JEA Board to Consider Mass Layoffs/Privitization

[I-10east]

Melissa Dykes takes over as interim CEO.

https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20191217/aaron-zahn-out-as-jea-ceo-melissa-dykes-takes-over-as-interim-ceo

[Papa33]

Paid or unpaid "administrative leave"?

[Tacachale]

^Paid, but apparently it's a suspension to allow the General Counsel to investigate and renegotiate the termination benefits.

https://news.wjct.org/post/jea-board-ousts-ceo-aaron-zahn?fbclid=IwAR18yXvOJ06LxEE7b0eoMoMDE4yyCqnut_B6Yw8gaWpwUWcXS3fwqOlUDd8#_ga=2.259041994.1925753236.1576507886-1491777148.1576079364

[jaxjags]

Good start.

[Steve]

Civic Council now joining Carlucci in calling for a Grand Jury investigation:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jacksonville-civic-council-calls-for-grand-jury-investigation-into-jea

Also wanting Zahn fired for cause.

Clearly this isn't over.

[vicupstate]

Good to finally see some accountability and less of the mindless 'going along to get along' on this. I guess the Civic Council understands what a black eye this gives the whole city.

If he ends up getting dismissed without cause (due to some bullshit we all have seen before on these things), I don't see many folks at JEA 'consulting' with him for the 12 months after.   

[Papa33]

Civic Council now joining Carlucci in calling for a Grand Jury investigation:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jacksonville-civic-council-calls-for-grand-jury-investigation-into-jea

Also wanting Zahn fired for cause.

Clearly this isn't over.

Good.  Also, the mayor's office should not be shielded from any investigation.

[Snaketoz]

Civic Council now joining Carlucci in calling for a Grand Jury investigation:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jacksonville-civic-council-calls-for-grand-jury-investigation-into-jea

Also wanting Zahn fired for cause.

Clearly this isn't over.

Good.  Also, the mayor's office should not be shielded from any investigation.

Exactly.  Zahn started his tenure with JEA as an appointed board member.  I think Curry as mayor appointed him.  I hope they don't allow the city council and especially the mayor's office to have any involvement in the investigation.  I think it will trace back to Curry/Zahn.

[Steve]

Civic Council now joining Carlucci in calling for a Grand Jury investigation:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jacksonville-civic-council-calls-for-grand-jury-investigation-into-jea

Also wanting Zahn fired for cause.

Clearly this isn't over.

Good.  Also, the mayor's office should not be shielded from any investigation.

Exactly.  Zahn started his tenure with JEA as an appointed board member.  I think Curry as mayor appointed him.  I hope they don't allow the city council and especially the mayor's office to have any involvement in the investigation.  I think it will trace back to Curry/Zahn.

If a Grand Jury investigation does happen, it would be led by State Attorney Melissa Nelson. She's separately elected (and works for a state agency) so I'd like to think Curry's ability to influence wouldn't be there. Not to say he won't try of course.

[vicupstate]

Didn't the JEA board USE to be appointed by both the Governor and the Mayor?  Somehow it all went to Curry, but I may be remembering something wrong.

[Steve]

Didn't the JEA board USE to be appointed by both the Governor and the Mayor?  Somehow it all went to Curry, but I may be remembering something wrong.

Honestly not sure. I know some boards are split (JTA is 1/2 Mayor, 1/2 Governor, plus the District 2 Head)

[Snaketoz]

Civic Council now joining Carlucci in calling for a Grand Jury investigation:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jacksonville-civic-council-calls-for-grand-jury-investigation-into-jea

Also wanting Zahn fired for cause.

Clearly this isn't over.

Good.  Also, the mayor's office should not be shielded from any investigation.

Exactly.  Zahn started his tenure with JEA as an appointed board member.  I think Curry as mayor appointed him.  I hope they don't allow the city council and especially the mayor's office to have any involvement in the investigation.  I think it will trace back to Curry/Zahn.

If a Grand Jury investigation does happen, it would be led by State Attorney Melissa Nelson. She's separately elected (and works for a state agency) so I'd like to think Curry's ability to influence wouldn't be there. Not to say he won't try of course.

I wonder.  I like Melissa Nelson, think she is a upgrade from her predecessor, but I wouldn't be surprised if she could pull a Mitch McConnell and say, "no matter the evidence, my mind is made up."

[jaxlongtimer]

Civic Council now joining Carlucci in calling for a Grand Jury investigation:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jacksonville-civic-council-calls-for-grand-jury-investigation-into-jea

Also wanting Zahn fired for cause.

Clearly this isn't over.

Good.  Also, the mayor's office should not be shielded from any investigation.

Exactly.  Zahn started his tenure with JEA as an appointed board member.  I think Curry as mayor appointed him.  I hope they don't allow the city council and especially the mayor's office to have any involvement in the investigation.  I think it will trace back to Curry/Zahn.

If a Grand Jury investigation does happen, it would be led by State Attorney Melissa Nelson. She's separately elected (and works for a state agency) so I'd like to think Curry's ability to influence wouldn't be there. Not to say he won't try of course.

I wonder.  I like Melissa Nelson, think she is a upgrade from her predecessor, but I wouldn't be surprised if she could pull a Mitch McConnell and say, "no matter the evidence, my mind is made up."

I, too, respect Melissa.  But she has ties to the mayor and his cronies that go back to her campaign for office.  As such, it might be better optics and more ethical for her to recuse herself and let a State Attorney from another jurisdiction look into goings-on at City Hall.  Would be really interesting to see the shock and awe of an outsider looking at our City's government over the last 4 to 5 years 

[Steve]

If she can't be impartial then I agree. But, you've seen a lot of people that were supposedly in Curry's pocket that have stood up to him. Randy DeFoor isn't letting JEA's presentation to the bond agencies go. Rory Diamond is another one.

Now, to that point - there's a big difference going after one of Curry's buddies versus Curry himself.

[CityLife]

To those that didn't want JEA sold, be thankful your public officials are so incompetent. I'm not sure opponents of the sale could have drawn up a better way to kill the deal.

Selling JEA may actually be a good play for Jax, but there's no way it will have a chance after this debacle.