JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The board of Jacksonville’s city-owned utility JEA is in the spotlight over allegations members improperly conducted some business behind closed doors.
The city’s inspector general released a report on Wednesday that looked into accusations of Sunshine Law violations, a state law that requires elected officials to handle certain matters at public meetings.
Now, the matter is in the hands of the State Attorney’s Office.
A recent investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found some JEA leaders did communicate with each other outside of publicly noticed meetings during the transition to a new CEO, a potential legal breach now in the hands of the State Attorney’s Office for review.
The OIG received a tip from an anonymous source suggesting JEA board members communicated about leadership transitions outside of public forums.
This comes just months after former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to steal city funds.
According to the OIG, outgoing board member Robert Stein allegedly met privately with two JEA leaders at Southern Grounds & Company, a coffee shop in Avondale. During this meeting, investigators said Stein directed them to inform other board members about CEO Jay Stowe‘s resignation, arrange Stowe’s severance package, and draft a three-year contract for Vickie Cavey, who took over as interim CEO and was later named JEA’s leader.
The anonymous informant claims that Stein held multiple private conversations with other board members about the leadership transition before and after Stowe’s resignation.
Florida’s Sunshine Law mandates that any meetings involving board members of state agencies must be open to the public with reasonable notice. However, the OIG report reveals that four JEA board members admitted to discussing these matters outside public meetings, either by phone or in person.
Former federal prosecutor Curtis Fallgatter reviewed the OIG report and shared his perspective, highlighting that the Sunshine Law is intended to ensure accountability in public agencies.
“The concern here is that there were preliminary discussions about important decisions. While this could raise issues, I’m unsure if any criminal violation will be established,” he said.
JEA responded to the OIG findings, emphasizing its commitment to Sunshine Law compliance. In a statement, the utility noted that the OIG did not conclude any Sunshine Law violations or criminal misconduct by JEA.
“JEA and its board recognize the importance of the Sunshine Law and their obligations to comply. The OIG report did not determine that JEA violated the Sunshine Law, and nothing in the report suggests that any criminal conduct occurred. The Board continues to acknowledge and adhere to Sunshine law provisions and ethical mandates. We thank our board for its continued service to JEA, our customers and community,” a JEA spokesperson wrote in a statement to News4JAX.