NO DELAYS THERE, EITHER. THAT’S A LOOK AT A GUN IN THE MOTIVE TIME SAVER TRAFFIC.
>>MELANIE LAWSON: TONIGHT,
JACKSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL WILL
MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER
NEW LEADERSHIP. ONE OF THE
FIRST ITEMS INTRODUCED WELL
INVOLVE CREATING THAT NEW
PUBLIC SAFETY POSITION IS FOR
JAX. REPORTER BRIAN ANDREWS IS
JOINING US NOW LIVE BRANDED
THE NEW POSITION WILL ADDRESS
OVERALL SECURITY CONCERNS AT
CITY HALL AND OTHER PUBLIC
BUILDINGS.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE
CONSIDERING HIRING A COUNCIL
SECURITY OFFICER. THE OFFICER
WILL OVERSEE SAFETY FOR
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR
STAFF. IT ALSO INCLUDES
IMPLEMENTING A SECURITY RISK
MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CITY HALL
AND OTHER LOCATIONS THAT CITY
COUNCIL USES FOR COMMUNITY
MEETINGS OR EVENTS. NOW IN THE
PROPOSED ORDINANCE,
COUNCILMEMBER SPECIFICALLY
HIGHLIGHT INCREASE OF THREATS
TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND
EMPLOYEES STATEWIDE AND
NATIONALLY. IT ALSO CITES
CONCERNS RAISED BY MORE THAN A
DOZEN EMPLOYEES ABOUT
INTERACTIONS AT COUNCIL
MEETINGS AND THE SUMMER
DECEMBER. SOMEONE SHOT THROUGH
THE 4TH FLOOR WINDOW OF THE
MAYOR’S OFFICE AT CITY HALL.
ACCORDING TO A CITY HALL
SOURCE, THE WINDOW OF THE
MAYOR’S OFFICE WAS FOUND
SHATTERED WHEN THE BLINDS WERE
LIFTED. IT’S UNCLEAR EXACTLY
WHEN THE SHOOTING HAPPENED,
BUT CITY COUNCIL STAFFER FOUND
SEVERAL 9 MILLIMETER BULLET
CASINGS IN JAMES WELDON
JOHNSON PARK. AFTER THAT
SHOOTING, FLORIDA ALSO PASSED
A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY LAW
WHICH NO LONGER REQUIRES GUN
OWNERS TO OBTAIN A CONCEALED
WEAPONS LICENSE. NOW, THESE
ARE JUST A FEW REASONS AS TO
WHY SOME COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS ARE PUSHING FOR
HEIGHTENED SECURITY MEASURES.
NOW, IF THE BILL MOVES
FORWARD, THE PERSONAL
COMMITTEE PERSON NOW COMMITTEE
EXCUSE ME WILL APPOINT THE
COUNCIL SECURITY OFFICER. A
NEW SECURITY PLAN WILL BE
CREATED TO REDUCE POTENTIAL
THREATS AROUND CITY HALL IN
THE SHERIFF WILL OVERSEE A
SEPARATE LOCATION FOR CITY
COUNCIL TO HOLD MEETINGS
OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL. IN CASE
THREATS. NOW, DECISION IS NOT
EXPECTED TO BE MADE ON THIS
PROPOSAL TONIGHT, TONIGHT’S
MEETING BEGINS AT 5 REPORTING
LIVE. BRIANNA ANDREWS CHANNEL
4, LOCAL STATION.
>>MELANIE LAWSON: ALL RIGHT,
BRANDON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MEANTIME, THE CITY HAS SOME
EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND NEARLY
65 MILLION DOLLARS IN COVID-19
RELIEF FUNDS OR LOSE THE
MONEY.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: NEWS 4 JAX
REPORTER JIM PIGGOTT SHOWS US
WHERE MOST OF IT WILL BE
GOING.
>> DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE
CITY AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PAID FOR MANY THINGS, TESTING
TESTING SITES. AND REMEMBER
THOSE STIMULUS CHECKS AND HELP
FOR THOSE WHO HAD TROUBLE
PAYING RENT 2 YEARS AGO,
JACKSONVILLE RECEIVED OVER
350 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE
FEDS FOR SOME OF THOSE
PROGRAMS. AND ANOTHER
160 MILLION IN THE CARES ACT.
MOST OF THAT HAS BEEN SPENT.
BUT NOW THE CITY IS WORKING TO
SPEND THE REST. THERE’S NEARLY
65 MILLION DOLLARS REMAINING.
AND SO AS NOT TO LOSE THE CITY
HAS TO SPEND SO A GOOD PORTION
OF THAT LEFTOVER COVID MONEY
IS COMING RIGHT HERE TO UF
HEALTH JACKSONVILLE AND WILL
BE USED FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. A TOTAL
BREAKDOWN OF HOW IT’S GOING TO
BE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS
TIME.
>> RIGHT NOW, THE MAYOR’S
BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE IS
SLATED 40 MILLION DOLLARS OF
THAT MONEY FOR YOU HAVE HELP
15 MILLION TO HELP THE
UNDERSERVED. THE OTHER.
25 MILLION FOR THE HOSPITAL
BUILDING ITSELF. THAT’S OUR
BUILDING. AND BASICALLY THE
OLD UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
CHANCE.
>> IS A CITY BUILDING. SO
25 MILLION GOES TO A
MAINTENANCE REHAB OF THAT
OTHER PARTS OF THAT LEFTOVER
COVID MONEY IS GOING
ELSEWHERE. 10 MILLION DOLLARS
FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, HEALTH
CARE PREMIUMS TO HELP HOLD
DOWN THE COSTS OF INSURANCE,
WHICH WE PAY AS TAXPAYERS. AND
13 MILLION IS GOING TO HELP
PAY FOR SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE
MAYOR’S TRANSITION TASK FORCE
IS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING.
THEY’RE LOOKING TO CRIME
PREVENTION. THEY’RE LOOKING AT
INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THE THINGS
THAT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
WAS REALLY DESIGNED TO HELP
WITH AND WHAT THIS MONEY THE
CITY SAYS IT WON’T HAVE TO
BORROW MONEY TO MAKE NEEDED
IMPROVEMENTS. IT’S MORE OF PAY
AS YOU GO PLAN. JIM PIGGOTT
CHANNEL 4, THE LOCAL STATION.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: MAYOR DONNA
DEEGAN IS ASKING THE CITY
COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AN
ORDINANCE TO BLOCK WHO CAN GET
A LICENSE FOR AN ICE CREAM
TRUCK. IT WOULD REQUIRE ANYONE
WHO WANTS TO RENEW OR GET A
NEW ICE CREAM TRUCK OPERATOR
PERMIT TO BE FINGERPRINTED FOR
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK. THE
MOVE IS TO HELP PREVENT
REGISTERED OFFENDERS AND
PREDATORS FROM DRIVING THE
TRUCKS. IT WOULD ALSO REMOVE