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Council members and residents call for review after JEA board rebuffs council liaison
Summary
Council members and several public speakers said a council liaison was denied recognition at a Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) board meeting and urged an independent review after reports of employee complaints and an alleged termination. Speakers pressed the council to ensure employees can report problems safely.
Council members and residents pressed for greater oversight of Jacksonville Electric Authority after a council liaison said the JEA board would not recognize them to speak at a recent meeting.
"The board chair would not recognize me," the council liaison told the City Council, saying they had raised concerns about employee dissatisfaction and were blocked from offering an outside review the liaison believed would help staff safely report problems. The liaison urged an independent review similar to one used by the council in a past JEA review.
Multiple public commenters backed the liaison's account. Ronnie Burrus, business manager for Local 630, described heavy workload on water-and-sewer crews during recent freezes and criticized remarks from JEA human resources leadership that his members were “49% overpaid.” Burrus called the JEA board's handling of the meeting "very unprofessional, disrespectful" and said Roberts Rules were ignored.
Other speakers said the council should step in if an independent agency has a hostile relationship with council liaisons. Dutch Stevens said he attended a board meeting and asked the council to intervene so employees could express concerns without fear of retaliation. Several speakers referenced a specific allegation that an employee named Kurt Wilson was terminated within 24 hours after raising concerns, and said that history made internal reporting channels appear insufficient.
Council members who reported attending the JEA meeting said they would "monitor the situation" and explore next steps; one called for reminding independent boards that council liaisons represent elected oversight. The council did not take a formal vote on the issue during Tuesday's meeting but several members said they would work with colleagues to follow up.
The council also repeatedly noted that ex parte communications on agenda items should be filed with Legislative Services, and several council members filed such notices tied to other matters on the agenda.
Next steps: Council members said they would pursue monitoring and potential follow-up with JEA leadership; no independent review was ordered on the council floor at this meeting.
