2026-10-08 - Finance

00:00Good afternoon everyone and welcome to

00:02the Tuesday October 6 meeting of the

00:05finance committee. Let's start off with

00:07introductions starting with Miss Norris.

00:09>> Britney Norris for the administration.

00:12Colleen Hamy, council research. Mary

00:14Stfopoulos, office of general counsel.

00:16Heather Reber, council auditor's office.

00:18>> Philip Peterson, council auditor.

00:19>> Good afternoon. Rory Diamond, District

00:2113, the beaches.

00:22>> Good afternoon. Chris Miller at large

00:24group five.

00:24>> Will Lane in district three.

00:26>> White Gay, District 2. Randy White,

00:29District 12. Afternoon, Michael Bland,

00:31District 6.

00:32>> Nick Howland, at large group three.

00:35>> All right. Welcome everyone. Welcome,

00:36council president. Uh so just to give

00:39you the uh the order of how we're going

00:40to do today's meeting. We'll start off

00:42with public comment if we have any. And

00:44then we have our auditors from Carr,

00:46Rigs, and Ingram here to talk about the

00:482425 audit results. Uh then we're going

00:52to go to JTA with their presentation.

00:54Uh, I believe council member Johnson is

00:56the only one on finance who has not seen

00:58the JTA presentation. He is not

01:01currently here and if he is not, Mr.

01:03Barnes, I'm going to let you skip the

01:04presentation because we have all seen

01:06that presentation so far. Uh, then item

01:09number 12, that's a JSO related bill.

01:11We'll go to JSO and then because JA has

01:14been at pretty much every committee

01:15meeting and sat through the

01:16presentations and other bills, I will

01:18move JA up to go right after the JSO

01:20bill. So JA item 13, you'll go after the

01:23JSO bill and then we'll go to the top of

01:26the agenda and go in order from that. So

01:29with that, do I have any comment cards?

01:34I have three. Go ahead and walk on down.

01:36Let's see. Carnell Oliver, Eric Adler,

01:39and Jim Emory.

02:32is is to support and to protect the

02:36interests of all citizens no matter who

02:39you are. And the issue in itself is very

02:43clear. The system is racist and it's not

02:47racist to just anybody because right now

02:51dealing with the Census Bureau, they're

02:52trying to eliminate our history in this

02:55country. They trying to lump us all in

02:56together as all Americans. But the

02:59significant history of American freedman

03:02in this country, especially in a

03:04community like this underneath the 1866

03:07Civil Rights Act, we have economic

03:10protections.

03:12And when is this city going to actually

03:14recognize who we are? You took a solemn

03:18sworn oath of office to protect defend

03:21liberties. And if this project is to

03:24move forward, were the conditions of

03:26those same civil rights because the

03:29rights of the land belongs to one set of

03:32people

03:34and that's us right along with white

03:37Americans. If you take your job

03:39seriously, you'll take my words very

03:41seriously and you'll sl stop this

03:44another amount of money and trying to

03:47push this project forward.

03:50Thank you, Mr. Oliver. Eric Adler.

03:59>> Good afternoon, uh, Chairman Lannon,

04:01Vice Chair Miller, and the remaining

04:04members of the finance committee. My

04:05name is Eric Adler. I'm the owner of The

04:07Raven uh based in Lavilla and hopefully

04:10soon uh its accompanying restaurant, The

04:12Jenny. Uh my address is on file. I live

04:15in historic Springfield. I just wanted

04:17to say that uh this is in support of the

04:21uh Gateway Jax's public's development

04:24just uh east of Levilla in the north

04:27core portion of downtown Jacksonville. I

04:29can say that from a personal

04:31perspective, hearing about the

04:34forthcoming public's development filled

04:36me with excitement because we'd have a

04:38top tier grocery store in downtown

04:41Jacksonville. In large part because of

04:43that announcement uh quite a while ago,

04:47I made the decision instead of leasing

04:49my restaurant space to a third party, I

04:52would start up my first restaurant

04:54myself. Now, as you all know, starting a

04:57restaurant is not an easy business. I've

05:00had a lot of people tell me, "What the

05:01heck are you thinking?" And frankly,

05:04100% that's probably valid feedback.

05:06With that being said, a large part as to

05:08why I made that decision as a small

05:10business owner located in historic

05:12Springfield and operating in downtown

05:14Jacksonville was because of the energy

05:17associated with the Publix coming to

05:19downtown Jacksonville. I'm looking to

05:21create 5 to 10 jobs at this property a

05:24few blocks west of Publix because in

05:27large part of this development along

05:29with Gateway Jax's development in the

05:31area. I completely understand the

05:33concerns of this committee and other

05:35members on the city council about public

05:37funds being used to help with this

05:39development.

05:41100% understand y'all's sentiment. With

05:43that being said, I ask you to also

05:45consider the other small business owners

05:47and the knock-on effects that this

05:49development will have for downtown

05:51businesses, downtown residents, and

05:54Jacksonville in general. Completely

05:56understand that not everybody here

05:57represents the urban core and the inner

06:00Jacksonville area, but I just want to

06:01get your uh uh thoughts and hopefully

06:03support for this measure. Thank you.

06:05>> Thank you, Mr. Adler. Uh the final card

06:07is uh does not wish to speak. Questions

06:09only, Mr. Jim Emory on the volunteer

06:11life-saving corps bill that we will also

06:13take up. Uh so with that, welcome to Dr.

06:16Johnson. Uh Dr. Johnson, I believe

06:19you're the only one that has not seen

06:21the JTA presentation because it's been

06:22in all the other committees. Are you

06:24familiar with it or do you want Mr.

06:25Barnes to get it up and present it?

06:26You've seen it. All right. So, good news

06:28for you, Mr. Barnes. Mr. Johnson was

06:30able to see the presentation in a

06:32different committee. So, with that, uh,

06:36I believe we're able to go straight to

06:38item 28, which is 2026 0780. And of

06:41course, if there are questions as we go

06:43through this. Oh my goodness, I forgot

06:45the auditors. I was so excited about

06:47JTA. All right, let's just back up a

06:49little bit then. Our audit team, our

06:52external audit team of Car Rigs and

06:54Ingram, they're here to talk about the

06:56fiscal year 2425 audit results.

07:00Sorry for skipping ahead already.

07:07Good afternoon.

07:10Good. My name is Amy Miller, 7411

07:13Fullerton Street, Jacksonville. Um,

07:16thank you for having us today. I'm an

07:18audit partner with Car Rigs in Ingram,

07:21and I'm also joined today with um one of

07:23our audit team, Michelle Ham, who is a

07:25supervising senior and alo also oversaw

07:28the single audit portion of the audit

07:30for this year. We are pleased to be able

07:32to present to you the results of the

07:34audit for the city's financial

07:35statements for the fiscal year ending

07:37September 30th, 2025,

07:39which also includes um an audit of the

07:42federal and state awards, as well as

07:45certain examinations that are required

07:47by the Florida statutes. The audit was

07:50completed timely this year and met the

07:52statutory deadlines for this year.

07:56Before I go over the results, I would

07:57like to remind you that the objectives

07:59of our audit is to give an opinion as to

08:02whether the city's financial statements

08:04are fairly presented in all material

08:06respects in accordance with US generally

08:09accepted accounting principles and to

08:11report on internal controls over

08:13financial reporting and compliance that

08:15could have a material effect on the

08:18financial statements or on the major

08:20federal and state award programs.

08:24On page 219 of the audit book you would

08:27have received electronically.

08:29That's a summary page of the fiscal year

08:312025 audit results. It includes all the

08:34results on that page. Um and it includes

08:38the opinions of our audit reports for

08:41the financial statements and the major

08:43federal programs and state grant

08:44projects. We have issued all unmodified

08:47or clean opinions for the financial

08:51statement opinions. This includes the

08:53opinions on the city's governmental

08:54activities, business type activities in

08:57each of the eight major funds and the

08:59aggregate remaining funds.

09:02Also in the summary page, we reported

09:04that there were no material weaknesses,

09:06no significant deficiencies and no

09:09non-compliance identified for the

09:11federal and state awards. There were no

09:14significant deficiencies and no

09:16non-compliance identified for the

09:18financial statements. And there was one

09:21material weakness identified for the

09:23financial statements and is included in

09:26the report as finding number 2025-00001.

09:31That finding relates to certain material

09:33adjusting entries found as a result of

09:36our audit procedures and were necessary

09:38to record in order to present the

09:40financial statements in accordance with

09:42generally accepted accounting

09:43principles. Those material adjustments

09:47included four areas um of correction.

09:51Correction to the allowance for

09:52receivables of charges for services in

09:55the solid waste disposal fund.

