Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee met on October 6, 2026, at 1:00 PM under Chair Will Lahnen. The meeting featured the presentation of the FY 24/25 audit, an emergency bill for JTA, extensive debate on the Gateway Jax development incentives, and the approval of numerous appropriations and ordinances. The meeting adjourned at 2:20 PM.
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Tuesday, October 6th meeting of the Finance Committee. Let's start off with introductions, starting with Ms. Norse. Brittany Norris for the administration. Colleen Hamsey, Council Research. Mary Stepopoulos, Office of General Counsel. Heather Reber, Council Auditor's Office. Philip Peterson, Council Auditor. Good afternoon, Rory Diamond, District 13, the beaches. Good afternoon, Chris Miller, I have large group five. Will Lane in District Three. Randy White, District 12. Afternoon, Michael Boyland, District 6. Nick Howland at large group three. All right. Welcome everyone. Welcome, Council President. So just to give you the uh the order of how we're going to do today's meeting, we'll start off with public comment if we have any. And then we have our auditors from Carr Riggs and Ingram here to talk about the 24-25 audit results. Uh then we're going to go to JTA with their presentation. Uh, I believe Councilmember Johnson is the only one on finance who has not seen the JTA presentation. He is not currently here. And if he is not, uh, Mr. Barnes, I'm gonna let you skip the presentation because we have all seen that presentation so far. Uh then item number 12, that's a JSO-related bill. We'll go to JSO. And then because JEA has been at pretty much every committee meeting and sat through the presentations and other bills, I will move JEA up to go right after the JSO bill. So JEA item 13, you'll go after the JSO bill, and then we'll go to the top of the agenda and go in order from that. So, with that, do I have any comment cards? I have three. Go ahead and walk on down. Let's see, Carnell Oliver, Eric Adler, and Jim Emery. And to protect the interests of all citizens, no matter who you are. And the issue in itself is very clear. The system is racist. And it's not racist to just anybody, because right now, dealing with the Census Bureau, they're trying to eliminate our history in this country. They try to lump us all in together as all Americans. But the significant history of American freedmen in this country, especially in a community like this, underneath the 1866 Civil Rights Act, we have economic protections. And when is this city going to actually recognize who we are? You took a slum's sworn oath of office to protect, defend liberties. And if this project is to move forward, what are the conditions of those same civil rights? Because the rights of the land belongs to one set of people. And that's us. Right along with white Americans. If you take your job seriously, you'll take my words very seriously, and you'll slot stop this another amount of money and trying to push this project forward. Thank you, Mr.