On Tuesday, JEA's Board of Directors voted unanimously to fire its controversial CEO Aaron Zahn with cause.
Here are the top six things you need to know:
1) Tuesday's decision to fire Zahn "with cause" may have saved taxpayers around $843,000
If Zahn was fired without cause, as several board members initially proposed, his contract would have entitled him to $842,925 in a severance package.
That includes 20 weeks of pay, based on his annual $520,000 salary, a 12-month consulting contract worth $634,000 and COBRA insurance payments.
2) Zahn continued to earn $2,000 a day after he was placed on administrative leave in December
The board voted 5-1 to terminate Zahn "without cause" on Dec. 17 and placed him on administrative leave, paying him $10,000 a week until the terms of his severance were settled.
3) Zahn pocketed $48,036.48 after his December ouster
Tuesday, Jan. 28, marked the 30th working day since the board placed Zahn on administrative leave.
JEA officials said Zahn was paid $42,031.92 since being placed on administrative leave, as well as $6,004.56 in holiday pay. As a result, he earned $48,036.48 since Dec. 17.
4) According to the Census Bureau, the median household income in Duval County is $53,473
JEA is a publicly owned utility.
5) Zhan's attorney blamed political and media interference for his firing and promised to pursue other legal avenues
In a statement following the vote, he said, “Mr. Zahn is disappointed in the outcome of today’s JEA Board meeting. In the last month, Mr. Zahn has made every effort to cooperate and find an amicable separation in the best interest of JEA, the community and his family. We are surprised at the unprecedented level of political and media interference in business matters of JEA. We expect the results from a full hearing of the facts in front of an impartial arbitrator to be starkly different."
6) Mayor Lenny Curry says he "asked for" investigation that led to Zahn's ouster
In a statement issued Tuesday, Mayor Curry said, “I asked our Office of General Counsel for a thorough review and investigation into this matter so that the JEA board would have all of the facts necessary to make its decision. The JEA Board of Directors consists of dedicated leaders in our community who volunteer their time and expertise. I have always maintained my faith and confidence in the board and stand behind the decision today.”
In late November, Curry said: “I will oppose any effort to stop this planning process because of baseless conspiracy theories, an unprecedented negative onslaught from a small segment of the media, or because the conversation is simply difficult to have.”
Read all 24 reasons why the Office of General Counsel recommended Zhan be fired for cause here.