During general public comment at the Jan. 14 Legal & Finance Committee meeting, two citizens urged greater scrutiny of a proposed Tax Increment Financing (TIF) project and related transactions.

Mark Millar told the committee he saw billboards saying the project would be "no cost to taxpayers" and disputed that assertion, arguing the city will still incur costs for services such as fire, water, police, ambulance and sewer. Millar said those service costs are real and added that the project’s projected sales numbers he heard at a public forum did not align with his understanding.

Chad Ellsworth said the council had previously approved a $300,000 tax‑free loan to an entity called Elevate and noted that Elevate had been involved in a $5,000,000 county transaction to buy "41 Saint Joe." Ellsworth said an announced donor in that transaction remains unnamed and asked whether taxpayer funds or tax dollars were effectively serving as that donor.

No formal action was taken on the TIF during the committee meeting; both concerns were offered as public comment and were not resolved on the record at this meeting.