JEA headquarters is at 225 N. Pearl St. | Jacksonville Daily Record
Published on November 12, 2024 at 11:22 am
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News4Jax has learned a JEA board member resigned last week after he faced the possibility of removal.
A. Zachary Faison Jr., who is also the president of Edward Waters University, was appointed to the JEA board by Mayor Lenny Curry in 2020. He was reappointed in 2022 for a term that was supposed to last into 2026.
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Last week, City Council President Randy White was prepared to introduce a resolution calling for Faison’s removal because he said Faison attended only 58% of board meetings since his reappointment in February 2022.
Faison acknowledged that he had hefty responsibilities outside JEA and ultimately decided to resign.
According to the never-filed draft of a City Council resolution obtained by the News4Jax investigative team, Faison missed 11 of the 24 JEA board meetings since his reappointment to the board in 2022, attending 10 meetings virtually and three in person.
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City Councilman Michael Boylan, who serves as a bridge between the council and JEA, said it’s important that JEA board members are physically present at meetings.
“If they’re not there in person, they’re not able to vote, so it’s difficult for them to be actively engaged,” Boylan said.
The board consists of seven members.
“Every vote counts in that respect,” Boylan said.
In August, Faison wrote the board chair that he would be attending the board meetings virtually for the next 18 months because, in addition to his responsibilities at Edward Waters University, he was in the final stages of completing a second doctorate at Vanderbilt University. He wrote, “Despite these demanding commitments, I want to emphasize my unwavering dedication to the JEA Board.”
But on Oct. 31, Faison sent another letter saying he would need to immediately take a leave of absence through May 2026.
“This decision is prompted by the continuing full commitment to my important professional obligations at Edward Waters University combined with an additional major academic pursuit I have recently undertaken that requires my full attention and dedication at this time,” he wrote.
“He was initially hesitant to resign,” Boylan said. “I think he was looking at a leave of absence for a period of time, but that wasn’t going to work, either. So I think the decision he made … with the responsibilities [he] has at the university, it certainly made sense for him to step down.”
As a result, the proposed resolution asking the City Council to remove Faison was never filed.
News4Jax made multiple attempts to reach Faison, but he did not immediately respond.
Chief operating officer leaves JEA
Also last Thursday, the JEA CEO informed the chief operating officer, Raynetta Marshall, that would be her last day. She was offered six weeks severance worth about $49,000, with the CEO thanking her for her work at JEA and wishing her the very best. It’s unclear why she was asked to step down.
Boylan said he wasn’t aware of the specifics behind Marshall’s dismissal but said the board has been looking to play a more active role in selecting senior management. Deputy Chief Operating Officer Ricky Erixton has been appointed interim COO.
As for the board seat, the City Council president will nominate a candidate. The City Council will vet them and approve or deny their appointment.
This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
