FLORIDA TIMES UNION 2011 ELECTION INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE January 8,

2011

Resume:

William H. Bishop, III, AIA

Date of Birth: October 29, 1956
As a practicing architect since 1983, Mr. Bishop has served as Principal-in-Charge or
Project Manager for most of ALS’s public sector projects. Projects have been completed
for a wide range of clients including the City of Jacksonville, State of Florida, Duval County
School Board; Florida State College at Jacksonville; University of North Florida, Baker
County School Board, and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Mr. Bishop’s
design experience involved a wide range of project types including educational, law
enforcement, municipal services, office, retail, and multifamily residential.
EDUCATION
• Lawrence Technological University, Bachelor of Science in Architecture, 1978
• University of Detroit, Master of Architecture, 1980
• University of Detroit, Master of Business Administration, 1981
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
• Akel, Logan & Shafer, P.A.: Principal / Vice-President - 1992 to date.
• Akel, Logan & Shafer: Project Architect - 1983 to 1992.
• Reynolds, Smith and Hills: Architect - 1981 to 1983.
• OEM Associates, Inc.: Architectural Designer - 1978 to 1981.
REGISTRATION
ARCHITECT
Florida - AR0009761
Georgia - A007733
CERTIFICATES
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards – 30102
SELECTED PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Selected projects include:
• Florida Highway Patrol District Headquarters; Tampa, Jacksonville, Panama City,
Ocala, Florida
• Florida Highway Patrol District Headquarters Renovation; Miami, Florida
• Remodel/Renovation of the FSCJ Main Street Building, Jacksonville, Florida
• Pope Vocational/High School Building, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, St.
Augustine, Florida
• Renovation of Memorial Hall auditorium and cafeteria building, Florida School for the
Deaf and the Blind, St. Augustine, Florida
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• Renovation and Expansion of William M. Raines and Jean Ribault High Schools,
Jacksonville, Florida
• Macclenny Elementary School, Glen St. Mary, FLorida
• Expansion and Renovation of the Lake City Main Post Office, Lake City, Florida
• State Vehicle Maintenance Facility, CBTS, Florida Army National Guard, Starke,
Florida
• Brigade Headquarters Complex, CBTS, Starke, Florida

CIVIC AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Mr. Bishop has been an active member of the Jacksonville community both
professionally and civically for many years. The following is a summary of his activities:
Jacksonville City Council
2007 – present Jacksonville City Councilman, District 2
• 2007/2008: Member – Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee; Member –
Recreation and Community Development Committee; Chair – Jacksonville
Waterways Commission; Mayor’s Storm Water Advisory Committee; received the
Charles D. Webb Award for the 2007/2008 Council year.
• 2008/2009: Chair - Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee; Member –
Public Health and Safety Committee; Chair – Jacksonville Waterways Commission;
City of Jacksonville representative to the Northeast Florida Regional Council.
• 2009/2010: Vice Chair – Finance Committee; Member – Rules Committee;
Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee; City of Jacksonville representative
to the Northeast Florida Regional Council; City Council liaison to the Jacksonville
Airport Authority; Member – Trail Ridge Landfill Oversight Committee; Member –
Courthouse Oversight Committee
• 2010/2011: Chair – Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee; Member –
Rules and Land Use/Zoning Committees; City of Jacksonville representative to the
North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (MPO), Member – Courthouse
Oversight Committee
Civic Activities
• Riverside Avondale Preservation
1986 – 1988 Member – Board of Directors
• Jacksonville Community Council, Inc.
1991, 1992 Member of “Long-Term Financial Health of the City of Jacksonville”
study committee
1993, 1994 Member of “Jacksonville Public Services: Meeting Neighborhood
Needs” study committee
1999 Delegate to Forum for the Future conference
1999, 2000 Chairman of “Affordable Housing” study committee
2000 Member of Quality of Life indicators updating subcommittee
2001 – 2005 Member of board of directors
2002 Chairman of Five O’clock Forum committee
2003 Member of executive committee, chair of technology committee
2003 Co-Chairman, Program committee
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2004 Secretary/Treasurer
2005 Vice President for Strategic Planning
• JaxPride: A Coalition for Visual Enhancement
1995.2000 Member of board of directors
1998.2000 JaxPride Vice President
1999-present Member; JaxPride Week neighborhood design charrette committee
2000-2005 Member, Advisory Board
2005-present Vice President
• 1995 Represented AIA Jacksonville at the Mayor’s Economic Summit
• 1996 – present Member – Old Arlington, Inc.
Founding board member
• 1997 Economic Development Advisory Committee member; Jacksonville
Downtown Master Plan
• 1998 – 2002 Member – James Weldon Johnson School Advisory Committee
Chairman; 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 school years
• 2002/2003 Past Member - JTA North/Southeast Corridor Mass Transit Citizen’s
Advisory Committee
• 2004 – present Member – Meninak Club of Jacksonville
2005 – Scholarship Committee
2006 – Scholarship Committee
• 2005 – present Board member – Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, Inc.
Member – Masterplan committee
• 2006 Member – Mayor’s Downtown Green Committee
• 2006 – present Member – Southside Businessmen’s Club
• 2006 – present Member – First Coast Tiger Bay
Member; Board of Directors, 2007 - present
• 2007 – present Citizens for a Scenic Florida - Member: Board of Directors
• 2009 – present Citizens for a Scenic Florida – Vice President