09:58Correction to revenue cutoff and the

10:00other federal, state and local grants

10:01fund. Correction to move a certain debt

10:04payable and related contributions to the

10:07proper fund and corrections for certain

10:09capital asset balances. We have

10:12discussed these adjustments with

10:13management and management has already

10:16implemented an action plan to ensure the

10:18necessary corrections are made before we

10:21begin our audit procedures for the next

10:22fiscal year.

10:25We also reported that the two findings

10:27reported in prior year were corrected

10:29and not repeated.

10:34The city is also required by state

10:36statute to obtain certain compliance

10:37examinations as part of the audit. Um,

10:41these examinations require us to test

10:43the city's compliance over the local

10:45government investment policies,

10:47compliance over expenditures and uses of

10:49the E911 funds, compliance under the

10:52clerks of court performance standards

10:54and budgets, and compliance over the

10:57alimony and child support payments.

10:59Based on our tests, we have reported

11:01that the city complied in all material

11:03respects with these statutes. There was

11:05no non-compliance reported there.

11:08This concludes the summary of the

11:10results of the audit for the fiscal year

11:112025. Um I do want to offer a special

11:15thank you to the city's finance

11:16department team and also the council

11:18auditors team um for their collaboration

11:20and assistance throughout the audit. We

11:22really appreciate their help and

11:24assistance. It's been a pleasure working

11:26with them and such a dedicated group of

11:28professionals and really appreciate um

11:30the opportunity to continue to serve as

11:32the city's auditors. I'm happy to take

11:35questions or comments at this time if

11:36there are any.

11:38>> Thank you and thank you for the CRI team

11:40and all the work you do on our external

11:42audit. Uh I have no one in the queue. So

11:44the only thing just to summarize another

11:46year with a clean audit opinion, no

11:48material weaknesses, no deficiencies. We

11:50had one finding this year. We had two

11:52findings last year. Both of them have

11:54been uh have been cleared for now. And I

11:57think that's it in a nutshell. Right.

11:58>> That's it.

11:59>> All right. Great. Well, thank you all

12:00for all the hard work. And just as a

12:02reminder for everyone out there, uh, not

12:04only do we have an internal audit

12:05department, but we have an external

12:07audit every year that is summarized into

12:09this nice brief 340 page book that you

12:12can find online. So, thank you very

12:14much, external audit team.

12:17>> Now, I believe it's time for JTA. All

12:19right.

12:20>> Thank you.

12:20>> Thank you. Uh, so we're going to go to

12:22item 29. And again, we're not going to

12:24do the presentation. I'll give Mr.

12:26Barnes a break since he's done it three

12:27times already. But they are here for

12:29questions. I think the majority of us

12:31have already uh taken action on this

12:33item. So, can I get a motion on the

12:34emergency?

12:36>> Got a motion to second on the emergency

12:37of Miss Reverber

12:41through the chair to the committee. Uh

12:43not Miss Rever, but the nature of the

12:44emergency is um JTA is requesting uh

12:48this be moved up. each additional

12:51legislative cycle um does cost them

12:53additional interest costs and so they're

12:56asking for this uh limited term

12:57authorization to move up and then um

13:00that's the reason

13:02>> thank you not in the queue all those who

13:03fa the emergency say I any oppose say n

13:06the emergency passes

13:08>> got a motion to second amendment Mr.

13:10Peterson

13:13>> through the chair to the committee. The

13:14amendments very technical in nature

13:16filling in blanks throughout the

13:17ordinance and the agreement uh

13:19clarifying that the term JTA operational

13:21funds will be referred to as nonGT2

13:24funds through the ordinance and

13:25agreement and then striking language

13:27regarding the expiration of the first

13:28amendment that it will remain in place

13:30until later succeeded.

13:32>> Thank you. Council Diamond, are you on

13:33the amendment? On the bill. Got it. All

13:35those in favor of the amendment say I.

13:37I. Any opposed say nay. The amendment

13:39passes.

13:40as amended.

13:41>> Got a motion to second on the bill as an

13:43emergency as amended. Council member

13:44Diamond, you are recognized.

13:45>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to put

13:46on the record why I'm a yes vote today.

13:49If you look at my social media, you see

13:50a lot of people are really upset about

13:52this and they they're saying, "Hey,

13:53don't don't take $30 million and do a

13:55bailout for JTA." Um, there is no other

13:59option. That is the cold hard fact that

14:01there is no other option. And I wouldn't

14:03characterize it as a bailout either.

14:05This is simply allowing JTA to use the

14:07LOGT funds more flexibly to pay down

14:10debt. If they don't do that, they're

14:11going to have to fire more people, close

14:13more lines, and fewer people are going

14:15to be able to get to school and to work.

14:17So, while the situation at JTA really is

14:19a nightmare, there is no other path out

14:21other than to allow them to have this

14:24flexibility to do this. And ultimately,

14:26I do think the projects that the city

14:27wanted out of LGT2, they'll get. Um, I

14:30will say this for the record, too. I

14:31voted against the gas tax increase in

14:332019. and I voted against it today. Uh

14:36it's very disturbing um that so much of

14:39it was wasted on some of this uh uh

14:41Na'vi and whole stuff, but it is what it

14:44is. There's nothing we can do to fix

14:45that. It can't drink the spilled milk,

14:47but absolutely we have to vote yes,

14:48otherwise it'll be a nightmare for the

14:50city. Thanks,

14:51>> Council Gay.

14:55>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh through the

14:56chair and Mr. Ferguson, um you could

14:59come on down. One one question that I've

15:02been uh asked by several several people

15:05is at your bus stop facilities. Um are

15:10how are y'all handling the trash pickup?

15:13Because I'm hearing a lot more about uh

15:16it's not getting picked up and it's

15:18really becoming a nuisance.

15:20>> Uh through the uh chair to council

15:22member Gay. Uh we have uh three separate

15:24contracts including uh an in-house bus

15:27stop crew uh that works in quadrants

15:30around the city uh to take care of that.

15:32So I will uh make sure that we get with

15:35you to identify that particular area and

15:37pay attention to it.

15:38>> All right. Thank you, sir.

15:39>> Thank you, Council Mayor Boland.

15:42>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just

15:44wanted I was relatively quiet on this

15:45conversation yesterday. I appreciated

15:47the presentation, but I also want to

15:48take a moment to say thank you to the

15:50management team for the time you spent

15:52with me. following yesterday's rules

15:54meeting to get me up to speed and

15:55express to the concerns I have. I

15:57conclude with a comment that my

15:59confidence in both Cleveland, Randall,

16:01Jessica and management team and that the

16:04challenge well ahead of them and I I I

16:07share with many of the comments

16:08Councilman Diamond offered in this

16:10process, but I think we've got the right

16:12people on the bus. No pun intended.

16:13Thank you.

16:15>> That was definitely a pun. Dr. Johnson,

16:17you're recognized.

16:20I don't know if I can follow the

16:21intelligent puns of my dear colleague uh

16:24Mr. Boland. Uh thank you Mr. Chair for

16:26recognizing me. My question I'm not sure

16:29who at the agency this would go to but I

16:32was under the impression that the total

16:33number to get us to where we needed to

16:34be was 45.

16:38Where does the 30 this 30 million put us

16:40in that respect? Um are we what is the

16:43plan to get and and I could be

16:44incorrect. There's been so much

16:46information and now that I'm no longer

16:47the liaison, I I don't know the

16:49intimacies of it. Uh but this 30, does

16:51it get us where we're right sided? We're

16:53at a place right now where this will get

16:55us where we're at a place to move

16:57forward or we still digging out of the

16:58hole after this. Thank you.

17:00>> Mr. Barnes, you're recognized.

17:02>> Uh Randall Barnes, chief financial

17:04officer for JTA through the chair to

17:06council member Johnson. So the actions

17:09that were taking taken in September were

17:13what got us in the right spot that we

17:15need to be in terms of the cost

17:17reductions. Um we were simply going

17:20along with not enough revenues to

17:22support the the the levels of service we

17:24were providing. This $30 million that we

17:27are uh hoping and asking to use from the

17:31LGT dollars is going to help us pay off

17:33our debt and reduce the interest expense

17:36on that debt so that we don't have to

17:38pay that and that will give us more

17:39flexibility as we move forward.

17:43>> Thank you uh through the chair. I did

17:45understand that. I'm just so is the

17:48number to get us where we are starting

17:49almost at zero for lack of a better term

17:52um to get forward is that this number

17:54and then the other question is obviously

17:56community-wise and I watched some of the

17:58conversations on yesterday I reviewed as

18:00much of the document or many of the

18:02documents as I could the other question

18:03I had was will it still because I think

18:06there have been some service routes that

18:07have been reduced will there and

18:10obviously I you know we don't have a

18:11crystal ball but do you plan to reduce

18:13additional services or is this the place

18:15where we kind of stop bleeding so that

18:16those services that we have now retain

18:19them the space where that we can retain

18:21them where they are

18:22>> through the chair to council member

18:24Johnson. So we are moving to a Saturday

18:28schedule. Uh so we don't plan to make

18:30any current currently don't plan to make

18:32any uh route changes there just some

18:34lengthening of time between uh pickups.

