JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former Jacksonville City Council Member is calling for Mayor Lenny Curry to resign.
Matt Schellenberg said in wake of the controversial JEA bonus plan and firing of CEO Aaron Zahn there needs to be a change at City Hall too.
“I find what’s happening over there is disrespectful to the citizens of Jacksonville and because of that he needs to go,” Schellenberg said.
He represented District 6 – which includes the Mandarin area – for eight years. Schellenberg said he had his issues before with the Curry Administration, but since watching a controversial JEA bonus plan nearly take hold, the CEO fired and board members resign Schellenberg said it’s time for Curry to do the same.
“It’s not winning at all costs," Schellenberg said. "That mentality is pervasive at City Hall right now and it’s destructive and it’s going to take a long time, unfortunately, to get back to civility and common sense.”
His opinion piece in the Florida Times-Union added concern that the “lack of transparency and openness during the process is unforgivable.”
The On Your Side team contacted Curry’s Office for a response to the op-ed and calls for him to resign. A spokeswoman emailed back, “no comment.”
Schellenberg said he feels it’s his duty to speak out because others won’t.
“People aren’t speaking up because they’re afraid of retribution,” Schellenberg said.
Read Schellenberg’s letter to the editor in Florida Times-Union here.