GRU Authority votes to conduct search for new CEO/GM despite last week’s decision to give Cunningham a year
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During Member Comment at the end of tonight’s GRU Authority meeting, Chair Craig Carter asked for a motion to conduct a search for a new CEO/GM, a little over a week after a motion to fire current CEO/GM Tony Cunningham did not receive a second and Carter gave Cunningham a year to meet unspecified benchmarks.
Carter said the previous meeting had given him “a lot of heartache” and that he had been “distracted” by Member James Coats’ presentation with GRU’s Chief Information Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Carter said he later went back and read the information Coats had brought up in the meeting, “and I think you brought some good things to light.” However, Carter said at the time, he’d been worried about whether the senior staff members had known what Coats was going to ask them to do.
Carter said he had looked again at the law that created the Authority, and “one of our obligations is to hire that man, set his salary, hire him. So right now, he is interim, as far as I’m concerned.” He asked for a motion to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new CEO/GM; Cunningham would be invited to apply, “and the best of the best will be presented to this board.” Carter said, “I called Tony [today], I said, ‘Tony, here’s my thinking, here’s my methodology, here’s what I want to do,’ I asked him to do something. He says, ‘I’m not comfortable doing X,'” and then Carter told Cunningham he was going to ask the board to do a search for a new CEO/GM.
Member Robert Karow made a motion to recognize Cunningham as Interim CEO/GM and authorize Carter to hire a search firm, and after a delay, Coats seconded the motion.
Only one person, Kim Popejoy, spoke during public comment. He said the Authority had just given Cunningham a year to meet metrics and added, “What is the possible purpose of your… attempt to now create a new RFP?” Carter responded, “To get the best we can get, sir.” Popejoy responded, “I hope the public is watching this,” and Carter said, “I do, too, sir.”
Karow pointed out that they didn’t vote on giving Cunningham a year: “[Carter] made a comment, and we support [Cunningham], and so he is an interim with no specific date.”
The motion passed unanimously.
Cunningham asked to speak and said, “I just want to be clear to you and employees and customers. This is not going to make me waver in my commitment to our customers and to the utility. I am committed to continuing to work with you all as a board and to do that well and to do that professionally and continue to do that through this process… I’m not changing course, I’m continuing to move forward and work with you all. You know, I do think, at this time, I am the right person to go through this transition, and I will continue to demonstrate that, and I look forward to competing in a process like this and continuing to lead our customers, our employees, and serve our customers well. So I just want to make that clear for you all, and I look forward to continuing to do that.”
Kim is a male Karen from the Duckpond neighborhood. What a character.
At closing time at the old Purple Porpoise bar, they used to play the song “Hit the road, Jack, and don’tcha come back no more no more…” for the stubborn folks who couldn’t take a hint.
I’m sure Cunningham is a VERY nice guy, but look at who fired Bielarski and hired him as CEO. That alone is reason enough not to keep him, especially with the way things have been unfolding lately (lawsuits, Jasmine posting about it ten times every day, etc.). Give him back his old job as water manager. That’s where he belongs.
By the way, Scott Walker announced that he works for eight municipalities during a High Springs meeting. Stating that fact is hardly an “insult.” It’s “a valid concern.” The fact that he chose not to address it when asked about it today makes it more of a concern.
I watched that whole meeting tonight and I honestly thought that Kim guy was high. Most those that are opposed to the new board and go to the meetings come across very condescending and arrogant, but that guy really did come across as high
I did have a concern that is now no longer a concern. I am comfortable with Mr. Scott Walker being the attorney.
NO quality candidate is going to leave their position at another utility to join this cluster* as CEO/GM.
The legislature needs to iron out the ambiguities in the next session. I personally think they should transfer all assets to the authority.
But there are too many unknowns. What happens if the courts invalidate the bill? Would a newly hired CEO then be released from a thus non binding contract?
I support the idea of the authority in principal but the bill as written sucks!
They should hire another experienced retiree who wants to settle in Florida, let chips fall where they will.
I work at GRU 3 levels below the GM. There are a few internal candidates in the Leadership ranks waiting to pounce for that job when Cunningham gets let go. There are a few that are hoping it will happen.
Looks like we already saw two throw Tony under the bus. One more Chief has been laying low waiting to pounce.
These bozos are acting as wishy washy with Cunningham as the school board is with Andrew. And when is DeSatan going to fill the open authority slot?
They should have a longterm plan or GRU in the meantime, should any fate dovetail with the manager position holder. I recall before the biomass, the mgr. then favored a new conventional power plant instead, so got booted by the GCC.
A new or current interim mgr. should have various proposals for GRU’s future in mind, and be able to articulate where to go next on that path. We can’t keep letting politicians screw with our local energy the way national politicians do.
GRU should plan to get out of the power generation business and just concentrate on delivery.
In the end, the decision has already been made. There is no money to build another plant.
Unless the biomass is used as a garbage incinerator, then we’d save on future garbage landfill costs. Incinerator with air filters.
Under the circumstances, with The Sun and Mayor Harvey Ward and his supporters smearing board members and posting disinformation on social media in their efforts to prevent GRU customers from having a separate Governing Board, at least the GRUA board members are willing to ask tough questions about how a small number of GRU political executives and the City Commission have grossly mismanaged our utility for over 15 plus years.