18:37Uh so so in in regard to changing the

18:40schedule that is that is what we expect

18:42to do going forward and that should be

18:44that should be it at this time.

18:48>> Thank you. And one thing that we talked

18:50about yesterday in rules uh that I think

18:52we need to uh just talk about again

18:53which is a good thing um that we are in

18:56a place to where uh you believe the

18:58budget is balanced for the remainder of

18:59the year. In other words, we're at a

19:01place to where uh even though a lot of

19:02tough decisions had to be made, we're at

19:04a place where revenue equals expenses.

19:06So, we should not expect to have to do

19:08this exercise again. Council member

19:10Diamond, you're recognized.

19:12>> I forgot to do the thing I always try to

19:14do when I'm talking about JTA, which is

19:16to compliment Randall Barnes, Shepler,

19:18Cleveland. Thank you for doing the tough

19:20stuff to keep this train going. I always

19:23I wasn't forgetting you all this time,

19:24but uh it's for anybody watching, they

19:27have the hardest jobs in Jacksonville

19:28right now outside of police and fire.

19:30Like, they are they're doing both. Thank

19:31you.

19:33>> All right. And I'll echo that. Thank

19:34you, JTA team. No one else in the queue

19:36open the ballot. Record your vote.

19:43>> Eight yay, zero nays.

19:44>> Our actions, we pass 2026780.

19:48Uh, with that, we're going to go to item

19:5012, which is on page nine. Can I get a

19:52motion on the neighborhoods amendment?

19:54>> Neighborhoods.

19:56>> I got a motion second on the

19:57neighborhoods amendment. Uh, Mr.

19:59Peterson, I believe, Miss Reaver. Miss

20:01Reverber, explain the amendment.

20:03>> You're the chair and to the committee.

20:04The amendment will increase the total

20:06appropriation amount to 31,450,000.

20:10Decrease the special reserve amount to

20:1218,267,670.

20:16Increase the general operating reserve

20:18amount by 10,587427.

20:22Attach a revised exhibit 1 which is the

20:24BT to reflect those changes in funding.

20:26and attached to revised exhibit 2 CIP

20:29information sheet to show the increased

20:31cost for the JSO warehouse consolidation

20:33project of um going to 15,450,000.

20:38>> Thank you. And I'll speak on the

20:39amendment since this is uh this is my

20:41bill. I'm fine with the amendment. I

20:43mean in an ideal world we would not have

20:45given cash back on budget night. So we'd

20:47have more of that for this. And I also

20:49realize JSO has been working on this a

20:51while that it really wasn't towards the

20:53end of the B uh budget process they got

20:55the refined cost of what this is. So I'm

20:58fine with the amendment as is. No one

21:00else in queue. All those in favor of the

21:01amendment say I. I. Any post say nay.

21:03Amendment passes.

21:04>> Bill as amended.

21:06>> Got a motion second on the bill as

21:08amended. No one in the queue. Open the

21:09ball. Record your vote.

21:15>> Eight yays, zero nays.

21:17>> Buyer actions. We have passed 2026 0701.

21:20Thank you, JSO. On to item 13, which is

21:23the JTA, I'm sorry, JA bill. Item 13.

21:262026 0704. Can I get a motion?

21:30>> I got a motion. Second on the bill. No

21:32one in the queue. Open the ball. Record

21:33your vote.

21:39>> A zero nays.

21:40>> Actions. We passed 2026 0704. So, no

21:43more hopping around. We're going to go

21:44in order the rest of the meeting. So

21:46going back to page two on the agenda,

21:48item 1, 2024 0966 is deferred. Item two,

21:522025361

21:53is deferred. Item three, 2026 0227

21:57deferred. Item four, 2026 320 deferred.

22:00Item 5, 2026 0377 deferred. Item 6, 2026

22:050541. Can I get a motion on the

22:07amendment?

22:08>> The neighborhoods amendment.

22:10>> I got a motion second on the

22:12neighborhoods amendment. Councilman

22:14Diamond, you are in the queue on the

22:15amendment.

22:22>> Uh, Mr. Chair, I don't know when you

22:23want to take up my motion, but my motion

22:25is that we defer. Um, and I if I can get

22:27a second, I'll explain the deferral

22:29before we spend 30 minutes on this bill.

22:32>> I'll second. So, the the reason I think

22:35a deferral makes sense here is that

22:37we've got amendment three coming up in a

22:38couple of weeks, and I don't know why we

22:41wouldn't take this up after that vote. I

22:43I do think it's a it's a critical piece

22:45of the puzzle. Also, I know we're going

22:47to be missing certain council people at

22:48different times uh for the next council

22:50meeting. So, that's my motion. I think

22:52it makes sense to and it's responsible

22:54and literally nothing's going to change

22:56other than us being more educated.

22:58>> Thank council Diamond. Uh Miss

23:00Defopolis. So we we had a motion on the

23:02neighborhoods amendment and then a

23:04motion and second on a deferral. Can you

23:07help me understand the right posture?

23:09Should I be going into the queue for

23:10those speaking on the deferral only at

23:12this point?

23:12>> At this juncture, nobody objected to the

23:14motion on the deferral being made. It

23:16was seconded. So at this point, what is

23:18on the floor for consideration and

23:19discussion is the motion on the

23:21deferral.

23:22>> Thank you. I'll go to the council

23:23president, then Dr. Johnson.

23:29>> Thank you, Mr. Chair, I concur with

23:32Councilman Diamond's motion to defer.

23:35Listen, it would be great to have a

23:37Publix in downtown. Um I prefer

23:40taxpayers don't have to subsidize it. Um

23:42I certainly prefer that it not be

23:44subsidized with the completion grant if

23:46taxpayers have to subsidize it. Um and I

23:49and I understand why DIA has chosen to

23:52put it back on the agenda right now and

23:54take it off deferral. I think it is

23:55because uh a lot of the underwriters and

23:57the financial backing would like this

23:58done. um urgently. Um and that is

24:02important to me and I think it's

24:03certainly a consideration, but up here

24:05we're responsible for defending the

24:08taxpayers um and uh

24:12police and firefighters and city

24:14employees. Um as I think uh Mr. Diamond

24:18was alluding to, we're in the midst of

24:19one of the most dramatic revenue

24:21uncertainties um by in policy that

24:24Florida cities and counties have

24:25experienced in generations. and the

24:28amendment three loomed large over the

24:29entire budget process. Indeed, that was

24:31the the gist of the the final budget

24:33night and would we put more money in and

24:35would we take more money out. If

24:37amendment three passes, we'll have a

24:38$200 million shortfall there. Um and

24:42have to look at some serious cost

24:43cutting moving forward in this city. So,

24:47you do this, you have a $228 million

24:50shortfall that you have to do. Uh we're

24:53only 4 weeks from knowing um what kind

24:56of shortfall we might have with

24:58Amendment Three. Listen, we just funded

25:00that public safety project with

25:02something just north of $28 million. In

25:04a future world where we don't have um

25:06$200 million in revenue, we would have a

25:09more difficult time doing that. In a

25:10future world where we don't have $228

25:12million in revenue, we'd have a even

25:14more difficult time in doing that. We

25:16have another element of our city, JTA,

25:18that just presented a 30 million plus

25:20deficit. Um, so to me, I think the

25:23responsible thing to do, uh, whether you

25:25like the project or not, is hear it

25:28after amendment three. Um, but I do have

25:31one more reason and and, uh, Mr. Diamond

25:33alluded to it. Um, and that is that

25:35there's some folks um, who will be out

25:38on Tuesday, including me. I'd really

25:39like to vote on this. And I heard Matt

25:41Carluchi in neighborhoods yesterday say

25:43he really would like to vote on this. He

25:44said it was the most important um issue

25:47we'll have to vote on in city council

25:50regarding downtown since consolidation.

25:52And I think he actually said I wish I

25:53could reach my hand all the way down

25:54here from Vermont and push the green

25:56button. So I think um just for that

25:59reason alone um I would support the

26:02deferral just so we can all have a

26:03chance to vote on it subsequently. But

26:05more importantly um just because it's

26:07four weeks away amendment three and

26:09we'll have some more certainty by then.

26:10Thanks

26:11>> Dr. Johnson.

26:14Thank you so much uh Mr. Chair and I

26:16certainly uh understand the sentiments

26:18of the council president. I I certainly

26:20certainly understand that. I have a

26:21couple questions if I may. Uh Mr.

26:24Tarbert, if you're here somewhere. There

26:27you go. Um through the chair to Mr.

