00:00:07.740 - 00:00:27.280

committed. Okay, Great. Thank you. Stop accepting. Yeah. I like your your patriotic Santa Claus there that I'm Mickey and regularly the sun instead. Yes. Good. Good to see you, Bettman. Yeah, Jack. And I saw that you're gonna be here today. I have a quick request, if you don't mind.

00:00:27.280 - 00:00:41.000

Sure. Surprised my wife. I know you've already signed this, but can you make them more personal? You're not going back there. We'll go back. Yeah, well, eventually there's no place like home. Even though the United States is like my country too. You can only be here and there, you know?

00:00:41.010 - 00:01:06.060

Yeah. Would you do me a favor? Would you mind jotting down your your name and address and yours to create? Okay, you work with First Union. Also, what do you ladies think about having this stop station here? Find? Love it. But what are some of the practical?

00:01:06.740 - 00:01:23.660

Well, this property bank robber you think about, they think twice before they get here. Hold it up. Yeah. I mean, you hear, like, three. Yesterday, it was really shocking to go home and look at the news. And there's three bank robberies yesterday, three back in Jacksonville, Jackson to Friday.

00:01:24.140 - 00:01:48.630

Cool. Have a short time, then. You know anything? Yeah, you know. Yeah. I used to have it here. Yeah. Yeah, and a very pretty when you ran for governor. You think Maybe got distracted out of that page? Kids, what do you do at the bank? Keep my supervisor.

00:01:48.640 - 00:02:07.250

I worked for CD department. We control the T V money people. Yeah. What is your earrings, or is that a Santa's questions when leasing Lot of Did you get them out of your Well, if the answer is, it depends on what kind of letter it is.

00:02:07.260 - 00:02:31.210

If it's a letter that relates to what we call a A constituent problems like Social Security, then that would go to Tallahassee to Washington to respond. All right, How about Jack? You're name and address down there, and I'll check on that. When did your good memory?

00:02:31.210 - 00:03:04.060

You don't have to write things down. I got enough people around them. All of them should remember a little something. Yeah, we're gonna This attack discovered? Yeah. Which one do Frank. Officer Jenny. Sergeant. Okay. Little more. That was Yeah. That was like that TV ad That's one of the biggest request that I get in the downtown area is is just more concerned for an increase of visibility.

00:03:04.440 - 00:03:23.250

We have a number of major employers down here, of course. And downtown is different than that. You you have an influx of people moving in and out constantly, so you don't have a stationary population. All of that's one of the major concerns is to increase visibility.

00:03:23.740 - 00:03:47.310

And we wanted to put that stop station down here because we thought it would suit as well to do that to accomplish that. Yeah. What concerns me about, darling? You know, when I saw the other major city Philadelphia, Chicago Oh, even New Orleans, you know, late at night, 10, 11 o'clock at night.

00:03:47.320 - 00:04:17.910

You see two people industry people doing business and that you got on the night like, Yeah, well, you know, there several explanations for that one of which is our cities in Florida tend to be newer, and the new cities which developed after the automobile didn't have that tradition of people living in large numbers downtown.

00:04:18.340 - 00:04:49.430

And you've got to have that population, uh, that's that's accessible to the center city in order to keep it alive. longer basis. Well, right. I think if we can get some activities down here to bring people right, right. Be a big help. Yeah. How's the How's the Jacksonville landing doing to achieve that?

00:04:49.440 - 00:05:11.260

To be a place where people come down on that end. I mean, well, we certainly have activity in that particular area of town, but four, right? That's all the way on the on the wall, and Yeah, and of course, they're working. They're working, trying to bring some attention, Like tuition.

00:05:11.270 - 00:05:37.210

Yeah. This is like, this is decided. City Hall just being redeveloped. This is This is where the new courthouse directly behind this is where the new total. So this is all going to come down? I believe so. Mhm. Yeah. And this is the extension of the, uh, the, uh, Highway Express.

00:05:38.940 - 00:06:03.060

Yeah, that's a good story. It's a group old building. It's a wet through the building. He was the famous architect. Frank Lloyd Wright's decide. So it's historic preservation. And what will What is that building going to be used for? When the rehabilitation, it will continue to the department store.

00:06:03.940 - 00:06:35.690

This was the old may corn. Yeah, so that should bring, generate a lot of activities. Two people. Is this Hemming park here? Yeah. Yeah. I haven't seen it since since all this. It was built. Well, this used for years and years. Tradition in Florida politics was that on the night before the election, that's where the big rally was always.

00:06:35.700 - 00:07:07.470

All the statewide candidates would come to him in the park, and that was concluded. The campaign. And of course, we construction of the automatic Skyway expressed this. Yeah. I should be completely sure we're going to What? What? Politicians coming down. Yeah. My father ran for governor in 1944.

