Mayor Julian Castro, San Antonio, TX attends JCCI's Annual Meeting

On Friday, September 9, JCCI hosted its 36th Annual Meeting, featuring Keynote Speaker Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio, Texas. The event drew nearly 350 community leaders and JCCI members.

Castro is the youngest mayor of a Top 50 American city, leading San Antonio at just 37  years old. He shared with the crowd the strengths and weaknesses of San Antonio and discussed SA2020, a visioning process completed for the community and facilitated by JCCI’s Ben Warner and staff.

“San Antonio is a big city and has big city challenges,” he said, referring to a high school dropout rate of about 40 percent; child and adult obesity rates at twice the national average; and a senior population quality of life “under what it should be.”

“It’s still a place with a fundamental sense of community and great character,” he said. In bringing Mayor Castro to the Annual Meeting, JCCI hoped to share the importance of a visioning process to a community and its impact on the community as a whole.

During the meeting, JCCI also inducted its new President & CEO, Ben Warner, along with the 2011-2012 Board of Directors.

For more information about Mayor Castro and SA2020, visit www.sa2020.org.


Watch some of Mayor Castro's Speech here:

http://www.jcci.org/jcciwebsite/images/castro2011.wmv 

JCCI Announces New CEO

JCCI V.P. Ben Warner to be

next JCCI President & CEO

-Warner hired to replace retiring JCCI President Skip Cramer -

Jacksonville, Fla. - (August 19, 2011)- Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) Board of Directors Chair William C. Mason announced the selection of long-time JCCI deputy and vice president J. Benjamin Warner as its new President & CEO.  “I could not be happier with Ben’s selection for this vital leadership position.  His credentials, locally, nationally and internationally, are impeccable,” said Mason.

Warner will take over officially on September 1^st, relieving Skip Cramer, who held the post for the past seven years. Cramer plans to remain in the area and stay active in the community as a volunteer and consultant.

Warner joined JCCI in September 1998 as a senior Community Planner and rose quickly to Deputy Director – the #2 position on the JCCI staff.  As a result of board and staff title changes in 2011, Warner became Vice President.  

“We conducted a thorough nationwide search for our new CEO and found the perfect person right here,” said Search Committee and incoming JCCI Board Chair, John Hirabayashi.  More than 70 national and local candidates were screened using detailed criteria developed by the committee.  “As incoming Board Chairman, I am delighted to be working with Ben.  He has the intellect, experience, energy and reputation to take this organization to the next level,” commented Hirabayashi.

Warner was graduated from Brigham Young University and received his Master’s in Social Work from Florida State University.  He is the past Chair of the National Association of Planning Councils and the international Community Indicators Consortium.  He is a graduate of the Class of 2005 of the Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Academy and Leadership Jacksonville’s Class of 2008. Warner has represented JCCI nationally and internationally in the areas of community indicators, citizen engagement, and community visioning.  He is the recipient of the National Association of Planning Council’s 2010 Distinguished Service Award and the 1997 Michael R. Wilson Social Justice Award of the National Association of Social Workers. 

Warner will be introduced officially at JCCI’s 36^th Annual Meeting Luncheon on September 9^th at the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership.  The annual meeting features guest speaker Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio, Texas, with whom Warner worked in 2010-11, creating a community vision for San Antonio in the year 2020.

Please visit www.jcci.org for more information about JCCI. For questions regarding this release, please contact Amanda Gazaleh at the information above.

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Jacksonville Community Council Inc - JCCI is a nonprofit civic organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Northeast Florida. Since 1975, JCCI has convened diverse groups of citizens each year to identify significant community issues for in-depth study. Its goal is to increase public awareness and promote positive action. JCCI’s study process and indicator reports have served as models for hundreds of communities around the world.  For more information, visit the JCCI web site at www.jcci.org.

Iraqi Delegation visits JCCI

A delegation of Iraqi leaders visited JCCI last week as part of “Transparency in Government,” a program administered by the Meridian International Center and sponsored by GlobalJax and the Office of International Visitors.

