A.G. Gancarski
The Tuesday Jacksonville Electric Authority Special Committee meeting, which was promised to be a short one with “cleanup” from unaddressed points from the previous agenda, seemed like it would be uncontroversial enough. It began with a discussion of surge protectors.
Councilman Bill Gulliford mentioned that Florida Power and Light is running a deal where they offer surge protectors on meters for $9.95 a month. He wondered whether JEA might want to do something similar.
Apparently, JEA had the program in the past. The “low-margin” program was discontinued. Gulliford still thinks it’s something worth investigating.
From there, the discussion pivoted to use of JEA real estate assets.
Gulliford: “What’s our share on Happy Town or whatever it’s called?”
The reference: to Peter Rummell‘s Healthy Town proposal.
Sadly, with remediation costs factored in, JEA will take a $26 million bath on the deal.
Some discussion of the logistics of that deal proceeded.
From there, the discussion moved from real estate to fees for services.
Mike Weinstein and Sam Mousa pressed JEA on fees for everything from street lights to septic disposal.
“Let’s get settled on an annual contribution from JEA that isn’t nickeled and dimed to death,” Mousa said.
More discussion of contributions and charges occurred, before Mousa made a salient point: that JEA and the COJ “treat each other like strangers.”
Mousa contended that the bodies, if not family, are “close in-laws.”
“We further enhance this idea of separation, and as we do this, we’re deconsolidating,” Gulliford said.
With the agreement set to expire in 2016 between the JEA and the city of Jacksonville, expect more discussions of this type for weeks and months to come.
There are very few uncontested issues that come up in these meetings. The flavor of the disputes is twofold. The civil discussions between the JEA and COJ reps, and the whispers of the JEA employees in the back of the room, which become more animated, Mystery Science Theater style, when council members or administration members plead their case.
“This is sort of like peeling an onion,” Gulliford said.
Always new layers.
Matt Schellenberg, at the end of the meeting, wondered whether there are any municipalities fighting this idea of exclusivity in utilities.
