JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville City Council addressed a concern regarding some of JEA’s leadership who make important decisions about the operations but do not live in Jacksonville.
News4JAX learned in February that four JEA executives received massive raises but didn’t live in the area.
“I think you were one of the first reporters that brought that to my attention and to the council’s attention,” City Council President Ron Salem said. “We had so many people that were living outside the greater Jacksonville area.”
Laura Dutton, formerly JEA’s chief strategy officer, was one of the four. But in late February, the utility company announced she was released from her position, leaving the remaining execs who live in New Jersey and other parts of Florida that aren’t in the JEA district in charge.
Most of the company’s 2,000 employees live and work in Jacksonville.
RELATED: After Tennessee-based JEA executive resignations, city council president says he thinks execs should come to work routinely
Salem said the city council discussed the concern, and it was addressed in Tuesday’s meeting.
“It’s something like that [I] would like to see. The key executives in this organization live in the service area. This is one of the largest territories in the country,” JEA Board Chairman Bobby Stein said. “While we can’t get talent in this community, it’s just something that I think would be worthwhile making all efforts to head in that direction.”
As of now, any workforce changes would come from JEA leadership. CEO Jay Stowe said they are reviewing the idea.
For now, Salem believes JEA can handle the issue but the council will keep tabs along the way, especially since the council has stepped in and changed JEA operations in the past few years after the attempted sale debacle.
The remaining JEA execs are still working for the company. JEA said it is currently reviewing its “Work Where We Work Best” policy and will wait until that review is complete before making any changes.
Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
