Water Tsar has full power to "adjust" rates.
The EPA submitted a proposed consent decree to the U.S. District Court in Jackson for approval. The EPA filed an enforcement action against the city of Jackson for its failure to properly maintain its water system over the last several years.
* The order appoints Edward "Ted" Henfin as the Interim Third Party Manager of the water system and Water Sewer Billing Administration. Thus, Henfin will be the Tsar of all things water and sewer in Jackson for the foreseeable future.
Henfin had a career in public works and utilities for nearly 40 years. He recently served as the General Manager of the Hampton Roads Sanitation District in Virginia Beach, Virginia from 2006 to his retirement last February. Henfin stated in a declaration submitted to the Court that he currently works for the U.S. Water Alliance. He has been working with the city as a "loaned executive" since September 14, 2022. He stated:
7. I have met with the mayor's staff and attended City Council meetings. I have spent time in the field looking for distribution line leaks and valves, and I am familiar with the problem at the O.B. Curtis and the J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plants that have contributed to the City's current drinking water crisis. I have drafted correspondence for the Director of Public Works, drafted contracts, and provided advice and counsel on a range of matters, including immediate and long-term funding priorities and agreements. I have also leveraged the contacts that I have developed over my 40 years in the water and public works sectors to helJ secure a national firm's development of a hydraulic model of the City's system, pro bono, and I obtained estimates and recommendations for, among other things, valve location and assessment work, and replacement chlorination equipment.
* Henfin and a professional financial advisor must develop a financial management plan within 60 days of the effective date.
* City officials must meet with Henfin within 30 days after he submits the financial management plan and annually thereafter until the order ends to discuss whether to "adjust rates."
* Henfin determines a rate increase is necessary, the proposed increase will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the City Council. If the City Council does not approve the increase and more than a year has passed since the last rate increase, Henfin has full power to "adjust" the rates with 30 days notice to the Mayor and City Council.
* If customers live more than a mile outside the city, Henfin shall apply to the Public Service Commission for a rate increase.
* Henfin shall create a priority project list and implementation schedule. A priority project list is on page 35 of the order posted below.*
* The Manager shall establish and operations and maintenance account for city funds to fund operations and maintenance of the water system and WSBA within 30 days of the effective date. The city will immediately transfer $2 million within 7 days of the effective date to the O&M account.
If more money is required, Henfin shall discuss the monetary needs with the Public Works Director and present request to Jackson's CFO. If a dispute arises, Henfin can run to its big brother on the federal bench.
Henfin will completely take over all water & sewer billing.
* The Manager must provide quarterly reports about the water system and WSBA. He shall create a website for the publication of such reports. The city "shall" post an "easy to find link" to the Manager's website on its own website.
* The Manager's records are not subject to public records laws.
* The order is terminated when the Court enters final judgement.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate.
* Here is a nutshell version of the priority project list:
- Establish Ops & Maintenance Contract for the system
- Winterize the water/sewer system
- Address corrosion control issues
- Implement an alternative water source plan.
- Develop a plan for the distribution system (i.e. pipes)
- Address revenue & financial management of the water system
- Assess & repair chemical systems at plants & wells.
- Replace & repair as needed the chlorine system and its components.
- Repair & rehab intake structure
- Evaluate pumps at water plants and restore redundancies
- Finally fix the sludge removal operations
- Assess "power vulnerability"
26 comments:
Look out Byram! They're about to pay 150٪ of what Jackson pays.
To summarize line items 1 - 12...no pointing fingers, just do your job.
Something that doesn't often happen within Chok's administration.
Can he replace employees if needed.brought in from CA by the Mayor?
Public records law set by the state. So order demands state law stand in abeyance?
Interesting order. I wonder if MDHS and MDEQ got a chance to provide input in the drafting of the order?
The Emperor has been neutered. Not that he was packing any stones in the first place.
Now how about that garbage fiasco?
Does this mean he starts collecting the 5+ years of unpaid bills before he raises rates for the rest of us that do pay a bill - whether estimated or not?
This is exactly what the mayor wanted, a water system based on "equity"! Everyone will be "treated" the same! Don't pay your bill, your water gets cut off😂
Free the Water Bills!
5:47 - Not understanding your post, but under the Chokwe model of government, if you can afford to pay your water bill, you pay it. If you can't, you don't. Prime example of equity of outcome. Everybody gets water - Whether they dress out, suit up, bench or play.
Can EPA also appoint a ‘Crime Czar’ and ‘Sewage Czar’ while their at it?
Just looked up Mr. Henifin on the interwebs........this administration is NOT going to be happy about this "hire!"
Does this mean he starts collecting the 5+ years of unpaid bills before he raises rates for the rest of us that do pay a bill - whether estimated or not?
He'd better. The few remaining suckers (like me) are totally fed up. Byram is setting up their own water system. I'm having a well drilled to get off the Jackson system. Sick of paying exorbitant bills for undrinkable, sporadically available water. Got annexed by Jackson 10 years ago and although my property taxes literally doubled overnight, I still don't have sewer service. Turns out that's a good thing, because if the sewer line in front of your house breaks, Jackson won't fix it and you'll have raw sewage flooding your street and yard. I'm glad now I don't have that worry. The state or feds will end up taking over Jackson when it collapses completely. That day seems to be coming very soon.
Hopefull Mr. Henfin now realizes not to stay at a hotel in Jackson and learns that we are a Constitutional Carry state.
Mr Henifin is certainly qualified. But will he get help or resistance?
This administration can kiss my NE Jackson a$$
I pay plenty of taxes and I have my medical practice in flowood and Chokwe can kiss it. They’re racist and only want me for my taxes and despise me otherwise. Does Lumumba know Edward Henifin is a white male exceptionally qualified as well
Wonder if the mayor has noticed that Mr Henifin is not a resident of the City of Jackson?
Wonder if this is what Rukia had in mind as she ignorantly caterwauled for federal law enforcement assistance?
12:16 I'm not a doctor but I knew to leave NE Jxn when Mayor Harvey Johnson implied similar feelings toward us pale skin peeps.
Choke Sr and Yarber were much less veiled in their sentiments toward non-minorities so mist of my remaining friends sold under their administration.
If you have the funds to live behind a security gate, pay for JA, and drill you own water well I suppose I can see why you'd stay.
I do miss my old neighborhood. But not enough to subject my family to the incompetent leaders.
Rukia,
You wanted federal assistance and you got federal assistance 😂
A complete rebuke of Lumumba's tenure. He could have pursued all of the items on the priority list with Miller. He hasn't strengthened the already weak hand of Jackson's legislative delegation, he diluted it further. At the very center of this agreement is the implicit acknowledgement that the water system is to be financially supported by rates and rate payers. And his boasts of being only weeks away from completing the winterization efforts at OBC have been laid bare as total bullshit. Chokwe Antar Lumumba = Total Failure.
Does this mean Jackson residents will have to start paying for water?
Will Chowke be able to veto this agreement? Asking for Socrates and Richards.
10:28am X 10000
Chowke was doing the happy dance in his press release today. As KF implied earlier, the new manager may be Chowke's choice. Reading between the lines the new manager is a climate change/rising sea level lefty, so his name might have been thrown into the ring by the White House.
The new manager will be hiring sub-contractors. Yo Socrates, Richards, Marcus...belly up to the trough, but don't forget to share some of that slop with Chowke, right?
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