In a close decision, the Jacksonville City Council voted against a resolution that would have allowed the Duval County School Board to hire its own legal counsel. The resolution was defeated by a vote of 8 in favor and 9 against, keeping the current arrangement in place, where the city's Office of General Counsel continues to provide legal representation for the school board. Council members who voted against the resolution were Ken Amaro, Raul Arias, Michael Boylan, Joe Carlucci, Matt Carlucci, Tyrona Clark-Murray, Reggie Gaffney Jr., Rahman Johnson, and Jimmy Peluso, as reported by First Coast News.
The discussion around the resolution revealed significant differences of opinion regarding the school board's independence and the effectiveness of the current consolidated legal services. "We’re one of the few districts that don’t have the ability to hire our own attorney," lamented Board Chair Charlotte Joyce in a statement obtained by News4Jax, pointing to the limitations in recruitment and retention faced by the school board under the prevailing system. Meanwhile, the opposing viewpoint was voiced during public comments, where concerns were raised over potential conflicts with the original intent behind the Office of General Counsel established during consolidation.
City Councilman Rory Diamond, who supported the failed resolution, stated that a major issue with consolidation is the separation between the City Council and the school board. In contrast, Councilman Jimmy Peluso expressed confidence that the city can continue to meet the school board’s legal needs without changing the charter, noting that concerns about attorney qualifications have been addressed over the past year, according to News4Jax.
Ahead of the vote, supporters of the resolution, including Board Member Melody Bolduc, pointed to potential cost savings and increased independence as key reasons for the change. Bolduc cited the over $2.3 million spent on legal services, suggesting these costs could be lowered with an in-house attorney. Opponents of the resolution, however, emphasized the importance of maintaining a unified legal service to protect the public interest, reinforcing the principles of consolidation that have guided Jacksonville’s governance since the late 1960s.
