Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiApril 4, 2018

On Apr. 20, the Florida Ethics Commission will offer a formal opinion on whether or not the Duval County School Board contracting services with the construction company of Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis amounts to a conflict of interest. Per Councilman Dennis, this is a simple formality, as he has already been cleared of any potential conflict […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 3, 2018

The scene was set for Tuesday morning’s Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee the day before in a different committee. Finance Chair Garrett Dennis attempted to pepper city CFO Mike Weinstein with questions about the Kids Hope Alliance, the children’s program reforms of which Dennis has been a staunch critic. Dennis was shut down by that committee chair as […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 30, 2018

The Jacksonville City Council’s special committee on the “potential sale” of local utility JEA met Thursday for the first time since the Council decided to expand the panel from five to 19 members. The major item of interest: the testimony of JEA CEO Paul McElroy, previously summoned via subpoena. McElroy was compelled to address, among other […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 29, 2018

On the issue of the potential sale of Jacksonville public utility JEA, a narrative turning point occurred Tuesday. City Council members voted to expand the five-person special committee of sale skeptics to include the full council while divesting the panel of subpoena powers (such as those imposed on JEA CEO Paul McElroy two weeks prior). In […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 28, 2018

On WJCT’s “First Coast Connect“, Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis sat for his first interview Wednesday since the Council made the decision to strip the JEA Special Committee of subpoena power and include everyone on council in the committee. As expected, Dennis (a member of what was a five-person committee and a staunch critic of selling JEA) […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 28, 2018

The Jacksonville City Council voted Tuesday evening to maintain the JEA Special committee, but not until after a heated debate that exposed historic fissures and spoke to the eternal struggle between the Council President and the Mayor’s allies. After a compromise motion to kill the committee’s subpoena power failed after a reconsidered vote, the Council […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 27, 2018

In an extended speech Tuesday evening, Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis said there was a “cloud” over Joe Peppers, a former Kids Hope Alliance board member who has since resigned and made a play for the CEO of the same organization. Dennis asked that Peppers withdraw from CEO consideration. Dennis spotlighted Peppers’ alleged disrespect of Raines and […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 21, 2018

Lost in all the drama and metadiscourse regarding Jacksonville’s potential sale of local utility JEA: whether the sale is good for the city or not. A meeting at 1 p.m. at Jacksonville City Hall between City Council members moved to resolve that question. Councilman Matt Schellenberg (the Council liaison to JEA, who is as open to […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 19, 2018

Committees run Monday and Tuesday for the Jacksonville City Council; high-profile measures ranging from cannabis regulation changes to a JEA sale straw ballot have already been deferred in Monday committees. JEA Referendum: Ordinance 2018-141 would set a public straw vote referendum on the November 2018 ballot regarding selling more than 10 percent of JEA. The […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 19, 2018

Joseph Peppers‘ bid for the CEO slot in Jacksonville’s Kids Hope Alliance has been controversial, given he was on the new board. A resignation tendered Sunday evening should remove some of that controversy. “After careful prayer and consideration,” Peppers wrote, “I have decided to submit my resignation from the Kids Hope Alliance Board. I am […]

Tag: Garrett Dennis

State ethics commission to review Jacksonville City Councilman’s company contracting with school board

Jacksonville City Council panel chair skirmishes with Lenny Curry lieutenants

Jacksonville City Councilmembers hammer JEA CEO Paul McElroy over inconsistencies

Lenny Curry denies pulling strings, intimidating Jacksonville City Council members over JEA issue

Duval drama: Garrett Dennis charges Lenny Curry team with intimidation, ‘subliminal tactics’

Jacksonville City Council expands JEA special committee to 19 members

Jacksonville City Councilman says there’s ‘cloud’ over Kids Hope Alliance CEO nominee

Jacksonville City Councilor seeks $5B net for JEA electric sale; colleagues skeptical

Jacksonville City Council committee defers JEA sale straw ballot bill

Joseph Peppers, CEO hopeful, resigns from Jacksonville Kids Hope Alliance board