JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax has learned the former CEO of Kids Hope Alliance, who was fired from her position, is now seeking an ethics waiver from the City of Jacksonville.
City records show former Kids Hope Alliance CEO Dr. Saralyn Grass submitted a written request on Monday to the city’s Ethics Office asking for clarification and relief from Jacksonville’s post-employment ethics rules.
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The request centers on Section 602.412 of the Jacksonville Ordinance Code, which restricts former city employees from working with organizations that held city contracts during their tenure, under certain conditions, for up to two years after leaving city service.
Grass wrote that she is not seeking approval to work for any specific city contractor but is asking for guidance on her ability to pursue future professional opportunities following what she described as her “involuntary separation” from city employment.
In her letter, Grass said that while she served in senior leadership roles -- including as CEO of Kids Hope Alliance -- she did not have unilateral decision-making authority over contracts, payments, or procurement decisions.
RELATED: Board for City of Jacksonville’s Kids Hope Alliance fires CEO
She stated that contract approvals involved multiple layers of oversight, including the Kids Hope Alliance board, the Office of General Counsel, the City’s Procurement Division, and the Finance Department.
Grass also disclosed that she is currently working with several nonprofit organizations and private companies. Two of those organizations, the University of North Florida, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, held city contracts during her tenure.
She stated she is not involved in managing any city or Kids Hope Alliance contracts with those entities and will not do so for at least two years following her separation.
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We first reported in October that Grass and her husband quietly launched a private consulting company. City policy requires all employees, especially those in leadership positions, to file secondary employment disclosure forms when they take on outside work.
Grass contended her role with the company was minimal. She was eventually fired by the board citing a lack of transparency.
We also told you that KHA allocated over $12.2 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, raising questions because Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico is an executive with the nonprofit. The $12.2 million is three times more than any other organization KHA supports.
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Grass argued that a broad application of the ethics rule would significantly limit her ability to work in her field, noting that many organizations in the nonprofit and children’s services space have, at some point, contracted with the city.
The waiver request will be reviewed by the City’s Post-Employment Appeals Committee, which includes City Council Rules Committee Chair Chris Miller, Ethics Commission Chair Dr. Erich Freiberger, and Chief of the City Procurement Division Dustin Freeman.
The committee is required to consider the request in a public meeting, which city officials say is currently being scheduled.
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