[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6474420,"mediaKeyId","5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe","parentId",5739961,"title","Council auditor flags $600,000 payment outside contract terms in residential waste-hauler audit; commissioners seek follow-up","audioSeconds",480,"startMs",2040000,"endMs",2520000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe&start=2040&end=2520","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe/thumbnail_2040000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474420/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Council-auditor-flags-600000-payment-outside-contract-terms-in-residential-waste-hauler-audit-commissioners-seek-follow-up","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474420-5573d5a1a238d48f29b25c204864c981/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783731&Signature=PxtfGI5S5W0uJVFR8BorNnjQt96DdkM2Ol5kMX04ACifSG31FYtpGIAnKKhB2xvBYugDeD6jpRs8PeCUAbTGjD50tA82l4pKCZWET7oY-x5hpT~XvNwP-esFucs7b5pVERvWvlTehg8jZZ7iIQsakNRSyCWeO0Tsy2VXZkb1mdeawqR2ZVXKxxhBqc5synrvfk3ZtTw7BHKWPXNfh~eFI1xpvQZIxdx2MGhPmr8qdwZZVfT5LiN1TlsKjNesybORav5x7GiaVk8FkpVfrHcDNu7tc-4Lu121h8hQoknx4Cah425ANKLF9b9ovKmlkQuWK6vZ9iWIyGKR8MjSFe~PwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Jacksonville, FL","date","2025-09-04T00:00:00Z","article","The council auditor’s office presented an audit of residential waste-hauler contract payments that reviewed invoices from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2022. The audit examined 76 invoices totaling about $76.4 million and found the amounts paid were generally supported but that significant procedural and control weaknesses jeopardize payment accuracy and transparency.

Key audit findings included inconsistent calculation and discretionary application of liquidated damages, inclusion of invoice items outside contract scope, numerous timeliness issues in payments, and errors in invoice processing. The audit found two haulers exceeded an annual fuel cap that resulted in an overpayment of roughly $350,000, and it documented other payment-processing weaknesses, including missing standard operating procedures for liquidated-damage calculations.

Auditors highlighted one payment of $600,000 tied to a November 2022 invoice described in records as storm-debris work. The auditor said the payment appeared outside contract provisions: the contract’s storm-debris section requires a different pay method (hourly rates for tons over a threshold) for a qualifying storm scenario. The auditor reported the city’s solid-waste staff told auditors that the charge related instead to third-party costs or driver shortages, a characterization that auditors said was not, on its face, supported by the invoice documentation.

Commission response: Commissioners expressed concern and asked for details on checks and balances used to authorize large payments. One commissioner moved that the commission request detailed documentation about the $600,000 expenditure (maker and second recorded in the transcript; see actions array). After discussion, commissioners agreed to seek follow-up from public works and consider involving the Office of the Inspector General; the transcript does not record a final, unambiguous vote approving the original motion to request further details.

Auditor recommendations and department responses: The auditor recommended the solid-waste division limit payments to those supported by contract provisions and to require use of a contract-payment checklist for all invoices, with documentation when special scenarios arise. The solid-waste division told auditors it would ensure appropriate personnel complete and approve a payment checklist for contract invoices. The auditor also recommended the department determine whether any corrective actions were necessary for prior payments.

Why it matters: The auditor emphasized that the $600,000 payment is part of a wider set of control weaknesses that could produce materially inaccurate payments or permit inconsistent treatment across vendors. Commissioners discussed potential referral to the Office of Inspector General and invited public-works staff or the responsible vendor to a future meeting to explain the expenditure and process.

