JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The JEA Board of Directors will meet Tuesday amid rising tensions over leadership, workplace culture and claims of political influence at the utility — a controversy that began with a single board appointment and has now captured the attention of the entire city of Jacksonville.
Tuesday’s meeting will come a day after former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry pushed back against a news conference that saw Mayor Donna Deegan and JEA officials address allegations about the utility’s culture and leadership just days earlier.
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The JEA board shakeup started as a seemingly small dispute over a board seat, but tensions have escalated quickly, touching JEA’s leadership, political figures, and even a lobbying firm connected to Curry.
Timeline: How we got here
Feb. 5: Texts about a ‘big favor’
The controversy began with text messages between City Council President Kevin Carrico and JEA board member Arthur Adams.
In the exchange, Carrico told Adams that at least part of his motivation to nominate his boss, Paul Martinez, for a position on JEA’s board happened because he owed him a “big favor.”
Adams replied: “My plan was to stay…”
After an apparent phone call, Adams later texted that he was disappointed, but added, “I respect your decision.”
Adams was appointed to the board in January 2025, and his term is set to expire on Feb. 28.
Feb. 10: Legislation introduced to replace Adams
A resolution was introduced to confirm Carrico’s appointment of Martinez to the JEA governing body, replacing Adams.
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Martinez is the current president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, where Carrico works as the vice president of strategic initiatives.
Feb. 18: Carrico defends his choice; mayor’s office declines comment
As questions mounted about the text messages and the appointment process, Carrico defended the pick in a statement.
Carrico said, “The decision speaks for itself,” and said Martinez was appointed based on qualifications and a longstanding commitment to Jacksonville, citing Martinez’s role leading the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida.
The mayor’s office declined to comment at the time.
Feb. 18: Martinez withdraws
Later that same day, Martinez withdrew from consideration.
“I respect Paul Martinez’s decision and thank him for his decades of service to Jacksonville,” Carrico wrote in a statement. His leadership of one of the top-performing Boys & Girls Clubs organizations in the nation, serving 18,000 local children annually across 59 locations, speaks for itself. It’s unfortunate that political noise and unfair attacks sought to distract from a lifetime of service, but our community continues to benefit from his leadership and commitment.”
Feb. 19: Carrico raises leadership allegations; chief of staff let go
Carrico then shifted focus to leadership inside JEA.
News4JAX contacted Carrico to ask more questions about the “big favor” he was referencing in the text message. The councilman didn’t address that question directly, but instead sent a statement that made serious allegations and questioned the leadership of JEA CEO Vickie Cavey.
In a statement, Carrico said he had received calls and met with JEA employees raising allegations, including racism and a toxic corporate culture tied to the CEO. He said he expected to announce another name for the open board seat “in the coming days.”
That same night, JEA employees were informed Chief of Staff Kurt Wilson was let go, according to information shared with News4JAX.
In 2015, Curry appointed Wilson as Director and Fire Chief.
Carrico addressed Wilson’s departure, and a report from the Florida Times-Union that said JEA Vice Chair Rick Morales asked Cavey this week to step down from her post.
Feb. 20: Mayor, JEA board chair and CEO respond publicly
On Friday, Mayor Donna Deegan appeared alongside JEA board chair Joe DiSalvo and Cavey in a joint press conference.
“There is now a calculated initiative to intimidate our CEO and myself into resigning,” DiSalvo said.
Deegan called the situation a “vile smear campaign,” and said it escalated after Cavey resisted pressure to renew a lobbying contract with politically connected people.
Deegan and Cavey did not name the lobbying firm, and Cavey denied the existence of a “pressure campaign,” but Cavey did say that JEA ended its contract with the firm on Jan. 31 because JEA was not using its services.
State lobbying records show that lobbyists with Ballard Partners were registered to lobby for JEA, but in the fourth quarter of 2025, Ballard Partners was not compensated by JEA for any state lobbying activities.
According to Ballard Partners’ website, two partners are assigned to the Jacksonville office: Curry and Jordan Elsbury, Curry’s former Chief of Staff.
“This vile smear campaign magically appeared after [Cavey] resisted pressure to renew a lobbying contract with people who are politically connected to a handful of council members, including our council president,” Deegan said.
Deegan also tied the issue back to Jacksonville’s last JEA scandal.
“The JEA scheme was the biggest corruption scandal in Jacksonville’s history,” Deegan said.
Cavey addressed leadership and workplace culture concerns, saying she would not comment on personnel issues publicly and adding:
“Racism has no place anywhere.”
Following the news conference, Carrico sent a statement to News4JAX and said the “frantic press conference” showed there is a “growing crisis of confidence at JEA.”
“What is most troubling is Mayor Deegan’s direct involvement in what is supposed to be an independent authority,” Carrico wrote. “JEA was deliberately structured to operate free from political pressure, yet we are now seeing an unmistakable attempt to inject mayoral influence into decisions that belong to its independent leadership and board. When the independence of our public utility is compromised, every ratepayer should be alarmed - especially given the painful lessons from the attempted sale of JEA.”
Carrico called for all communications between the Mayor’s Office, Cavey, their staff, and JEA leadership over the past 60 days to be immediately preserved and made public.
Feb. 23: Curry disputes alleged role in JEA controversy
Curry told News4JAX he believes Deegan was referring to him and the firm where he is a partner, Ballard Partners, during a Friday news conference where the current mayor responded to Carrico’s claims that racism, a toxic work culture, and other leadership problems at JEA are tied to CEO Vickie Cavey.
Curry pointed to a moment during the news conference when Deegan described the allegations as a pressure campaign, and Cavey appeared to dispute that characterization.
“But in a live press conference, she was basically called a liar by the CEO of JEA. And she doubled down on it when Donna made these accusations,” Curry said. “Vicki, the CEO of the utility, said, with all due respect, Mayor, that never happened. And then she made some weird comment about the devil. Donna did. And Vickie said that didn’t happen, essentially saying, Mayor, that’s not true.”
Curry also pushed back on public reporting that tied him or his firm to efforts around JEA’s leadership.
“Allegations that I was somehow involved with what’s happening at JEA, the future of this current CEO. I was completely unaware of it.”
Feb. 24: JEA Board meeting
Curry also told News4JAX he is confident JEA will continue to operate amid the controversy, but that he will not attend the JEA board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, when much of the discussion is expected to continue.
The meeting is set to start at 9 a.m.
News4JAX will attend the meeting, which will also be livestreamed, and we will provide updates.