JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday night debated the value of the special committee looking into the possible sale of JEA.
A motion to dismantle the committee was defeated, but changes were made to the committee weighing the pros and cons of selling the city's largest asset.
The five-member committee was expanded to include all 19 City Council members.
In addition, the committee will not be able to subpoena people or put them under oath.
The changes came after a lengthy debate that was sparked when Councilman Matt Schellenberg announced, "I hereby move to terminate the special committee on the potential sale of JEA."
Then, the back-and-forth began.
"This bickering has got to stop," Councilman Tommy Hazouri said. "(It) doesn't do us any good, doesn't help the mayor's office, nor JEA."
Nearly all 19 council members weighed in on the motion to disband the special committee, which has already met three times and was originally formed to investigate the potential sale of JEA and focus on transparency.
"You don't dismantle it," Councilwoman Joyce Morgan said. "This is what we're supposed to be doing. We're supposed to get information. That's what our constituents want us to do."
"I've been disturbed on how we went about this. We put the cart before the horse in a big, big way," Councilman Bill Gulliford said. ”We need to stop, take a breath and consider how, if it goes forward, how to engage the entire community in that decision and fact-finding process."
More debate raged on about whether the special committee is accomplishing what it’s supposed to.
Special attention was given to the recent demand for JEA CEO Paul McElroy to submit to questions under oath -- something many found distasteful.
"We only got to the subpoena process because certain individuals wouldn’t take the oath," Councilman Garrett Dennis said.
"Some of you are running for re-election. I’m not. I don’t care. But you’ll have to answer questions on why you pulled the plug on trying to get the facts about what’s going on," Councilman John Crescimbeni said.
”What I don’t want to do is go down this road and divide the council," Councilman Reginald Gaffney said. "It’s time for us to work as one.”
Council members defeated the motion to disband the special committee on JEA by one vote -- 10 to nine.
However, the committee is now a committee of the whole, which means all 19 council members can participate.
Also, the City Council voted 14-5 to remove the power to subpoena and to put people under oath.
The special committee's next meeting is Thursday, when McElroy had been subpoenaed to testify under oath.
READ: JEA CEO sends letter to Jacksonville City Council
McElroy sent a letter Monday to the City Council, saying he would meet personally with them and provide any and all information necessary.