Well this morning people all across Northeast Florida specifically here in
the city of Jacksonville our
morning.
>> A political trailblazer
former mayor Jake godbold died
yesterday morning of a heart
attack he was 86
godbold was a huge part of
Jacksonville’s history and was
instrumental in shaping the
city into what it is today, he
did so much he was key to
bringing the Jaguars to town
here
is video of godbold here at
channel 4 when it was announced
that the Jags were officially
coming to the river city.
Joining us now in studio to
talk more about the man’s life
and legacy John Pelosi.
The former fraternal order of
police president I know that
you worked hand in hand with
him you had a
professional relationship as
well as a personal one John I
did that and I met Jay come
after my election in 1979.
>> As a
fop president. Oh we support
him in the beginning of that we
weren’t really that active in
politics. He make sure we met
real quick. He brought me to
his office.
And he said we’re we’re going
to look at
this police work he said we’re
going to look at the status of
police officers.
You know back in those days we
came on I came on 1972, we did
make a $1000 a year. Wow 1972,
wow Carson always
said that if he had his way he
would get wages up to
10,000 here well unfortunately
Carson, we know we didn’t
achieve that under his time but
under Jake we started moving in a much better direction he worked hard for us and we
appreciate every moment
we spent with him and he knew
that supporting first
responders was ultimately
supporting his constituents and
making them safer and happier
absolutely this is a big city.
>> Really spread out from
consolidation and Jake was
which really want to put his
finger on every part of Let’s
talk about him being a man of
the people he
wasn’t someone that was too
high to talk to any person
literally if you went up to him
you had an issue
he was going to listen that he
was going to do his best and he
did There were many times we
had lunch together myself and
Gary Keyes a former call the
president of the firefighters
union and people would come up
and he he never
never hesitated to greet them
and listen to what they had to
say sometimes they were short
conversations, sometimes they
last a little longer it didn’t
matter to him he cared about
what they had to say.
He had a larger than
life personality. I had the
pleasure of meeting him a
couple of times interviewing
him a few times and.
>> When you met him you just
knew that he was somebody out
of the ordinary. He was the
real were genuine.
>> Started off in our
relationship but he sent me to
Kansas City to preview the
Michael Jackson show.
When he was a in Reston
unknown. What the security
layout would be what the
Arrowhead Stadium we spent some
days there.
And we looked at the entire set
up myself and and then carry
keys as he was he was the chief
of firefighter son
we we came back and
not ready. We were the
3rd when they finished in
Kansas, they went to the Dallas
and then on to Jacksonville
they spent about 5 days here
setting up and it was really
something he came by frequently
I wanted to see
and how how the progress was
going was there for the first
show that night it was quite
a show. It was a
a good crowd. We didn’t sell
out the first couple times with
the 3rd night was unknown.
He was grateful, CNN that you
know that was the first really
huge event we had the Georgia
Florida get your and the Gator
Bowl, but we didn’t have major
events and then it just seemed
to light a fire. And one of his
favorites was a in the
Metropolitan Park. We have
festival every year and he
would do everything in his
power to bring the beach Boys
they were his favorite
group OK and you can reflect
back on that because they were
really hot number in the end
they food, Phil
Metropolitan Park, sure just
because of his interest sure
truly a man of passion and he
wanted the city to have fun
obviously he cared about safety
he cared about development.
>> He wanted the city to have
fun when it came to all of
these concerts all the special
events and.
Most importantly probably for a
lot of people the Jaguars, an
NFL team and that’s very true.
he never missed the Bulls game. I was the chief of security back then as now you know he
would open his box up
people came up there on on that
floor, what sky boxes were and
his box never had a closed door
remarked about too. His days of a. The reason one of the reasons
he was so involved with law
enforcement was he knew people
had to be safe coming
to this events that he was
sponsored and that was the most
important part and he would
stop and talk to the officers.
John thank you for your time,
thank you for your memories, I
know that you will miss him
sorely as well so many people
in the