It might just seem like another meeting, but having the mayor in the room when a group of site selection consultants visit Jacksonville is the type of thing that can bear long-term fruit.
“They [consultants] realize that for their clients, a city or county will have to be engaged and willing to be a partner in whatever the project will be,” said Jerry Mallot, head of the chamber of commerce’s economic development arm. “It’s important for people like that to meet with the mayor and get a sense of his priorities.”
The March meeting with the site consultants was one of eight events Mayor Alvin Brown attended that week, a week that began with a visit to the St. Paul United Methodist Church men’s group meeting and ended with a speech at the Gate River Run about quality of life in Jacksonville.
Since taking office in July, Brown has attended an average of about 10 events a week, including with some organizations that may never have had a mayoral visit.
That list of events runs the gamut from tours of local businesses, speeches at schools and presentations to the City Council. It also includes attendance at sporting events — including eight Jaguars games, where he typically eschews the city’s box — and things like throwing out the first pitch for the Jacksonville’s Sun’s home opener. On the list as well are the typical groundbreakings, Rotary Club meetings, news conferences and parades.
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