Ending: The commission requested follow-up information; commissioners agreed to invite public-works representatives and to ask the inspector general’s office whether a separate review was underway. The auditor’s report will remain the basis for further fact-finding and potential corrective steps.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Jacksonville, FL - True Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The council auditor presented a residential waste-hauler audit that flagged inconsistent liquidated-damage calculations, invoices outside contract scope and a $600,000 November 2022 payment that auditors say appears to fall outside the contract’s billing provisions.","taxTitle","Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida","taxId",2881,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474424,"Councilman outlines owner-direct purchase policy to expand small contractors' buying power, cites $1.1 million in sales-tax savings",1636,174000,1810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe&start=174&end=1810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe/thumbnail_174000.jpg","/articles/6474424/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Councilman-outlines-owner-direct-purchase-policy-to-expand-small-contractors-buying-power-cites-11-million-in-sales-tax-savings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474424-b021e659d904ffb465fd0683adc29d78/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783731&Signature=PiXx9imcNUpZmeUxqE0Ytx2p3OF~Goa2Eq24m7L30FtmJO--Gsq8jGlR4M338PerJA5DCuynQ7vBMV46dAHPkdaF2koCzG7X4O8UPoDM8Ps~IkRgR6UMKsAxxn9SIy2CDui5VJd6MSw4vKN2X3BWPlbyLtINR1exhsIT2-i1piBRYKebo8hBKeTJk2wdW12sDwXSx5TqldNR~cVPM452ow6AnfRMq7XkXq4xMwrns2Lg9KOJhtk3OZCoPfUJuDBp6CI90hYPlAbzryz5fxU1Rffkdp2FDd9KxrXd5H6Zp2ByI1V~43y4D-zLHi9lbVq2ykdGGV8i7ihaOfass7S9kA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilman Mike Gay, District 2, told the True Commission that Jacksonville implemented an owner-direct-purchase (ODP) process on certain construction projects to allow the city to buy materials tax-exempt and pass the purchasing benefit through to contractors, especially Jacksonville Small Emerging Businesses (JSEB).

Gay said the city’s ODP approach was adopted in July 2024 for some projects and that, to date, the city has captured about $1.1 million in sales-tax savings. He described the policy as a tool to boost the buying power and working capital of small contractors bidding on city work, and said the contractor remains responsible for approving, installing and warranting materials under contract terms.

The policy described by Gay sets purchase thresholds that differ by contract type: JSEB purchases qualify when single-purchase line items are $10,000 or greater, and on other municipal construction contracts the threshold is $100,000 per purchase. Gay said the stadium and other large projects could substantially increase tax savings because, by construction industry rule of thumb, about half of project cost is materials.

Why it matters: Councilman Gay framed the policy as both an economic equity tool for local, small contractors and a means to return tax savings to the city without cutting services. He said the city’s participation can reduce a small contractor’s retained contract value and therefore reduce the usual 10% retainage effect on working capital (noting state retainage law limits retainage to 5 percent). Gay also said the stadium negotiation included provisions for local participation, apprenticeship requirements and Buy American provisions specific to that project.

Discussion and follow-up: Commissioners pressed Gay for data on program results and implementation details. Questions focused on aggregate dollars purchased through ODP, whether the city or contractors hold liability for stored materials, how payments and draws flow through procurement, and whether the program has demonstrably increased the number of small business awards.

Gay said he did not have a JSEB-specific breakout at the meeting but estimated total purchases through ODP were about $19.1 million (aggregate across vendors) since the policy started. He said procurement and public-works processes were adjusted to accept the ODP workflow and that the contractor remains responsible for timing, installation and warranty. The council auditor’s office and other commissioners urged the office to produce a fuller data report showing how many JSEB firms won contracts after implementation, year-over-year comparisons, and the program’s effect on bids and participation.

Council members also raised procedural and legal caveats. One commissioner cited Department of Revenue guidance and state law requiring that bona fide purchases shift the risk of loss appropriately; the commissioner warned that if materials are delayed or not available it could create critical-path delays on projects and shift responsibility to the city.

Gay said the approach is intended to be incremental: \"It's a win-win,\" he said, adding that the city’s buying power allows smaller firms that lack large lines of credit to compete for work they otherwise could not finance.

