JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Housing Authority board voted unanimously to fire CEO Cheron Corbett Waller during an emergency meeting and named former JHA CEO Robyn Phillips acting CEO.
Board members said Corbett Waller had not resigned over the weekend. The decision comes a week after she proposed receiving a 12% cut of development fees coming through the agency, which could have netted her close to $1 million from one deal.
Board Chair Daniel Blanchard cited the proposed bonus as one of his concerns.
“I think there’s operational issues, I think there’s cultural issues, there’s financial issues, the books are a mess, the million-dollar bonus concept I think was horrific,” Blanchard said.
Other board members cited concerns about trust and differing visions for the agency.
“I don’t believe that the answers that we were given as a board were honest, complete,” board member Robin Smith said.
“I think this board and this CEO just has different visions and different pathways down which to go,” board member Hank Rogers said.
Action News Jax reported Monday that it obtained a 10-page analysis by the mayor’s office titled “Red Flags for Board Meeting,” detailing concerns about JHA’s finances, contracts and board oversight. The analysis said the agency was on pace for a nearly $4 million loss.
Corbett Waller’s attorney, Tad Delegal, disputed suggestions of financial mismanagement in an interview with Action News Jax after the meeting.
“The budget is in the best shape that it’s ever been for this agency,” Delegal said.
“I think it’s very unfortunate that they would not permit an opportunity for a response or to defend oneself, especially since she’s done such a good job with this authority,” Delegal said.
Delegal said Corbett Waller was fired without cause and will receive 22 weeks of severance pay under her contract. Her $300,000 annual salary puts the payout at nearly $127,000.
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