JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan had harsh words Friday for those she says are engaged in a “smear campaign” against JEA CEO Vickie Cavey, calling recent allegations of “racism” and a “toxic” culture at the utility nothing but a politically motivated power grab.
Deegan, Cavey and JEA Board Chair Joe DiSalvo held the news conference to address the allegations made by City Council President Kevin Carrico on Thursday.
In a statement to News4JAX on Thursday, Carrico said:
“Since becoming Council President and as a leader of this community, I have unfortunately taken numerous meetings and calls from JEA employees with allegations of racism, toxic corporate culture, and other leadership challenges associated with the CEO.”
DiSalvo called the claims “bogus” but said he expects the “disinformation campaign” to continue.
“There is now a calculated initiative to intimidate our CEO and myself into Vickie resigning,” DiSalvo said. “I stand by Vickie Cavey as JEA CEO, and I also stand by the entire JEA team.”
Deegan made her feelings about the issue -- and her belief on how it originated -- very clear.
“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. “These are the same people who are part of the effort to sell our public utility. And frankly, who have been responsible for much of the toxic political culture in Jacksonville.”
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: Former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Jordan Elsbury, Curry’s former Chief of Staff.
Curry and Elsbury are both registered with the City of Jacksonville to lobby on behalf of JEA, according to city records. Other Ballard Partners lobbyists were registered to lobby the state on behalf of JEA.
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Curry was the mayor during a scandal that rocked JEA and ended with former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn going to federal prison.
According to court testimony, the push to sell JEA was started by Curry’s administration. Paul McElroy, who was running JEA around that time, was forced out and quickly replaced by Zahn, who was seen by many as the handpicked choice of Curry.
Curry was never accused in connection with the JEA scandal.
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.
JEA CEO removes chief of staff with Curry connections
On Thursday night, just a few hours after Carrico first made allegations about culture issues at JEA, Cavey announced that JEA Chief of Staff Kurt Wilson was let go.
In an email to staff, Cavey said the position would be eliminated and that Wilson would not be replaced. When asked about the reason behind Wilson’s removal on Friday, Cavey declined to comment.
Wilson also has a connection to Curry.
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.
“The incoming Board Chair has called for the firing of CEO Vickie Cavey, the still-unexplained removal of well-respected Chief of Staff and former Fire Chief Kurt Wilson raises serious concerns, employee morale is low, and ratepayers are burdened with record-high costs - all pointing to instability at our public utility,” Carrico wrote.
According to our news partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record, Wilson began his role as chief of staff, a new position at JEA, in May 2024. He previously worked as the vice president of government and community relations for four years.
How we got here
Carrico has faced backlash in recent days after text messages seemed to reveal that at least part of Carrico’s motivation for nominating his boss, Paul Martinez, for a position on JEA’s board was that he owed him a “big favor.”
Following the backlash and calls for Martinez to withdraw, Martinez bowed out on Wednesday evening. 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.
MORE | Council president tells JEA board member he’s replacing him because he owed a ‘big favor’ to his boss, texts show | JEA board nominee withdraws amid criticism over councilman’s text messages citing ‘big favor’ | Support grows for JEA board member amid questions of ‘favor’ Carrico says he owed his boss
Carrico introduced a resolution on Feb. 10 to nominate Martinez as a member of the JEA board to replace current board member Arthur Adams Jr., who was appointed to the board in January 2025 and whose term is close to expiring.
“What up bro...hey I owed a big favor to a friend and opted to put him on the JEA Board as your term is expiring,” Carrico wrote to Adams on Feb. 5 in text messages provided by JEA. “Not sure if you wanted to stay but I needed to do this for my guy. Tab is on me when we link up next.👊”
In the text thread, Adams responded that his “plan was to stay.”
After the texts became public, critics spoke out.
In a statement to News4JAX, Jacksonville NAACP President Isaiah Rumlin called the move a “breach of public trust” and later added it was an example of the “Good Ole’ Boy network” being caught red-handed.
Councilman Jimmy Peluso called the text an example of “corruption at its finest.”
News4JAX contacted Carrico on Thursday to ask more questions about the “big favor” he referenced in the text message. Instead of addressing our question directly, Carrico sent the following statement that made serious allegations and questioned Cavey’s leadership:
“Since becoming Council President and as a leader of this community I have unfortunately taken numerous meetings and calls from JEA employees with allegations of racism, toxic corporate culture, and other leadership challenges associated with the CEO. I am currently having conversations with community leaders interested in addressing these challenges and moving our utility forward. I look forward to announcing a name in the coming days given then [sic] disturbing culture observed at our utility.
“I have a vested interest in maintaining the integrity and efficacy of this utility, JEA is an integral part of every day Jacksonville and a vital part of our constituents and business day to day.... My advocacy and endorsement of a community leader, mentor, friend, and highly capable businessman is nothing more than that. As councilman I have been afforded relationships that prove vital to the success and forward movement of our incredible city. This is much to do about nothing, whatever the board decides I of course, will be happy with, but I would be remiss if I didn’t advocate for a true friend and steward of this community.”
Carrico did not provide any examples to back up his allegations, an issue that was addressed by City Councilman Matt Carlucci, who spoke with News4JAX on Friday.
“When you’re making serious allegations as the council president is doing, he owes it to the council and mostly to the public, the rate payers, to present it transparently,” Carlucci said. “I mean, if these concerns are true, then he needs to bring them with clarity. He needs to bring some proof, facts, and they need to go through a proper process.”
Carlucci said that he’s seen those “proper” processes skipped before by council members who seem to be after attention.
“I see it quite often from different members of the council. They make allegations, but they have nothing to back it up. And they get the headlines,” Carlucci said. “But in this case with the JEA, those headlines have ripple effects that directly contribute to unrest in the community, unrest in bonding agencies and unrest in probably the most important authority that we have, which is the JEA and their employees. And so I think that is dangerous. I don’t think that it’s healthy for this community.”
The JEA board is made up of seven members. Four members are nominated by the Jacksonville City Council president and confirmed by the council; three members are appointed by the mayor of Jacksonville and confirmed by the council. The board of directors then appoints a managing director and CEO, who selects a top tier of management, the leadership team.
Changes to how the JEA board is selected were made in 2020, following a scandal revolving around the proposed sale of JEA that ended with the conviction of former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.
Previously, it was the mayor’s responsibility to appoint every member of the board, and those selections were approved by the City Council.