Ending: Gay said the administration and procurement staff are still refining implementation and will consider lowering thresholds once the approach is fully adopted and data confirm outcomes. He said he will work with JSEB staff and the council auditor to provide an informational briefing with more detailed performance data for commissioners.

","Councilman Mike Gay of District 2 described an owner-direct-purchase policy adopted in July 2024 that lets the City of Jacksonville buy construction materials tax-exempt on behalf of contractors to expand purchasing power for Jacksonville Small Emerging Businesses (JSEB) and to capture sales-tax savings of about $1.1 million to date.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474417,"True Commission adopts resolution urging prorated budget cuts should proposed 1/8-mill reduction be enacted",2801,3330000,6131000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe&start=3330&end=6131","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739961-1b803a2bfb31ef451a4a0b0e7d0089fe/thumbnail_3330000.jpg","/articles/6474417/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/True-Commission-adopts-resolution-urging-prorated-budget-cuts-should-proposed-18-mill-reduction-be-enacted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474417-5605b273468570c375a937327d4b7144/orig.mp4?Expires=1770783731&Signature=iOwT32Lm1IeIre2w7icsU2sl5hly0I9RnKDK8vU2oZ16HFxyf1G9esmR7OASTEuGaQW2kG8kNuv6b0S1h6lr5OSrTlt1Ye9-JSi2zaZNTRZz~KyXgCwZhp6QGYVrWRz0-ZrDVbKaJIA~-SOgfcU52APNdmWvv4bySHxoVQOaGTaxCMH8CqNFSlZoxFpAmxQh9zq53LHwni-9uJYiTx6Ig-8TVQeQTczo95pW0NBwgl7oEPJ894wDCjwCnf4i-hIQbj~fTwNi3n0vASuqCyM9M9ux8X5ehyDe7fHNm4l3VfC4RvvysMo-9mAHFL0k3VlA1Uuhq9lGgenLdp1J390nzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The True Commission voted to adopt a resolution stating that if the proposed ad valorem millage reduction of one-eighth of a mill is enacted by the Jacksonville City Council, the commission recommends that the mayor’s proposed fiscal-year 2025–26 spending plan be reduced pro rata across all line items by an amount equal to the revenue reduction.

The resolution text as read at the meeting directs a pro rata reduction of the mayor’s proposed budget so that the projected revenue shortfall — cited by commissioners at about $13 million — is matched by a corresponding, evenly distributed cut to expenditures. Supporters said the approach would avoid politically driven line-item zeroing and preserve the mayor’s program priorities while aligning spending with available revenues. Opponents said the language could prevent targeted policy choices and questioned whether a blanket pro rata approach is the best fiscal method.

Vote and next steps: Commissioners recorded a vote in which the resolution passed 4–3. Commissioners said the commission chair or a designee would present the adopted resolution to the city council at the next opportunity. Commissioners discussed amending the resolution language to clarify that its recommendation would apply only if the city council ultimately adopts the millage reduction; the final text as passed includes that proviso.

Why it matters: The resolution is an advisory expression of the True Commission’s position on budget process and fiscal discipline. It does not change law or the city council’s vote; rather it memorializes the commission’s recommendation should the council adopt the millage reduction.

Ending: Commissioners said they would coordinate on presenting the resolution to council and pursue additional research or follow-up as needed on specific budget-item questions raised during the meeting.

","The True Commission passed a resolution (4–3) expressing the commission’s view that, if the Jacksonville City Council enacts a proposed one-eighth mill reduction in the ad valorem rate, the city budget for fiscal year 2025–26 should implement a prorated reduction across all line items equal to the lost revenue.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council auditor flags $600,000 payment outside contract terms in residential waste-hauler audit; commissioners seek follow-up

Councilman outlines owner-direct purchase policy to expand small contractors' buying power, cites $1.1 million in sales-tax savings

True Commission adopts resolution urging prorated budget cuts should proposed 1/8-mill reduction be enacted