Mayor Donna Deegan is shown during an interview with Times Radio in England during her trip. | Times Radio
Published on November 19, 2024 at 4:29 pm
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After complaints from a City Council member, a review has determined that Mayor Donna Deegan did not misuse taxpayer money during a trip to Europe.
City Councilman Terrance Freeman had called for an audit of Deegan’s trip on a trade mission to the United Kingdom, during the Jacksonville Jaguars games in London on Oct. 13 and 20.
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In a news release last month, Freeman said he asked for an audit “following revelations that the mayor took a ‘pre-planned’ personal vacation to Italy during the taxpayer-funded trip.”
Freeman’s news release also claimed Deegan was “skipping out on official business while supposedly representing Jacksonville,” which he said “raises serious questions about the use of public funds.”
The Jacksonville Council Auditor’s Office reviewed whether any taxpayer funds were spent on the mayor’s or city staff member vacation time. A draft report dated Tuesday concluded that no money was misspent, “based on the documentation provided to us.”
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In a statement from the Mayor’s Office, spokesperson Phil Perry said the auditor’s report confirms that taxpayer money was used in London “for appropriate purposes.”
“Mayor Deegan has been completely transparent with taxpayers,” the statement said. “She is working tirelessly to deliver jobs and business to Jacksonville. These trips are undertaken to grow the city’s economy and are an investment in our future.”
Jacksonville Today asked for a response from City Council member and Finance Chair Ron Salem. He noted that the report was only a draft and did show misuse of a city procurement card. “I look forward to seeing the final report,” he said.
The UK trip
The mayor was in London from Oct. 12 to 15 and participated in the United Kingdom’s International Investment Summit, pitching the city’s benefits to banking and fintech companies, the mayor’s office said.
Deegan met with the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom and gave economic development interviews. JAXUSA Partnership, the economic development arm of the JAX Chamber, scheduled the meetings during her time in London, before her vacation to Italy, the statement said.
Deegan then took the pre-planned vacation to Italy starting Oct. 16. The city said earlier that Deegan personally paid for that trip.
Within days of Deegan’s trip, Freeman requested the auditor’s review, saying that “what was intended to be an official, taxpayer-funded city business trip appears to have included a personal vacation to Italy for the mayor herself.” He said the mayor missed the second Jaguars game “for personal activities.” His request asked what other locations the mayor and her staff visited.
“Who covered the expenses for these additional excursions?” Freeman’s news release asked. “Were any City of Jacksonville donation, reimbursement, or travel policies violated from October 12 to October 21?”
The auditor’s report
The council auditor’s report said the total cost of the trade mission was $22,734.46. The mayor’s London hotel stay — $2,978.18 — was her only city expense. The report said she paid for her own flights and meals “as she did last year.”
Perry’s $2,961.77 hotel stay in London and two meals were his only city expense. The hotel stays, business meals and other costs of two other city staffers totaled $16,794.51, also paid by the city.
Another city staff member took personal leave for the trip and no taxpayer money was spent on him, the report states.The auditor also looked into whether the city incurred any costs for the spouses of any mayoral staff.
“There was no evidence of any incremental costs paid by the City for the three spouses to attend the trip,” the report states. “Additionally, we confirmed that the one spouse who is also a City employee was on leave during the time of the trip.”
The auditor’s report said that there did not appear to be any violation of city laws or practices. But the review did find “some issues with the initial information provided to us where City policy does not appear to be followed.”
That included some hotel items charged to the city procurement card, known as a P-Card. The mayor reimbursed the $178 charged, the report said.
“It is a violation of City Policy for P-Cards to charge a meal to a City P-Card while traveling,” the report said. “It is important to note that this policy is in place to prevent an employee from paying for meals on the City’s P-Card and also seeking reimbursement through a per diem; however, in this instance the Mayor did not seek any per diem for this trip.”
Salem said the report showed “multiple violations by the mayor and the inappropriate use of a P-Card.”
“The use of these cards, backed by the treasury of this government, for food, a mini bar and personal expenses, is a violation of the ordinance code,” he said.
Salem said he has asked for a list of all employees who have been issued a P-card. He said he will work on legislation “if further controls are needed to ensure taxpayers are protected.”
