The lawyer-laden group that will recommend the city’s next lead attorney could name finalists this afternoon and be a week away from announcing its selection.
The five-member group has discussed a number of names in the past two months, though just two attorneys applied for the job.
Jason Gabriel, the city’s acting general counsel since May 2014, and Patrick Krechowski, a GrayRobinson attorney and of counsel for Neptune Beach, officially put their names in the running. That doesn’t necessarily mean either will get the position.
“It’s a situation where the position is open until filed,” said John Delaney, former mayor and city general counsel, who is leading the group. “Someone can still toss their resume in.”
In fact, when the General Counsel Review Committee meets at 2 p.m., there could be others who emerge.
Delaney said “a number of names” have come up in conversations since the group began meeting at the University of North Florida in mid-June. He declined to say who had been discussed as a potential match.
The group can recommend people who haven’t formally applied for an interview. Delaney said individual members of the committee have privately talked to a number of lawyers in town, gauging interest in the position while encouraging others. Stepping out without some type of assurance can cause hesitancy.
“People don’t want to be embarrassed,” he said. “We just have a conversation with them … it’s still a fairly small Bar in this town and people have a reputation.”
Despite the lack of formal entries, Delaney said feedback has been good from the private sector.
It likely will come down to one or two people the group selects for interviews, which he hopes can be scheduled for the first part of next week.
The group is looking for a couple of key attributes. One is for a lawyer who can manage what essentially is one of the larger law firms in town. The city’s general counsel website has 34 attorneys listed.
“Not every player can coach and not every lawyer can manage,” said Delaney.
Additionally, an understanding and respect of consolidated government is desired. The general counsel represents all sides of city government, Delaney said, not just the mayor.
The appearance of a general counsel being too close to a mayor has been an issue brought up by some City Council members the past few years.
A resolution confirming the next top city attorney was filed Wednesday, but the name line was left blank. Timing issues caused that, said Delaney, as whoever is picked will have to go through the council confirmation process and be approved by the end of September.
In addition to Delaney, the group consists of attorneys Mary Bland Love, Fred Franklin, Rick Mullaney and Michael Tanner.
Bland Love is serving as The Jacksonville Bar Association designee; Tanner and Franklin as Florida Bar Association board of governors members; and Delaney and Mullaney as former city general counsels.
A voter-approved amendment to the charter called for the appointment of the committee.
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