Gaffney, who was seen as a possible swing vote on the proposal, told a reporter before the meeting he was "50/50" on the deal. The measure initially passed 10-8, but Gaffney's vote was not recorded, forcing the Council to vote again. On the revote, Gaffney voted "yes."

"I voted 'yes,' but I don't see it recorded," Gaffney said during the meeting.

Gaffney denied he was trying to avoid taking a position on the contentious vote. "Legislative services makes you vote! You can't sit there and avoid voting," he said in a text message.

Council Director Jason Teal said staff found no indication the voting system malfunctioned. "The City Council's Legislative Services and Information Technology staff fully tests the voting hardware and software systems prior to each City Council committee meeting and full City Council meeting to ensure each is properly and accurately functioning," Teal said in a statement. "There were no indications of any malfunctions in either system at any point in last night's Council meeting."

The incentive package, aimed at keeping a Publix supermarket as the anchor of the planned Pearl Square development downtown, was amended to significantly reduce the burden on the city's General Fund. According to Downtown Investment Authority CEO Colin Tarbert, the revised plan cuts the General Fund contribution to the $28.25 million completion grant from $18.25 million to $9.25 million.

The remaining funding would come from existing and potential DIA sources, plus money previously approved for another Gateway Jax project. The amended plan calls for:

- $9.25 million from the City's General Fund - $4 million from existing Shipyards West CRA funding - $4 million from existing Riverfront Plaza restaurant CRA funding - $4 million in additional CRA tax-increment funding that DIA may authorize or recommend - $7 million redirected from a previously approved completion grant for Gateway Jax's N8 project at 440 West Beaver Street

The N8 redevelopment agreement must be amended to redirect the $7 million, and City Council still needs to appropriate both that money and the $9.25 million from the General Fund.

In addition to the completion grant, the deal includes a separate REV grant worth up to $21.412 million, reimbursing 75% of eligible new city property taxes generated by the Publix-anchored Gateway development (N7) for up to 17 years, based on taxes actually paid. Combined, the completion and REV grants put the city's total incentives at $49.662 million.

The project has been closely watched as a test of the city's commitment to downtown revitalization and its willingness to use public dollars to attract private development. The amended package reduces the direct General Fund exposure, but still represents a substantial public investment in a single project.

The Council's approval on the revote clears the way for the deal to move forward, though the funding appropriations and the N8 agreement amendment still require Council action. Gaffney's initial non-vote and subsequent explanation drew scrutiny, but Council staff's finding that the voting system functioned properly may put the issue to rest.

Gaffney did not respond to a request for further comment on the discrepancy between his account and the Council's findings.