JEA leadership believe their future is similar to that of a frog in a frying pan — unless they do something dramatic, the leadership believes the company’s future could suffer.
In fact, that analogy is the cover of an upcoming presentation. JEA leadership says public records, the city charter, and state statutes are preventing the public utility from reaching its full potential, according to documents obtained by First Coast News.
Inside the nearly 60-page document, JEA says it is limited in how it can do business today by only cutting cost/workforce and increasing customer rates. According to the document, JEA wishes they could invest in more research and development opportunities, reduce their city contribution, sell assets and acquire new businesses and customers.
International Brotherhood of Electric Workers local union president Valerie Gutierrez says she is doing her best to calm workers.
“There’s nothing in writing that says that they’re not going to have a job, so just to focus on what they do every day and not get hurt,” Gutierrez said.
She added that until the board makes a decision, lingering questions remain about the future for the company and workers.
JEA also cites public records, public policy, the city charter, and the Florida Constitution as obstacles. The document also includes a form of an appointed layoff notice.
A statement from a JEA spokeswoman says in part, “Building this set of assumptions [outlined in the packet] is the best way to help guide JEA in the short and long term.”
This document is expected to be delivered to the JEA’s Board of Directors on Tuesday and was sent to all employees in advance Thursday morning. The document is part of a series of proposals presented to the Board to help prepare JEA plan for the future.
Those included a presentation on a traditional path forward and a status quo path forward. This month’s plan is the non-traditional path forward which appears to be moving the organization to a non-public operating structure.
Last month, JEA leadership told the board that if they stick with their traditional structure, they would no longer need the new downtown headquarters and could include nearly 600 layoffs.
If JEA sticks with the status quo, it would mean electric rates would have to climb 52% by 2030, with water rates up 16% in the same time frame, according to their presentation in May.