The Jacksonville City Council is considering sending $16.7 million to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) and Jacksonville and Fire Department (JFRD) to reimburse the departments for employee overtime pay since March 2020, which is when Jacksonville and much of the United States started implementing COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions.
The city received $167 million from the federal government through the Coronavirus Aid Relief, & Economic Security (CARES) Act to fund added expenses because of the pandemic. The legislation being considered by the City Council would reallocate $19.9 million previously planned for other COVID-related expenses that has not been spent in other areas.
The leftover money includes $4.6 million of the city’s $9 million small business relief loans grant program, and $2.8 million from the original $5.1 million for its eviction and foreclosure prevention program.
If the legislation is passed, the JSO and JFRD would be the biggest recipients of the reallocation. About 84.4% would go to the first responder departments. The next biggest recipient would be the Jacksonville Symphony, which would get $1 million for COVID business harm.
The City Council will discuss the ordinance that reallocates the funds during a public hearing at its meeting on Tuesday, June 21, at 5 p.m. The Council is expected to vote on the ordinance at a later date.
Tristan Wood can be reached at newsteam@wjct.org or on Twitter at @TristanDWood.
