Daily Record FINANCIAL NEWS &
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016
Vol. 104, No. 002 • Two SecTioNS
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Stewart ethics complaints dismissed
Panel says no evidence of wrongdoing in 2007 city contract By David Chapman Staff Writer Ethics complaints against Kerri Stewart, Mayor Lenny Curry’s chief of staff, were dismissed Monday by the city Ethics Commission. The complaints stemmed from a June audit critical of a 2007 city contract. “I have known all along they were frivolous charges,” said Stewart. “I wasn’t worried but I am human and I feel vindicated.”
The Rev. Levy Wilcox, president of the Jacksonville chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, filed the complaints in August after the audit raised questions relating to nearly $318,000 being diverted from district bond account projects to a consultancy contract. A City Council Auditor’s report said it was an inappropriate use of the funds while also highlighting Stewart and another city employee’s future employment with the consulting firm.
The Wilcox complaints focused on Stewart and Wight Greger’s alleged misuse of their positions and that future employment. Stewart served as former Mayor John Peyton’s neighborhoods director in 2007 when a high-profile lobbying firm, Infinity Global Solutions, secured an $85,000 solesource contract with the city for technical assistance and consultant services for affordable housing developments. Stewart recommended the deal, which through a series of city-
approved amendments ballooned to $953,000 by the time it ended in 2012. The auditor’s report raised legal questions relating to close to $318,000 of that funding going toward the consultancy work, which happened when Stewart served as Peyton’s chief administrative officer in May 2011. She left the city later that year for a job with Infinity Global Solutions. The complaints also were levied STEWART CONTINUED ON PAGE A-3
Campaigns to communities
Apartments and Freddy’s joining Town Center Promenade
Munz always a developer
By David Chapman Staff Writer
In many ways, Michael Munz is a developer. He has a hand in shaping some key upcoming Downtown projects — The District and LaVilla — but “developer” goes beyond the bricks-and-mortar definition. He may be better known for developing people, specifically in the world of politics. Munz caught the political bug early, volunteering for his first campaign at age 16. It was for Republican Gerald Ford’s presidential bid and the teenage Munz waved signs, made calls, stuffed mail. “Whatever they’d let me do,” he said. Now 53, Munz has had a slightly bigger role in the political process. It’s a role that’s shifted over his career, from a rigid partisan campaigner to more of a tranquil policy pusher at City Hall and back to a behind-the-scenes setup man. Mix in his dedication to personal causes along with the desire to see Downtown revitalized and it’s quite a range of priorities he’s developed for himself.
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Michael Munz, Dalton Agency president of public relations, with his dog, Charlie, in his Downtown office that overlooks Hemming Park.
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Growing up in politics
Munz said he doesn’t know why he was so drawn to politics, news and current events, even at an early age. Later in his life, he found out his grandmother was heavily involved in Missouri state politics. Maybe it’s in his DNA and he just didn’t know, he said. He left what’s now Florida State College at Jacksonville early to work on the campaign of state Rep. Joe Arnall. He intended to go back one day to finish school. However, one campaign led to the next, which led to the next and before he knew it, his life was helping Republicans get and stay elected. The most rewarding part, he said, is getting good people elected who keep the promises they make. One of those people he holds in high esteem is Tillie Fowler, the Republican congresswoman from whom he served as press secretary in 1992 and 1993. Munz said one of her promises was to take a leading role in the House Armed Services Committee. As a freshman, he said, it was “huge” when she was appointed to the role and gave a voice to the Northeast Florida. He returned to his home state and the
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Two more developments – apartments and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers – appear to be joining the Town Center Promenade. TriBridge Residential, already with a Jacksonville multifamily track record, has submitted plans to develop a proposed 287unit apartment community at the Southside shopping center across from St. Johns Town Center. Site plans and a St. Johns River Water Management District application show three four-story buildings and an amenity center on 9.06 acres. The site is along the west side of Town Center Parkway between Brightman Boulevard and Midtown Parkway. The apartments comprise one building of 159 units and two of 64 units on the lakefront. Amenities include a pool. Atlanta-based Core Property Capital is developing Town Center Promenade, which also will include an Aldi grocery store, Tru by Hilton hotel, Texas de Brazil and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews restaurants and other retailers and restaurants. Freddy’s is one of those. A sign was put up at the site that it would be “coming soon.” Franchise operator Kyle Gerstner said in a statement that he was in the early planning stages for a location at the Town Center Promenade. He said development details were not finalized, “but we hope we’re able to formally announce a timeline and more information soon.” The franchisee said two years ago he might build up to 15 Freddy’s locations in the metro area over 10 years. There are two area Freddy’s now – at 14016 Beach Blvd. in South Jacksonville and at 386 Blanding Blvd. in Orange Park. TriBridge and Core Property Capital have not responded to several calls for comment. MATHIS CONTINUED ON PAGE A-3
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