A.G. Gancarski
The Jacksonville City Council will meet Monday, a reschedule of last Tuesday’s meeting.
There will be drama — even with a Council agenda Tuesday that is bereft of bills readers will care about.
Expect that Jacksonville City Council members will push to alter the budget, which will have to be approved next Tuesday at the regularly scheduled Council meeting, based on storm impacts and realizations.
Councilman Garrett Dennis, for example, told us earlier this week that he wants money for sandbags in the budget — they weren’t provided before Irma’s epic floods.
The Jacksonville Beach pier suffered damage for a second straight year; yes, that will come up also, as will damage on the Riverwalk and elsewhere throughout the city after Irma.
Jacksonville is out $26M in delayed FEMA reimbursements from last year’s 100-year storm. Councilors will be interested in the impacts of this year’s event, though only preliminary answers may be ready this week. The city has roughly $125 million in reserves, but caveats abound as the city needs to maintain minimum reserve levels.
Luckily, bond ratings are on point — as some borrowing may need to be authorized soon.
Beyond general fund spending, expect scrutiny of an independent agency: the JEA.
JEA’s lines workers were beyond reproach this week, yet the Mayor and the City Council both expressed disquiet with communication with customers, transparency with City Hall, and deployment of resources.
Perhaps tempers will simmer down from the low boil earlier this week; however, don’t be surprised to see at least one Council member bring it up.
As well, with the storm over, a familiar non-weather storm will recur, in the form of the Confederate monument conundrum. Recall that last month, public comment sprawled out into the night, delighting city employees and media alike on hand for the uniformly thrilling and reasoned discourse until close to Midnight.
Once Council gets through that, committees follow — with their own unique sets of challenges, which will require a preview of their own later this week.
One comment
Seber Newsome III
September 18, 2017 at 8:46 am
Yes, once again, we will be there to discuss the Confederate Monument issue. Keep in mind, none of this would be happening, except for City Council President Anna Lopez Brosche, and her knee jerk reaction to the violence in Charlottesville, Va. She thought she would make a name for herself in wanting to remove the monuments in Jacksonville. Well, she has made a name for herself, but not in the positive way, as she will find out come reelection time. Seventy Five percent of those polled, do not want the Confederate Monuments moved from their current location. She could save her political career, by suggesting, to make Hemming Park an historical park. Put up monuments to famous African Americans from Jacksonville in the park, so it will be more diverse. Tell Jacksonville’s history. It could become a tourist attraction, and help out local downtown businesses.
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