[0:05] >> Gentlemen and honored

[0:10] guests. Welcome to the 2026

[0:12] special installation ceremony

[0:13] of the Jacksonville City

[0:15] Council at large group. One

[0:28] member elect Monet Holder.

[0:29] Whether you're a constituent

[0:30] and neighbor, a friend or a

[0:31] family member. We welcome and

[0:34] thank you for your attendance.

[0:34] I'd like to recognize all the

[0:35] elected officials in

[0:37] attendance here today. All

[0:41] just name you starting with

[0:42] former Mayor Alvin Brown Isom

[0:43] around here somewhere.

[0:47] >> There is Mayor Brown. Mayor

[0:48] Donna Deegan. Thank you,

[0:54] mayor, for being here. I saw a

[0:55] property appraiser. Joyce

[0:58] Morgan here. Thank you, Joyce.

[0:59] I know Senator Gibson, former

[1:01] Senator Gibson is here. Yet.

[1:07] There she is, going to see it.

[1:08] >> State representative elect

[1:13] gets in. Yes, indeed. Former

[1:14] council PRESIDENT Sam Newby

[1:15] here. There he is. All right,

[1:19] Sam. And so many fellow

[1:21] councilmembers, I won't name

[1:21] them all, but everybody can

[1:27] wave if you wouldn't mind.

[1:28] That's a testament to Monet

[1:28] that so many council members

[1:29] are here today. So that's

[1:32] terrific. Thank you, everybody

[1:32] for your tenants in their

[1:36] support of special. Thank you

[1:39] to the 2026 2027 City Council

[1:40] members for your continued

[1:42] dedication and service to our

[1:43] city. We're here today to

[1:45] honor the voices of our

[1:47] citizens and electing Monet

[1:48] Holder is council member

[1:49] elected to serve on

[1:52] Jacksonville City Council.

[1:53] This body, this legislative by

[1:55] a body by design is the

[1:56] closest branch of government

[1:59] to the people. Its chosen by

[2:03] the people. We live among the

[2:04] people. We are of the people.

[2:06] We decide where streets are

[2:07] plotted, where homes are

[2:09] built, where water is

[2:11] accessed. Where we spend the

[2:15] money that taxpayers give us

[2:16] to the contract with local

[2:20] government. That's what the

[2:21] American experiment did. It

[2:23] takes those roles law making

[2:24] policy, making taxes and

[2:25] budgeting from the executive

[2:27] and gives them to the

[2:28] legislative body. And that's

[2:30] why this body is so important

[2:32] that separation of powers at

[2:34] work. That's a balanced

[2:35] government. And that's why

[2:38] it's also fitting that we have

[2:40] a formal installation for

[2:41] every new member of the

[2:42] legislative body with hopes

[2:44] that a city of our size that

[2:46] the media picks it up and that

[2:48] the people can stop you at the

[2:54] grocery store on the street.

[2:55] And let you know their

[2:55] concerns. Every citizen of

[2:56] Jacksonville is represented by

[2:59] 6 of us on City Council. And

[3:02] so let's go right now to the

[3:04] indication and let's pray that

[3:04] we on City Council always do

[3:05] the bidding of the people of

[3:06] Jacksonville to deliver for

[3:09] the people of Jacksonville. So

[3:10] with that, would everyone

[3:11] please stand for the

[3:13] invocation by George Davis,

[3:14] senior pastor of Impact Church

[3:14] followed by the Pledge of

[3:15] Allegiance led by council

[3:17] member Jimmy And then the

[3:22] national anthem. Please. Let

[3:27] us pray. A gracious and

[3:27] eternal GOD. We thank you for

[3:29] the gift of this beautiful

[3:31] day. We thank you for the

[3:31] privilege that we share of

[3:33] calling Jacksonville our home.

[3:33] We thank you for every person

[3:37] who is accepted the

[3:37] responsibility of public

[3:38] service. And today in a very

[3:39] special way, we thank you for

[3:41] COUNCILWOMAN Elect Monet

[3:43] Holder. She takes a sacred

[3:44] oath and begins this new

[3:46] chapter of service to our

[3:47] amazing city. Granted wisdom

[3:50] beyond her own understanding

[3:51] courage to make difficult

[3:51] decisions, compassion for the

[3:54] people she serves and

[3:55] integrity that remain

[3:57] steadfast in every

[3:58] circumstance. Surround her

[4:00] wise counsel, strength and her

[4:02] family and given the grace to

[4:03] carry both the privilege and

[4:05] the weight of this

[4:07] responsibility. Well, always

[4:08] remember the leadership is not

[4:08] simply about holding a

[4:10] position. What about serving

[4:12] people, especially those whose

[4:14] voices are too often unheard.

