Committee backs cultural-council model to oversee East Side CBA funds

A City Council CBA committee voted May 12 to move forward with a cultural-council model for distributing Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) funds targeted to Jacksonville’s East Side.

The committee’s action follows a staff summary that the supplemental CBA includes about $40 million earmarked for East Side projects to be delivered on a roughly seven-year timetable; the committee also heard public comments pressing for legacy East Side representation, stronger checks and balances, and local control of funds. The vote was taken by voice; committee members indicated support and the chair declared the motion passed.

The move is intended to create an independent 501(c)(3)-style entity that would receive annual appropriations from the city and administer grants or contracts for affordable housing, workforce development and other East Side initiatives. Philip Peterson, council staff, summarized the funding background and said the original Jaguars-related CBA included roughly $118 million from the team and a matched city contribution for parks and other elements; the supplemental CBA specifically programs $40 million for East Side work, with an expectation that some of that will be funded over a seven-year period. Peterson said roughly $5.99…