Jacksonville City Council JEA Special Investigative Committee Meeting – April 13, 2026

The Special Investigative Committee on JEA, chaired by Councilmember Ron Salem, met to receive updates on ongoing investigations and hear testimony from former board chair and current board member General Michael DeSalvo. The committee discussed capacity fees, work culture allegations, attorney-client privilege, and other matters related to JEA governance.

Discussion Items

• Council Auditors Update: Auditor Kim Taylor reported that her office has held over 10 meetings with JEA personnel and two meetings with the Office of General Counsel to understand the capacity fee process. They are working through old records to determine initial capacity charges paid by large customers.
• HR Information Request: Councilmember Pittman noted that JEA’s Diane Moser received the committee’s request for information and was given 30 days to comply; no issues are expected.
• State Attorney Subpoena: Councilmember Diamond reported that the State Attorney’s office issued a subpoena to JEA but placed no restrictions on the committee’s work. He also noted conversations with the Statewide Prosecutor’s Office, which similarly imposed no restrictions.
• Testimony of General Michael DeSalvo: DeSalvo, a retired three-star general and JEA board member for six years, presented a prepared statement defending JEA’s culture and decision-making. He argued that allegations of a toxic work environment are unsupported, citing that only 12 out of 2,200 employees have come forward (roughly 1 in 184), that JEA has a 98% employee retention rate, and a safety record of 2 million hours without an incident. He emphasized JEA’s independence and cautioned against waiving attorney-client privilege, which he said could politicize legal advice. He stated that the JEA board will consider the privilege waiver at a workshop on April 14, 2026.
• Questioning by Committee Members:
  • Councilmember Diamond asked DeSalvo who helped prepare his statement. DeSalvo initially declined to name individuals but later acknowledged that Jody Brooks (JEA’s Chief Administrative Officer) reviewed it. He denied that CEO Vicky Cavey or OGC attorneys contributed.
  • Diamond pressed on DeSalvo’s lack of prior knowledge of allegations: DeSalvo said he first learned of toxicity and racism allegations in February 2026 via the council president’s tweet and the committee’s formation. He first heard of capacity fee issues in January 2026.
  • On the February 24, 2026 board meeting, DeSalvo defended his decision not to recognize Councilmember Salem as liaison, arguing that the board needed private time to discuss a vote of confidence for CEO Vicky Cavey. He confirmed the vote was his spontaneous idea, not part of a script.
  • DeSalvo admitted attending a meeting with OGC attorney Michael Fackler to express frustration with OGC attorney Regina Ross but said he did not request her removal; he said Ross was “outside her box” and disruptive.
  • On capacity fees, DeSalvo stated the issue is complex and that no deal has been made with Mayo Clinic; the board will receive a deep dive on the topic at the April 14 workshop.
• Councilmember Pittman’s Remarks: Pittman expressed concern for JEA employees, noting that only 12 people have come forward but many more are afraid. She urged DeSalvo to ensure employees’ voices are heard and that JEA’s internal processes are trusted.
• Councilmember Diamond’s Closing Concerns: Diamond urged the committee to focus on substantive issues like the combined cycle plant ($350 million already spent, pending PSC approval) and the Ballard contract (bid rigging allegations). He requested the SIC’s charge be expanded to include these topics.

Key Outcomes

• Chair Salem agreed to consult legal counsel about amending the SIC charge to include the combined cycle plant and Ballard contract.
• The committee will next hear testimony from Jody Brooks (JEA Chief Administrative Officer) and later from Diane Moser (HR) and CEO Vicky Cavey, likely at subsequent meetings.
• The employee satisfaction survey will be conducted by Selection Link at a cost of $9,250, with results expected by the committee’s June 30 reporting deadline. The survey will target approximately 140 managers and above in the JEA headquarters building, plus former employees who have reached out.
• The JEA board’s workshop on April 14, 2026 will include discussions on attorney-client privilege waiver and capacity fees.
• No formal votes were taken during this meeting.