Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Chamber Calls for Regional Water/Sewer Board

 The Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce called for the creation of a regional utility authority to operate water/sewer service in Jackson's current service area in a letter to  city, county, state, and congressional leaders.  

The authority would cover the current service area of Jackson, Byram, some rural Hinds County, Ridgeland, and eastern Madison County.  

Congressman Bennie Thompson recently advocated the creation of such an authority.  State Senator Josh Harkins sponsored such a bill that passed the Senate but died.   The letter is posted below. 

 


43 comments:

Time is NOW said...

This is another example that real leaders can’t trust the Mayor. It’s time for him to resign.

Anonymous said...

Baby Choke not want this. Baby Choke want to retain control and just get all them emergency dollars.

Anonymous said...

Not no but HELL NO!

Anonymous said...

Privatization is a better solution.

Anonymous said...

I've been saying for years that we need an oversight committee comprised of independents that don't blindly fan girl for Chuck.

All politicians are crooks, but can we at least find a group that will provide basic services...THEN steal from the top?

Chock Full O Nuts plan of stealing from the already empty coffers clearly aint working, so give it a shot.

Anonymous said...

HELL YES!

Anonymous said...

The model is already in place. It's called the Rankin Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District. Set up a similar district whose board leadership is diffused so that the political interference of Jackson and Hinds County is blunted.

Anonymous said...

The simplest solution is to elect responsible people (if you can get any to run).

Anonymous said...

If you oppose this, you want the water system to be right back in its current state. I'd give it less than 5 years once the adults leave. The numbers are clear - the City cannot manage the finances or the maintenance of what was once an asset but instead turned into a liability.

Anonymous said...

The Greater Jackson Chamber is a joke. Just look at who is running it

Anonymous said...

9:12 for the win!

Anonymous said...

Chowke opposes this, which is a good reason to have it.

Rule of thumb: If Chowke doesn't support something, then having it is a good thing.

Anonymous said...

WOKE CHOKE will be furious about this. Thank you chamber!!! We need anyone but the mayor in charge!!!

Anonymous said...

9:19, you are correct. But there's a big difference between "simple" and "easy."

Anonymous said...

If Chowke isn't happy, then we should be happy.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry Jackson is such a poohole. I live in rural Hinds County very close to Ridgeland. I don't want anyone from Jackson having any say in my water/sewer(nor anything). It works perfectly fine and I would like it to continue to do so. They need to elect better leaders, not waterdown the idiots they have now by lumping us in with them.

Anonymous said...

Kenny Wayne will be happy to run it......

Anonymous said...


Privatization means selling your utility to a private and for profit company. You lose all control of rates.

Government can do very well water. It's all engineering. Then you get paid for it and collect the money.

The Regional Authoritity is going to happen.

Anonymous said...

Chowke had the sheeple eating out of his hand while sucking up his lies at the townhall meeting last night.

Anonymous said...

I don’t think anyone in Byram wants to be part of anything involving Jackson.

Anonymous said...

9:12 My guess the boy mayor would love to take bids on running the water n sewer. Based on his history with public bids some of the best qualified people wouldn’t bid. Some bidders would include money for political pay offs to get the job. Instead of opening bids and awarding to the low bidder as honest government does, the boy mayor would have weeks of ‘discussions’ to determine the ‘lowest and best’ bid. We used to have an FBI who would identify and prosecute politicians like this. Apparently the FBI is busy looking thru cell phones for discount codes on the best pillows money can buy, while another team is selling lingerie on EBay that recently belonged to a famous former model.

Anonymous said...

Well, to begin with there is the big lie in the first paragraph. Jackson will never be on the brink of greatness.

Who ever gets to run the water plant will have to be chosen in some way. Right there we are right back to where we are now. The people chosen will be crooks.

The best solution is to let Jackson be Jackson. Let them elect and hire the crooks they seem to like. But make damn sure the rest of the people who do not live in Jackson do not have to pay for their lack of honesty and lack of intelligence. If people in Jackson want to live in a third world city, let them.

Anonymous said...

A regional water district that includes Jackson service area would have a majority of board members appointed by Jackson. That allows them to get more revenue by adding customers who actually pay their water bills and at the same time punish residents of Byram, Ridgeland, and Madison County for leaving Jackson by slowly destroying their water and sewer also. Jackson created this mess. They should have been replacing lines for at least 25 years. If the taxpayers of the state and nation are going to bail them out they’ve got to turn in their car keys. They can’t be allowed to run it.

Anonymous said...

Somebody tell the chamber that nobody in the region wants to be a part of that regional board.

Anonymous said...

Dear City, County, State and Congressional Leaders:
Please disregard the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership.
Respectfully,
Everybody Else

Anonymous said...

Some folks seem to read into this concept much more than has to be included. A regional water system could, and probably would, include those areas that are currently served (maybe 'served' is not the appropriate verb; might should be limited to the idea of 'included') today by the City of Jackson system.