26:29Tarbert. Uh my first question is

26:33I hear I just heard the council

26:35president say that this was a subsidy

26:37for um a ger. I was under the impression

26:41that the subsidy was for a building that

26:43the g this had nothing to do with the

26:44ger specifically but it was to do the

26:46buildout of the building so that they

26:47could get this tenant in. Am I incorrect

26:49in that?

26:50>> Uh through the chair uh you are correct.

26:52The incentive package uh for this

26:55project is for the development team uh

26:57which is a subsidiary of Gateway uh JS

27:01not directly to the grosser which we

27:03also say is Publix. uh Publix is not

27:06receiving direct subsidy in the package

27:08that

27:08>> so we're not giving $30 million to a

27:10grocery store to come downtown. We're

27:11building a building that's going to

27:12bring economic development to downtown.

27:14>> Correct. It's a $150 million mixeduse

27:17project that includes apartments,

27:18parking, as well as the full service

27:20groceryer and additional retail.

27:22>> Good to know. That's that's what I

27:23thought I wanted to make sure. The other

27:24part is if this is uh I know we're

27:27entertaining the deferral of this

27:29particular development and I understand

27:31why we should possibly get it done now.

27:34Does this affect and you may need to go

27:36back and get answers to this question,

27:37but if we do follow the recommendation

27:40of deferring this, how does that affect

27:42the development itself and the next

27:44moves the next steps forward?

27:46>> I see the lawyer coming up as well. So,

27:49if we could, Mr. Trimmer as well as Mr.

27:51Tarver, if you might through the chair,

27:54I' I'd like to just respond before I

27:55turn it over. Um, I would just say that,

27:58um, real estate development, especially

28:00right now, is is is challenging and so

28:03time is is never on our side. And so

28:06there is an urgency to get this project

28:08um, approved and and moving forward. We

28:10we've been uh, at the uh, chair's

28:14request, at the council president's

28:15request, we went back and looked at

28:17different versions of how we could

28:18structure this incentive package. Uh, we

28:21determined that those weren't any more

28:22advantageous to the city. We think this

28:24is the best one. Uh so we we you know

28:26this bill I think was introduced back in

28:28June or July. Um and so we would like to

28:32move it forward. I certainly understand

28:33the um concern and and the the rationale

28:37behind the comments that were made about

28:39deferring and and waiting. Uh I would

28:41just say though if if and hopefully that

28:44measure doesn't pass for for a number of

28:46reasons. Um but if it does, you're going

28:49to be relying on commercial real estate

28:52taxes to fund uh the delta on a lot of

28:55these things. And so to me, you know,

28:58regardless of of where you are, like

29:00this project has to happen in order for

29:01downtown development to continue and to

29:04build a tax base for the city to support

29:06all the services that were mentioned. Um

29:08so that's kind of my view. Obviously, I

29:10have a the luxury of having a more

29:12narrow view of just downtown. Uh but

29:14this project is critically important

29:16important to all the city investment

29:18that's already been made. Um so that's

29:20my two cents. I will uh turn it over to

29:22Miss Trimmer unless you have any

29:24additional questions.

29:24>> No, I'd like to hear from Mr. Trimmer.

29:26Thank you, Mr. Charert.

29:29>> Thank you so much. Good afternoon, Cindy

29:31Trimmer, One Independent Drive, Sweet

29:321200 on behalf of the applicant. For

29:35context, this project was approved by

29:37the Downtown Investment Authority in

29:39December of 2025.

29:42The legislation before you was

29:44introduced in June of this year.

29:48We put the brakes on and spent the last

29:50couple months working with council and

29:53the mayor's office and DIA to underwrite

29:56more than a dozen different options to

29:58see if there was a way to change the

30:02composition of the ask that was in front

30:04of you today. And ultimately after a lot

30:08of effort 3 4 months the answer was that

30:12what is before you today is the most

30:14responsible way to put this forward in

30:17terms of the return on investment to the

30:19city. The ability to finance the deal

30:22and be able to move this forward.

30:24That said, I understand pending

30:27amendment three. I don't envy the

30:30position that everyone's in trying to

30:31balance all of the competing interests.

30:34I cannot reiterate enough that this

30:36project is integral to really bringing

30:40over the hill all of the investments

30:42that we have all collectively worked

30:43together to make over the last several

30:45years. This project needs to be able to

30:48advance. This project received

30:51recommendation from neighborhoods after

30:52a very robust discussion, including the

30:56underwriting of the deal, the return on

30:58investment, and the additional

30:59information that we were able to share

31:00with all of you yesterday from a report

31:03that we got on Friday from Dr. Gallow at

31:05UNF in terms of the additional return on

31:08investment to the city.

31:10Again, understanding the pending

31:12amendment three vote and now the added

31:15challenge of the trip that is going to

31:17take several people out of the country.

31:20We really need to get through finance

31:22today because if we were to defer the

31:25committee to honor the request to hear

31:28amendment three, we're looking at

31:29another six weeks. We wouldn't be able

31:31to hear this at committee until the

31:33third week of November. But if we can

31:36advance through committee today,

31:40and if we have to, we'd be willing to

31:43defer just the final vote, which would

31:46allow you to take it up after the

31:49amendment three vote, the second week of

31:51November, and kind of split everybody's

31:55need right now. But we really can't we

31:59six weeks is a long time to defer. It's

32:02going to have this thing pending for a

32:03full year.

32:03>> Thank you, Mr. Trimmer. Mr. Chair, I did

32:05have a question for the auditor. If I

32:06may just end with that.

32:07>> It may be the same one I have now. So,

32:09go ahead.

32:09>> Okay. Uh through the coun through the

32:11chair to the auditors. Um if this and

32:13thank you, Mr. Trimmer, for that

32:14solommentic advice. I I certainly

32:16understand putting the baby. That makes

32:17perfect sense. Um through the uh to the

32:20auditor, if amendment three does pass,

32:24how does that affect this legislation

32:26for this particular budget year? Or

32:29maybe I'm not seeing it in the future,

32:31but how does that affect it if amendment

32:33three were to pass? through the chair to

32:35councilor Johnson. If amendment three

32:36passes, there is no impact to the fiscal

32:38year 2627 budget. However, we along with

32:42every everyone I've talked to agrees

32:44that we should anticipate approximately

32:46a $200 million decrease in revenues for

32:492728 and that would be ongoing and the

32:52year after it increases to 300 million

32:55and it probably grows beyond that. Um,

32:58so this development, if it moves along

33:01as scheduled, is expected to be

33:03completed uh June of 2030. So you would

33:07need to be finding funding to pay this

33:10completion grant of approximately $30

33:12million uh in that 2930 year. So I I

33:17think it's a a valid conversation.

33:20>> We're good for 2627.

33:22>> 2627 no impact. 2728

33:24>> 200 million estimate

33:25>> but not not that I mean specifically for

33:27this legislation

33:29>> this project would not be completed in

33:3120

33:32>> we need to find the money for 2728 and

33:342829

33:34>> but you'll see in front of you there is

33:36a schedule that has other outstanding

33:38completion grants that are not yet

33:40funded that right now total um about 100

33:44million in round numbers you have funded

33:4634 million uh via action you took

33:49probably a month and a half ago so

33:51there's still 65 68 million of unfunded

33:54completion grants. Approving this adds

33:57to that amount.

33:58>> Gotcha. That was my question. Thank you,

33:59Mr. Chair.

34:01>> Thank you. Past President White.

34:06>> Yes, sir. I think I have a question for

34:08Mary, but if I can read this man's mind,

34:11I'm not sure that I can. I think I'll

34:12let him go first. Go ahead. Go ahead.

34:15You probably You look like you're

34:17thinking what I'm thinking. Go ahead.

34:22Thank you. If I may, Mr. Chair. Okay. Uh

34:24through the chair to Mary. Um we just

34:27heard Miss Trimmer say that she'd like

34:29it to go through committee today. Um but

34:31then we can defer it at the next council

34:34meeting and one more so then it could be

34:36heard on the November 10th council

34:38meeting. Um how would we affect that?

34:43>> Through the chair to council president

34:45Howland. So what would occur is if it is

34:47voted out of committee today and it's

34:49not deferred, it would be on the agenda

34:51for next Tuesday for action and a member

34:54could move to postpone the item to

34:56November 10th and that could be seconded

34:58and that would be a ballot vote that's

35:00taken up and then it would be postponed

35:01to that that date certain

35:04>> and that is a majority vote to postpone.

35:07>> Uh yes.

35:09>> Okay. The difficulty here is basically

35:12um I mean we'd have one, two, three,

35:14four, five, six. We could see if Yeah.

35:18Uh the difficulty there is not knowing

35:20if we would have enough to postpone um

35:22and because there's nothing I can do

35:24from a parliamentary perspective as CP

35:26right

35:28>> through the chair to council president

35:29Helen. know you don't have the authority

35:31to just defer an item uh unilaterally

35:34unless it's something that's on consent

35:36because this item has had no votes as

35:40well as an amendment. It would not fall

35:41on consent on the agenda. So it would

35:44have to be postponed by an action of the

35:46council.