00:07:07.470 - 00:07:32.260

And I know this is where they wrapped it up in his king. Um, of course, one on a six year term. When is yeah, 98. When I ran for reelection tonight too. Uh huh. I had a My opponent was a man named Bill Grant who had been a congressman from the area from Tallahassee.

00:07:33.040 - 00:07:52.290

Ah, through Lake City, I couldn't even remember your opposition. But now I remember that now that you mentioned. But in this in this business is I'm sure you know you take everybody seriously. If their name is on the ballot. Yeah, that's the director, right? You better.

00:07:52.290 - 00:08:17.050

If you don't do that, then you may be looking for a job. Yeah, transients now in this part? Well, the problem currently is that we have a rather large homeless population. I think is it's larger than what anyone anticipated. We have a number of centers down here, homeless centers, homeless shelters.

00:08:17.540 - 00:08:43.250

But even with the three homeless shelters that we have is still is not sufficient to accommodate the population that we have. One of the things that's going on right now is we had and the ordinance that we started back in the first part of this year that would prohibit bathing and the fountains and other aberrant behavior.

00:08:44.740 - 00:09:16.860

And but part of the homeless ordinance that exists right now has been struck down, and that part pertains to sleeping on benches, sleeping in the public on benches that has been ruled by one judge locally as being unconstitutional. So we're in the process of revisiting that the group and whatever means we can see about having it upheld or having a lot more redefine.

00:09:17.740 - 00:09:41.660

It's such a beautiful part of it, because sleeping in public place is one of the great nuisances downtown, and it discouraged people from coming downtown. So it works directly opposite of what we are trying to achieve. We're trying to present downtown in a way where people will feel comfortable coming back down.

00:09:42.840 - 00:10:10.130

And so that's a tremendous city. Yeah. Is that ruling being appealed? I think General Council is considering Yeah, feeling it. But it actually was a marvel or informants because as I visited other cities, they would want to copy of that because other cities experiencing the same problems.

00:10:10.840 - 00:10:32.960

So we hope that we can We can get that back something similar. And that's one of the biggest complaints that we get from the merchants down here. It's about the sleeping in doorways and and other behaviors in the parking lots. Things like that. We can control that part of it.

00:10:33.540 - 00:11:01.460

But the part pertaining to sleeping on the benches were not entertained until we get further. Yeah, Senator. Real business emergency. Okay. And I generally just asked them generally about how to how safe? Yeah, let them know that I'm innocent and what's going here in that history routine.

00:11:02.740 - 00:11:42.260

Google walk. No. Well, Hello. How are you? I met your colleagues biting. Get a chance to really high. And we have a number of officers. We were experiencing some problems a few months ago. Where persons cutter bail X for a period of and when we conducted had surveillance is we had officers staking out these buildings inside the building.

00:11:43.340 - 00:12:06.430

Yeah, C P R Team worked on when we started to do that, and they diminished they where they stand. But that was one of the problems were so lately. Has things been pretty pretty well lately Here. Oh, then don't look better. Okay for this station over there and take a move to somewhere here.

00:12:06.430 - 00:12:28.520

Front park as heck. Yeah, they in the corner. The devastation. They don't know people around here somewhere. They have a station. A lot of people watch. They know Police. Right here. Happy coming. Uh huh. Well, have you have you met Chief drumming here? How are you?

00:12:28.640 - 00:12:53.090

Okay. He's his own commander in this area. Okay, Now, if you have problems, you get in touch with him, and he'd be response to your problem. Okay. Can you have a card? You can give them? Just go asked. Okay. I'll make sure that he will give you give you a card so that you can get in touch with him when you have specific problems.

00:12:53.090 - 00:13:25.160

Okay. Okay. What is your name, sir? Two, 56 Okay. 2532256 Okay, so my home is That can't be. I was cancer. Will Korean Association president. That's why I was just stated. I said 19 eighties when you were president is when you came to Tallahassee servers in the sheriff and Mr Drummond.

00:13:26.420 - 00:14:24.160

What is your rank? My rank is assistant chief end zone commanders. I left Mr Baxley. I called. It's not 100,000 career, in fact. Yeah, I think the largest or animal population would be the Filipino. They don't approach percent of your annual business. You're Mm. How was your Christmas business been so far?

00:14:25.840 - 00:14:52.730

Very bad. Very bad. He had three stores here in the same block here, here, one year of his next door, and I was out on the court. And when the bus is well, that's when the people left. So we had to slow it down and we cut back down to one store here, and this is all this is mhm with the bus is removed.

00:14:52.910 - 00:15:13.060

When the When this construction started down here, what's the situation on the buses buses when they made the best terminal up here four blocks north? It's a terminal, all of us, all of it in its own. And they just shifted All that's what shifted the population of people.

