Jax City Council panel down on Donna Deegan library board pick

While the nomination of Elizabeth Andersen to the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees isn’t entirely out of circulation, the City Council Rules committee is giving her a negative review.

Monday’s meeting saw the panel oppose the Donna Deegan pick by a 5-3 vote, with Council President Randy White also weighing in.

While the full City Council will still mull her nomination next Tuesday, the Rules verdict suggests that Anderson, a former Duval County School Board member and the current CEO of OneJax, may have a hard time making it through the supermajority GOP City Council.

During her introductory remarks to the committee, Andersen decried “false” claims about her beliefs as an attempt to “derail” her nomination in recent weeks.

“See beyond the noise,” she urged Council members considering her nomination.

Some were able to do just that.

Democrat Jimmy Peluso, a staunch ally of the Mayor’s Office who had no vote in this committee, called her a “phenomenal” nominee who was an “above average public official” willing to “give up her time and attention” for the library board.

Republican Matt Carlucci, another member of the Council aligned with Deegan, said he believed Andersen should run for political office again in the future, both at the City Council and state level.

“Sometimes you have to take the bullets, and she’s taken them. And as far as I know, she’s taken them for the right reasons,” he said.

Republican Terrance Freeman lamented Andersen as part of the succession of nominees from the Deegan administration that divides the public, which he said was a sharp break from the past, and designed to make “leaders … debate and fight” and take controversial votes.

The public also had plenty to say about the nominee ahead of the vote.

Duval Democratic Party Chair Daniel Henry expressed “strong support” for the nominee, comparing criticism of the nominee to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Scarlet Letter.”

Former state Sen. Audrey Gibson said Andersen had the “wherewithal” and “credentials” necessary for the role.

Meanwhile, Tia Bess said Andersen referred to her as a “token person” who was “paraded out” in support for right-wing causes.

Asked about that, Andersen said she didn’t “regret calling out what I believe is an unhealthy and unfair practice,” but that it was not her “intention to hurt someone,” and said she valued “inclusive spaces.”

Democrat Rahman Johnson, who supported the nomination, compelled her to apologize, and she said she was “so sorry” that Bess “was offended.”

Freeman didn’t buy the apology to Bess on the condition she was “offended,” saying Bess deserved an explanation.