or someone's suggestion that she should?

[Jim]

I think Timkin stated that she should run in another thread and I'm sure the rumors started after the town hall meeting so yeah, it's currently just rumor and suggestion based speculation.

[Gone North]

I Am Worried That This Current "15 Minutes Of Fame" That Jenkins Is Going Through Will Go To Her Head And She Will Begin To Think She Can Manage A City. She Is Not An Intellectual, In Fact, She Has Not Been A Council Member That Could Work With Other Council Members. She Walked Away From Her Base By Changing From Dem To Rep, So She Has Shown She Is An Opportunist. For Gosh Sake, Is That What We Want For Another Four Years?

And To Say She Is A Politician As A Reason To Make Her Mayor, Have We Not Learned On A Local And National Level About That As A Poor Reason To Elect Someone? Do We Constantly Have To Be Reminded?

Jenkins Is Not A Team Player, She Does Not Have Any Original Ideas, The Rationale That She Will Surround Herself With People Who Are, Is A False Premise. People Who Are Not Smart And Not Capable Usually Surround Themselves With Yes People Who Will Tell Them What They Want To Hear. Don't You See That In The Current Administration?

Only People Who Have A Solid Intellectual And Educational Base And Solid Mangment Experience Are Secure Enough To Surround Themselves With Strong Associates.

Jenkins Is Grabbing Them Moment, But You Heard It Here First, She Would Continue To Lead Us Down The Path Toward Our Being A Lower Level, Second Tier City.

Someone Smarter Than I Am Said, If We Dont Learn From The Failures Of The Past, We Are Condemned To Repeat Them.

[vicupstate]

GovWonk, Jenkins has been in the spotlight before on many issues and I see no evidence of it going to her head. Quite the opposite actually. Her willingness to listen to others is evidence of that.

She took a stand on alcohol sales after 2am, Peyton killed it. Which one is holding the city back?

She supported both the Peterbrooke and Main Branch proposals for the Burns library. Peyton wants it to be a U-Store-It facility. Which one is holding the city back?

She wants to see the Landing revived, Peyton wants to replace it with a Merry-Go-Round. Which one is holding the city back?

Jenkins solicits opinions from others and gives everyone a chance to speak their piece in a public hearing. Peyton holes up in a room with a couple of aides with hokie ideas and refuses to dialogue with anyone that disagrees. He even refuses the courtesy of telling those affected that they will be put out of business. Which one is holding the city back?

As for getting along with the councilmen, Peyton seemed to be the one with that problem.

Just because you have a college degree and she does not, does not give you insight into her abilities, or superior intellect. Bill Gates didn't graduate from college and he quite well for himself. Harry Truman never went to college, but he was twice the man that either Clinton or "W" will ever be.

I was fortunate enough to be the first in my family to attend and graduate from college. I am thankful that my parents sacrificed so that I could go. I don't consider myself superior to those that weren't as lucky.

I have seen co-workers belittled by others for lack of a sheepskin, but they could do their jobs better than the 'educated' fools that put them down. I've met people with degrees, even advanced degrees that I wouldn't hire to stack a club sandwich.

You may have a college degree, but you still have a lot to learn about life.

As for her party switch, please read my post in the other thread. Party means NOTHING in local politics.

[JaxInvestor]

Good point Vic. And you made it without having to capitalize every word. Just kidding Wonk!!

btw..is there really a Governor Wonk in the one of the states of the union?

Jenkins would do fine. If for no other reason than she has had to work for every single thing she has achieved. How did she do this? Ask around. By listening and devoting hundreds and hundreds of hours to causes that she believed in. If she were, IN FACT, to run for Mayor, I would say more power to her and would probably help. I see a pretty good track record and have a great deal of respect for people that work their way into leadership positions. Especially those that don't leave a bloody trail behind them (aka - stepping over people). And most especially when these "pull yourselves up by your bootstraps" types are pitted against those who have "achieved success" simply by born into the right family. Call me American. I love the underdog.

