For the second time this month, Mayor Lenny Curry has forced the resignation of an independent board member who supported his opponents.
The latest came this week with Melody Bishop’s resignation from the Downtown Investment Authority board.
Bishop is the wife of former City Council member and mayoral candidate Bill Bishop. After finishing third in the first election, Bill Bishop supported former Mayor Alvin Brown in the race against Curry.
Melody Bishop was one of four original DIA board members still serving, with a term set to expire June 30, 2018.
Earlier this month, the administration called for Ernest Isaac’s resignation from the Jacksonville Aviation Authority board. Isaac appeared in campaign commercials for Brown, whom Curry defeated in May.
The two are the only resignations that have been sought by the administration, according to Curry spokesman, Bill Spann.
Bishop said she initially considered that politics played a role in Curry’s decision, but later thought otherwise.
“That would be silly,” she said. “He doesn’t seem like the vindictive type.”
Isaac said he didn’t want to speculate whether politics drove Curry’s decision to ask for his resignation.
He said he wanted to finish his term, set to expire Sept. 30, 2017.
“Obviously, that wasn’t the way it worked out,” Isaac said.
He said he believed Curry wanted people who shared his vision to serve on such boards, but never had the opportunity to meet to discuss his own.
Still, he said he supports Curry.
“He’s my mayor,” said Isaac, “and if he succeeds, my city will succeed.”
Bishop said she was told Monday by Jordan Elsbury, Curry’s director of appointments and special projects, that Curry wanted her to resign. She asked Elsbury for a letter requesting her resignation.
The letter, which came Tuesday, said it was “a notice of request for your immediate resignation.”
Bishop later emailed Elsbury saying, “With heavy heart, I will resign immediately if Mayor Curry believes that it is in the best interest of his administration.”
She said Curry is “ready to have some of his people who he believes will do a good job.”
Bishop said she will remain involved in Downtown.
Like Isaac, Bishop said she wasn’t able to meet with Curry but still wants to have a discussion about moving Downtown forward.
Spann, Curry’s spokesman, said the requested resignations and appointments are never personal or political.
“The mayor is going to appoint individuals to those organizations who share his vision for a vibrant future,” Spann said.
The fact the two requested resignations had ties to Curry’s former opponents wasn’t a factor, Spann said.
“Absolutely not,” he said.
With Bishop’s resignation, board Chair Jim Bailey, Oliver Barakat and Rob Clements remain as original members.
Bailey, publisher of the Daily Record, praised Bishop’s work during the past several years, calling her one of the most engaged members. She served integral roles in helping the DIA craft its business and redevelopment plans, a step council had to approve before the board was truly independent.
Coming up with that plan took 40-plus meetings over more than a year.
“Her input was tremendous,” Bailey said.
He said he respects the administration’s prerogative to choose its own members for boards.
Bailey said the DIA has a solid base and that Bishop is a passionate individual who will stay involved.
Bailey said he isn’t aware of who Curry will choose to replace Bishop.
Spann said those conversations are ongoing.
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