JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This story was originally reported by the Florida Times-Union.
The video attached to this story is from a previous, related report.
Mayor Lenny Curry continues to press for removal of a Confederate monument from Springfield Park by putting $500,000 into his proposed budget for taking down Confederate monuments in parks.
Curry sought nearly $1.3 million last year for moving the "Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy" monument from Springfield Park. But City Council withdrew that legislation in November and decided to first have a series of community conversations about Confederate monuments and markers.
City Council has not yet scheduled any of those community conversations, but the fate of such monuments will come up when City Council votes on the 2022-23 budget that will start on Oct. 1.
City Council Finance Committee Chairman Aaron Bowman, a supporter of the community conversations, said council has not taken a position on what it wants to do about Confederate monuments.
"The $500,000 is based on nothing, so I don't know if we'll keep it in there or increase it or take it away," he said.
"Certainly, I think we've seen over the last few months that council is very divided on this issue," Bowman said. "There's not a majority to keep them up. There's not a majority to take them down. That's why it's important for us to have these meetings and bring the community in and have a good conversation."
City Council member Matt Carlucci, who favors moving the 107-year-old monument out of Springfield Park, said if the city puts up $500,000, he expects private donors would pay whatever amount is needed on top of that amount to cover the cost of taking the large monument out of the park.
"I think the mayor is as serious as he can be about promises being made and promises being kept, and I fully support him on it. I'll do my best to see that those dollars stay intact," said Carlucci, who serves on the Finance Committee.
Curry ordered the overnight removal of a Confederate soldier statue in June 2020 from what was Hemming Park at that time and has since been renamed James Weldon Johnson Park next to City Hall.
"I think the mayor is as serious as he can be about promises being made and promises being kept, and I fully support him on it. I'll do my best to see that those dollars stay intact," said Carlucci, who serves on the Finance Committee.
Curry ordered the overnight removal of a Confederate soldier statue in June 2020 from what was Hemming Park at that time and has since been renamed James Weldon Johnson Park next to City Hall.
City Council President Terrance Freeman, whose term started July 1 as council president, will be in charge of selecting a group of community and civic leaders for the series of community conversations that would be moderated by the University of Virginia's Institute for Engagement and Facilitation.
The panel of community members would make a recommendation to City Council which would have the final say.
Freeman could not be reached for comment.
This story was originally reported by the Florida Times-Union.