[Gone North]

First, you cannot reason a person out of a position that they did not arrive at by reason.

Second, to say that a person, in this case, Jenkins, is not equipped either by education, training, or temperament to be Mayor is not to disparage that she is not a college graduate, or that she is a woman, or that she had not overcome hardships along the way. It is to say that her current persona, for whatever reasons, I believe, does not justify my support for her for Mayor.

I have seen a number of elected and appointed officials in several states. The good ones, who listen and who act and who are decision makers, surround themselves with people who will give them all sides of an issue before a decision is made. The poor ones want only to hear from people who agree with them, and take, if you disagree with them, the disagreement as a personal affront.

A good politician should always be aggressive toward issues and concilatory towards people, Time and time again I have seen Jenkins operate on inuendo, behind closed doors, and out of only her self interest. Granted I have agreed with her on some issues, but I just do not beleive she arrives at her positions by reason, as I think of incapable of strategic or long range thinking.

But, I could be wrong. And hope if I am proved wrong, to be able to admit it.

I am always suspicious of people who ditch their base, who forget their roots, forget who brought them to the dance! Too often they begin to think only of themselves, not of the ones who gave them support.

Time will tell on Jenkins. There are a lot better council members who could make a good run- Hyde, Brown or even Daniel Davis, though he is a bit young.
And these folks are team players!

One thing she did pick up on is the vacuum of leadership in the Mayors office, for a council woman to come out and basicaly say she is going to get something done about downtown, which is a Mayor perogative indicates the leadership vacuum. If someone had done that to Delaney or Godbold, you can bet the pot holes in their district or the parks, would be the last ones to be worked on in the city.

But when there is a vacuum, power will flow into the vacuum from somewhere.

Would she be better than the boy mayor? Doubt it. Would she be worse? Doubt it. have a good evening, y'all.

[thelakelander]

Keep in mind, Suzanne Jenkins' district includes downtown. She should be notified in advance and be a part of the planning process of anything the Mayor plans in her district, especially something as big as screwing over the Landing or revising the downtown master plan. Because of this, I think she's well within her right to take the lead in an effort to finally do something to jump start more growth in downtown.

[TheITSteve]

GovWonk - I'm not sure what you are getting at...


I am always suspicious of people who ditch their base, who forget their roots, forget who brought them to the dance! Too often they begin to think only of themselves, not of the ones who gave them support.


Are you referring to the little letter that follows her name? Personally, I really don't care. The issues that draw party lines are national issues, issues that have little to do with the job of our local goverment, issues like 'The War", Abortion, Stem Cell Research, etc.


I have seen a number of elected and appointed officials in several states. The good ones, who listen and who act and who are decision makers, surround themselves with people who will give them all sides of an issue before a decision is made. The poor ones want only to hear from people who agree with them, and take, if you disagree with them, the disagreement as a personal affront.

A good politician should always be aggressive toward issues and concilatory towards people, Time and time again I have seen Jenkins operate on inuendo, behind closed doors, and out of only her self interest. Granted I have agreed with her on some issues, but I just do not beleive she arrives at her positions by reason, as I think of incapable of strategic or long range thinking.


Are you referring to anything about Jenkins? Less than a week after a major town hall meeting, she formed a committee full of private and public citizens to try to capitalize on the ideas brought up at the meeting. She has invited the people that actually matter to these meetings: Joe Taxpayer


If someone had done that to Delaney or Godbold, you can bet the pot holes in their district or the parks, would be the last ones to be worked on in the city.


Surely you are not comparing Peyton to Delaney or Godbold (that is all I will say on that one)

Listen, I'm not trying to sell you on the idea of Suzanne Jenkins as mayor. Truly, you are the only one that can do that. I haven't even heard that she is running. I'm just saying that in my opinion, your analysis of Jenkins' is not correct.

[Jim]

Gov, perhaps you know her better than I do but one thing I can tell you is this....

