JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ousted JEA CEO Aaron Zahn fires back over the accusations that the controversial bonus program, that got him fired, had not been vetted by city attorneys.
A three page letter from Aaron Zahn’s attorney written to Action News Jax accuses the City of Jacksonville’s Office of General Counsel of giving “false and misleading information to the JEA board so it could terminate Zahn with cause.” Firing Zahn for cause keeps him from collecting more than $800,000 in severance.
Through his attorney John Mullen, former CEO Aaron Zahn says the OGC not only knew about the performance unit plan (PUP), but that it essentially signed off on it in a July 22, 2019 memo.
Zahn - Letter to Sean Granat_OGC 1.26.20 by ActionNewsJax on Scribd
That’s one day before the JEA voted to approve it. Zahn says “it is bizarre” that the OGC uses that as a “reason for termination” He also says “an actual OGC attorney was literally sitting at the Board table in the July 23, 2019 Board meeting and even participated in presenting the PUP to the Board."
Just last night an Action News Jax investigation exposed that in the weeks before the infamous board meeting, one city attorney expressed frustration over the lack of details.
RELATED STORY: Emails: City lawyers appear frustrated, confused about JEA bonus plan
Emails Action News Jax obtained, show a city attorney wrote JEA’s then Vise President and Chief Legal Officer, Lynne Rhode in part “… I think there is some confusion because I literally have no information regarding how or what type of program JEA intends to implement. I have only spoken with you ...”
Rhode writes back in part, “I don’t think there are many specifics yet.” Those emails were sent June 4, 2019. Seven weeks later, the JEA board approved the PUP.
Resolution 2019-10-7.23.19 - Fully Executed by ActionNewsJax on Scribd