The delegation included: 

 Mr. Mushtaq Younus Ahmed Al-Azzawi – Director of the Commission on Integrity in Tikrit
Mr. Ayad Ali Ahmed Al-Karawi – Chair of the Legal and Human Rights Committee and part of the Diyala Provincial Council
Mr. Sleman Rasul Esmail Esmail – Manager of the American Society for Kurds (ASK)
Mr. Hayder Fadhil Faisal Faisal – Mayor of Ash-Shamiya, Qadissiyah
Mr. Hussein Ali Talab – Mayor of Siniyah
Mr. Abdulrahman Talib Tayeb Tayeb – Editor in Chief of Hawal Institution and political reporter for Hewal-owned Al Naba’a newspaper in Kirkuk 

Skip Cramer, CEO of JCCI, addressed the functions of JCCI as an organization and how JCCI operates within the constraints of the government to service the community. 

“Our mission is to convene diverse people to improve the quality of life in this region and beyond,” Cramer said. “The problems of the few are the responsibility of all.”

JCCI has three core functions and they are:  

1. To study the community and identify important issues. 
2. To identify possible implementation strategies that may lead to solutions.
3. To provide leadership programs in order to cultivate effective civic advocates within the community. 

The biggest concern among many in the delegation was how JCCI is able to execute these functions within the parameters of the local government. How do you get the government and the people to trust you as an organization? 

According to Cramer, the first step is to develop a sound process based entirely on facts and data. JCCI has the longest-standing continuous report of civic measurements with the data collected in its Community Indicators. Race Relation and Quality of Life reports, all available online, identify where the needs in the community are and take those issues from rhetoric to facts. 

“We don’t get criticism from the experts because we have the experts in the room,” Cramer said. 

The next step is to always remember who you are serving. “We do not own these issues,” Cramer said. A community-based visioning process and a volunteer-based implementation process are what allow JCCI to maintain civic trust and support.   

According to Cramer, public participation is the key to restoring and maintaining public trust and creating a transparent organization. It is also one way to create a more transparent government. 

However, public satisfaction with the quality elected officials spikes, according to the Quality of Life Progress report, during an election as the public is hopeful for new leadership and success and then declines the longer that person has been in office.   

“It is a thankless job to be an elected official in hard times. There’s a balance between streamlined, time-efficient government and its need to be inclusive of everyone,” Cramer said.

Community input and the Sunshine Law, which requires that local government be conducted in the open, contribute to the transparency of Florida’s local government. It is required that every meeting is announced, and media such as the Florida Times Union are watchful to make sure that these events are reported to the public. 

Cramer recognized that there is no common vision in Jacksonville and no one knows what services they want the government to provide. He stressed to the Iraqi delegation the importance of citizens and government working together towards a better vision of the future. 

Al-Karawi and Al-Azzawi furiously scratched notes into their notebooks throughout the presentation while translators tried to keep up with the exchange of many questions and answers.

JCCI's Katie Ross Interviews US Senator

Katie Ross, community planner at JCCI was granted the opportunity last Thursday to interview retired U.S. Senator Bob Graham on behalf of the League of Women Voters.

The interview focused on his new fiction novel, Keys to the Kingdom. Graham was one of the Senate's most respected authorities on national security, but he continues to give national commentary on intelligence issues. He was a two-term Governor of Florida, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, a presidential candidate, and he is able to boast 18 years of service in the United States Senate.

Sen. Graham used his extensive background as an inspiration for the story. His book tells the fictional tale of retired U.S. Senator John Billington, a co-chair of the 9/11 Congressional Inquiry Commission who ignites protests when he implies in The New York Times that “The Kingdom” — Saudi Arabia – was behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  Billington is murdered. And the story continues as Billington’s daughter and Tony Ramos, an ex-Special Forces operative, team up to solve his murder and in the process discover hidden agendas that threaten the security of America and the rest of the world.

His concern for security and the condition of our country and particularly for the state of conditions in the state of Florida was evident. Sen. Graham is a native of South Florida. He said that the biggest issues facing the state are the consequences of our failure to diversify our economy.

According to Graham, Florida failed to participate in the industrial revolution and continues to have an economic structure that hasn’t changed in the past 200 years. Florida needs to be able to attract high technology business as a way to create more high-paying jobs so that Floridians can have a better quality of life for their families.

The final issue facing Florida, according to Sen. Graham, is education. According to him, education is what will determine whether Florida has the opportunity to change its economic profile. A change that can’t be done by cutting funding to lower level schools in order to support solely higher education.

Sen. Graham’s concerns were in line with the results of Leadership Florida’s Sunshine State survey that concluded that the two main issues concerning Floridians are the economy, education, and lack of trust in government officials.

A lack of public trust is a national trend, according to Sen. Graham, but the lack of faith is particularly strong in Florida. 