35:46>> Okay. Then through the chair, if I may

35:48ask, um, uh, Colin and Cindy and Brian,

35:52would you be willing in council meeting

35:54if council members uh, someone on

35:56finance committee motion to postpone,

35:58would you be willing to come up and say,

35:59"We agree with a postponement. We

36:00understand the concerns about A3." Um,

36:02and we'll we can postpone it till a

36:05decision to be made certain on November

36:0610th.

36:07>> Through the chair, you have my word. I

36:08will be there and I will agree to it on

36:10Tuesday.

36:11>> Okay. Thank you very much.

36:13>> I'm going to interject with a point of

36:15clarification. I don't understand why we

36:17couldn't take this up at the November

36:193rd finance committee meeting because

36:21it's still going to then go to full

36:22counsel on November 10th, right? Uh I'm

36:25sorry to Miss Defopolis

36:27through the to the chair. If it were

36:29deferred today, presumably it would just

36:31be deferred the one cycle and so it

36:32would show up on the agenda in the

36:34finance committee. you may want to

36:36discuss that specific point with Miss

36:38Trimmer because the request from her was

36:40that it be voted out of committee today

36:42so it would fall on the council agenda

36:44and then just be postponed at council as

36:47opposed to and I think some of it was a

36:49timing concern but if it was post if it

36:52was deferred here and it went to finance

36:55on Wednesday the 4th I think it is now

36:57because of the election day it would if

36:59it was voted out on that day it would be

37:01at council on November 13th

37:04or 10th. I apologize. 10th.

37:06>> Thank you, Mr. FAPA. So, so I mean both

37:08paths get us there on the same council

37:10night if I'm if I'm following correctly.

37:14>> It Yes, timing wise it does. Um but

37:16there may have been some other

37:17motivation behind the request that I

37:19would just defer to Miss Trimmer.

37:21>> Okay, Miss Trimmer,

37:24they're huddling up real quick. Miss

37:25Trimmer, I don't know if you overheard

37:26the last part of that, but

37:28>> I did. Thank you. Okay,

37:30>> point of clarification, and this is my

37:32own not checking the calendar or

37:33misunderstanding the calendar.

37:36>> Are we deferring committee meetings the

37:39week of the election

37:41such that finance would be after the

37:44amendment three vote? Because I had

37:46understood that it would basically be

37:47the same day. So you wouldn't have your

37:49answers on amendment three. So there's

37:52no difference between voting today or

37:53next or two weeks from today.

37:56I know we moved some meeting. Miss

37:59Stapopolis, could you answer? Yes.

38:00>> So, um, through the chair to Miss

38:02Trimmer, so the Tuesday committee

38:04meetings, finance, TEU, and LUZ on the 3

38:08have been moved to the fourth. So, while

38:10the election won't have been certified,

38:12presumably the results would have been

38:14out and available [clears throat] for

38:16everybody at that point. SAN's overseas

38:20ballots, it's an absentee ballots that

38:21might still yet to be counted.

38:23>> So, Mr. Defabolis to summarize given

38:25that we already moved that committee

38:27meeting we should be 99.9%

38:31sure which way amendment three went when

38:33we come we'll probably know by 8:00 that

38:35night given how good our election

38:37results are at being processed in

38:38Florida. We'll probably know uh with

38:41near certainty which way amendment three

38:43went when we come into finance committee

38:45on that Wednesday.

38:47>> To the extent it's not a close vote. Uh

38:49I think Mr. Boil could probably attest

38:52to the fact that if it's close then

38:54those overseas and absentee ballots

38:56could be a little bit of a shifter but

38:58yes pres traditionally you will have an

39:01idea of the final results coming out of

39:03that absent the certification having yet

39:05occurred. So, so if I can steal more

39:07time here, Miss Trimmer, given that we

39:09will know with near certainty on

39:10November 4th, we could take it up in

39:12this committee. The concerns we have

39:14about amendment three, uh, which I've

39:17been clear amendment three actually is

39:18not going to impact my decision one way

39:19or another, but I think for some members

39:21it will. It could actually help, uh,

39:23depending on which way it goes. Would

39:25you be fine if we deferred it today for

39:27two cycles? We take it up on the fourth

39:30and then you have the council president

39:31not to put words in your mouth but we

39:33will take action on the final vote

39:35November 10th

39:36>> through the chair if I could ask for the

39:38same commitment from this committee that

39:39if for any reason it is close and we

39:43don't have certainty that we will still

39:45advance it on November 4th so that we

39:47can make the November 10 final vote then

39:49yes

39:50>> I will promise to vote November 4th the

39:52same way I would have voted today. Uh so

39:55uh with that uh committee members um

39:58I'll just look for head nods here. I

39:59think we would have a commitment that

40:01one way or another even if it has not

40:03been 100% called. November 4th will be

40:06the day we vote it'll come out of

40:07committee. Uh and then November 10th is

40:10when it'll get discharged to the full

40:13council or I guess not discharged that's

40:15just when it'll occur through that. So I

40:17got council member White Boland uh and

40:20Missopoulos. I'm going to go to you

40:21first. Mr.

40:24to the chair. So just to make sure in

40:26the posture that you're in is you do

40:28have a pending motion to defer which can

40:30be withdrawn if the consensus is that a

40:33two cycle deferral to November 4th is is

40:36the will of the committee or you can

40:37still vote on the deferral. You just may

40:39want to clarify that it's certainly for

40:41the two cycles and not just one since I

40:43think the initial motion the intent was

40:44just one cycle.

40:45>> Council member Diamond, you're

40:46recognized.

40:46>> I absolutely meant two. I don't know

40:48where you're getting this one thing.

40:49>> I heard him as well.

40:54Okay, with that I'm going to go to the

40:55top of the queue. Council member White,

40:57did you drop off council member White?

40:59>> I did, but so you have withdrawn your

41:05>> So it'll get to what we're trying what

41:07you just stated.

41:07>> The motion on the floor is a two cycle

41:10deferment of 2026 541.

41:14>> Yes.

41:15>> No, I'm good. Thank you,

41:17>> Council Boland.

41:20Thank you, Mr. Chair, through the chair

41:21and Mr. Trimmer. Obviously, having a

41:24vote of confidence, if you will, from

41:26the finance committee today, and Mr.

41:27Mole, maybe you want to speak to this.

41:29Does that help in terms of inspiring the

41:32confidence of the investors in this

41:34project to know that it's more than just

41:36a word?

41:38I mean, I understand I see we're landing

41:40this plane, but I wanted to make certain

41:41there there's a a level of confidence

41:43you could walk away and share with those

41:45investing in this in in this effort that

41:48uh uh this is going to move forward

41:50contingent upon the November 3rd vote.

41:53>> Mr. Mo, your victory.

41:55>> Um yes, thank you. Uh Brian Maul with uh

41:58CEO of Gateway Jax at 100 North Laura

42:01Street downtown. Um through the chair to

42:04to Councilman Boland. Um, I was on the

42:07phone with a lot of our our investors

42:09and my board this weekend and I I know

42:12that they are very very anxious to move

42:15this forward. The the time the market

42:18right now is uh you know it seems like

42:20the tenure goes up a quarter point every

42:22week at this point. So, um there there

42:25is uh there is a desire to get moving on

42:28this project as quickly as possible

42:30before um you know before that rates and

42:34or any other economic issue changes. I

42:37would say um I had I I I sort of needed

42:41to say that but I will say that we are

42:44amendable to what um was put forth

42:47today. I understand where the council is

42:49coming from and the committee is coming

42:50from. Um and and uh and I'm certain that

42:55we'll be able to get our investors and

42:57our board on board with that.

42:59>> Thank you. I support where the committee

43:02is headed in this process. Like I

43:04hearken back to when we were first uh

43:08installed as as council members seven,

43:11eight years ago when then Mayor Curry

43:14talked about the transformation of

43:15downtown. And from day one, the

43:18incorporation of a grocery store

43:21downtown was a clear indication that

43:23we've made it. And so I think the the

43:26impetus we've got, we shouldn't slow

43:28down. But I I I I appreciate the wisdom

43:32and I'm I'm supportive of deferring this

43:34for two cycles. I just want to make sure

43:36that the folks who are listening to

43:38this, investors and otherwise and

43:40contrarians too, rest assured I'll be

43:42hearing from any of my constituents

43:44about my vote on this. But at the same

43:46time, I think it's too important for us

43:48to uh let this lay fellow. Thank you,

43:51Mr. Chair.

43:51>> Council Gay.

43:54>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I support uh,

43:57Council Member Diamond's uh, deferral on

44:00this uh, completion grant. Uh, so

44:04I think that'd be the best just to wait

44:07for this uh,

44:11bill to come out to see see if it passes

44:13or not. Thank you,

44:15>> Dr. Johnson.

