Daily Record Financial News &
Monday, January 2, 2017
Vol. 104, No. 035 • One Section
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Judge Hulsey makes several apologies Jurist continues to deny racist and sexist remarks
By Marilyn Young Editor Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge Mark Hulsey offered nearly a dozen apologies in his latest response to charges from the Judicial Qualifications Commission. His response filed Thursday came after the JQC’s second amended notice of the charges. New information in the notice includes assertions that Hulsey created a hostile work environment and used the circuit’s FedEx account to mail campaign materials. It also accuses Hulsey of bul-
lying and intimidation, as well as being overly demanding. Those are added to early accusations that the judge made racist and sexist remarks. But, as he has from the beginning, Hulsey continues to deny telling a staff attorney in 2011 that African-Americans should “get back on a ship and go back to Africa.” His latest response adds Hulsey “cannot recall the specific verbiage of any conversation he may have had in 2011” but says he is not a racist. Hulsey’s apologies range from having a conversation with his
judicial assistant about her interview about the charges against him; admitting using an assistant to handle a campaign issue; and for failing to obtain written permission from people who orally supported his campaign in a letter to members of The Jacksonville Bar Association. Among the new information in the complaint: • Hulsey admits he should not have had his assistant place a letter from his campaign treasurer on judicial letterhead to respond to an audit letter from the Florida Elections Commission. Instead, the judge said, he
should have had his campaign treasurer send the correspondence. He apologized and said he will reimburse any costs associated with it. • He also said he would reimburse the cost of a letter being sent to the elections commission by using the circuit’s FedEx account. He said he “sincerely apologizes for not providing better oversight” to the assistant, who was new. • His previous assistant was reassigned after Hulsey talked to her about her interview regarding the allegations against him. The Hulsey continued on Page 8
Hulsey
Stein sees Regency Centers as must own
Barrique Kitchen & Wine Bar, a concept operating in New York, intends to open this spring at the former Cowford Traders retail location in The Shoppes of Avondale. Partner Greg Bartolotta, managing partner at Barrique Kitchen & Wine Bar and The Argyle Grill & Tavern in Babylon, N.Y., said construction is expected to start in early 2017. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant, at 3563 St. Johns Ave., will seat 100 diners, a number agreed upon during the zoning process. Décor will be reminiscent of an old world winery or wine cellar, Bartolotta said. “Reclaimed wood, brick and stucco will dominate the room in warmly lit environment,” he said. Partner Richard A. Rapp Jr. in Ponte Vedra Beach describes it as intimate with “Old European charm,” different from wine bars that he said feature chrome and light. While not identified by name in zoning documents, the restaurant was the topic of neighborhood objections because of parking and other concerns in the historic shopping and residential neighborhood. “I think we got the best deal we can get,” said neighborhood resident Alicia Grant, who opposed the zoning. With a City Council resolution adopted Nov. 22, the project — identified during the process as a kitchen and wine bar with New York connections — is taking steps toward opening. A building-permit application and accompanying plan show only the interior demolition for 5,002 square feet in the building. Interior build-out approvals will be sought separately. Bartolotta described Barrique Kitchen & Mathis continued on Page 8
Before agreeing to a merger with Jacksonville-based Regency Centers Corp., Equity One Inc. was looking into possible deals that would take the shopping center developer private. But when Regency Chairman and CEO Hap Stein suggested to Equity One’s chairman that a merger “would create a ‘must own’ shopping center REIT,” Equity One began negotiating with Regency, according to a preliminary proxy statement filed for the merger. Regency and New York-based Equity One agreed in November to a $4.6 billion merger in which Regency will be the surviving company and continue to be headquartered in Jacksonville. Both Regency and Equity One are real estate investment trusts, or REITS, that specialize in developing and operating shopping centers anchored by grocery stores. The proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission said Equity One Chairman Chaim Katzman and CEO David Lukes began talking with institutional investors about a cash buyout in 2015 “following a significant level of acquisition activity in the REIT industry.” However, Equity One never received an offer from those investors. Katzman is also chairman of Gazit-Globe Ltd., an Israel-based company that owns or has significant investments in several international grocery-anchored shopping center developers. It owns 34 percent of Equity One. Stein and Katzman “became acquainted at industry events” but had never discussed a merger of Regency and Equity One before mid-2016, the proxy said.
Public
Dressing the part for celebration Attorney Tim Danninger donned historical judges’ attire to serve refreshments to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights and the unveiling of a permanent display in the Federal Courthouse of a recently rediscovered plaque from the old courthouse. Students from Jacksonville Beach Elementary School sang patriotic songs and James Madison “himself” gave a reading of the Bill of rights.
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