A.G. Gancarski
In a memo to JEA employees Monday, interim CEO Aaron Zahn hailed “a new dawn” for the Jacksonville utility.
The point of the memo was clear. It framed Zahn, a board member for one month who leveled-up into the CEO chair, as an agent of stability for the utility, which has been rocked for months by a parlous privatization debate.
Zahn wrote that he “recognize[d] the emotional and mental toll” of the privatization debate, adding that he is “committed to learn” from the workforce, and that he intends to earn trust.
The language had a fortune cookie feel in spots: “Every day presents an opportunity to start anew. Even mistakes present an opportunity to learn and grow.”
Zahn addressed substance eventually, noting that he had asked the Mayor and City Council to move from a “discourse … of decision-making” to a “discussion” of JEA’s future, allowing the utility to develop a plan to address “opportunities and risk … in our changing market.”
Regarding Melissa Dykes, who served as interim CEO for a week before the board chose Zahn without any substantial public discussion of his merits compared to Dykes, she has “agreed to take on an expanded role … is committed to JEA and working together as partners to accomplish the vision I’ve set forth.”
Org changes are coming, Zahn says. And so is an updated strategic plan, which will make JEA “a utility for the future of Jacksonville.”
Official positions of both JEA Interim CEO Aaron Zahn and his chief political ally, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, boil down to advocating a pause of some indeterminate length in a discussion of privatization of the utility.
The memo does not address that timetable, one likely of key concern to stakeholders inside the company and city government alike.
One comment
Frankie M.
April 24, 2018 at 11:15 am
This has all the makings of a cheap Nancy Drew novel.
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