44:17>> I'm not sure. Uh, I think this is a

44:19legal question, Mr. Chair. So to Mr.

44:22Do we if let's say we do not obviously

44:25right now we're in the deferral posture

44:27but because there was a vote already

44:29taken by DIA I believe does that put us

44:32in any kind of peril if for say we come

44:36back and then we vote not to do this

44:38where does that put us with any

44:40agreements with the the way that it's

44:43structured right now

44:44>> through the chair to council member

44:46Johnson. So while the DIA has approved

44:48the project, it still requires that it

44:49go through city council for approval. So

44:52at the end of the day, absent council

44:53approval, there is no deal. There is no

44:55execution of any contracts or anything

44:57that has occurred to date. So that only

45:00transpires after council approval.

45:02>> Thank you. Uh I'm certainly prepared. I

45:04appreciate that. Uh Mr. Chair, I'm

45:05certainly prepared to vote for this.

45:06I've been researching this um because

45:08it's something that's important to

45:09downtown and kind of like council member

45:11Boland said earlier uh it's something

45:13that has been a priority and I believe

45:14that a thriving downtown is a thriving

45:16city, a thriving metropolis and I do

45:18think this is a part of it. I'm

45:20certainly prepared to advance this today

45:22but uh we'll stand down and look forward

45:24to the results of four, excuse me, of

45:27amendment three. But the reason I bring

45:28it up is kind of like I said during

45:31budget hearing on council night and

45:34others. I think that we're misplacing a

45:36lot of our angst when it comes to

45:38amendment three because what we can do

45:40is use the funds that we have. Um

45:42thankfully those funds were put aside

45:44during the budget process. So thankfully

45:46there are funds to advance these kind of

45:48things. Well I I believe the funds are

45:50there. Nevertheless, what we can do

45:52intelligently is to plan for the two

45:54subsequent years that the auditor

45:55mentioned. those two years coming up,

45:57that 12-month period between the next

45:59budget cycle gives us the opportunity to

46:01say we know that there's an additional I

46:03think you said 30ome million that need

46:06to be

46:08no totally total with this project.

46:12Right. I was right. So an additional $30

46:14million that adds to the money that's

46:16already there. It gives us the

46:17opportunity to see where things need to

46:19maneuver around whether it be the

46:20administration or the council. But I do

46:22think this is a project that can be a

46:25lifeblood kind of like this is the heart

46:27center. And so pumping uh the heart

46:29center full of blood means that the

46:31extremities get the blood too, which

46:32includes the neighborhoods and

46:33everywhere else. So I'm in favor of this

46:35project, but I will certainly uh stand

46:37by to see what the vote is. Thank you,

46:38Mr. Chair.

46:39>> Thank you, Doc. Do Dr. Johnson. Uh

46:41Council President, then past president

46:43White.

46:44>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just couldn't

46:47miss this opportunity to thank Mr. Mole,

46:49Mr. Tarbert, Miss Trimmer, for your

46:51patience and your cooperation on this.

46:53Um, I think this is a terrific move for

46:56not only finance committee but city

46:58council and for Gateway um to be prudent

47:01here and to be vigilant on behalf of

47:03taxpayers. Uh, your cooperation here is

47:06not unnoticed. Thank you so much,

47:09>> Council White.

47:10>> Yes, sir. A question through the chair.

47:12I don't really know who this will go to,

47:13but it sounds like we got two options.

47:15do what we got on the table or if it did

47:18go through committee I would commit to

47:19postpone it Tuesday night which puts us

47:22on the same timeline but which piece

47:25would look better to the investors if it

47:27came out of committee voted up or down

47:29here and then I would commit to ask for

47:32a postponement with which would put us

47:33on the same time frame but then I would

47:36defer to President Howland after he

47:39hears him speak and I would go with what

47:42you decided after you hear them speak

47:44but I I think it would get it to the

47:45same place, but I don't want to send a a

47:49bomb, so to speak, to the investors if

47:51one way looks better to them than the

47:53other. If somebody could speak to that,

47:57>> Mr. Mole, you're recognized, and then

47:58I'll go to Council Member Diamond, and

48:00then I'll have a few comments.

48:02>> Thank you. Um through the chair,

48:04Councilman White. Um uh

48:07while while I think a a a vote today

48:11would be encouraging um you know I think

48:14if we wait until the 4th that will be

48:16okay. Uh I think uh coming into today we

48:22were a little bit worried that this

48:23would would end up if we were deferred

48:26end up in a late November vote. But I

48:28think the way that it that it was

48:30described by this committee being pushed

48:33to the fourth and being able to vote on

48:34the fourth, that would be that would be

48:36okay.

48:40Thank you, Mr. Mo. Council Diamond.

48:43Council Diamond's good. Uh, okay. So,

48:45I'll just wrap it up here before we vote

48:46on the two cycle deferral. Uh, first of

48:48all, to echo what council president

48:50said, uh, again, Mr. mall meaning you

48:52don't always see IDI in the uh financial

48:54aspects but when I walk around downtown

48:56like Gateway is building stuff faster

48:58than other groups so I certainly

49:00appreciate that uh but some of the words

49:02we heard today we heard that developers

49:04and investors are anxious they're facing

49:06headwinds so are taxpayers and that's my

49:09concern looking at just the amount of

49:11money and Dr. Dr. Johnson, you're

49:12talking about the funding's there. We

49:14did have the funding there. In fact, if

49:16you go back to 2026419,

49:18that was the Culinary Institute of

49:20America resolution. We committed $28

49:22million of a $30 million bucket of cash

49:26available for downtown investment. So,

49:29assuming CIA happens, all but 2 million

49:32of that has been spent. And then I

49:34encourage the council members, if you do

49:35nothing else for the next two weeks,

49:37take home the financial commitments

49:38tracker that the auditors passed out. Uh

49:41if you look at it now, uh we did chip

49:43away this year. In fact, we got our

49:45total committed downtown unbudgeted cash

49:48completion grants because keep in mind

49:50what you see on this tracker uh at the

49:52very bottom line. That is showing what

49:54we have not yet budgeted. Uh we got it

49:56down to 68 million. It was well over a

49:58hundred and if we approve this, we're

50:01back up close to hund00 million. And

50:04again, that's unbudgeted cash completion

50:06grants that we will have the next couple

50:08of years. Uh and Mr. Peterson hit on

50:10this a little. Uh we'll be okay next

50:12year. Uh going into fiscal year 2728.

50:15We'll have about 4 million of unbudgeted

50:17uh downtown cash completion grants. And

50:19that's because of the bill we passed uh

50:212026572

50:23that prioritizes our surplus funds

50:25towards future unbudgeted cash

50:27completion grants. We put a big chunk of

50:29money this year through that. Even

50:31though I've said my vote is not

50:33dependent on whether amendment three

50:34passes or not, it's still going to be a

50:36no for this. If amendment three passes,

50:38it's very unlikely we will have a

50:39surplus budget like that again anytime

50:42soon that we can roll that over. So, if

50:44you go out to fiscate uh fiscal year

50:462829, right now we have $35 million of

50:50unbudgeted cash completion grants that

50:52we're going to have to find a way to

50:53fund plus whatever the potential impact

50:56of amendment 3 is. And then fiscal year

50:582930, if we approve this, we're up to

51:01$42 million more. Uh so again, I know

51:04there's been a lot of talk about

51:05amendment three. It's $200 million the

51:07first year, 300 million the second. If

51:10this gets approved, add another hundred

51:12million into that mix of total

51:14unbudgeted cash completion grants that

51:16we're going to have to deal with the

51:18next couple of years. So again, it is to

51:20me it's never been about the project as

51:22much as it's been about what our current

51:24commitments are. So with that, no one

51:26else in the queue. All those uh Miss

51:28Mary, do I do a voice vote or a hand

51:30vote on this?

51:32>> I'll do a hand vote. All those in favor

51:33of the two cycle deferral, raise your

51:35hand.

51:38All opposed raise and Dr. Johnson is the

51:41lone no on that. So by our actions we

51:44have deferred for two cycles on item

51:462026541.

51:52All right. Item seven. This one's

51:54easier. 2026 0672 is deferred as is 8.

51:572026 0677. Item 9. 2026 0687 is

52:02deferred. Item 10. 2026 0698. Can I get

52:05a motion on the amendment?

52:07>> I got a motion to second on the

52:08amendment. Miss Reber

52:12the chair. The amendment will uh update

52:13the fiscal year appropriation uh to

52:16fiscal year 2627 and remove the

52:18carryover language. Remove the section

52:20118 107 waiver in the associated

52:23affidavit. That's not needed. Uh correct

52:25a scrier's error and then place the

52:27revised agreement on file to include

52:29missing exhibits and then update the

52:31payment and completion dates.

