Neighborhood events bill clears final Jacksonville council panel

A bill designed to give Jacksonville City Council members access to a pot of $70,000 for neighborhood events cleared its final committee Wednesday.

The measure cleared Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services on Monday with no opposition. And on Tuesday, the Rules Committee approved it 5 to 1.

A number of amendments, intended to sharpen distinctions between political events and events for community enrichment and education, were attached to the bill in its previous committee stops before it hit Finance on Wednesday.

Among them: third party donations are a gift to the city, not to the council member; “Neighborhood Community Events” may not be “promote[d]” by council members before given the go-ahead by relevant departments; council members are not allowed to “solicit donations”; the Neighborhoods Department must be part of the review of the event; and the council president has final approval.

Bill sponsor Reggie Brown touted the bill as a measure to “bring the community together” and “reduce crime,” a new talking point in this committee that hadn’t surfaced prior.

A sticking point in Finance: how the money is allocated.

Councilman Matt Schellenberg proposed an even split of the $70,000 between council members.

Councilman Bill Gulliford, whose district includes the three beach cities in Duval County, wondered if the money would be available for events in Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Neptune Beach, saying an interpretation of the 1982 Interlocal Agreement would have events at the beaches included.

Finance Chair Anna Brosche expressed concerns over the logistics of the bill, setting the stage for Schellenberg to voice worries about “cost overruns.”

Lawsikia Hodges, of the office of general counsel, attempted to allay his fears, saying the language of the bill was defined clearly enough to avoid them.

Schellenberg noted that, if the event exceeds attendance expectations, then more police officers or fire/rescue workers may be needed.

Schellenberg was also concerned that there would not be enough money for every council member.

“It might be successful for three or four people,” Schellenberg said, “but it wouldn’t be so keen for the other 16.”

Councilman Brown countered that “some events may not cost anything but the stage,” and that the council president could be trusted to manage the funds.

The bill passed 6 to 1, with Schellenberg as the no.