City Council member Tommy Hazouri walked into Tuesday’s Rules Committee meeting intending to support Kirk Wendland as the city’s Office of Economic Development director.
He walked out as the lone vote against the appointment made by Mayor Lenny Curry.
“I changed my mind,” Hazouri said afterward.
It was Wendland’s past involvement with the Shipyards, the troubled piece of prime riverfront real estate Downtown, and how he responded to questions about the project that sealed Hazouri’s vote.
Wendland, the former Jacksonville Economic Development Commission executive director, had some oversight duties of the ill-fated deal that saw the city invest $40 million into failed past development deals. The city has since recouped $13 million and the riverfront land, valued at about $26 million, but still owes $30 million or so on bonds.
Hazouri said during the meeting his issues weren’t with Wendland personally, but with the former deals and money “lost.”
“I don’t want to see that happen again,” he said. “I do want to see progress … (but) to lose that kind of money concerns me greatly.”
Wendland responded that the $40 million went to public improvements, but the developer breached the contract. After that, the issue was turned over to the Office of General Counsel, which “enforced the contract to the fullest extent.”
“It didn’t turn out like we wanted,” Wendland said.
He said he stood by the city attorneys and former Mayor John Delaney’s administration in the handling of the project.
That didn’t sit well with Hazouri.
“I don’t know how you can ‘stand by’ losing $40 million,” the councilman responded.
Afterward, Hazouri said Wendland’s respond “struck me the wrong way” because the former director was one of the project managers.
Wendland in a statement said he’s initiated meetings with several council members, including Hazouri, so he wasn’t surprised by his thoughts and concerns about the previous administration.
He said moving forward he looks forward to serving Curry’s administration and working with Hazouri and others to support economic development.
A grand jury investigated the contract between the city and Shipyards developer, but found no criminal wrongdoings.
Despite recovering the $13 million and the land, Hazouri compared it to being blown out on the football field but scoring a last minute touchdown to make the score look better.
The $13 million is earmarked for environmental clean-up of the site.
Hazouri said he was a little surprised he was the only one to vote against the appointment given the deal and money lost. He might bring it up Monday during the full vote.
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