Jacksonville’s mayor and the head of JEA are speaking out for the first time following accusations of racism and a toxic work environment at the utility company made by City Council President Kevin Carrico.

This comes as Carrico faces scrutiny of his own for sending text messages to JEA board member Arthur Adams, Jr.. In those messages, he told Adams he owed a ‘big favor to a friend,’  and wanted to put that friend on the JEA board when Adams’ term ended.

Carrico put out a statement Thursday where he claimed he has received numerous reports from JEA employees who accused the CEO of racism and creating a toxic work culture.

JEA CEO Vickie Cavey addressed these allegations during a press conference on Friday.

“Racism has no place anywhere, especially at JEA where I am charged to make sure none of that exists. No, there is nothing that I know of and especially not from me. One hundred percent, I can say that,” Cavey said.

Mayor Donna Deegan stood up for Cavey, calling her an honest and trustworthy public servant. Deegan claimed this all started over a contract that JEA had with the Ballard lobbying firm. Cavey confirmed JEA decided not to renew the contract with the firm and that contract ended January 31, 2026.

The mayor said there was a ‘pressure campaign’ for JEA to keep this contract.

“This vile smear campaign magically appeared after she resisted pressure to renew a lobbying contract with people who are politically connected to a handful of council members, including our council president. That’s when all of this started. These are the same people who were part of the effort to sell our public utility, and frankly, who have been responsible for much of the toxic political culture in Jacksonville that people elected me to end,” Deegan said.

Deegan did not mention any specific names behind the contract debacle during her press conference, but according to the Ballard firm’s website, former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is a partner at the firm’s office in Jacksonville. Curry told First Coast News he was not aware of the comments made by the mayor on Friday and said it ‘sounds like she is a rookie quarterback seeing ghosts on the field and hearing footsteps in the pocket.’

When asked about the so-called ‘pressure campaign,’ Cavey said she would not necessarily describe it that way.

“Forgive me, Mayor, but I didn’t really have a pressure campaign. I wouldn’t say I had a pressure campaign at all. We reviewed that contract and did not use them at all to my knowledge during that year. It was a three-year contract with after one year, up for renewal, and we made the decision not to renew it, and that notice was sent in January, and it did end in January 31st,” Cavey explained.

Cavey was further asked whether anyone called her and asked her to renew the contract, which prompted Deegan to step in.

“Vickie tell the truth…and shame the devil,” Deegan said. “I want you to be honest and stop protecting people.”

“I wouldn’t call it a pressure campaign. I would not call it a pressure campaign. I would say maybe we should, but a termination was already given,” Cavey said.

Carrico has since responded to the mayor’s press conference with a statement.

“Today’s frantic press conference made one thing clear: there is a growing crisis of confidence at JEA. The incoming Board Chair has called for the firing of CEO Vickie Cavey, the still-unexplained removal of well-respected Chief of Staff and former Fire Chief Kurt Wilson raises serious concerns, employee morale is low, and ratepayers are burdened with record-high costs – all pointing to instability at our public utility,” Carrico said.

Cavey said she could not speak on personnel matters when asked about her former Chief of Staff Kurt Wilson.

JEA Board Chair Joe DiSalvo said the board had an outside company look into the operations of JEA last year.

“Less than a year ago, we had an outside agency come in to do a soup to nuts look at JEA to make sure how we’re doing things, that included morale, by the way, and any of that feedback there was no concerns of any morale issues. So, is there something to bring another outside agency in? I’m not opposed to it,” DiSalvo explained.

Deegan called Carrico’s actions ‘disappointing,’ and said there’s a problem with local bad actors going on a ‘retribution and revenge tour.’

“I think sometimes good people can listen to the wrong people. I think they can want things so much for their political futures or believe that there’s only one way forward or become so inured to what’s even happening around them and to them in terms of the political environment, that they go along and I hate to see that,” Deegan said.

Carrico further criticized the mayor for holding the press conference with JEA representatives.

“What is most troubling is Mayor Deegan’s direct involvement in what is supposed to be an independent authority. JEA was deliberately structured to operate free from political pressure, yet we are now seeing an unmistakable attempt to inject mayoral influence into decisions that belong to its independent leadership and board. When the independence of our public utility is compromised, every ratepayer should be alarmed – especially given the painful lessons from the attempted sale of JEA,” Carrico wrote in a statement.

Carrico also called for the preservation of all communication between the Mayor’s Office and Cavey, their staffs, and JEA leadership over the last 60 days. He still has not provided an answer to what that ‘big favor’ was in those text messages sent to JEA Board Member Arthur Adams.

Some of Carrico’s colleagues on the city council are also speaking on the controversy. Councilman Jimmy Peluso spoke with First Coast News on Friday following the press conference. He said he was proud of Deegan for addressing Carrico’s actions.

“I think what we heard today is a lot of what people knew, right? Like, that good old boy network, it’s not gone, it’s not gone just because we’re in the 2020s. It’s still alive and well, and unless we call it out, unless we try to push it out, then it’s gonna continue to be pervasive in our city,” Peluso said.

Councilman Matt Carlucci also weighed in on Carrico’s comments. He provided the following statement:

“Council President Kevin Carrico is making serious allegations about JEA’s culture and leadership. If he has credible evidence, he owes it to the Council and the public to present it transparently. If those concerns were behind his recent appointment effort, that should have been stated at the time rather than framed as personal favoritism or a personal favor. Allegations of this magnitude require clarity, facts, and proper process.”