Suzanne Jenkins has displayed a character, compassion, and earnest desire to lead. Something I have yet to see Peyton do in years.

You might be waiting for the perfect candidate to come along but you need to face reality in that that may not happen, in fact it never does, and I will not leave the job to Peyton again when there is the chance that another who is well versed in city politics, served with Delaney and has a desire to enforce the notions derived from that administration will come forward to challenge Peyton.

If education can still lead to Peyton like administrations, then what help is it really. Besides, I take the wise over the educated.

[JaxInvestor]

Whoa people. Step back from the computer and do some yoga. This is not the Times-Union message boards. They are at:

http://cgi.jacksonville.com/cgi-bin/msgboard/boards/news/main.cgi

Yeah, have some disagreement, but keep it intelligent and level-headed. Alternatively, I do have 2 pair of 14 ounce boxing gloves that you can use to fight in my garage. Let me know.

[JaxInvestor]

Tim,

As much as I disagree with GovWonk's original post, I don't think it was any worse than the things that have been going on on the board when people express their displeasure with Peyton. This time it just happens to be about another public figure...with a different name.

Is it what we want the board to be about (personal attacks, accusations, etc..)? No way! When we are emotional about issues, it is bound to happen sometimes. But it shouldn't take up the majority of our time or space.

[pearlstone]

There's that 'ad hominem' word again, glad I looked it up because the context you used it in this sentence was better and more easily understood that what my American Heritage gave me.

Oh, and did you know Dparks they have a feminine reference for the same thing? " ad feminam"

We ladies have come a long way baby!

[pearlstone]

She does listen and answers questions in a very matter of fact manner. I took time out of my day and drove from Mandarin to attend the Southside Business Men's Club meeting at the University Club DT yesterday where she was their guest speaker. The overall energy in the room was great and CM Jenkins' presentation and Q&A afterwards was WELL worth my time.

Whether she runs for mayor or not remains to be seen, and whatever her decision, she's personally committed to getting things done and we need that kind of enthusiasm and passion.

EDIT: BTW it only cost me $5 to attend as a visitor.

[Timkin]

I think Timkin stated that she should run in another thread and I'm sure the rumors started after the town hall meeting so yeah, it's currently just rumor and suggestion based speculation.


I DID state that. For the record. Obviously Gov Wonk knows more than either Mayor Peyton or Suzanne Jenkins. He should run.

[Timkin]

I would like to add this message EXCLUSIVELY to Gov Wonk. You seem to be forgetting that Suzanne Jenkins is one of the members of the Metro E-mpire forum, not JUST a political figure.

I respect your opinion TO A POINT. This forum is supposed to(I belive) represent a force of people hopefully with a common goal. The betterment of Jacksonville. Suzanne Jenkins very graciously became one of us. The bottom line of your post is, she Should not be a Mayor. Fine . I respect your OPINION, because everyone is entitled to their opinion. But I think a MAJOR line was crossed when you FORGOT apparently that she is one of us. This is what infuriates me. You eluded to the fact that shes basicly not smart enough to run a farm let alone a City, and I think youre way out of line when you direct such a statement to another member of our forum.

I saw when Suzanne came on , know that she went to this particular post, then left quickly. It would not suprise me at all if she didnt come back. She probably felt welcome , until she read your slanderous message.

Opinions are fine. and no one has to agree with them. but We are supposed to be a team here. and Suzanne is one of us whether you DO NOT WISH to see her be a Mayor or not.

For anyone else who reads this, I am truly sorry for reacting as I have to this thread. I just felt it a VICIOUS and Unfair statement made not only to a political figure, but one of us. Maybe Im the one who is wrong. No one (that ive read here or in any publication) INCLUDING HER , has stated she is running for mayor.

Wonk , I dont know you personally. But MY opinion is, you need to think before you strike at one of the people who are in a forum you joined. Suzanne's record is IMPECABLE , compared to the management of this City. None of us are saints.

