Jacksonville, FL (June 29th, 2017) The 2016-2017 Jacksonville City Council Installation of Officers ceremony included the final presentation of the Council President initiating the passing of the leadership baton to incoming Councilwoman Anna Brosche as president. Outgoing Council President Lori Boyer reviewed her year as president and in conclusion presented the Council’s highest honor, the Charles D. Webb award, to District 11, Council Member Danny Becton.
Council President Boyer’s introduction of the award included the following:
“It’s my great honor to present the City Council’s highest award, The Charles Webb Award, given to the Council member that best exemplifies the extraordinary commitment to public service, demonstrated by the late Charles D. Webb during his years on City Council. Mr. Webb served on the Council from 1971 thru his untimely death in 1976 and was known for his integrity, his forthrightness and his contribution to the council as a collegial body.”
“This year’s recipient, not only served ably as a standing committee chair but took to heart the special committee charge to work proactively to improve our code where obvious changes were needed. But his service as a Council Member did not stop there. He has created impressive city information packets for distribution at town meetings and created a personal web site to keep his constituents updated on district issues and progress on projects; and if that were not enough he convened a series of meetings to develop a compromise that settled pending litigation and provided disabled residents with access to housing while maintaining the integrity of our zoning code.”
“Always fiscally conservative and watching out for the tax payers and demonstrating the forthright conviction reminiscence of Mr. Webb; our Web award this year goes to Land Use and Zoning Chair and District 11 representative, Danny Becton.”
In commenting on the award, Council Member Becton stated:
“Receiving the 2016/2017 Charles D Webb award is a great honor”, commented Council Member Becton. “What makes this especially rewarding is to have received this award from CP Lori Boyer who she herself was the 2012/2013 recipient and is held with such high regards in her years on Council as one of the most effective and hardest working members. This certainly, means a lot to me knowing of her high expectations.”
Council Member Becton represents the newly drawn District 11 area of the south side made up of Kernan South including UNF and everything below JTB and east of US1/I95, including Bartram Park, bordered by St. John County to the east and the south. Elected in 2015, this award comes on the heels of CM Becton’s second year in office.
“District 11, from the very beginning has provided a challenge to keep up with the unprecedented growth that has taken place in this area”, Becton explained. “It was not soon after day one that companies like J&J Vision Care, Deutsche Bank and Winn-Dixie corporate announced expansion plans in the district. Then came IKEA, the Southside Quarter and the Gate Parkway Village which plans to put a lot of strain on our transportation system and the surrounding neighborhoods”. “In working with the administration of the City of Jacksonville and Florida Dept. of Transportation, solutions to traffic and growth were quickly planned.”
In receiving and reflecting back on the past few years in office, CM Becton concluded,
“Serving the residents of District 11 and representing the citizens of Jacksonville is a great privilege, one that I do not take for granted. This award validates the hard work and effort put forth by members whereby the respect from your peers is important as well.”
The following video is a short clip of the presentation of the Charles D. Webb Award to Councilman Danny Becton as presented by Council President Lori Boyer during the Council Installation Ceremony.
