Carrico Text Citing a ‘Big Favor’ Triggers Scrutiny Over Proposed JEA Board Replacement

Text message becomes flashpoint in City Council debate over utility governance

A text message attributed to Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico has intensified questions about the integrity of the city’s appointment process for the JEA board of directors, the governing body of Jacksonville’s publicly owned utility.

The message, sent to current JEA board member Arthur L. Adams Jr., stated that Adams was being replaced because Carrico “owed a big favor to a friend.” The exchange surfaced as Carrico backed legislation to remove Adams from a City Council-appointed seat and install Paul Martinez, the president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida.

Who is being replaced and who is nominated

Adams currently serves as a City Council appointee on the seven-member JEA board, which is split between four City Council appointments and three mayoral appointments under the City Charter. The city’s boards-and-commissions roster lists Adams among the Council-appointed members, alongside Ricardo Morales III, MG Orender and Donald “Worth” McArthur.

Martinez’s nomination was introduced as Ordinance 2026-0119. Under the proposed change, Martinez would take the seat held by Adams. The nomination is scheduled to proceed through the Council Rules Committee before it can receive a vote by the full City Council.

Reactions from council members and community leaders

Public responses from multiple council members framed the text as a test of ethical safeguards around board appointments.

• Councilmember Jimmy Peluso described the message as evidence that appointments are being used to repay favors rather than based on public interest considerations.
• Councilmember Michael Boylan said he intended to meet with Martinez before deciding, but called the stated rationale in the text “deeply troubling,” adding it created an awkward position for both the nominee and the Council.
• At-large Councilmember Matt Carlucci said he would be unable to support the nomination under the circumstances, arguing the process is compromised when a replacement is tied to repaying favors.

Separately, NAACP Jacksonville Branch President Isaiah Rumlin sent a letter to Carrico characterizing the text’s language as incompatible with the ethical obligations of public office and calling for written assurances that board appointments will not be used to repay favors, along with disclosures and avoidance of perceived conflicts.

Why the JEA board matters and what comes next

JEA oversees electric, water, sewer and related utility operations affecting residents and businesses across Northeast Florida. The board sets high-level direction and is central to governance decisions that can shape leadership selection, major infrastructure priorities and long-term financial planning.

The nomination now moves into the Council’s committee review process, where members can question the nominee and examine the circumstances behind the proposed replacement before a final vote.

As the ordinance advances, the central issue is whether the appointment pathway can demonstrate that selections are grounded in transparent, merit-based evaluation rather than personal obligations—an issue likely to influence both the Council’s vote and public confidence in oversight of the city-owned utility.