While the monument take down was going on yesterday – other news was going down too and these both deserves huge Winks!

We are so proud of of the three members of the Jacksonville City Council Committee investigating the JEA scandal. They have refused to shut down the committee until they interview the members of Mayor Lenny Curry’s team members and former JEA Board members who were appointed by the Mayor and involved in hiring and supporting Aaron Zahn as the CEO. The committee members want to know what they knew about any inner plans to sell JEA and create personal wealth by doing so. This is a big story and it took courage and boldness to stay the course and finish the job. We wish them well and anxiously await their report. Big Winks to City Council Members Randy DeFoor, Rory Diamond and Brenda Priestly Jackson.

And to top that one, the interim CEO at JEA, Paul McElroy, slammed the hammer down on the remaining executive team and sent them home until further notice. His message to them and to the rate payers was one of the strongest messages we have seen coming out of leadership in our city — in a long time. He said:

Those he sent home were: Caren Anders, VP/GM Energy Systems; Deryle Calhoun, VP/GM Water/Wastewater Systems; Shawn Eads, Chief Information Officer; Jon Kendrick, VP/Chief Human Resource Officer; John McCarthy, VP/Chief Supply Chain Officer; Steve McInall, VP/Chief Energy & Water/Wastewater Planning Officer; Paul Steinbrecher, VP/Chief Environmental Officer; and Kerri Stewart, VP/Chief Customer Officer.

I worked with Paul McElroy years ago as a consultant to JEA and I always knew he was a great leader. This message confirmed it! Big Wink to Paul and we look forward to how he transforms JEA back to one of the best utilities in the country.

What a great day to see great leadership leading the city. Whew — we were worried there for a while!