Consolidation
After graduating from Florida State University with a master's degree in public administration, Hester was working as a wage and child labor investigator for the United States Department of Labor when the Florida legislature created the Local Government Study Commission (LGSC). Their goal was to reform Jacksonville’s corrupt, inefficient government, and Lex Hester was hired as the executive director in 1965, with J.J. Daniel as chairman.
In November, 1966, a grand jury indicted 11 Jacksonville Public Officials on 142 counts of bribery and larceny including:
- 4 of 9 city councilmen
- 2 of 5 city commissioners
- the city auditor
- executive secretary of city recreation department
- 1 of 5 county commissioners
- the county purchasing agent
The city tax assessor took the Fifth Amendment, refused to testify, and resigned. No indictments were handed down against the police & sheriff departments, but it was common knowledge that misconduct occurred.
The LGSC produced a consolidation proposal titled, Blueprint for Improvement that was placed on a referendum in 1967, with Lex Hester coordinating the campaign for passage. The indictments the previous year convinced the voters that a major change was necessary and the referendum passed. According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, "Hester was the key architect of Jacksonville's consolidated government and was the transition coordinator and chief administrative officer" following consolidation.
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