The city of Jacksonville filed suit this week against Cowealth, a company co-owned by City Council member Katrina Brown, that received several hundred thousand dollars in city money but failed to provide 56 new jobs at a Jerome Brown BBQ Sauce plant on Commonwealth Avenue.
The suit contends Cowealth breached the contract by failing to create any of the jobs and also failed to provide audited financial statements for 2014 and 2015 as required by the economic development agreement.
The city seeks to recover a $201,549 grant it made to Cowealth to help the company buy, renovate and equip the building on Commonwealth Avenue.
City Council approved the economic development agreement in 2011.
Katrina Brown, who was elected to City Council in 2015, co-owns Cowealth with her mother Jo Ann Brown.
The city suit also names Basic Products, also co-owned by Brown and her mother. Cowealth owns the Commonwealth Avenue building while Basic Products is the company that manufactures and distributes the barbecue sauce.
This is a developing story. Check back with jacksonville.com for updates.
David Bauerlein: (904) 359-4581
