JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan criticized a new Jacksonville City Council special investigative committee targeting the city-owned utility JEA, calling it a “politically charged” overreach.
City Council President Kevin Carrico announced the committee on Wednesday after the City of Jacksonville Office of Inspector General (OIG) asked the council for assistance related to allegations involving JEA.
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“That’s my responsibility as the president,” Carrico said. “We’re going to come to a resolution soon.”
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny surrounding JEA and City Hall, including a State Attorney’s Office subpoena seeking Carrico’s communications related to a JEA board appointment.
Deegan cited the subpoena when questioning the legitimacy of the new committee.
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In her statement, Deegan argued the OIG sought a narrow review — not a broader council-led investigation.
“The Inspector General asked for a ‘limited-scope project,’ not the spectacle of a politically charged council committee weaponized against our JEA,” Deegan said.
Deegan also said the council president’s role in forming the committee “further calls into question its legitimacy,” referencing the State Attorney investigation tied to his JEA board appointment.
Deegan said JEA has a professional board — the majority appointed by City Council — and that it is the board’s job to provide oversight. She said the committee is “an overreach” that would waste taxpayer dollars.
Read the Mayor’s full statement below:
The Inspector General asked for a ‘limited-scope project,’ not the spectacle of a politically charged council committee weaponized against our JEA. That this effort is being driven by the Council President, who is himself the focus of a State Attorney investigation around his own JEA board appointment, further calls into question its legitimacy.
This is just more of the same power play that traces back to the people who tried to sell off our publicly owned utility the first time. JEA has a professional board, the majority of whom are appointed by the City Council. It is the board’s job to provide oversight. This new committee is an overreach that will only waste taxpayer dollars for personal political gain.
The thousands of hard-working employees who keep our lights on and water running deserve better.
MAYOR DEEGAN STATEMENT ON NEW CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Carrico responded to questions regarding the coinciding investigation from the State Attorney’s Office. He said he has requested an extension to the deadline but is cooperating.
“When [the Inspector General] requested the auditors, he needed [the] council president’s authority to launch into that and to make sure that the auditors could participate, being that there’s a multitude of issues,” Carrico said. “We had conversations one-on-one and agreed that a special investigative committee would be the best way to get that resource so we could look into it independently.”
What the new committee will investigate
Carrico said in a press release the Special Investigatory Committee will work with the City Council Auditor and other oversight offices and will focus on:
- Determining, with the Council Auditor, the extent to which capacity fees may not have been collected in recent years and identifying the amount, if any, that may be owed to the city and JEA
- Investigating whether JEA and the city are in compliance with bond commitments and reporting requirements, including any allegation that services were provided for free in violation of those commitments
- Conducting an independent review of recent employee allegations regarding workplace culture at JEA, including allegations raised to the JEA Board about racism and a toxic culture
- Evaluating JEA compliance with applicable whistleblower protection laws and policies
- Proposing legislation as appropriate based on the committee’s findings
Carrico appointed Councilmember Ron Salem as chair. Councilmembers Rory Diamond and Ju’Coby Pittman will also serve on the committee.
At a press conference outside City Hall, Carrico said the committee would be able to compel witnesses to appear and testify under oath. He also said he plans to cooperate with the State Attorney’s Office.
Salem and Diamond were both part of the probe into the attempted sale of JEA in 2019.
“We held a hearing for four hours in this building that led to resignations within days,” Salem said.
News4JAX political analyst Rick Mullaney said the OIG letter sought the assistance of the City Council Auditor for a limited financial review focused on capacity fees.
“The letter did not ask for a city council investigation,” Mullaney said. “That doesn’t mean the city council can’t initiate one, but the letter did not request one.”
Mullaney said the capacity-fee issue could ultimately be a contract dispute involving agreements that go back decades, and warned that multiple controversies could erode public confidence in the utility.
JEA, in a statement on Wednesday, said it remains committed to delivering essential services and said it ensures employees have accessible resources to address personal and professional concerns.
JEA remains committed to delivering essential services to our customers in the most effective and efficient manner. We ensure that JEA employees have easily accessible resources to address any personal and professional concerns. At the core of JEA’s values is accountability and respect for the more than 2,000 employees, who are the backbone of this organization.
JEA Spokesperson
Carrico’s press release said the committee will begin work in the coming weeks and provide updates to the full City Council as information becomes available.