Jacksonville City Council President Ron Salem introduced legislation Jan. 3 that creates new rules about who can accept monetary or in-kind services donations to the city and how they can be used.
The proposed amendment is in response to Mayor Donna Deegan accepting a reported $187,000 from private sources that was used to remove the Women of the Southland Confederate monument from Springfield Park on Dec. 27 without notifying Council of the donation or its intended use before the statue was dismantled.
Appearing before the Council Rules Committee on Jan. 2, city General Counsel Michael Fackler said there is nothing in the current regulations that would prohibit a mayor from accepting such a donation and using it for any city-related purpose without notifying Council of the donation or seeking its authorization for use.
Fackler also said that because the donation came from private sources, the money did not flow into the city budget and therefore was not within Council’s jurisdiction.
The proposed amendments to Chapter 113 of the Ordinance Code include:
• Unless otherwise approved by ordinance, monetary donations received shall be deposited in and assigned to the city’s general fund. All in-kind donations shall be accepted only through resolution of the Council, except when the nature of the conditional terms would otherwise require their approval by ordinance.
• Clarifying that no monetary or non-monetary gifts, donations, in-kind services, etc., regardless of the amount, shall be used to alter, demolish, relocate, transform or in any way modify any city-owned or managed property, object or anything else of substance without prior Council approval and appropriation.
• Adding that Council and the mayor are authorized to accept private donations, rather than the mayor being the exclusive recipient under the current language.
The ordinance will be assigned to the Council’s Finance and Rules committees for consideration and public hearings.