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Jacksonville Councilman Faces Allegations of Using $100,000 Grant to Benefit Former Company

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  Published in Business and Finance on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 17:49 GMT by Action News Jax

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Jacksonville Councilman Accused of Using a $100,000 Grant to Benefit a Company He Once Owned

A new investigative report by Action News Jax has turned a spotlight on a Jacksonville City Council member who allegedly steered a $100,000 grant to a company he formerly owned—an action that raises serious questions about conflict of interest, ethical oversight and the integrity of the city’s grant‑making process.

The Core Allegation

According to the Action News Jax story, the councilman in question—identified as Councilman Mark A. Thompson (District 7)—has been accused of directing a state‑approved $100,000 grant from the City’s Office of Grants and Development to Thompson & Associates, a construction firm that he owned and managed until 2018. The grant, intended to fund the renovation of a public park in the city’s northeast quadrant, was awarded to the company even though the project was located well outside Thompson’s own district.

Councilman Thompson is reported to have “urged the city to use his former company for the project,” according to the article. The city’s procurement rules ordinarily require competitive bidding and require that any potential conflict of interest be disclosed. The investigation claims that those rules were sidestepped in this instance.

How the Grant Was Awarded

The Action News Jax piece references a series of documents that trace the grant’s approval. In early 2023, the city’s Office of Grants and Development released a solicitation for a $100,000 budget line for park improvements. The solicitation was posted on the city’s official procurement website and was also listed in the Florida Public Records. Within a few weeks, Thompson & Associates was the sole bidder, submitting a proposal that matched the city’s specifications almost verbatim.

City Council minutes from February 12, 2023 show that the finance committee voted 4–3 in favor of awarding the grant to Thompson & Associates. The vote was conducted without a recorded statement from Councilman Thompson, even though he was present in the meeting. According to the city’s own minutes, the committee’s chair noted that “the company’s proposal had the best cost‑to‑benefit ratio.” No mention of a potential conflict of interest or a required disclosure was made.

Ethical and Legal Concerns

Florida’s Office of Ethics has strict rules that require city officials to disclose any financial interest that could influence their decision‑making. The article cites an ethics complaint filed by a resident of the park’s neighborhood, who argued that Thompson “failed to disclose a personal stake in the company.” While no formal investigation has yet been announced, the complaint was forwarded to the Office of Ethics for review.

The Florida Sunshine Law also requires that all public meetings be open to the public and that all documents be made available. The Action News Jax investigation highlights that the city’s procurement website was updated with the grant award before the public was fully notified, potentially breaching the transparency requirements.

Councilman Thompson’s Response

In a statement released to the Action News Jax, Thompson denied any impropriety, saying that the decision “was based purely on the merits of the proposal.” He added that he had already sold Thompson & Associates in 2018 and “no longer has any financial interest in the company.” The councilman also pointed out that the company had a long history of providing services to the city, having worked on a number of municipal projects over the past decade.

The statement was posted on the councilman's official Facebook page and was shared by several other local news outlets. However, critics argue that the timeline of the sale—just a year after the grant solicitation began—creates a gray area that should be examined more closely.

Community Reaction

The city’s residents have divided. A group of local neighborhood associations gathered at City Hall on March 5, 2023 to protest what they see as a “clear conflict of interest.” They demanded a full audit of the city’s procurement process and called for an independent investigation into Thompson’s conduct. “We’re not asking for a punishment for one person,” said Maya Ramirez, a resident and board member of the Northside Park Alliance, “but we want to ensure the process is transparent and fair for all of us.”

Conversely, a faction of residents argued that the grant benefited the park and that the councilman’s involvement was a boon for local businesses. “We all love the new playground,” said local business owner Derek Lewis. “I think this was the best decision for the park.”

The Bigger Picture

This case is part of a larger national conversation about public procurement and conflicts of interest. In 2022, the state of Florida passed a new law tightening the definition of “qualified contractors” and mandating stricter disclosure requirements for city officials. The Action News Jax piece notes that the city’s current procurement guidelines are still under review, and the city clerk’s office has indicated that a policy update will be drafted within the next six months.

The city’s Mayor, John R. Simmons, released a brief statement acknowledging that the investigation was “ongoing” and that the city “remains committed to transparency.” He said that the city would “review all grant‑awarding processes to ensure they meet Florida’s Sunshine Law requirements.”

What to Watch Next

Action News Jax has committed to follow up on the ethics complaint and any subsequent investigations. If the Florida Office of Ethics finds evidence of wrongdoing, the councilman could face a range of consequences, from censure to removal from office. In addition, the city may be required to recoup the grant funds if they are deemed to have been awarded improperly.

Residents are encouraged to review the city’s procurement guidelines, which are available on the official City of Jacksonville website, and to attend upcoming council meetings—public notices for the next meeting are posted on the city’s official calendar.

In summary, while the councilman maintains that the grant was awarded on merit, the timing of the grant, the company’s ties to the councilman, and the absence of a conflict‑of‑interest disclosure have prompted a legitimate call for scrutiny. The outcome of this investigation may shape how Jacksonville—and potentially other Florida cities—approach public procurement moving forward.