Confederate monument removal fails in third Jacksonville City Council committee

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The City of Jacksonville’s plan to remove a statue from Springfield Park appears to be dead on arrival after a third committee failed to approve the $1.3 million measure.

Tuesday morning’s vote by the Finance Committee failed by a 3 to 4 vote. On Monday, two other committees rejected the city’s $1.3 million plan to remove the “Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy” statue from Springfield Park. The plan was brought before the Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee on Monday morning, then it was sent to the Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee on Monday afternoon.

“I’m not supportive of this, and I’m concerned about removing history of any sort. I think it’s important to tell all sides, otherwise we’re going to repeat history, the bad parts, and I don’t want to do that.” said Councilman Al Ferraro during the first committee hearing. Later adding, “I am concerned about the telling of history, the good part and the bad part.”

Councilman Aaron Bowman was also vocal in rejecting the plan saying “I fully supported the removal the Hemming monument. It had no place on public property, but this monument I think is very different. It shows the harsh realities of war on entire families.”

Springfield Park is a public park.

The idea of destruction was briefly mentioned but was shot down. The City of Jacksonville has the statue insured for $808,000 and plans for destruction would be “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Mayor Lenny Curry previously vowed to remove confederate monuments and markers from all city property. But the monument at Springfield Park has only been wrapped in tarp due to prior vandalism.

Brian Hughes in the mayor’s office told finance committee members on Tuesday that a private business owner has offered to house the confederate statue from Springfield Park. Hughes says it is the same property where a confederate statue from downtown St. Augustine was moved previously. It is now on display at Trout Creek Fish Camp on State Road 13.

If the full city council takes up the bill to remove the monument, it would require a super majority of the 19 council members. Given the three committee votes it would appear to lack the necessary support.

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