00:15:13.640 - 00:15:54.610

Of course, now what's happening here is, and what's hopeful is for the revitalization downtown and especially in the central area. It's hoping to bring and revitalize a lot of businesses and bring them back. That's that's That's the goal. The terminal down there is right that it terminates right there at the F C C J mm, the junior college down there and don't know other than maybe they felt like that's where most of the the the riders will be hitting anyway, but for some reason moved it out of here.

00:15:54.620 - 00:16:14.670

But I got a question about that door, hmm. To business streets in the city of Jacksonville, for the traffic is concerned, and the bus is a union state. Union Street. You get traffic was I want to know all that you got me. Certain periods of the day is jam and State Street is the same way.

00:16:14.680 - 00:16:28.360

And my problem was why would they put the terminal at the man section of where you've got traffic in and out of Jacksonville Because you've got traffic coming in. You got traffic going out. Why would they put the Terminator and this put it at a start up?

00:16:29.040 - 00:17:00.150

That's to me. Was can understand. And the new, the traffic, all the traffic that was downtown and all the traffic was downtown was the best traffic. Yeah, people down there. But there's people working on. The only thing they do is they work down here and when they get off from work and they're kind of gone, for instance, when the city hall is finished, its rehabilitation and the federal building is up because that will bring quite a large number of people downtown to work.

00:17:00.160 - 00:17:12.950

But are you saying they don't? They don't stay here to shop. Well, not now, but probably when they do, there will be people, and they're all for their lunch breaks and all that. They can come by and stop. They see things in the women they may purchase.

00:17:12.970 - 00:17:38.860

But then, until then, the only people here that you can see mostly during the day and especially on Saturday. The homeless people. Yeah. Peter has police coverage and police service. Oh, it's okay until the night. Times when your clothes. And that's when you have to worry about breaking in.

00:17:39.840 - 00:17:59.370

I think it's enough police service down at night. You know, just surrounding the area just to check out the been Mr Down here. But I've been mad. It's okay because there's policemen down here during the daytime. Well, when you all get when you all check these businesses at night, do you all leave that little operation contact?

00:17:59.380 - 00:18:21.670

Yes, sir. We have one of the things that we are doing, and we have starting December 1st, we shifted our hotspots. Continue continuing of four officers we'll be doing Excuse me. The combination of community policing and problem solving. We shifted them down here to this, right?

00:18:22.240 - 00:18:55.420

Yeah, I'm busy. Yeah, at 1500. Yeah, I knew that was the last. Okay, Thank you. And if that ascension, of course, my dedication, the reason I have so many offers here in those with this concentrated patrol is to people feel safe. I think the mayor is doing some other things.

00:18:55.420 - 00:19:21.060

You're trying to encourage some businesses that politics and people live downtown and and create more traffic. There was presence, don't you? Yeah, and that's that's relative. I imagine they go. I was at a time when only 10 or 12 people passed by in a merchant makes his is his money off traffic.

00:19:21.440 - 00:19:56.760

Right? And just I'm here. That is the problem. Yeah, it is. Tell you you like to shop. Sure. Right. Oh, yeah, This is Hello. Hello? Mary Bob Graham. Good to see you. Happy holidays. Hello. Hello, Sam. Happy holidays. How long have you had your store? Here in downtown.

00:19:58.040 - 00:20:16.150

This store has been locally owned and operated by the same family in downtown Jacksonville for 106 years. 106 years. Not part of the family. I just working. Mhm. Leonard Faint had it when his father started at 106 years ago in the corner of Bay and Broad as a phone shop.

00:20:16.150 - 00:20:38.060

And it eventually evolved in this and Leonard took over from his father and his daughters on it. I've been here for 41 years. I don't know how to do anything else We've been on this corner for about 33 years. There aren't very many things. Whether anything.

00:20:38.540 - 00:21:03.460

Uh huh. Religious institutions, schools, certainly commercial businesses that have lasted 106 years in Florida. I guarantee we feel every one of those 106 years. How has your business been this year? Awful. I have never seen business to go down this part. It's been declining for a good many years because of the location problems and all the big stores moved out.

00:21:03.940 - 00:21:18.060

But this is the worst I've ever seen. Well, a few of us who are still left down here are looking forward to the opening of City Hall. Hopefully that will revive the area. We can hold on for one more year. All right, but it's off hotel.

00:21:18.940 - 00:21:48.050

No, no, you know it. So if you want to buy a store, is that your workers already here? Yeah. You know, I do believe you're right. You do that invitation to carry you there might be able, come in, build their references. This one, This could be mhm.

00:21:48.940 - 00:22:17.360

That. Tell me, how is how is the police service and the total in the area and all of I can't. I can't complain about police, sir. We've had I've met a lot, many police, 41 years. I've been the store, and I personally feel they do an excellent job there.

