Jacksonville inspector general highlights staff work, asks council for reappointment

Matt Lasalle, Jacksonville's inspector general, presented his office's 2025 annual report to the City Council on Jan. 13, highlighting staff accomplishments and asking the council to reappoint him for another four-year term when his current appointment ends in March 2026.

Lasalle thanked the council and mayor's office for cooperation and identified three staffers by name: Deputy Inspector General Rick Samples, Accreditation Manager Christina Gatto and Senior Investigator Brandon King. He told the council the office entered into a memoranda of understanding with the FBI that allows his senior investigator to serve on a federal major procurement task force and gain access to federal systems for investigations. "We've had a very good year in terms of providing oversight and trying to improve the efficiency of the consolidated government," Lasalle said.

The report was provided to council electronically and in hard copy, and Lasalle offered to take questions immediately or later through his office. Several council members praised the office's work during public remarks, calling it professional and independent.

Lasalle told council he has asked to be reappointed; he said the inspector general selection/retention committee has agreed and that the reappointment "has to come before you as a council to approve another 4 years." The transcript records his request but does not show any formal motion or vote by the full council on his reappointment during this meeting.

Because the transcript does not record a council vote on reappointment at this session, no formal outcome is reported here. Lasalle's remarks, the staff recognitions and the new FBI task force arrangement were the main substantive developments in his presentation.

Next steps: Lasalle invited council members to submit questions to his office if they did not wish to ask them during the meeting.