Professional Activities
• American Institute of Architects; Member 1981 – present
1989.1991 AIA Jacksonville Chapter director
1991 AIA Florida director for Jacksonville Chapter
1992 AIA Jacksonville Chapter Secretary
1993 AIA Jacksonville Chapter Treasurer
1994 AIA Jacksonville Chapter Vice President/President elect
1995 AIA Jacksonville Chapter President
1996, 1997 AIA Florida director for Jacksonville Chapter
1997 AIA Jacksonville John W. Dyal Memorial Award recipient
1998,1999 AIA Florida Vice President for Professional Development
2000,2001 AIA Florida director for Jacksonville Chapter
2002 AIA Florida First Vice President/President Elect
2003/2004 AIA Florida President (through June 30, 2004)
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2004/2005 AIA Florida Immediate Past President (started July 1, 2004)
2004 Chair of AIA Florida’s Florida Statutes Chapter 481 rewrite task force
2005-2007 AIA Jacksonville AIA150 Champion
2001.2007 Mellon C. Greeley, AIA Foundation; member of Board of Directors and
Secretary
2007 Served as a panelist in the Citizen Architect Exchange seminar at the
2007 AIA National Convention in San Antonio, Texas as a newly
elected City Council Member from Jacksonville, Florida
2009 AIA Jacksonville President’s Award recipient
2010 AIA National Board Advocacy Committee member
• Member – Construction Specifications Institute
• Member – Florida Planning and Zoning Association
• Member – National Fire Protection Association

PERSONAL
Bill has been married for 24 years to Melody Starr Bishop, also an architect with the firm
of Akel, Logan, Shafer, PA. Bill and Melody have lived in Jacksonville since 1981.
Both moved here right after graduating from college. The Bishop family has lived in
Clifton for the past 19 years. Their son, Bill, is a senior at Florida State University
majoring in Business Administration. Their daughter, Starr, pass away in 2009 at the
age of 21 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Bishop family is a member of
Assumption Catholic Church where Mr. Bishop serves as a lector.

Questions:

1. In recent years, the mayor and City Council have used a mix of revenue
increases and cuts in expenses to balance the city budget. Do you agree? If
not, what would you do differently?

I was opposed to the millage rate increase adopted by the City Council this year. My
proposal to proportionately reduce city spending in each department instead of
raising taxes failed. I strongly believe that although the City has made spending cuts
in recent budgets, the majority of these cuts have been made in a marginal manner
without a serious look at how we conduct the city’s business.

Per capita growth in the number of municipal employees has far exceeded the
growth in our city’s population growth during the past ten years. Despite the cuts
we’ve in the last few budgets, the size of local government is far larger than it was
ten years ago. During an economic downturn, the private sector is generating less
wealth out of which taxes are paid. However, government in general and
Jacksonville City government in particular has responded with the belief that the
“business of government” expands in times like these and government cannot
“afford” to do with less. That philosophy demonstrates a fundamental lack of
understanding as to where the money comes from. Government should not expect a
continuous ever-increasing revenue stream. I believe an outside independent audit
of the city government should be undertaken to find areas of savings and
recommend best practices for more efficient operations. I do not believe this can be
FLORIDA TIMES UNION 2011 ELECTION INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE January 8, 2011
Page 5
accomplished from the inside since too many city government employees are too
vested in the status quo. Areas such as Internal Services are ripe for such a review.
Even within the city, very few people actually understand how this system works. I
believe such an audit is necessary in order to demonstrate to the taxpayers that
everything possible is being done to spend our tax dollars wisely before asking for
more.

2. Do you support the Jacksonville Journey? Explain your answer.

The Jacksonville Journey is not a program per se. It is a label wrapped around a
series of departmental budget increases and is sold on an all-or-nothing approach. I
do not support this method of increasing budgets. It is not transparent. If a particular
program or series of programs should be expanded, it/they should be justified on
their own merits. Some of the efforts such as funding for increased community
policing by the Sheriff's Office, I do support. Some such as the Jacksonville
Commitment scholarship program, I do not support.

