by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Approving a deal to build three parking garages downtown was a City Council mistake that will haunt Jacksonville taxpayers for 30 years, said several members Monday. But the mayor’s refusal to reconsider could haunt him on his next visit to the Council’s chambers.
Although the Finance Committee unanimously approved a resolution Monday asking Mayor John Peyton to revisit the deal, most of its members acknowledged they missed their chance to change an agreement referred to as “a serious mistake.” In late February the Council voted 15-2 to approve the deal, which allowed private partnership Metropolitan Parking Solutions to build and operate the garages at a guaranteed 8 percent profit.
Finance Committee chair Warren Alvarez said the Council made its decision without all the facts. For instance, Alvarez said the Council didn’t know a pair of Sports Complex garages would likely take business from other City lots in the area. The Council Auditor’s Office estimated that the surface lots would lose about $800,000 annually to the garages.
“We weren’t given information in total, and that’s not appropriate,” said Alvarez.
But the information was available. The Council auditor had researched the extra cost to the Sports Complex lots before the Council voted to approve.
Even after Peyton won Council support, the mayor’s office should have been more receptive to the Council’s questions and ideas, said Finance Committee member Jerry Holland. Holland and Art Graham cast the only “no” votes on the deal.
Holland said Peyton asked the Council to move the deal through quickly with an understanding that the conversation wasn’t closed. Since then, Holland said Peyton had resisted Council requests to re-examine the deal and has moved quickly to cement the agreement.
“I’ve seen the City do lots of contracts and they don’t usually do them that fast,” said Holland after Peyton’s Council liaison told the committee that the deal had recently closed.
Holland said the Council has worked with the administration to consider high-priority legislation quickly. In return, he said the Council’s questions deserved Peyton’s consideration.
“This idea that we had our chance to ask questions, and now we’ve approved it, and now its too late to even look at possible changes, I think that’s a little disrespectful, and I think that disrespect is not very helpful in terms of working together.
“If it’s a situation where he’s going to come to us next time and say, ‘I didn’t listen to you all, but I want you to listen to me,’ I think that probably isn’t the best relationship,” said Holland.
Council liaison Paul Crawford told the committee they had more than six months to examine the deal prior to approving it. He said the contracts had been signed.
Meyer said the City would open itself to a lawsuit if it tried to change the deal now.
“I’m pretty sure it would make legal options available (for MPS), and I’m pretty sure they’d explore them,” said Meyer.
Even if it means taking an immediate financial hit, Alvarez said changing the deal would save money in the long run.
“Even if we have to pay a penalty, let’s pay for this year, not 30 years,” said Alvarez. “This should not have gotten out of the Council. It’s a very serious mistake, and I apologize for not doing something about it before.”