City Council District 6 candidate: Michael Boylan

Name: Michael Boylan

Family: Married (44 years), two grown children (both married) & two grandchildren

Occupation: Retired (January 2018) Served as President & CEO of WJCT Public Broadcasting for 19 years.

Political/Government experience: Served as the Chair of John Peyton's Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force, Mayor Curry's transition sub-committee which created the Director of Strategic Partnership position and on the Board of Visit Jacksonville which regularly interfaced with COJ's TDC.

Years lived in Jacksonville: 19

Campaign website: voteboylan.com

Why did you decide to run for office: My extensive experience in serving on a wide range of nonprofit organizations and experience in interfacing with all facets of City Hall led me to believe that I would be an effective CC member for my neighbors here in Mandarin which has been our home ever since coming to Jacksonville in 1999. Beyond that I have the ability to devote my entire time attention to the position with no political aspirations beyond it.

What is the biggest problem facing Jacksonville as a city overall, and how specifically would seek to address that: The root to many of our problems is the lack of economic mobility for the vast majority of our citizens but in particular for those at the lower end of the economic spectrum. We, as a city, need to invest in growing leadership within those communities to help create a path for economic opportunity. I realize that sounds a bit vague but what I mean is that we need to help neighborhoods to help themselves by finding those within the community who can provide leadership, serve as mentors and utilize their resources to provide guidance, training and some stability to those who need it most.

What makes your constituents unique, and how would that influence your time in office: Mandarin in many respect mirrors Jacksonville…an expansive area made up of many and varied neighborhoods with San Jose Blvd (much like the St. Johns River) serving as its divide. Unlike other communities Mandarin does not have a central focus or common voice. I will use my time as its City Council Representative to help the citizens develop that central focus and strong voice.

What would be your main budget priority for the upcoming fiscal year: Leveraging the tremendous contribution the nonprofit sector consistently provides as the "third leg of the stool" (pubic, private & nonprofit), I would look to see how we can strengthen that good work with increased dollars.

How do you define what you hope Jacksonville will be ten years from now: That it is a place where my two grandchildren (Luke-4 & Scarlett Bailey-2) can find happiness during their middle school years. That it is place that they would want to call home for decades to come.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: WOKV asked all candidates in a race to answer the same questions, and the answers here are their unedited responses. WOKV has not independently verified information in these answers, nor is WOKV endorsing any candidates.