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Jax City Council Elects Wilson As President, Hazouri As Vice President

City of Jacksonville photos
Council members Scott Wilson and Tommy Hazouri

City Council member Scott Wilson said Tuesday that when he becomes council president July 1 his goals will include expanding mentoring programs for young people, fighting neighborhood blight and boosting sports-related tourism.

WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union reports fellow council members unanimously elected Wilson as council president and Tommy Hazouri as council vice president for one-year terms.

The special meeting Tuesday for electing them brought together the 19 people who will take office July 1 on the City Council. That group will cast hundreds of votes over a four-year period. At least coming out of the gate, they were all on the same page.

The City Council president is the second-most powerful elected leader in city government. The president appoints council committee chairs and is able to shape the legislative agenda, usually in tandem with the mayor’s office but sometimes in opposition.

Wilson, a Republican, represents District 4. Hazouri, a Republican, holds the At-Large Group 3 seat.

An expanded version of this story that includes comments from Wilson and Hazouri is at Jacksonville.com.