52:34Thank you. I have no in the queue. All

52:35those in in favor of the amendment say

52:37I. I. Any oppose say nay. Amendment

52:39passes.

52:41Got a motion to second on the bill as

52:42amended. No one in the queue. Open the

52:44ball. Record your vote.

52:52>> Seven yays, zero nays.

52:54>> By our actions, we've approved 2026

52:550698. Item 11, 2026 0700.

52:59>> Bill.

52:59>> I got a motion second on the bill. As a

53:02reminder, this was a budget bill just

53:04funding a cash completion grant that we

53:06are able to fund from other means this

53:08year. No one in the queue open the

53:09ballot. Record your vote.

53:15>> Six yays, one nay.

53:16>> Buyer actions, we approve 2026 0700.

53:19Items 12 and 13 we've taken up. Item 14,

53:222026 0705.

53:25Got a motion second on the bill. No one

53:27in the queue. Open the B. Record your

53:29vote.

53:36Seven yay, zero nays.

53:37>> By our actions, we approve 2026 0705.

53:40Item 15, 2026 0706. Can I get a motion

53:42on the amendment?

53:44>> Got a motion second on the amendment.

53:46Miss Reverber

53:50through the chair. The amendment will

53:51provide additional clarification in the

53:53bill title and the explanation of

53:55appropriation indicating that 715,657

53:58is being appropriated for the Osprey

54:00River in4 project and 419,295.80

54:05is being appropriated for forgivable

54:07loans and then correct the appropriation

54:09fiscal year.

54:10>> Thank you. Not in the queue. All those

54:12in favor of the amendment say I.

54:13>> I. Any oppose say nay. Amendment passes.

54:18>> Got a motion to second on the bill as

54:20amended. Please reflect. Council member

54:22Diamond was a no on that amendment. I

54:23have no in the queue. Open the ball.

54:25Record your vote.

54:31>> Six yays, one nay.

54:32>> By our actions, we pass 2026706. Item

54:3516, 2026 0707.

54:38>> Got a motion to second on the amendment.

54:40Miss Reber

54:42>> through the chair. The amendment will

54:43reduce the total appropriation amount to

54:45$181,333.85

54:48and the reallocated amount to $48,43185

54:53based on available funds within those

54:55accounts attached to revised exhibit one

54:57which is the BT to reflect those

54:59changes. Place the federal award

55:01agreement on file and correct the

55:03appropriation fiscal year.

55:05>> All right. Known in the queue. All those

55:07in favor of the amendment say I. I. Any

55:09oppose say nay. Amendment passes.

55:12Got a motion to second on the bill as

55:14amended. No one in the queue. Open the

55:15ball. Record your vote.

55:20>> Seven yays, zero nays.

55:22>> Bar actions, we approve 2026 707. Uh,

55:25Council Member White, you're recognized.

55:28>> Yes, sir. Thank you, Chair. Going back a

55:29couple of bills back to the uh item 14

55:34with the the uh life saving core. I want

55:36to thank Councilman Diamond for putting

55:38this up. And I never want to put uh

55:41Chief Golden on the spot, but you three

55:43gentlemen, if you kind of nudge him on

55:45the way out and you know him, Chief

55:47Edens, maybe he can run that through the

55:49fire shop and check the tire pressures

55:52and maybe spiff it up a little bit so

55:54y'all have a vehicle to last you a long

55:56time. And I'm sure he'd be glad to do

55:57that. I understand the seats wore out

55:59and a few other things. Maybe you can

56:02tune it up a little bit before y'all

56:03take it. Thank you. And thank you,

56:05Councilman Diamond, for getting that

56:07done.

56:08All right. And a Chief Golden. I didn't

56:10realize that was your bill. I would

56:11have, uh, taken you to the top of agenda

56:13if I realized you were here for a used

56:15pickup truck. So, uh, with that, we'll

56:18go to item 16. No, we already took up

56:2016. 17, 2026 709.

56:24Got a motion to second on the bill.

56:26Council member Boland and then Dr.

56:28Johnson.

56:29>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, this is the

56:32second effort to water down the recent

56:35council rules. Frankly, I'm at a loss uh

56:39uh when uh you know, we are elected

56:43representatives

56:45to allow us the opportunity uh to not

56:48show up on time, not stay engaged to the

56:51entire process. I think it's just a bad

56:53message to send to our constituents. If

56:57this job isn't a priority for my

56:58colleagues, and I don't know why they're

57:00sitting in these chairs, so I'll leave

57:01it at that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

57:03>> Dr. Johnson.

57:04>> Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. One thing

57:06I understand is that you cannot

57:07legislate morality. And the same thing

57:10um I expect the intelligent,

57:12sophisticated, smart people that sit

57:14around this deis to know that if they're

57:16going to be a few minutes late to the

57:17meeting that they're dialed in and

57:19engaged. That's why we have the meetings

57:21themselves piped into the restroom,

57:23piped into other parts, their monitors

57:25that allow uh them to be able to to be

57:28seen and and heard throughout this

57:30building. Um I do have a a major problem

57:33with trying to find ways to police it uh

57:37to police these kinds of activities and

57:39to take the power away from the chairs.

57:41The chairs are sophisticated enough,

57:43intelligent enough and wellversed enough

57:45at least they should be uh which is why

57:47the council president appointed them to

57:49these positions so they can have some

57:51kind of leeway. Um, while it may seems

57:54like seem like this is being watered

57:56down, uh, one of the things I've said

57:58that I kind of got hammered for, but I

57:59believe it that we can walk and chew gum

58:01at the same time, which means there are

58:03varying priorities that all of the

58:05members of this August body have. I

58:08think because of those priorities, it's

58:09not that being on this ch this day is is

58:11not a priority. It is, but there are

58:14also um, I know since I've been on this

58:16committee, I've had more requests this

58:18year, and I did the the math on it to

58:20look and see. Um, this year I've had

58:22more requests for meetings than during

58:25the entire tenure of my time on this

58:27council. And one of the reasons being is

58:29because the finance committee does so

58:31much with all of the city departments,

58:32which I haven't had to meet with all of

58:34them, does so much with community

58:35organizations from UF Health uh, to

58:38nonprofits and they all want meetings.

58:40And part of what I believe is that while

58:42I can't meet with everyone all the time,

58:45I have used everything from Teams to

58:47Zoom um, to to meeting in person. Um but

58:50to give these organizations the

58:52opportunity to share just a few minutes

58:54of their voice. Uh that flexibility

58:56however uh is encumbered when there are

58:59specifics on where you can do what you

59:01can do and how much you can do. While I

59:03certainly appreciate Councilman Boland's

59:06um push to want to standardize it. Um

59:09there was a quote that I remember from

59:11and I hate to bring Star Wars into it

59:13being that I'm such a Star Trek fan, but

59:15uh Star Wars they said only a Sith

59:17believes in absolutes. And the Siths in

59:20that particular franchise were not

59:22things of positivity and light. But the

59:24Force, which is where the good came

59:26from, believed that there was always

59:28flexibility. You cannot look at things

59:30in black and white and expect them uh to

59:32service the things in gray. And that's

59:34what a lot of the issues that we deal

59:35with on a day-to-day basis with people.

59:38Everything is not in black and white.

59:40So, um while I'm not supportive, I

59:42certainly understand the impetus of it.

59:44Uh what I do want to make sure is that

59:46the judgment and the final uh arbit

59:49arbitration of what happens should be

59:52left in the hands of the chair and uh I

59:54believe that the the council members

59:56themselves can police themselves so to

59:57speak and make sure that they're taking

59:59care of the needs of the constituents

1:00:01and the unique needs of their districts.

1:00:03Thank you.

1:00:04>> Thank you. We'll go neighborhoods chair

1:00:05then rules chair.

1:00:08>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, this is going

1:00:11to sound like I'm an arbitrer here, but

1:00:14um, I applaud I said this in

1:00:15neighborhoods as well. I applaud all the

1:00:17efforts that uh, Council Member Boland

1:00:20put into this and and I really do like

1:00:24um, the things that came out of that

1:00:27bill that was passed through. I really

1:00:29do. Um, but I also like this adjustment

1:00:32because I I've heard from others about

1:00:35their concerns here. doesn't undo 99% of

1:00:40the good that was in that original bill

1:00:42that council member Boland worked so

1:00:44hard on. And uh and so I I applaud both

1:00:47gentlemen for what they've done here. Um

1:00:51and and I'm good I'm good with this. Um

1:00:54and I and I agree you can't legislate

1:00:57morality or whatever else that you we

1:01:00think we can. um un unfortunately in

1:01:04some cases cuz cuz I think if we respect

1:01:07this institution, this body, each other,

1:01:11we will show up on time. Uh we will show

1:01:14up at the things that the president has

1:01:16appointed us to um on a regular basis

1:01:20versus not showing up or sending someone

1:01:22else in ourstead. Um unfortunately, you

1:01:26can't legislate that. Um in some ways, I

1:01:28wish we could. Um, but that's where we

1:01:31are. So, back to the original point.