3. What endorsements have you received?

So far, I have been endorsed by the First Coast Manufacturer's Association and the
Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. While not formally endorsed, I have
strong support from community groups like The Greater Arlington Civic Council, Old
Arlington Inc., Craig Community Covenant, and the Kernan Coalition.

4. How much civic activity do you perform outside work?

Currently, I am a board member and officer of Scenic Florida, which advocates for
the removal of billboards and other scenic issues. I am a member of Meninak and
the Southside Businessmen's Club and participate in their civic activities. I serve on
the advisory boards of JaxPride and the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens. I
have previously served on the board of JCCI and chaired the Affordable Housing
Study Committee in 2000, was a founding board member of Old Arlington, Inc.,
served on the board of Riverside Avondale Preservation, and past chair of the
James Weldon Johnson Middle School School Advisory Committee (SAC). I have
also served as the president of both the Jacksonville Chapter and Florida
Association of the American Institute of Architects.

5. How do you intend to comply with Florida¹s public records and government in
the sunshine laws? If you saw an elected official breaking the sunshine law,
what would you do?

Throughout my tenure on the City Council I have, to the best of my knowledge,

completely complied with Florida's public records and Sunshine laws and I intend to
continue to do so. I strictly follow all ethics guidelines and instructions from the Office
of General Council regarding compliance practices. In the interest of full disclosure,
I list all items -- no matter how small -- that I receive in the course of my official
duties. Public records requests made to my office are answered promptly and
completely.
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If I saw an elected official engaging in behavior that I thought was a violation of the
sunshine law, I would first caution that person and suggest that the behavior be
stopped. If the behavior was not stopped, I would consult with the Office of General
Council as to whether the witnessed behavior was in fact a violation. If OGC advised
that the behavior in question was or potentially was a violation, the conversation
would then transform from an inquiry to a notification of witnessed behavior for the
appropriate party to take the appropriate legal action.

6. What can you do to help support the clean-up of the St. Johns River?

I am a member and strong supporter of the St. Johns Riverkeeper. I also fully
support Sen. Thrasher’s idea of creating a caucus of leaders from communities
along the St. Johns that can fight together in Tallahassee on behalf of the St. Johns
River. City Council leaders like me must provide leadership in both of these areas.
The St. Johns River represents many things to different people in Jacksonville. The
City has a responsibility to ensure we balance all competing interests while ensuring
that we protect the future of this environmental and economic resource for
generations to come.

7. How can you become engaged in the city's high murder, infant mortality and
suicide rates?

As a member of the Council, these issues are directly related to our city’s quality of
life. As such, we can impact them through funding decisions during the annual
budget process. Each year we review the Sheriff’s Office budget request and its
recommendation for funding that impacts these areas. As a district Council member
and an active community leader, I have participated in numerous community
activities aimed at making a positive impact in these areas. My wife and I support
local nonprofit organizations that work to address these types of issues and I have
been a leader in groups like JCCI that studies and makes recommendation for ways
our community can affect positive change.

8. Has consolidation been a good or bad deal for Jacksonville? Please explain
your answer.

Generally, I believe consolidation has been good for Jacksonville. Despite our
budgetary problems and issues surrounding government efficiency, Jacksonville
residents get a good value for taxes that pay. The one drawback is that city
government tends to look at the entire city as a monolithic entity when in fact it is a
collection of discrete neighborhoods with differing needs and desires. For example,
downtown redevelopment has probably suffered because of a lack of focus by city
government and because the area lacks a large enough vocal constituency. It is a
small part of the entire whole. That being said, these issues can be addressed with
proper focus and leadership from City Council. Our consolidated form of government
is definitely worth keeping.

For council candidates:

What is the role of a council member? As mini-mayor? Or as legislator?

FLORIDA TIMES UNION 2011 ELECTION INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE January 8, 2011
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The proper role of a Council member is similar to the role our state legislators play in
Tallahassee. Jacksonville’s strong mayor form of government is set up so that our
mayor sets the agenda and proposes most of the legislation that comes before the
Council. Our responsibility, as Council members, is to review such proposals with a
highly critical eye and to help ensure that changes are fair both to those citizens we
directly represent as well as to the county as a whole. There are times when a
district council member acts somewhat like a “mini-mayor” of the district they
represent, in that district council members often serve as citizens’ first point of
contact with the City. When constituents have problems they need to know they can
call someone at City Hall and be heard. However, in general our consolidated form
of government is designed as a representative form of government where Council
members represent their constituents as one member of a larger governing body.