That would include all of Jackson, parts of the rural areas of Hinds County, a small part of rural Madison County, the city of Byram and the city of Ridgeland for its sewage treatment.

Once operating and performing the service appropriately - which hasn't been done for quite a while - if other areas wanted to join the system (or rejoin, as the case may be for parts of Rankin that don't like their high sewer rates they imposed on themselves) that could be possible.

But - if you don't currently get your water (when its available) from Jackson or send your crap to the Jackson sewer treatment plants - then the Chamber's proposal wouldn't involve you.

And 11:55, those of us that are currently included in the area DO WANT TO BE A PART OF IT. Speak for yourself, please.

Anonymous said...

The Jackson Chamber is a relic of the past and it’s completely useless. They don’t do anything remotely productive and have 3-4 people on staff. Who cares what they think

Anonymous said...

11:41

Your idea would never work. Gumflapper and associates cry racism and the federal dollars will continue to flow in….just like the boo boo.

Anonymous said...

Jackson Chamber is a joke. It has never provided a service to anyone.

Anonymous said...

Do they think the other two counties want the problems from Jackson? They can't even bill their customers properly. Why would Rankin & Madison take on extra responsibilities with no benefit?

I guess the best question here is what other enterprises would Jackson be willing to relinquish to a Regional Authority in exchange?

Anonymous said...

As long as Fannin Water is left out of this conversation I’m good with whatever the brain trust decides.

Anonymous said...

@10:53 Not exactly. I agree that privatization would mean a private and for profit company. But rates would still be regulated by the Public Service Commission.

Government has already tried to handle water in Jackson. The city government has screwed it up. If a regional authority happens, and it's run correctly, they will have to have rates similar to what the private company would have (excluding the profit component).

So regardless of what happens (city keeps it, regional authority, private company), rates are going to have to go up and money is going to have to be spent wisely. It's still comes down to the proper balance of revenue vs expense. Just like any business, utility, household checkbook, etc.

Anonymous said...

“ Jackson Chamber is a joke. It has never provided a service to anyone.
September 14, 2022 at 12:41 PM”

WRONG! They gave me a coupon for a free pack of paper at office max. I’m not kidding. That one package was so helpful. I was going to go bankrupt without that pack of copier paper

Anonymous said...

Unless the loans such as with USDA RUS loans are paid off for a water association or system -a for profit privatization company, or authority can’t take over. So those outside ofCOJ should be good. However when the government and politics are involved ?
Butler and Snow made millions after Katrina from those water authorities on the coast!

Anonymous said...

Unless the loans such as with USDA RUS loans are paid off for a water association or system -a for profit privatization company, or authority can’t take over. So those outside ofCOJ should be good. However when the government and politics are involved ?
Butler and Snow made millions after Katrina from those water authorities on the coast!

Anonymous said...

@ 11:46 - "A regional water district that includes Jackson service area would have a majority of board members appointed by Jackson."

The only statute I have found that seems to apply is Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-13, and it does not say that.

Anonymous said...

9:23 And how many businesses do you represent??

Anonymous said...

HELL NO! I live in Madison County and there is no way that I want my tax dollars paying for the ineptness and criminal dealings of the Jackson city leaders. That's one of the reasons that I moved from Jackson. I'll VOTE every Madison SOB and State official out of office that approves of such a plan. And then I'll move to Southaven.

Anonymous said...

5:16 ditto

Anonymous said...

Move from Jackson to Madison and you get new roads, new water system, brand new schools, fully funded police department, all funded by the state tax payers and supported by the same legislature that refuses to help fix the Capitol City's water system and infrastructure. And our 3rd district congressman Guest is consumed with the 'Hispanic Panic' at the Texas border, and a 4 cell Zygote being a person with rights that supersedes the woman's rights and who must serve as the zygote's host until it reaches the stage it can be outside the female. Then, the congressman is given divine permission to abandon the newborn and focus on hispanics at the Texas border while he claims to be helping Mississippi. Mississippi can't succeed with its political position of disregard and disdain for most Mississippians who aren't extreme right wing evangelicals who have their prejudices and disregard for others confirmed every Sunday in church.

Anonymous said...

Good God - Mississippi and its too-many "boards". They should ALL be disbanded by the Governor because their only purpose is to distribute blame. When you manage through a "committee" (i.e. board) no one is ever accountable.

Dismantle and prohibit the Boards!

Anonymous said...

Someone other than the City of Jackson needs to run the water system for the city, but for heaven’s sake please don’t drag Ridgeland into this fiasco. There is no need to drag other communities into Jackson’s problems. The problems can be fixed with proper management, but there is no need to for dragging other communities in an effort to fix Jackson’s self-inflicted wounds.

Anonymous said...


Regional Chamber of Commerce types like getting the Region to share in their expenses, it's time to Stop the Jackson bleed-


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