Video: Florida Times-Union
“As a petition is posted on change.org demanding a Jacksonville city inspector be fired for citing a Westside store for flying military flags, Mayor Lenny Curry has put her on administrative leave after video of her finger-wagging confrontation with employees and a veteran went viral.
Curry also has ordered a review of the employee’s actions as he rescinded the citation she wrote for flying them on either side of American flags at Jaguar Power Sports, a motorcycle dealership at 4680 Blanding Blvd.
The mayor’s City Hall statement said the employee’s supervisor is also on leave following the Monday citation and subsequent argument with staff as well as a customer, a military veteran who was apparently told ‘you did nothing for our country.’
‘The flags can fly,’ confirmed city spokeswoman Tia Ford, after Curry’s statement offered apologies to the customer.
‘Employees of the City of Jacksonville are the servants of taxpayers who have a duty to enforce our laws and regulations. I expect every one of them to do that job in a manner that is respectful and reflects the privilege we all have to serve this great city,’ Curry’s statement said in part. ‘What I saw reported is 100 percent inconsistent with how I expect every city employee to interact with our citizens. I have ordered a review of the actions of the employee and pending the completion of that review, the employee and her supervisor have been placed on leave.’
News of the confrontation in the store surfaced when its manager, Shaun Jackrel, posted a video explaining what happened when city inspector Melinda Power came in to discuss another issue with him. Then she issued a warning for the number of flags flying above the entrance: twin American flags flanked by others representing different branches of the U.S. military. Power wrote down that the flag violation fell under the city code for zoning limitations on signs, according to Times-Union media partner WJCT-FM…
When city officials learned of the citation, Chief of Staff Brian Hughes said they were reviewing the facts of the case as well as ordinances regarding flags and signs, according to First Coast News, another Times-Union media partner. Hughes also noted that the Mayor’s Office was in communication with the business…”
— Dan Scanlan, Florida Times-Union