JCCI indicators show that only 24% of citizens in Jacksonville, FL feel they have a great or moderate level of influence on local government and 32% of Jacksonville citizens feel that the elected leadership is good or excellent. 

According to a 2008 survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Florida is the number one state in the country for state and local officials convicted of some crime relative to the use of their office.

So it’s no wonder that public trust of elected officials is a large concern in the Sunshine State.

So are we getting better as a society in the United States?

According to Sen. Graham, six months ago Florida was the role model for the nation on how to organize to enhance environmental resources. Twenty million acres were purchased in order to protect resources such as the St. Johns River from pollution. There was a system of regional responsibility for managing water consumption.  We were “adding to the treasury of land held for the public interest,” Graham said. 

But now the plans have “zeroed” out. 

“I think we’re going to pay a heavy price if we continue this policy very long,” Graham said. “And I hate say negative things about the state but you have to be honest. But if you’ve got a stage tuberculosis, you do the following things you can to suppress it. The state needs to take on an aggressive role to get people more involved."

According to a civic involvement survey conducted by the National Conference on Citizenship, Florida ranks 46 out of the 50 states for civic participation.

Sen. Graham offered the following advice for a person interested in a career in public service:

1. Get a good education – It doesn’t matter what you study, but it’s important to gain knowledge in some of the key building blocks that make a good civic participant: economics, communication, history, and ethics. 
2.  Have an alternative to public service – Be able to work a job where you can be successful and financially support yourself. An individual should not be in public service to satisfy their need for money and self-validation. 

Sen. Graham retired in 2005, but he continues to serve his community. He established a center at the University of Florida to stimulate an interest in active civic participation from college students. Graham thinks it is important for people to play a role in their communities particularly young people, women, and minorities. 

Graham continues to serve on commissions, and when he is not writing or inspiring our future young leaders, he is playing with his 11 grandchildren.  

JCCI hears the results of the Sunshine State Survey

JCCI hosted Bruce Barcelo today for its monthly Issues and Answers lunchtime discussion, as he presented some of the fascinating results of the 5^th Annual Sunshine State Survey. The Sunshine State Survey polls 1,220 residents across the state to examine what and why these residents think the way they do in terms of the quality of Florida.

“Residents, residents, residents. Not necessarily voters,” Barcelo said. “We’re not just looking at the people who go to the polls on Election Day.”

And the results? 

Floridians are diverse. Florida is the most representatively American state in the North American continent. Most residents of Florida have migrated from other states including Michigan, Indiana, and North Carolina. However, this diversity gives Florida a lack of togetherness as a state both culturally and politically. According to Barcelo, there are actually two Floridas. 

Florida number one is mostly democratic, urban, and highly built. Florida number two is independent and suburban. 

But there is one thing residents of both Floridas agree on. 

There is no hope.

Forty-five percent of residents polled feel Florida is worse than it was five years ago and only 12 percent of residents polled feel that Florida will better in the next five years. 

“This is not a positive thinking population!” Barcelo said.  

Floridians are extremely pessimistic about quality of life improvements, they don’t agree with legislative policies. Floridians want to see that the state budget is allocated fairly between taxes and spending cuts, and that the elected officials they have put into office are human beings with integrity. 

To be a Floridian means to push for meaningful results.  Especially in areas concerning job growth and increasing teacher pay. 

“$8 million allocated doesn’t mean anything to these people,” Barcelo said. “But show them a new high school curriculum, a good teacher in a classroom; these are things that make sense. Politic words don’t work.” 

Floridians know they’re not getting what they want, but there is a huge rift between Floridian public opinion and Floridian public policy. Residents are skeptical that their tax dollars are being spent correctly, and they don’t know how to push for policies that will “get it done.” 

Most Floridians disagree on what the best course of action is to arrive to the vision of a better Florida. The key is to come together to work toward a common goal. Diverse opinion is the spark that leads to great ideas. 

“Florida is a great state,” said Barcelo.

JCCI was honored to have Bruce Barcelo share his data over the lunchtime hour on his birthday. A surprise birthday cookie was constructed for him by JCCI CEO Skip Cramer who drilled a candle successfully through a chocolate chip cookie.  The group sang “Happy Birthday” to Barcelo as he munched on his cookie and thanked him for joining us today. 

