JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4Jax I-TEAM is getting answers from Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry in regard to what he knew about the potential sale of JEA and asking if he’s ready and willing to testify under oath.
On Monday, City Council President Scott Wilson appointed a special committee to investigate the sales process. That’s on top of the federal investigation that’s currently underway.
Curry enjoyed public praise and strong approval numbers in his first term, while his second term is embroiled in controversy. Curry has made it clear that he wants to put JEA behind him, permanently. But can he?
On Tuesday, Curry spoke with I-TEAM investigator Lynnsey Gardner.
Curry: “I am not going to speculate where they are headed, wherever the facts head. I told Councilman Wilson before Christmas if this was the direction they wanted to head, I would be supportive of it. So, they will begin asking questions and wherever the facts lead, they will lead and they’re going to have to go about their business.”
Curry: "I was involved in supporting the process which I went before a council committee you’ll remember late November, early December. Look, we tried to have this conversation two years ago. I supported the process. I think we should have been able to evaluate where it ended up, where it would potentially land but we didn’t get there.
"The outcry became incredibly loud and I asked folks to pull the plug. I have never directed anyone to privatize an independent authority. By the way I have that power under the charter. If you look at the charter, the charter specifically states the mayor has the power under the charter to explore privatization and to push privatization of government related entities. However, I thought it was important that they run their process with the other strategic alternatives and we’d be able to evaluate it but that is not where it ended up.
“Privatization, from my perspective, is now off the table. I won’t be apart of any revisiting of it at all. If they come with the strategic future -- if they think at some point while I’m in office -- and they lay privatization process before me, I’m going to be: heck no. I’m done.”
Curry: “Look, we have so much we want to accomplish of the next two-and-a-half, three years. How long? Three-and-a-half years. We have so much we want to get done over the next three-and-a-half years. Big projects I want to do downtown. I’m back in conversation with the superintendent of our schools, Dr. (Diana) Greene, about seeing how we can move forward and get our schools fixed. So, if this subject was to be revisited as we’ve seen, it’s the only conversation in the room and it inhibits us from getting other things done. From my perspective, it’s time to move on.”
To listen to Curry’s entire five minute interview with Gardner, click the photo above.