The Republican National Convention never happened in Jacksonville, but the city still could end up absorbing $154,000 in convention-planning expenses "above and beyond" City Hall's normal day-to-day operating costs, according to information given Wednesday to City Council members.
WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union reported more than half the cost stemmed from overtime pay for employees working to prepare for the convention, mainly by Jacksonville Sheriff's Office employees who were tasked with getting security preparations done in a tight time frame.
in addition to costs for overtime pay, a firm enlisted to help the city comply with federal grants tied to the convention submitted a bill for almost $70,000. The city is reviewing that invoice before paying it.
Jacksonville won the competition to host most of the convention in late August after President Donald Trump soured on original host city Charlotte, N.C. But six weeks after Jacksonville got the nod, Trump decided July 23 against having the convention here because of public health concerns caused by a summertime surge in COVID-19 virus infections.
Read the rest of this story at Jacksonville.com.