To learn more about Issues and Answers visit MY JCCI

JCCI learns about Holistic Health

Did you know your poop should be the consistency of toothpaste to constitute a healthy body? Elaine Pace, president of Sonaviv Medical institute, presented yesterday at the JCCI Issues and Answers lunchtime event about the benefits of combining traditional and holistic medical practices as well as how to recognize and correct indicators of poor health.

"The plop-plops are not good, people,” Pace said. “Don’t teach your children to count the plops!”

And we are not just pooping incorrectly. Most people don’t know how to chew their food, or even breathe properly.

On average, a person chews one bite of food five to seven times. According to Pace, each bite should be chewed between 20 and 30 times. “The enzymes in your saliva are strong enough to kill the HIV virus,” Pace said.

Why wouldn’t you want to keep that chip or that piece of sandwich in your mouth infusing it with HIV-killing saliva? The longer you keep food in your mouth by chewing, the cleaner that food will be when it enters your stomach and is absorbed into your system. Chewing saves the stomach the trouble of having to sort through solid pieces of miscellaneous unchewed food.

After the group was about halfway through their lunches, Pace gestured at her lower belly, leaning back so that it would stick out. “This is your omentum. It takes a lot of momentum to lose your omentum,” she said bouncing up and down.

Everyone knows that exercise is the best way to lose weight and the only way to get rid of a jiggling omentum. But did you know that movement is the only thing that allows fluid called lymph to take toxins out of your blood and replenish it with proteins? 

“If your heart is the blood-pump, movement is the lymph-pump,” Pace said. Exercise not only shrinks that wobbly omentum, but it also cleans your blood.   

However, there are times when you want your omentum to protrude, such as when you breathe. Most people think they can handle breathing – inhale, exhale, and repeat. So simple, even babies are born knowing how to do it! But the majority of people breathe shallowly, keeping the breath in their chest. “Babies fill up their bellies with air,” Pace said. Shallow breathing prevents a full, healthy dose of oxygen from entering the body and a full load of toxins from exiting the body.

“I am not the guru of holistic health,” said Pace. “I am a conduit for sharing information.” Implementing even one of Pace’s tips could make a big difference in your overall health.

As a summary, Pace’s tips for living a healthier lifestyle include:

• Breathe
• Chew
• Move
• And always examine your poop 

Know what is going on with your body so that treatment or therapy can be implemented before a condition becomes terminal – whether that treatment is holistic, traditional, or a combination of the two. 

JCCI provided chips, sodas, and other snacks to guests who attended the event – only as examples of toxins that should be avoided in our world. ;) 

JCCI Launches New Web Portal-MY JCCI

JCCI recently launched our new online community, MY JCCI. By registering with MY JCCI members and friends will be able to update information and preferences and better connect to our programs.

The site features several interactive ways to connect to JCCI and Forward activities. Visitors to the site can view JCCI events on an electronic calendar, including a short event description and the ticket information.  The calendar even has features that will link the event location to an interactive map or add to your Windows Live, Yahoo, or Google calendar.

One of our favorite features is the Event RSVP, where registered users can click on a link select the quantity of guests to attend and proceed to a registration screen.  Members can RSVP for themselves and also for guests.   

My JCCI is also a way for community-minded individuals to become JCCI members. By joining, you are better connected to the exploration of issues of community importance, identifying problems, discovering solutions, and advocating for positive change in local communities.  Membership levels begin at $50 for an annual membership. A one- time membership scholarship is available for the first year of membership. Recipients are expected to participate in a minimum of 4 hours of JCCI programs and training during the scholarship year. In return, scholarship recipients receive Friend member benefits.

Members also have the option of joining the JCCI Forward program.  Forward seeks to engage men and women ages 25-45 in civic involvement and to prepare them for future roles as community leaders.  The program provides an excellent opportunity for young people in the community to interact with city leaders, to develop community leadership, and to build a network of friends and associates who all share the common goal of improving the community. 

The My JCCI community allows members and other friends to secure make donations. JCCI is funded primarily through donations and sponsorship. My JCCI offers convenient online payment and pledge options, including a feature to make recurring monthly or annual gifts.  Friends registered with MY JCCI are also able to view their giving history online, and request donation documents.

We are so excited to introduce our online community.  It has already proven an excellent opportunity for members and non-members to become more engaged with JCCI. It provides the most convenient way for members and friends to update e-mail subscriptions and personal information, support JCCI, update JCCI membership, view your giving history, and get the latest news and announcements about what's happening at JCCI. Click here to register today.