JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nat Ford has agreed to appear in front of the Jacksonville City Council at a later date to answer questions about JTA’s finances.
On Tuesday, a Jacksonville City Council committee voted to issued a subpoena for former Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nat Ford to appear before them.
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Jacksonville City Councilman Rory Diamond spoke on X about the decision to vote on the subpoena, and said the Council is now coordinating with Ford when would be a good time to take his testimony:
“Earlier today, the Jax Finance Committee voted on issuing a subpoena. We did this because City execs have fought testifying in the past, and we wanted to reserve our ability to do so with Nat Ford. Fortunately, that won’t be necessary, as we are discussing with Nat a good time to receive his voluntarily testimony. I take him at his word, as he has never failed to appear and answer our inquiries in the past.”
The subpoena document that was voted on states the Council’s Finance Committee and Financial Audit and Oversight Select Committee is asking Ford to “speak to the truth” about JTA’s “past, current and projected financial stability, governance, operational performance, and transportation priorities.”
RELATED: Jacksonville councilman wants JTA’s outgoing CEO to answer questions about $40M budget hole
Ford’s last day at JTA is Wednesday, before he begins his new role as CEO of Dallas Area Rapid Transit next week.
He is leaving in the middle of a criminal probe launched by the Florida Attorney General following JTA’s $39 million budget shortfall.
Action News Jax told you when JTA was forced to make route reductions and widespread layoffs.
On Monday, we told you how Diamond is asking Ford to stand before the committee and answer questions.
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“Look, whether he’s in Texas, if he’s in Florida, it doesn’t matter. A subpoena from the Jacksonville City Council can be enforced in circuit court and we’ll go to Texas if we have to,” Diamond said.
Last week, the oversight committee learned JTA board members were largely left in the dark about financial projections for years.
Action News Jax first brought you concerns about Ford’s spending at the agency in 2023.
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Through our investigations, we found he was traveling to places like Spain and Hawaii just as much as he was at the office.
That came with an annual salary of more than $600,000 a year on top of the almost $41,000 spent on travel in 2023.
Action News Jax’s Taylor Stewart will have the details on Ford’s subpoena beginning on FOX30 Action News Jax at 4.
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