JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax has learned new legislation is being introduced Tuesday at City Council, that could potentially shift who has the power to appoint board members, including tens of millions of dollars in city funding for children and families.
The bill 2025-797, introduced by Republican Councilman Raul Arias, would alter the appointment process for both the Kids Hope Alliance (KHA) and the Jacksonville Board of Library Trustees – in effect stripping the Mayor’s office of that power.
Currently, the mayor appoints all members to both boards, which is a common practice for a majority of city boards. Under the proposed legislation, the mayor would only appoint 4 of 7 members to the KHA board and 7 of 12 to the Library Board, giving the City Council new authority to select the remaining members.
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Growing Issues
The introduction of the legislation comes as KHA CEO Saralyn Grass is under scrutiny for not disclosing secondary employment until prompted by the reporting of Action News Jax Ben Becker, which also revealed an ongoing strained professional relationship between Grass and board chair Marsha Oliver.
Separately in May, the City Council rejected the mayor’s appointment of Elizabeth Andersen to the Library Board, which spiraled into a partisan battle.
Councilman Arias Responds
In a statement to Action News Jax, Councilman Arias rejected the notion that the bill is related to those specific issues at both boards.
“My focus right now is on the boards who go through the council budget process for our final budget vote.
These were boards created through the code, and when something needs to be addressed, we as council have the right to propose legislative changes to the code to rectify any discrepancies.
[Bill] 797 does just that and gives council the ability to appoint community leaders who have an interest in helping move our city forward.
When we create boards since I’ve been in office, we’ve always emphasized having both mayoral and council appointments. This legislation ensures a fair and deliberate process that will outlast anyone currently serving on Council or in the Mayor’s Office.”
Mayor’s Office Pushes Back
The office of Mayor Donna Deegan fired back in a sharply worded statement:
“We are just now seeing this legislation, which was filed out of the blue and doesn’t solve a problem that we are aware of. One thing is clear though: it’s another power grab by some members of the City Council.”
What’s Next
After the legislation filed by Arias is introduced at City Council on Tuesday night, it is expected to go through the standard six-week committee cycle.
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