by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Roughly a week after City Council member Suzanne Jenkins introduced legislation to halt all design work on the new Duval County Courthouse, Council member Kevin Hyde distributed a similar resolution Monday.
“These are just my thoughts on the topic and this may serve as a possible substitute [to Jenkins’],” said Hyde.
At a passing glance, most of the language in Hyde’s document mirrors that of Jenkins’, except for one crucial discrepancy.
“The main difference is that mine doesn’t call for a complete shut down,” said Hyde, after the proposal was distributed to Council, the mayor’s office and the Office of the General Counsel’s Office.
“I looked at what Suzanne had introduced and just felt that if we were to suddenly take a pause, there would be a recourse. We disagree on that point.”
According to mayor’s office spokesperson Susie Wiles, construction demobilization costs would run approximately $50,000 per day.
“I just think that no one wants to lose money on the project that we’ve already invested in it,” said Hyde.
As it reads, Hyde’s version asks that Mayor Peyton “ensure courthouse design and construction does not exceed the currently authorized $211 million.”
“I’ve talked to the mayor about it and it’s really just a way for [the Council] to say that we support what he is doing to solve this problem. I know he wants to bring the courthouse in as close to budget as possible. We all want to.”
Providing the project goes over budget, Hyde’s draft calls for detailed documentation with respect to a budget, scope of work and necessary legislation to move forward.
“We all have the same goal,” said Hyde. “My feeling is that something like this allows the mayor to work through what he has to work through with the money already set aside. If we can’t do it, then the Council just wants to know where we’re likely to end up.”
Hyde, who said his legislation might be better received by the Council and the administration because it calls for less drastic action than Jenkins, will hold it until after Peyton and former mayor John Delaney present a courthouse workshop at the end of the month.
“They deserve that option,” said Hyde. “Everything I’ve outlined in my proposal may be made moot when they are finished.”
Wiles confirmed Hyde’s proposal might be more reasonable and easier to work with from a cost standpoint.
“The magic of this project will be to build a courthouse that we can all be proud of,” she said. “But we still have a responsibility to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars. We all have that goal.”