Baltimore City Councilman Jermaine Jones went before the Board of Estimates seeking approval for a $51,183.60 communications consulting contract, a request that has sparked pointed criticism from residents who say the money belongs elsewhere. The deal would bring in outside help to manage the 12th District councilman's social media presence across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Jones was seeking approval for the $51,183.60 contract as of Oct. 31, citing the Board of Estimates agenda. The contract, with Johnson Advisory Group, is described as covering social media strategy development and support, with the stated aim of enhancing the councilman's visibility. Johnson Advisory Group would also handle Jones’ media campaigns and work to build relationships with local outlets to support what the contract describes as accurate and impactful coverage of his activities.
Residents Push Back at the Podium
Terrence Dickson, who spoke out against the contract, asked whether existing city staff could simply handle the work in-house rather than paying an outside firm. Dickson urged the Board of Estimates to reject the deal and redirect the funds toward assisting residents of the 12th District instead. He pointed to businesses that had closed in the district and said the councilman had not been visibly involved in addressing the community's problems.
David Williams also weighed in, arguing the contract was not a good use of taxpayer resources and that the roughly $51,000 could instead go toward helping people and children in the city. Williams went further, calling the Board of Estimates a rubber stamp and saying the board should reject what he considers excessive spending in favor of tackling the city's real budget problems.
Not the First Social Media Deal
Jones’ request would not be the first time Baltimore has approved this kind of spending for a council member's online presence. The city approved a $90,000 social media contract for 10th District Councilwoman Phylicia Porter in 2025, and a $38,000 social media contract for 1st District Councilman Mark Parker that same year.
The Board of Estimates ultimately approved Jones’ contract without discussion, according to the reporting. Baltimore's Comptroller maintains a dashboard of Board of Estimates actions, with data going back to 2022, when agencies began using BOESubmit.
The story was published by Fox45 News.