Yes, the board members have a lot of things to work out in order for the board to run EFFECTIVELY.
But the alternative – giving control of GRU back to the City Commission who have proven their main concern is their political IMAGE (pretending to be leaders in combating climate change with a forest burning INCINERATOR) and using our utility as a cash cow to fund their COSTLY and unnecessary politicized pet projects on the backs of GRU customers – is frightening.
It’s clear, the city commission after 15 plus years, is NO longer concerned about providing affordable utility rates and keeping our utility financially solvent.
I would rather work with holding this board accountable than the impossible task of trying to reason with the members of the Gainesville City Commission.
Well said and articulated nicely.
It’s hilarious that some of you are so out of touch you think the Sun still has any influence.
In this center of liberal lunacy – it still has influence; even with the County Public Information Office taking one of it’s employees.
Have to remember, their readers aren’t that intelligent and they’re easily manipulated.
Jennifer, I appreciate your fair minded and in depth reporting of local events and posting of comments and have said so here numerous times. However, you need to report on the fact that this “Authority”, by the law it was created under, has no authority because all it’s members but one fail to meet the very simple qualifications necessary under that law. Reporting on it’s actions as if this was not a fact – it is – is like ignoring that the king has no pants on. Please, a disclaimer would be important information and be less embarrassing for all those in this community walking in this group fog. This is not a debatable point by the law. Here is the relevant section:
“(2) All members of the Authority shall:
(a)Maintain primary residence within the electric service territory of GRU’s electric utility system.
(b) Receive GRU electric utility system service at all times during the term of appointment.
(c) Not have been convicted of a felony as defined by general law.
(d) Be a qualified elector of the City, except that a minimum of one member must be a resident of the unincorporated area of the county or a municipality in the county other than the City of Gainesville.
(3)The composition of the Authority shall be adjusted upon expiration of any member’s term, or upon any Authority vacancy, to reflect the ratio of total electric meters serving GRU electric customers outside the City’s jurisdictional boundaries to total electric meters serving all GRU electric customers. For example, upon expiration of a member’s term or upon an Authority vacancy, if the ratio of total electric meters serving customers outside the City boundaries to total electric meters serving all electric customers reaches 40 percent, the Governor must appoint a second member from outside the City boundaries to serve the next term that would other wise be served by a qualified elector of the City. Conversely, upon expiration of any member’s term or upon any Authority vacancy, if the ratio subsequently falls below 40 percent, the Governor must appoint a qualified elector of the City to serve the next term that otherwise would have been served by a resident from outside the City boundaries.”
Jazzman, your trumpet is stuck on one note & ignoring the rest of the symphony.
Great point!
In reference to Jazzman’s comment.
All of these issues are pending in a court of law, and this is the board until a judge says otherwise.
Jennifer, the law is absolutely and unequivocally clear. If a judge says it doesn’t matter, he’s a party hack, not a jurist.
Laws you don’t like are political decisions, not legal ones?
Edit. Disregard. Bit of a cheap shot, my apologies
You don’t need to apologize.
So as long as a judge rules to your “sides” benefit all is well. But, when the opposite happens, the judge is corrupt?? That’s nuts.
Our society is built on laws and judges to adjudicate them. One side has to lose.
Then what’s all the fuss about the recent abortion stuff from the other side?
Now that the board exist, why don’t you accept this fact and work toward making things better for GRU, instead of continuing trying to destroy it? If you really want to see GRU sold to FP&L then making sure this board fails will make it happen even faster.
Jazzman, you need to read past the comma in 2d. A MINIMUM of one shall be from outside the city, not a maximum. The confusion comes when paragraph 3 explains the percentage the Governor must use to pick replacements.
I thought when reading the whole law, it said after formation of the GRUA, that the board itself picked the people to fill open seats, after the original setting up by the Governor.
Roger, the “minimum of one” only makes sense when taken with para 3, which goes to the ratio of Gainesville residents on GRU service relative to non-citizens.
Take a hint Cunningham, they are about to boot your a@# out of city hall!
Want a well run utility? Bring back Mike Kurtz. When pegeen and the commission let him go, it was the beginning of this downslide.
I applaud Mr. Carter for accepting the realities of our plight and methodically setting us on a course of meaningful change for GRU ratepayers.
If nothing else, Craig is predicting the whimsy of the board
Please expand here. I’m not clear at all what you’re trying to opine.
Thank you. Mike worked hard against that wood burning plant. Pegeen and others pushed out a good GM
I really had high hopes of the board actually doing some good for the citizens of Gainesville, unfortunately they look as ASS BACKWARDS as the city commission. Come on, get your crap together or bring in people who are not afraid to ruffle feathers.
GRU plus the fine citizens it serves. How did you enjoy wasting an hour listening to Scott Walker’s word salad answers? You must keep in mind he has a $400-an-hour mentality. Not much to be made on simple answers to any question. High Springs is in deep financial trouble, and he was a huge part of the reason why!
I do have to say that Coats low blow about Cunningham only having a bachelor degree was done in poor taste. From my understanding Coats has two degrees from American Military University, which is nothing more than DeVry or Univ of Phoenix or any other janky online college.
If you want to replace him, which I agree with, do it in a professional manner. Otherwise you just make yourself look dumb
Out of all the things I say, that was an odd comment to be automatically flagged for moderation. Wonder what key words trigger it