Jacksonville councilmember seeks clarity regarding recent removal of Confederate monument

Nearly three years after the Confederate statue in James Weldon Johnson Park was taken down, the obelisk on which it stood was also removed.

Now, city leaders are attempting to find out where the money came from to remove the obelisk last month.

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The obelisk had been the subject of much controversy in recent years, but City Council never explicitly authorized its removal.

In a council committee, Monday, Councilmember Al Ferraro (R-District 2) questioned how the plan was greenlit and paid for.

“I’ve checked with some of the state reps to where I haven’t been able to find out where the money came from,” said Ferraro.

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Charles Moreland didn’t provide an answer and instead deferred to Jacksonville’s Chief Administrative Officer Brian Hughes, who was no longer present at the meeting.

“So, let me do exactly what I just mentioned to Councilman Ferraro to provide the right information through Mr. Hughes related to his conversation with the committee,” said Moreland.

“Okay, well. Looked like a tap dance, but…” replied Committee Chair Councilmember Randy DeFoor (R-District 14).

“No tap dance here,” responded Moreland.

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A council staff member suggested the removal was paid for using money from a $1 million African American Historical and Cultural Grant from the Florida Department of State intended to bankroll a redesign of James Weldon Johnson Park.

But the staff member was unable to answer whether that grant specifically authorized the removal of Confederate monuments.

Councilmember Ferraro told Action News Jax his goal is simply to ensure everything was done above board.

“Everything may be going along as it’s supposed to, but we’d like to be able to answer that question when people come up to us and ask us,” said Ferraro.

Action News Jax reached out to the city directly and asked for the details about the funding source used to pay for the recent removal and how much the removal cost taxpayers.

We didn’t hear back in time for this story.

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