Atlantic Beach wants info on proposed JEA sale

The proposed sale of JEA has Atlantic Beach city officials wondering what the change could mean for the Beach city.
Atlantic Beach is the only Beach city that gets power from JEA, as other areas of the Beaches are served by Beaches Energy, which is owned by Jacksonville Beach.
Atlantic Beach officials agreed Nov. 25 to spend up to $20,000 to hire a lawyer or consultant to review the city’s franchise agreements with JEA and provide an overview of the value of the infrastructure in the city.
The last franchise agreement was signed in 1986 and commissioners agreed it is time to look at terms and determine if the city is due a better deal. In addition, Mayor Ellen Glasser said the review is needed to make sure the city is fully informed to know how any sale of JEA would impact the city.
The franchise agreements, infrastructure value and advice on how to proceed and other options could all be provided by the expert hired, Glasser said.
Glasser said she advised Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry that Atlantic Beach would be pursuing a review of its assets relative to JEA and reminded commissioners that the city has “skin in the game … . What do we get out of [the sale of JEA]?”
Commissioners also asked whether Beaches Energy might be interested in beginning to serve Atlantic Beach’s power needs in the future.
Glasser said if the city chooses to pursue other options to JEA in the future, then everybody would be invited to offer proposals for power service. She added that she has been assured that Beaches Energy is very interested in serving all of the Beaches, noting that the Jacksonville Beach-owned utility is quick to point out it is more reliable than JEA.
Commissioner Brittany Norris said it will be good to have someone look at the high points of the city’s arrangement with JEA and let the city know where it stands.