Jacksonville City Council on Oct. 14 rejected a proposed local “J” bill (ordinance 20250695) that would have allowed the Duval County School Board to hire and employ its own attorney independent of the city’s Office of General Counsel. The measure failed on a 8‑9 roll call.

Why it mattered: The school board’s request set off a larger debate about the structure of consolidated government in Jacksonville and whether the city charter should be altered to give the elected school board parity to hire counsel that reports directly to the board. Proponents said the change would allow the district to recruit education‑law specialists. Opponents said the change risked fragmenting legal authority across agencies and could be a first step toward deconsolidation.

What advocates said: April Carney, vice chairman of the Duval County School Board, told the council her board is independently elected and must answer to the state Department of Education; she said the district’s work and laws are distinct from municipal operations and “we deserve the right to be treated the same way that any other elected body in state government is treated.” Carney said only 47 board‑certified education lawyers work in Florida and that none applied through the city recruitment process in the most recent search.

What opponents said: Council members who opposed the bill warned of precedent and erosion of consolidated government. “The office of general counsel is the glue that holds Jacksonville together,” Councilmember Joe Carlucci said in debate, urging caution on changes that could open the door to other agencies seeking separate counsel. Councilmember Tyrone Clark Murray, who changed his earlier views, said he could not support the charter change and urged the school board to remain under the consolidated model or pursue changes through a charter revision commission or a broader public process.

Procedure and outcome: The measure was the subject of lengthy floor debate. The council considered postponement and alternatives and took public testimony at a local delegation hearing earlier in the process. On Oct. 14 the council voted 8‑9 against forwarding or supporting the local change; council members who opposed said the proposal would set a harmful precedent for other authorities and undermine the unified legal voice that supports consolidated services.

Aftermath: School board supporters said they would pursue other avenues for their request, and some council members offered to work on ordinance alternatives (for example, a personnel or appointment approach) that might address the school board’s recruitment and retirement concerns without changing the charter. The Duval delegation and state legislature could still consider related legislation; the council’s negative vote means the city did not forward an endorsement to Tallahassee.