They’re charged with helping the watchers watch.
An independent advisory board to the city, the Taxation, Revenue & Utilization of Expenditures Commission was established to improve the city’s long-range financial soundness, help plan budgeting and management and keep the public better informed about the city’s fiscal issues.
The commission also may evaluate whether revenue sources are appropriate, investigate and suggest potential new revenue sources and advise the City Council and the mayor on issues, such as employee retirement benefits.
In short, the commission has the authority to gather information on the city’s financial position, operations and practices and practices and
“We have a wide range and the authority to have anyone in city government come before us,” said Marc Hassan, commission chair.
Of the 18 members, 12 must be residents of Duval County and have expertise in finance and/or accounting.
Half of those are appointed by the mayor and approved by council. The other six are appointed by the council president and approved by council.
The remaining members must be county residents and represent the Citizens Planning Advisory Committee in each of the six Planning Districts.
Much of the work done by the commission results in recommendations to either the administration or council, which then decides whether to pursue the advice all the way to policy or legislation. Occasionally, the commission’s findings can lead to headlines.
Hassan cited an instance when, following the commission’s study of how city departments account for cash, an employee was found to be stealing from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
“One of our members with a banking background found their cash-handling procedures were lacking,” he said.
The commission has two standing committees: One that independently audits financial reports submitted by city departments and another that analyzes pending legislation related to financial matters, including municipal bonds and employee retirement benefits.
“We’re always looking at pension issues and that’s something we’ll continue to watch,” said Hassan.
Future topics for the commission likely will be how the Inspector General and Ethics offices can work symbiotically and whether there may be overlap in their respective responsibilities, Hassan said.
The group also is looking at how the city manages contracts, such as incentive agreements between the city and businesses that promise to create new jobs.
“In some cases, benchmarks have not been met, but the incentives may have been paid,” said Hassan, who’d like to see a council committee established to focus on contract management.
Another of the group’s current priorities is to urge Mayor Lenny Curry and council to appoint more members to fully staff the commission, since it is six members short of the number specified in the municipal code, he said.
Another item on the commission’s wish list is more work.
“We haven’t had enough input from the City Council or the mayor’s office,” Hassan Said. “We’d like to know what they’d like us to do.”
The commission meets the first Thursday of each month at City Hall. The public is invited to attend.
(904) 356-2466