State attorney Melissa Nelson’s office is looking into JEA

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — State attorney Melissa Nelson said her office is looking into matters involving JEA.

It comes one day after the utility’s board voted to terminate CEO Aaron Zahn’s contract.

In a statement sent to Action News Jax Nelson said, “We have heard the concerns of the community over the past several months. This office is — and has been — looking into matters involving JEA. We will not be commenting further.”

They’re words Michael Ward, who co-chairs the Jacksonville Civic Council’s JEA subcommittee, wanted to hear.

“The facts need to be public now for everyone to understand,” said Ward.

The Civic Council wrote a letter to city leaders Tuesday.

In that letter, it asks for Nelson to “convene a grand jury to investigate the actions of the JEA board and senior management.”

Now that the board voted to terminate Zahn’s contract, Ward wants to see the sale process stopped.

“It’s broken, it’s not transparent, it’s secretive, and it has no integrity,” he said.

In the meantime, Ward said he’d like to see Zahn replaced by someone who has experience.

“We think it should be a utility executive,” said Ward.

As the utility enters a new chapter, Ward said there’s no need to rush into anything going forward.

“There’s lessons to be learned in that, how do we do this properly,” he said.

The NAACP has also written a letter calling for a criminal investigation into the proposed sale of JEA.

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