JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Concerns over the criminal history of a man employed by the city’s lobbying firm with badge access to city hall have driven one council member to draft a legislative fix.

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On Friday Action News Jax told you about concerns raised by members of Jacksonville’s city council about the criminal history of Stephen Dare.

Dare, who worked on Mayor Donna Deegan’s transition team, went on to work for the lobbying firm selected by the Deegan administration to represent the city.

With that position, came badge access.

“Getting in there means you don’t have to go through the magnetometer. I mean, you could bring a gun in. You could bring in a knife,” said Councilmember Rory Diamond (R-District 13).

Diamond argued the situation exposed a loophole, which allows for some to obtain badge access without going through a background check like standard city employees are required to pass.

He’s drafting a bill that would require everyone to pass a background check to receive a city badge.

“The back-doored somebody in who couldn’t pass a background check and now we have to fix it,” said Diamond.

We reached out to Dare Tuesday, but he directed us to the administration for comment.

The Deegan administration declined to comment on Diamond’s proposal.

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Last week, however, the administration did offer a comment regarding the concerns raised by council members.

“It’s unfortunate the same forces that trade in punishment politics are once again engaging in a bad faith attempt to gin up non-existent controversies to distract from the substantial accomplishments of this administration,” said Deegan in an emailed statement.

Diamond on the other hand argued his legislation is common sense.

“If the Deegan administration says no to background checks to people with city badges, you have to ask the question why. Why would you fight that? I mean, that’s ridiculous,” said Diamond.

The administration and Dare have been asked to address council members’ concerns during a meeting of the finance committee next Tuesday.

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