TU: Jacksonville mayor makes big hires, including Artis Gilmore and JU's Alan Verlander

[Patricia M. McBride]

So, Mr. Verlander brought 2 events to JU (2006 and 2010), and we are going to triple the pay for a job we already have an individual for on the JEDC, and hire yet another high priced academic who really has no experience doing the job.  From what I can see, he has no background doing this type of job (he is the athletic director at JU).  Your opinion?  I know I plan to write to the council about this; all of these expensive positions in our city must be stopped.  Increasing the pay for this job from $55,000 to $180,000 is outrageous.  What gives?

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Verlander's job: Bring big events to Jacksonville.

By           Timothy J. Gibbonsjacksonville.com            Copyright 2012 The Florida Times-Union. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.          April 3, 2012 - 12:12am

Jacksonville mayor makes big hires, including Artis Gilmore and JU's Alan Verlander

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown brought on one of his most costly new hires Monday, appointing Jacksonville University's athletic director as the city's director of sports and entertainment.

Monday's announcements also included the hiring of NBA Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore and the promotion of Tonisha Landry-Gaines.

JU’s Alan Verlander, making $179,416 a year, will be the fourth-highest-paid city employee, making more than Brown.

Verlander will head up a department with a broader portfolio than it has had in past administrations, when it was held as a sub-responsibility by the Jacksonville Economic Development Authority.

"We have the capacity to do more," Brown said.

Verlander has been at JU since 2005. The school hosted early rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament in 2006 and 2010.

Read more here:  http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-04-03/story/jacksonville-ma...