This issue made me so mad, I wanted to leave. but that would only hurt me. I like people in general, and TRY ...remember I said TRY to respect that every individual has an opinion , and a right to express it. in doing so , try not to drag someone through the mud who really did not deserve such things said about them. This is the last I have to say about the matter.

Respectfully submitted... Timkin

[JaxInvestor]

Tim...you can send it EXCLUSIVELY to GovWonk using a private message. (though i do agree with SOME of your post)...

[TheITSteve]

^I was in the process of saying the same thing.....Not to mention, let's give Suzanne Jenkins credit. As a two time elected official, I'm sure she probably has thick skin.

[JaxInvestor]

^I was in the process of saying the same thing.....Not to mention, let's give Suzanne Jenkins credit. As a two time elected official, I'm sure she probably has thick skin.

exactly...you have to to even consider the public arena.

[Timkin]

As I stated in the thread , I talked about am through talking about it,,,,,and IM AWARE that I can PM the message.

[Jim]

Tim, if there is a problem, please let me know. Thank you.

[JaxInvestor]

I think Tim has agreed to just let it all die. Just like this entire thread could fare well to do IMHO.

[Timkin]

Hey Investor.. did the Shark FINALLY eat his head?

[Suzanne Jenkins]

;)

Thanks Timkin and the rest for coming to my defense. I appreciate the good words and recognition of the work I have done. I agree with those who say this kind of stuff (gov wonk's comments) goes with my job.....so I have developed a thick skin over the years. Being a mother of three grown children, having thick skin has its advantages.

As the daughter of a retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. I will defend to the death a person's right to their opinions. My father fought in two wars (twice in Viet Nam) so that we could continue our American freedoms.

As far as facts go, all anyone has to do is check out my web page on the city's web site www.coj.net (http://www.coj.net) click on City Council and then my name. All committees I have chaired and served on are listed, as well as all ordinances I have authored and awards and recognitions I have received. I will let that speak for itself as to my abilities and commitment to my colleagues on the City Council and the improvement of this city.

I have survived other scathing remarks and invite Gov Wonk to lunch sometime for a face to face discussion of the issues facing our city if he or she would like to continue the dialogue.:cool:

[JaxInvestor]

Hey Investor.. did the Shark FINALLY eat his head?

he did indeed Tim...he did indeed. :)

[Keith726]

Way to go CM Jenkins I was never worried, becuz you had already mentioned that along with the good comes the Bad. I say again no city official should be in office if a few sturn words will send them off running to hide. Its time to move on from this now.

[Timkin]

I totally agree Keith. I want peace with all concerned in this matter, and would prefer to lay the matter to rest, continue on with my endeavors, let all of you , including Gov Wonk continue yours. I still continue to be amazed at this forum , its growth pattern, the QUALITY , as Vipe put it of the people herein, and that includes Gov Wonk, even if briefly something he said offended me.

When a thread lended itself to being what i consider hateful or bashing with no good reason to be, I just thought it extreme. It isnt personal to Wonk or anyone else. Lets work together, not against each other. CM Jenkins IS on our side. and I dont NEED to see credentials to KNOW when someones heart is in the right place. CM Jenkins heart DEFINITELY IS!

There is no I in team people. But Im sure ALL OF YOU know that. good will to all.....

tk

[RADIO TALK SHOW HOST]

Ms Jenkins and I talked briefly about the possibilty of her coming on the show as well. Is there anyone else that is in the mix. Daniel Davis for mayor came out of Pat Locket Felders mouth. I will get with Ms Jenkins on monday to see what her schedule is. She would be a great mayor..

[thelakelander]

When will you have Peyton on your show?

[Jimmy]

2007 may be Jacksonville's version of the "year of the woman." I really enjoyed hearing Diane Melendez on your show last week. If the election were tomorrow, she'd have my vote. She gets so many of the issues this town is facing now.