City Council member Brenda Priestly Jackson’s resolution urging the JEA board to end the privatization effort will go to a final vote Jan. 14
The bill would put the Council’s position on JEA’s possible sale on record.
She entered the bill as an in-and-out emergency, hoping to get it approved Dec. 10.
An amendment by Council member Sam Newby at the Dec. 10 Council meeting made the bill a one-cycle emergency, allowing Council committees to debate the legislation before it reaches the full Council.
Priestly Jackson agreed to Newby’s amendment if she could add a condition that the JEA board address the Council's request to rescind the invitation to negotiate before taking any other action.
In her bill, Priestly Jackson accuses JEA of violating the city Charter when it did not provide the Council Auditor details of its strategic planning scenarios until the morning of the JEA board’s July 23 meeting.
That included the option approved by the utility's board — an invitation to negotiate the possible sale of JEA.
While debating Dec. 10 whether or not the bill needed to be expedited, Priestly Jackson argued that JEA’s negotiations with nine private companies interested in buying the utility are underway in Atlanta.
She said the fast pace in which city policymakers are learning about the possible sale warrants speed by the Council.
“It’s an emergency now because bad action continues to happen day after day,” Priestly Jackson said.
“These acts happened in the past, Mr. President, but we just found out about it in our workshops,” she said.
Priestly Jackson said Council has an obligation to act when it finds out.
“They are meeting next week. That’s the meeting they have noticed. I don’t trust that they’re going to meet after that. They didn’t meet in November. There is nothing as a body we can do to compel them to meet. Nothing,” she said.
Council member Randy DeFoor continued to question the positive financial outlook JEA officials presented to bond rating agencies in New York.
The outlook is in contrast to the strained 10-year outlook presented in the utility’s strategic planning process.
“This is probably illegal. It’s unethical, we know, and possibly criminal. I think we need to continue to investigate. I think we need to absolutely continue with our workshops,” DeFoor said.
“We’re at an emergency. I can’t imagine what else is going to happen that will put us at more of an emergency than we are today. Let’s find the courage to do what’s right,” she said.
Priestly Jackson’s resolution was referred to the Council’s Rules and Transportation, Energy and Utilities committees scheduled to meet Jan. 6 and 7.