[4:16] We pray also for every member

[4:16] of the Jacksonville City

[4:19] Council for mayor our

[4:20] constitution, officers, first

[4:22] responders, public servants

[4:23] and all those have been

[4:24] entrusted with leadership in

[4:26] this great city with our

[4:28] differences. Give us respect.

[4:30] Are there challenges? Give us

[4:31] wisdom? Well, there's

[4:33] division. Help us find common

[4:34] ground where there's

[4:35] opportunity. Give us the

[4:37] courage to seize it together.

[4:38] We pray for the entire city of

[4:39] Jacksonville, every

[4:41] neighborhood, every family,

[4:43] our children and our seniors

[4:45] for businesses in our schools

[4:47] and for all who call this city

[4:48] home, a Jacksonville be a city

[4:49] where justices pursued

[4:51] opportunities, expand it.

[4:54] Compassion is demonstrated and

[4:55] every person has the

[4:57] opportunity to flourish. And

[4:58] now as COUNCILMAN Elect colder

[5:00] takes his oath, Michie be

[5:01] reminded that public office is

[5:03] a public trust. Give her the

[5:04] strength to lead with

[5:06] conviction. The humility to

[5:08] listen and the wisdom to

[5:09] always seek what is best for

[5:11] the people. She's been called

[5:13] to serve your favor, rests

[5:15] upon her. Put all of our city

[5:15] leaders and upon this great

[5:16] city of Jacksonville in your

[5:23] holy name. We pray a man.

[5:24] Thank you, Pastor. Now please

[5:24] join me for the Pledge of

[5:41] Allegiance. I but believe

[5:53] Ok,

[5:55] we did the Pledge of You can

[6:00] all sit. Thank you very much.

[6:01] Pastor Davis, thank you,

[6:05] Jimmy. Thank you. At this time

[6:07] will get on with it with the

[6:07] honorable Judge. Rhonda

[6:14] Peoples Waters. Duval County.

[6:17] Of the Duval County Court.

[6:19] Please come up to the

[6:20] microphones to deliver deliver

[6:22] the oath of office from its

[6:23] Monet Holder Councilmember

[6:23] Elect for the Jacksonville

[6:24] City Council at large group,

[6:26] one within the consolidated.

[6:27] >> Government of the city of

[6:29] Jacksonville Council member

[6:30] elect Holder. Will you please

[6:31] come forward with your

[6:46] children? Blake and Bailey.

[6:52] >> Try your hand. You got your

[7:01] right hand to write an

[7:02] >> All right. Please repeat

[7:06] after me. Monet Holder.

[7:10] >> I'm on a holder. Do

[7:13] solemnly swear? Do solemnly

[7:14] swear that I am duly

[7:17] qualified, that I am duly

[7:19] qualified to hold office to

[7:21] hold office under the

[7:23] Constitution under the

[7:26] Constitution of the state of

[7:26] the state.

[7:29] >> Or of the charter or of the

[7:33] charter or ordinance cold or

[7:35] ordinance Code of the City of

[7:37] Jacksonville of the city of

[7:39] Jacksonville that I will

[7:42] support that. I will support

[7:45] protect, protect, defend,

[7:47] defend and honor the

[7:49] Constitution's. And I know the

[7:52] Constitution's governments,

[7:55] governments and laws of the

[7:57] United States and laws of the

[7:59] United States and of the state

[8:02] of Florida and of the state of

[8:03] Florida that I will support

[8:08] that. I will support protect,

[8:08] protect, defend, defend and

[8:11] honor the charter and honor

[8:12] the charter. The Ethics Loft

[8:16] the ethics laws and other

[8:18] ordinances in other

[8:20] ordinances.

[8:21] >> Rules rules.

[8:24] >> And regulations of the city

[8:25] of Jacksonville and

[8:25] regulations of the city of

[8:27] Jacksonville.

[8:29] >> And that I will well and

[8:33] that I will well and

[8:34] faithfully perform and

[8:35] faithfully perform the duties

[8:37] duties.

[8:38] >> Of councilmember of

[8:40] Councilmember City of

[8:43] Jacksonville City of

[8:45] Jacksonville, which which I am

[8:47] now I am now about to enter

[8:50] about to enter help me GOD. So

[9:06] help me GOD. Amy

[9:27] >> it's a

[9:30] Ladies and

[9:30] gentlemen, please welcome to

[9:34] the podium. The Honorable

[9:49] Councilmember Monet Holder.

[9:55] Good morning. Me. Thank you

[9:58] for being here today.

[9:59] >> I feel extremely blessed to

[10:02] be surrounded by friends,

[10:04] family neighbors, elected

[10:07] officials, elected leaders and

[10:08] faith leaders. First foremost,

[10:11] I give all glory to GOD

[10:12] ordering my steps and giving

[10:13] me the privilege of serving as

[10:14] your at large city

[10:17] COUNCILWOMAN. I want to give

[10:18] special recognition to my

[10:21] family. My mom, my

[10:22] grandmother, my on my cousin

[10:23] who traveled from New York

[10:25] City to be here with me. And

[10:27] my children like him daily

[10:34] contributed with that high.