1:01:33Thank you, uh, Council Member Boland,

1:01:36and thank you, Council Member Gay. I I

1:01:38personally think we're in a good place

1:01:39here. Thank you,

1:01:41>> Phil Sponsor, Council Member Gay.

1:01:44>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh just to uh

1:01:49reiterate what some of my colleagues

1:01:50have said, you know, it it's we're all

1:01:54in a elected position and we're all are

1:01:58uh here to represent our constituents

1:02:01and that's the responsibility that each

1:02:03one of us has individually and each one

1:02:07of us individually are accountable for

1:02:09that. Uh so

1:02:12moving aside from that, the uh pro

1:02:17problem with holding up a whole

1:02:20committee meeting because we don't have

1:02:22five u has has be uh been been a a

1:02:27hindrance at some of the some of the

1:02:29meetings and to uh slow down the city's

1:02:32business I think uh is where I want to

1:02:35get get it back on track. Um, you know,

1:02:39I I appreciate and I understand and

1:02:41respect every everything that uh

1:02:44Councilman Bolan did did with this, but

1:02:46I I think this is an adjustment that we

1:02:49we need to make that uh we've

1:02:54went along for a period of time and seen

1:02:57what did work, what didn't work. And I

1:02:59think this just brings it back more to

1:03:01what will work to keep the city's

1:03:03business moving moving forward. And uh

1:03:07so that that's the whole contents of of

1:03:10why I put this bill forward to keep our

1:03:13committees moving forward. Thank you,

1:03:15>> Councilman Diamond.

1:03:18>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh the good

1:03:20government dork in me is requiring me to

1:03:21ring in and explain my vote because I

1:03:24actually I struggled this this one with

1:03:26different stuff because I've actually

1:03:28like everything Councilman Bo has done.

1:03:29I like things that hold us more

1:03:30accountable. This one I'm I'm going to

1:03:32vote yes, but I at least want to explain

1:03:34why, which is I think the ultimate

1:03:36accountability for us is the voters. And

1:03:38I can tell you personally when I was on

1:03:39deployment and I had to miss nine months

1:03:41of meetings here, I got absolutely just

1:03:45rolled over the coals by people and then

1:03:47got reelected. So, you know, it uh there

1:03:50is accountability with the voters out

1:03:51there. Um so, that's why I'll vote yes.

1:03:53But that's uh it was a principled

1:03:55thoughtful way of going through this. I

1:03:56struggled with this like actually did. I

1:03:58probably put more thought into this than

1:04:00any other bill we voted on today. Um, I

1:04:02will also stand up for the Sith a little

1:04:04bit. I think they get uh disparaged

1:04:06unnecessarily. Like, let's not confuse

1:04:09the fact that they have conviction, they

1:04:10get things done, they're well organized,

1:04:12they're patient, and they have done many

1:04:14great things for the universe. Thank

1:04:15you.

1:04:18>> All right. Uh, so I'm going to vote yes

1:04:22on this again, but I want to say a few

1:04:23other things, too. Uh so council member

1:04:25Borland I supported your bill and the

1:04:27majority of the conversation was about

1:04:29the number of excusals which I'll put my

1:04:31attendance record up with anyone's on

1:04:33council. Uh but really my yes vote was

1:04:35the fact that for all four years of my

1:04:37time on council I've been a chair of at

1:04:39least one committee. So really my my

1:04:42experience managing quorum especially

1:04:44being finance chair I mean there were

1:04:45days we struggled having four because

1:04:47there was the role I think it was even

1:04:48if you had two excusals you could reduce

1:04:50it down to four. And so that really is

1:04:53why uh I'm supporting this. And then

1:04:55also just a reminder, we are not doing

1:04:57anything that's changed a long-standing

1:05:00rule. We're basically putting back into

1:05:02place how it was a matter of months ago

1:05:04when we lowered it from uh or increased

1:05:06it from four to five. We're just going

1:05:08back to four. And the majority of what

1:05:10you introduced is still intact on that

1:05:12bill. So with that, open the ballot.

1:05:14Record your vote.

1:05:31six yays, one nay.

1:05:32>> By our actions, we have passed 2026 709.

1:05:35Item 18, 2026 720. Can I get a motion?

1:05:39>> I got a motion second on the bill. No in

1:05:41the queue. Legislative services, please

1:05:43add me as a co-sponsor. I forgot to. And

1:05:45then open the ballot. Record your vote.

1:05:54Seven yays, zero nays.

1:05:57By our actions, we pass 2026 720. Item

1:06:0019, 2026 740.

1:06:03Got a motion to second on the amendment.

1:06:05This amendment is very technical, so I

1:06:08won't have Miss Reber read it. Uh, all

1:06:10those in favor of the amendment say I.

1:06:12I. Any oppose say nay. Amendment passes.

1:06:15Got a motion to second on the bill as

1:06:17amended. Knowing the queue, open the

1:06:18ballot, record your vote.

1:06:26>> Six yays, one nay.

1:06:28>> Our actions, we've approved 2026 740.

1:06:31Item 20 is on second. 2026 749, as is

1:06:35item 21, 2026 751. Items 22, 23, 2026,

1:06:40752, 753 are on second. Item 24 and 25.

1:06:432026 755756

1:06:46are on second. Item 26 2026 0757. Can I

1:06:50get a motion on the amendment?

1:06:52>> I got a motion to second on the

1:06:53amendment. Miss Reber, you're not going

1:06:54to get out of this one. Can you please

1:06:56read the amendment and then we'll take

1:06:57this amendment up and then go to the

1:06:59auditor recommended amendment.

1:07:01>> Okay. Through the chair to the

1:07:02committee. The amendment is to place

1:07:04revised economic de development

1:07:06agreement on file to remove land

1:07:08acquisition costs from the definition of

1:07:10capital investment and correct scrier's

1:07:12errors.

1:07:13>> I guess I could have skipped that one

1:07:14having you read it. All those in favor

1:07:16of the amendment say I.

1:07:17>> I. Any oppose say name. Amendment

1:07:19passes.

1:07:20>> I need someone to move the audition

1:07:26to second on the auditor recommended

1:07:28amendment. Uh Miss Reber

1:07:31>> through the chair to the committee. The

1:07:32auditor recommended amendment um will

1:07:35con uh we recommend that the that

1:07:38commencing on December 31st, 2027 and

1:07:41continuing through the term of the Rev

1:07:42Grant that if the company fails to

1:07:44retain the 20 new jobs, the Rev Grant

1:07:47distribution for that year will be

1:07:48proportionately reduced.

1:07:50>> And I see Mr. Randolph out there. I

1:07:52assume he is good with this amendment as

1:07:54well. He's giving me a thumbs up. Uh all

1:07:56those in favor of the auditor

1:07:57recommended amendment say I. I. Any

1:08:00opposed say nay. Other recommended

1:08:02amendment passes. So I believe I need a

1:08:04motion on the bill as twice amended.

1:08:06Roll them on up.

1:08:09>> The bill is amended.

1:08:11>> Got a motion. Second on the bill up. I

1:08:14don't think it's a question as much as a

1:08:16statement. This is a rev only with a ROI

1:08:19greater than one. So I will support

1:08:21this. Uh no one in the queue open the

1:08:23bow. Record your vote.

1:08:31Six zas, one A.

1:08:34>> By our actions, we have passed 2026

1:08:360757. Council member Diamond, you better

1:08:38not put in an early excusal for Tuesday

1:08:40night. Council member Miller, you're

1:08:42recognized.

1:08:43>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through the chair,

1:08:45uh before Ed heads out, uh I've said

1:08:48this before, but I just want to say

1:08:49through the chair, um thank you for for

1:08:53listening to us. Thank you for working

1:08:56with us. We've we've requested uh Mr.

1:09:00Randolph that you and your crew work

1:09:02with us on these incentive packages. You

1:09:05have done that really well for the last

1:09:08three years that I'm aware of. Um and so

1:09:11I thank you for working with us,

1:09:14listening to us, listening to the

1:09:15voters, the taxpayers. And uh this is

1:09:19another example as the chair just

1:09:21mentioned of the package that you put

1:09:23together that that is very responsible

1:09:26fiscally responsible and a cooperative

1:09:30type of approach. So thank you very

1:09:33much. Have a nice day.

1:09:36I don't even know if he heard us from

1:09:37all the way back there. I hope he did.

1:09:40>> All right. Item 27 2026 0765 is also on

1:09:44second as is 28 20226778

1:09:48and we took actions uh took action on

1:09:51item 29. I believe that completes our

1:09:53agenda. Anything I missed? All right.

1:09:55Anything from the committee?

1:09:58We are adjourned.