The District developer Peter Rummell had no further comment Monday about the letter he sent Friday to an unknown list of recipients, described in media reports as business and political leaders.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Rummell said by email. (See his full email at end of this story)
The letter, dated Jan. 12 and tagged “Important City Message” in its subject line, said a special committee appointed by City Council President Anna Brosche to review The District deal “is nothing more than an attempt to stall progress.”
It said the “ploy” must be politically motivated by Brosche because “she hates Lenny” and the deal is caught in the crossfire.
“If this is not blatant and tragic for this city, tell me what is!!!!!” it said.
However, Mayor Lenny Curry said Friday he’s not concerned about Brosche forming a special council committee to scrutinize the pending land sale and development deal.
“As I’ve said on all issues, it’s the council president and the council’s prerogative to vet any issues they see fit,” Curry said at his “Sack the Steelers” fan rally at City Hall.
The statement said Curry will review recommendations from the Downtown Investment Authority board and use a scorecard “to ensure maximum return for Jacksonville taxpayers.”
“The mayor and City Council President Brosche respect each other’s commitment to doing great things for the city of Jacksonville,” it concluded.
Brosche said Monday that people tell her they are pleased she is making sure the committee will look at the project.
“I don’t have a predetermined answer. I would like to see that property redeveloped. We just have to make sure that it’s the right thing for the city and the right thing for the citizens,” she said.
Brosche also said she doesn’t hate anyone.
“I am doing my job and working hard on the business of Jacksonville and the mayor is, too, so we are both very committed to make sure Jacksonville is the best city in the world and I am grateful to him about that,” she said.
Brosche announced Thursday she had formed a special committee to examine the project, naming as chair council member Matt Schellenberg, a vocal opponent of the deal.
Schellenberg said Monday he has not received one negative comment from people as a result of the letter.
“They appreciate what the committee is going to do,” he said.
When Curry was asked Friday if he was satisfied with the terms of the deal, which involves the city purchasing the property from JEA for $18.6 million and investing $26.4 million into infrastructure construction, he said he would look at the terms like any other economic development deal.
“There’s always a process. This one happens to have the DIA and JEA involved,” Curry said.
“And when that process is complete, it will get to us and we’ll assess, as will council,” he said.
On Wednesday, the DIA approved Elements of Jacksonville LLC’s proposal to develop the land previously used for JEA’s Southside Generating Station into a mixed-use project focused on healthy living.
Elements’ plans include 1,170 residential units, a hotel, office space, retail and public park land.
The DIA’s decision is contingent on the JEA board approving a key provision that the authority changed concerning how it would pay back a $16.8 million loan to the utility for the land sale.
Instead of the loan being paid back only with funds from the Southbank Tax Increment District, the payments would be split with 75 percent coming from the revenue generated by the project and 25 percent from the Southbank district.
The JEA board is scheduled to meet at noon today at JEA headquarters at 21 W. Church St.
JEA CEO Paul McElroy and board Chairman Alan Howard met Friday with Sam Mousa, Curry’s chief administrative officer, and other administration officials to discuss the developments.
Before the meeting, McElroy said he was not worried about Brosche’s committee. “It was always going to have to come through City Council,” he said.
“The deal is very complex and that’s for the city and the DIA to work through,” McElroy said. “We’re handling the land sale, so we’ll leave it at that.”
Joining Schellenberg on the special committee are council Finance Committee Chair Garrett Dennis and council members Lori Boyer, Sam Newby and Bill Gulliford.
Dennis said Friday he had not been briefed on the deal.
The special committee meets at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall.
Editor Karen Brune Mathis contributed
to this story.
