JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The Jacksonville City Council was sworn-in as they begin their 4-year term. 19 members of the Republican supermajority council are set to take on key issues in our neighborhoods.
New city council president Ron Salem said he’s hoping they can accomplish a lot in the next four years.
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“I hope we can move the jail forward, that process, I hope we can get a deal with the Jaguars and move that process forward, issues with healthcare I’d like to see in the coming year,” he said.
Salem is looking to move the jail out of Downtown, and getting a deal with the Jaguars that works for the team and the taxpayers are top priorities for him with the city budget.
For the jail, he said it’s been talked about before, but he wants to make it happen.
“It’s over 30 years old, its useful life is behind us. We need to move it in and out of Downtown, hopefully maybe out at the prison farm, or somewhere else out of downtown and consider the other issues healthcare, mental healthcare, it’s something we need to do,” he said.
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Regarding the Jaguars, he believes there’s a path that works for all parties.
“I have spoken to Mayor-elect Deegan and we sort of have a plan to bring the council along with the admin try to have a parallel path to get our questions answered at the same time,” he said. “She’s bringing on some experts and the council will bring on an expert to assist and the various possible ways of the deal.”
Salem also said he’s looking to work more with the public school district, mental health programs, efforts for solid waste and recycling, among several other initiatives.
The decisions made by the new council could impact Jacksonville for decades, Action News Jax asked new council member Jimmy Peluso of District 7 about being part of that.
“It’s transformational change, what the president just talked about, what mayor-elect Deegan is doing the next couple of years, I think we’re at the precipice of making Jacksonville one of the best cities in America,” he said.
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New District 11 council member Raul Arias said they are ready for the challenges ahead.
“It’s definitely a lot of pressure but we knew what we signed up for, I’m ready for it. Even though I’m district 11 we represent all of Jacksonville, and I’m excited to work with leaders to make this happen, grow the city for the next 4 years,” Arias said
For Salem, he said the real pressure was getting through his remarks at the ceremony, is ready to get to work.
“It’s an exciting time, a new mayor, new council members and it will be a challenge to bring all those people together and I think it plays to my strengths and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Salem said he’s also had numerous conversations with Mayor-elect Donna Deegan and senses she’s looking to do things they all can buy into, citing her wanting to add police officers and interests in healthcare
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