by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Despite the absence of windows, walls or even a foundation, the new Duval County Courthouse has become what many are calling “the hottest issue in town.” Today, the City Council’s Audit Committee is meeting to discuss it.
Invitations have been extended to City Council members, the mayor’s office, project designers, Cannon Design, and architectural service managers, Jacobs Facilities.
Audit Committee chair Faye Rustin said she chose not to include the judiciary at this stage because she didn’t think “they would want to be a part of this.”
Promising to be the first in a series of meetings, Rustin added little action will be taken following the meeting’s conclusion.
“We won’t be making any decisions. What we are going to do [today] is spend a lot of time exploring ideas and facts,” said Rustin. “We’re hearing that this design never could have been built for the amount we voted for and we should be aware of our legal options.
“There are some creative ideas out there and we want to hear them so we know what are next step is.”
Rustin said she also plans to address rumors concerning whether or not all of the land needed to build the complex has been even been acquired by the City.
“I’ve heard that it might not,” she said. “We need to be aware of whether or not that’s true.”
Currently hovering at about $40 million over budget and saddled with a completion date nearly two years later than promised, Rustin said things have gotten out of hand and that’s what prompted the meeting.
“The taxpayers voted for one thing and now they’re getting another,” she said. “When a price continues to rise, the whole project starts to change and we have to be responsible for it. The public is more interested in this than anyone ever thought they’d be and they’re not buying it.”
Rustin said the meeting should not be confused as a “challenge to the mayor’s office.”
“This is not about any kind of power struggle,” she said. “I just want all of us to look at what’s best for the taxpayers at this meeting. There won’t be any surprises coming from me, but if anyone else has some surprises, that’s different.”