Jacksonville's leading elder statesmen
former mayor Jake God bolt tells Tom
wills morale at JEA is terrible right
now and a choice of errands on a
relative newcomer to the JEA as the
utilities new interim CEO is only making
it worse I think it was a terrible move
God bold also says he almost feel sorry
for Zhaan who's now temporarily at least
replacing CEO Paul McIlroy you'll
remember McIlroy resigned in the midst
of the city's running discussion over
possibly privatizing JEA today I sat
down with God bolt who served two terms
as mayor from the late 70s until the
late 80s he has just written a letter to
Mayor curry saying he believes the JEA
debate is hurting the mayor God bolt
says in part the issue quote has been
botched since the beginning your
credibility is being damaged and your
motives are being questioned frankly I
think you are getting bad advice advice
that does not appear to flow from what
is in the best interest of Jacksonville
in addition there is a mean-spiritedness
about it all and he told curry quote I
am one of a whole lot of people in
Jacksonville who are having a hard time
believing you
besides opposing the sale of the
electric side of JEA God bolt is even
more alarmed about any sale of the water
and sewer service warning it could in
his words leave Jacksonville high and
dry God bolt told me it was a private
letter to the mayor and he does not know
who has made it public it was a friendly
honor and I cited as your friend Jade
God Baal and I told him about you need
to get out and talk to the public and I
talked about a lot of the rumors that
are going around and the suspicions of
him operate in this thing even though he
said he's not made up his mind yet but
and I said I wouldn't be willing to talk
to you at any time
have you heard back from the mayor I
have not heard back for the way I have
done it all for that call and ask him to
call me I'd be personally glad to talk
to her but I haven't
yeah since our interview this morning we
have learned that mayor curry has now
left a phone message for God bold to
call him and God bold says he will do
that tomorrow news for Jax reporter Jim
Pickett is joining us from downtown Jim
this letter leaked out just as on who is
really a JEA rookie was beginning as the
interim CEO yesterday he avoided your
questions he met with the mayor today
and did talk with you today
did he elaborate on his statement
yesterday to the board that he wants to
halt discussion of selling JEA not
really they really wouldn't go into
details with that but the mayor and have
did talk with me afterwards and they
basically said that that's what they
want to do and they couldn't elaborate
much more on that the reason they said
is they really want to calm the fears of
employees and also of customers who
think this is a done deal
Erin's on is now running the utility
after serving on the JEA board for less
than two months even though he's never
worked for JEA or any other utility Zahn
says he's qualified to do so up until
yesterday he had been with an investment
group he had been chairman and CEO of a
wastewater treatment company that
employed less than 50 people JEA has
more than 2,000 workers Zahn says he
understands how to deal with policy
makers number one focused for our
company going forward right now is
getting back to our customers and to
taking care of our employees but the
looming question remains about a
potential JEA sale Zahn wants to put
talks on hold but he refused to say
whether he wants to end them altogether
critics of a potential sale like former
mayor Jake God bolt believes sales talks
have been all orchestrated by the
mayor's office gobble does not believe
curry when he says he's not behind a
sale curry says all of this has become a
circus environment created by certain
members of City Council and the
politicians need to get out of the
politics of it you know people really
aren't believing that they're not
believing that there are even there
jacob o was saying this morning he
doesn't believe him as well
I reject the premise and if you know if
you have some insight on the public
opinion that goes beyond J God bold or a
few others I appreciate that but I'm in
communities and neighborhoods talking to
people almost every day and so look we
operate under the law in accordance with
the law we are transparent and so I just
reject the premise of your statement
I saw mr. Godwin's letter mayor got
wolves by the way I've reached out to
him I've had no communication with him I
guessed he delivered a letter that he
says was personal and confidential you
guys had it maybe before I had it I'm
not sure so he's entitled to his opinion
I would look forward to a conversation
with him at some point if he wants to
return the call
so despite them talking about pausing to
talks that's not going to happen anytime
soon
tomorrow morning City Council is set to
once again to debate this issue in their
special committee that will happen at
9:00 a.m. and there's also more talks
that expected to come up as well
legislation is also being introduced by
Councilman Garrett Dennis that would
actually change the way that the JEA
board is appointed he wants to see city
council appoint four members and the
mayor only 0.3 right now the mayor
appoints all of the members with council
approval
that's legislation that will be
introduced next week for live at City
Hall Jim pick a channel for the local
station Jim did questions come up as to
why Zahn was selected unanimously by the
JEA board over Melissa dykes who was
interim CEO for all of a week that did
come up and they were asking him in the
board chair about that today and
basically what they're saying is that
they felt that yes Melissa dykes has a
lot of a background that would have been
good that they're going to work together
but they think that this is actually
going to be the way to go Jim Picard
reporting live from downtown thank you
Jim right now on news four jacks comm
you can read mayor god bolts full letter
to Mayor curry just look inside the
story right on the home page