Residents fill council chamber to oppose proposed $1 billion jail, Brentwood morgue and anti‑immigrant ordinance

Dozens of residents used the public‑comment period at the Jacksonville City Council meeting to press elected officials on three recurring concerns: opposition to a proposed billion‑dollar jail, anger over a morgue built in Brentwood near a school, and objections to ordinance 20‑25‑0147 — an anti‑immigrant ordinance attendees said should be repealed or will face litigation.

Speakers from multiple community groups said the proposed new jail — which they repeatedly described as a "$1 billion" project — would be built in or near predominantly Black neighborhoods and would divert funds from housing, mental‑health care, and other community services. "Not a single real working‑class person I've spoken to wants a new jail," Taylor Powell said during the allotted comment period.

Several speakers condemned the construction of a county morgue in Brentwood that they said is sited "32 feet" from a school and within a residential area. Keanna Blaylock said the placement was "disgusting" and tied the siting to longer histories of redlining and disinvestment in Black neighborhoods.

Speakers also criticized ordinance 20‑25‑0147. Maria Garcia told the council that legal notices in members' inboxes had warned the ordinance is constitutionally vulnerable and that a federal court has blocked similar state laws; she said the city should repeal the measure rather than waste taxpayer funds on litigation. "Repeal 0147 or face a lawsuit that you can't win and a movement that you can't stop," Garcia said.

Several speakers, including members of the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, urged the council to adopt an immediate ceasefire resolution related to the Israel‑Gaza conflict. "Cease fire now," said Sara Mahmood, summarizing the demand repeated by multiple speakers.

Public‑comment speakers included longtime residents, nonprofit representatives and activists. Speakers combined anecdotal reports, legal references and policy claims: some cited a federal court order blocking state immigration enforcement efforts; others cited city budget figures and alleged disparities in infrastructure placement. Many speakers urged the council to redirect public dollars toward housing, diversion programs and mental‑health services rather than toward additional jail capacity.

Council members did not vote on the proposed jail during the meeting; several members later said they had received requests for further information and that some decisions were at the administration or committee level rather than a final council vote that night. One speaker noted a $100,000 allocation for site surveys; others said the community had learned of plans from media reports before formal public notices.

Ending: The public‑comment period ended after more than an hour of testimony. Speakers urged the council to act quickly on repeal or review of ordinance 0147, to halt or re‑site the morgue, to open a public process before committing to major jail spending, and to pursue a ceasefire resolution. Several speakers said they would follow up with litigation or ballot‑based actions if they did not receive a policy response.