[10:40] Their fashion advice. And who

[10:40] independently decided to use

[10:42] some of their birthday money

[10:43] to contribute to my campaign

[10:46] to get mom across the finish

[10:47] Blake was actually a recurring

[10:50] donor. So. When I look around

[10:52] this room, I see many powerful

[10:54] people. But what stands out

[10:56] are the different cultures,

[10:57] backgrounds and political

[10:58] affiliations who have come to

[10:59] welcome you to the council.

[11:02] This room represents with

[11:03] Jacksonville can look like

[11:04] when we all come together to

[11:12] move the city forward. As I

[11:12] position myself to literally

[11:15] hit the ground running by

[11:16] serving on the neighborhood's

[11:17] community services, public

[11:18] Health and safety Committee.

[11:19] That means some less than 2

[11:23] hours today. And the

[11:24] transportation Energy and

[11:25] Utility Community Committee

[11:27] that meets tomorrow and to

[11:28] vote on the budget in a couple

[11:32] of weeks. I am fiercely

[11:34] focused and the message many

[11:35] of you heard me deliver on tv

[11:37] every day and every And, you

[11:39] know, you know, but I will put

[11:47] people over politics. That I

[11:48] will advocate for a

[11:48] Jacksonville that is

[11:53] affordable. That respects our

[11:55] first responders that invest

[11:55] in our youth and seniors

[11:56] because I believe we all

[11:57] deserve quality of life.

[12:04] Minute. So my new colleagues

[12:05] on the council, some of which

[12:07] are good friends. I look

[12:08] forward to building a strong

[12:08] working relationship with all

[12:12] of you. Since election night

[12:13] at been asked, what are some

[12:14] of the projects that are going

[12:15] to be my legacy? While I'm on

[12:19] the council. And I pointed to

[12:20] affordable Housing Park

[12:23] improvements, expanding sports

[12:24] and cultural opportunities for

[12:27] our children. As a few of my

[12:28] priorities. But hopefully I

[12:29] will advance not only in this

[12:29] time, but my next one. If you

[12:37] know, you know, yesterday I

[12:38] was reminded of an old proverb

[12:42] that says grows when Oldham

[12:43] and plant trees shade. They

[12:45] will never get to sit in. So

[12:50] although I'm not an old man. I

[12:51] look forward to planting the

[12:52] seeds necessary to the

[12:53] Jacksonville better than it

[12:55] was. When I got here and to

[12:56] leave a legacy that keeps us

[12:58] moving forward for years to

[12:59] come. So I'm honored to serve

[13:00] as your city COUNCILWOMAN And

[13:15] thank you once again.

[13:24] >> Congratulations again to

[13:26] the Honorable Councilmember

[13:27] Monet Holder and being elected

[13:28] to serve as the group one

[13:30] at-large city council member.

[13:31] Lets give COUNCILWOMAN Monet

[13:31] Holder another round of

[13:40] applause. Ladies and

[13:41] gentlemen, thank you for being

[13:43] here today and supporting the

[13:43] 26 27 Jacksonville City

[13:46] Council. We will now have a

[13:48] benediction by elderly Harris

[13:49] pastor, the Mount Olive

[13:51] Primitive Baptist Church after

[13:52] which this concludes the

[13:54] special installation ceremony.

[14:06] All, is. Thank you, to Maybe

[14:15] stand.

[14:16] >> Eternal GOD, our father, we

[14:18] are grateful and to the for

[14:19] the opportunity and the

[14:20] privilege that you have

[14:20] extended an to us to be able

[14:23] to assemble here at this

[14:26] place. My father and we thank

[14:27] you for blessing each and

[14:29] every one to arrive here as we

[14:31] come there got to celebrate

[14:35] the life. Of an individual

[14:37] that he's so dedicated

[14:39] themselves to serve in

[14:39] mankind. We pray that you

[14:41] would cover go with her. All

[14:43] right. Have family did this

[14:46] city. This mayor each and

[14:48] every one. But now they're GOD

[14:49] as we get ready to go back to

[14:52] various places of state, we

[14:53] pray that you would cover us

[14:54] with the blood that you would

[14:56] protect us from all her common

[14:59] danger ran into us, traveling

[15:00] nurses and keep us and bring

[15:01] us back together again that

[15:04] you'll point time for your

[15:06] service not to him. This able

[15:07] to keep us from falling in

[15:08] personal stuff. All this

[15:10] before thrown and blow it 2

[15:11] and all eyes GOD me as grace,

[15:13] peace and love restroom and

[15:16] abide with those henceforth

[15:16] now and whatever and the

[15:31] people of GOD said.

Council Member Installation

Agenda

Transcript