Jacksonville City Council approves emergency appointments, passes multiple ordinances and postpones Arpin House

The Jacksonville City Council on Feb. 18 approved emergency appointments to two council staff divisions, passed a package of ordinances and bills on second and final readings, and postponed action on the Arpin House relocation until March 11.

The council voted unanimously to confirm Colleen Hamsey as chief of the council research division (Resolution 2025-0120) and Jessica Denson as assistant chief of the legislative services division (Resolution 2025-0121); each emergency appointment passed 18-0. The council also confirmed appointments to the Cultural Services Grants Program Committee — Alana Luksha (2025-0124) as a member and Sally Pettigrew (2025-0125) as chair — each approved as emergencies by unanimous votes.

Those emergency confirmations followed a broader consent agenda the council approved with recorded votes on multiple items. The consent-item bill 2025-00026 passed after roll calls that produced a final tally of 16 yeas and 2 nays; Council member Carlucci announced he would record a no vote on the item, saying, “I want to vote no against the withdrawal,” while noting he wanted his position entered into the record.

Several land-use and ordinance measures were also disposed of during the meeting. The council amended and then approved Ordinance 2025-00007 (referred to in the meeting as the West Etown project) after members declared and filed ex parte communications; the amended bill passed 18-0. A substitute motion for Bill 2025-00030 passed with a recorded 16-2 vote. The council also moved a substitute for Bill 2025-0030 earlier in the agenda and approved that motion 16-2 on the recorded vote.

Separately, council members postponed quasi-judicial Item 2025-0035 (Arpin House) to the March 11 meeting to allow interested parties additional time to complete due diligence; the postponement passed 18-0.

Discussion versus formal action: most of the items on the consent and second-reading calendars were moved and recorded without extended debate. Where members raised concerns — such as Council member Carlucci’s stated opposition on the consent withdrawal — the speakers’ remarks were recorded on the roll call before the council proceeded to vote.

What happens next: the appointments take effect as council resolutions state; the Arpin House item will return on March 11 for further consideration. Other adopted ordinances and bills will proceed per their statutory effective dates or as the respective text provides.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 2025-0120 (appoint Colleen Hamsey, chief, council research division): emergency adopted, vote 18-0. - Resolution 2025-0121 (appoint Jessica Denson, assistant chief, legislative services): emergency adopted, vote 18-0. - Resolution 2025-0124 (Alana Luksha, Cultural Services Grants Program Committee member): emergency adopted, vote 18-0. - Resolution 2025-0125 (Sally Pettigrew, chair, Cultural Services Grants Program Committee): emergency adopted, vote 18-0. - Bill 2025-00026 (consent agenda item listed on the consent calendar): approved, final tally 16 yeas, 2 nays (Council member Carlucci recorded a no vote). - Bill 2025-00007 (West Etown, as amended): approved as amended, vote 18-0. - Bill 2025-00030 (substitute moved and approved): approved, recorded 16 yeas, 2 nays. - Item 2025-0035 (Arpin House): postponed to March 11, vote 18-0.

Council procedure: the presiding officer opened ballots for recorded votes on moved items and the clerks reported the tallies after each roll call. Where members declared ex parte communications for quasi-judicial matters, those declarations were filed with legislative services as the meeting record indicates.

(For full list of bills read on the agenda and additional calendar items approved on second readings, see the meeting minutes or legislative services’ posted packet.)