00:22:17.840 - 00:23:01.360

Very competent, very efficient. My perspective has helped. We've got very difficult circumstances. Obviously, we'd certainly like to have somebody on every corner. Impossible, certainly. But I think with the power that you have, I think very well, at least Certainly the ones that I have met years outstanding job for us and made a lot of them two or three o'clock in the morning down here, reputation has gotten around to the bad guys like our merchandise because I was telling you, sheriff, sitting there about some of the problems person right and see.

00:23:04.740 - 00:23:54.860

Yeah. Oh, somebody must. He has observed. I've seen it, right? Yeah, sure. And encourage them to go to Yeah, the homeless show. Well, it wasn't so much the warning as it was requiring someone to go some to go somewhere else other than other than if they were seeing the public on a bench in the park.

00:23:55.240 - 00:24:24.880

It's not affecting directly affecting me, the merchant owners or anyone else. If it's not on their property. So I think the general sleeping in the park for for and that's the question, that's where we'll we'll get that information to you. And I will say this. Oh, certainly, we We have competition for homeless and the transients and other individuals who we need help.

00:24:24.890 - 00:24:48.770

And that's one of the reasons why we were so careful and yeah, designing something that would encourage them to go get what help those services and were provided. But we need something to protect these merchants down here as well. I mean, certainly we want to protect their dignity and rights.

00:24:48.780 - 00:25:11.670

But that perception well, people sleeping on benches and the homeless presence down here, discouraging patrons from coming out. And the businesses are feeling a crunch as a result of that. And that's the reason so many of these businesses moving out. So we we really do need to do something about that.

00:25:11.680 - 00:25:30.770

So if any legislation or anything there from from a legislative perspective, any help we can get in that area, we really well because, well, that's why I'd like to get an analysis of what the problems were and see to what degree or any of those federal problems that could be legislative for the remedy.

00:25:33.840 - 00:26:19.840

Okay. You don't want picture or something over here. Officers and anybody else who wants to get in. Yeah, right. Yeah. Great. Sure. Mr. I know. We're gonna get your as long as downtown has been here. Go across and shake hands with these people. Yeah, I was trying to get an idea.

00:26:19.840 - 00:26:42.620

We're talking about 100 people or 50 people will be about maybe about 15, 20 people a day. You'll see it. Well, three. Yeah, just the only time I mean hello, Bob Graham. Good to see you. Hello. Hi. What's your name? Hello? Hello? Bobby. What do you do?

00:26:43.020 - 00:26:59.770

You Are you working on that city hall over there? How many more months you've got to go? Over. There we are. We voted for you. Good. Thank you, sir. You're a good man. I can tell that in spite of the fact you're wearing that Georgia shirt, why the hell don't you?

00:27:00.740 - 00:27:24.420

Why don't you get that decent sweatshirt to wear, huh? Yeah, that's right. Then what? I'll find? Yeah, the way. You've already, uh, you already done in the Gators once. You're gonna do it again on January 2nd. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, What's your name, sir? Hello. Great.

00:27:24.420 - 00:27:48.760

How you doing? Somebody who eats ice cream on a cold day like this? I don't know about you. Hello? Hi. What's your name, sir? Hello, Gary. Bob Graham. Bob Graham. God. Yeah, Yeah. Hello, Robert. Robert. Good to see you. Good. They're all you all working on that job over there?

00:27:49.540 - 00:28:18.770

What's I know? That's a I guess that's a historic building. So you've got to maintain its, uh, original appearance. What kind of problems? That cause for, uh, I think we can put dynamite. The logo started all over. Grab. Yeah, I really do. Well, I'm spending a day with, uh, Sheriff Glover's sort of seeing what he does, right?

00:28:21.640 - 00:28:43.750

Good, Sheriff. Yeah. He sure has got a good reputation that a But, gentlemen, Merry Christmas In July, you came. You open here. How has your business been here? Uh, fine friend. Judge. Yeah. I wish the future of the City Hall move here. We better. Uh huh.

00:28:44.340 - 00:29:05.130

Do you do most of your business at lunchtime? Yes. You don't serve dinner? No, we served in about There's no best. I mean, don't. Yeah. No dinner business. Yeah, well, if you hold on, I think when the city hall gets open and that federal building that will bring a lot of people downtown Thank you, sir.

00:29:05.140 - 00:29:33.440

Yeah, Good. Good to see you. Merry Christmas is my guest. Uh, be my guest. Alright, good. The name of your restaurant is gourmet buffet gourmet buffet. And your name is Michael Chang. Michael Chang. Si chogm Fine, but we have to go. Okay. Thank you. Lilian said his business had been have been good here, but he seems to be the only one.

00:29:33.460 - 00:29:43.060

Every time I come down here, you see your a lot of people. A lot of these people are think they can.