Some members of the Jacksonville City Council are unhappy with the legal representation they are getting from General Counsel Cindy Laquidara. They held a meeting Tuesday morning to talk about proposed legislation written by Councilman Matt Schellenberg that would ask Laquidara to resign or be replaced by Mayor Alvin Brown.
Brown says he has full confidence in his General Counsel and has no intention of replacing her.
Under the city charter, only the Mayor can fire the General Counsel and it must be for a cause.
Council members had little to say about Schellenberg's resolution, but did express some frustration with Laquidara. They were unhappy with the problems that happened last year when Laquidara sent a letter to Jaguars Owner Shad Khan that stated the team was violating its lease with the city over the contract negotiations with SMG, which runs the day to day operations at Everbank Field. Khan sent an angry letter in return regarding how much the team has done for the city, and the Mayor's office apologized calling it all a misunderstanding.
Others on the council, including Council President Bill Bishop, say Laquidara shouldn't have been so closely involved in the negotiations between the administration, the Fire and Police Unions and the Police and Fire Pension Board over pension reform.
That deal is under scrutiny and has led the Florida Times-Union to sue the city, saying the deal violated the states Sunshine Laws because collective bargaining negotiations must be open to the public.
Council members are worried if the courts rule in favor of the newspaper, their deal will be struck down as illegal and proposed budget savings in the deal won't be realized.
