The city of Jackson issued the following statement.
"After months of collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Mississippi Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Jackson is pleased that we have finally reached an agreement that represents a critical next step in our efforts to provide immediate and long-term solutions for Jackson's water issues. I appreciate that the City Council and Honorable Judge Henry T. Wingate signed off on the Interim Stipulated Order in one accord with my administration. This agreement allows us to move forward in the most beneficial direction for the City of Jackson to secure a more sustainable, affordable and equitable system.
Ted Henifin has been appointed as the water system's Third Party Administrator, and we have enjoyed building a working relationship with him since the start of the emergency. Mr. Henifin has been instrumental in lending his expertise to our recovery thus far. This agreement allows us to work collaboratively with someone we trust to make smart choices for the city's drinking water system and ensure that we can provide safe, clean and sustainable drinking water for all.
The public release of the previously confidential agreement will now allow us to move forward with more robust community engagement around the mid- to long-term recovery plan and begin making the necessary changes to address challenges such as increasing the number of water plant operators, conducting consistent and immediate repair and maintenance at our water plants, and hopefully issuing fewer boil water notices. The agreement is another step in a long process and is a collective effort that ensures Jacksonians will not be forgotten, and that our ultimate goal of creating a sustainable water system, will be realized.
I want to thank our state and federal partners, especially EPA Administrator Michael Regan, for their ongoing advocacy and support as we work toward long-term recovery and sustainability. We hope that this collaborative effort to repair, replace and modernize Jackson's water infrastructure will become a national model for other U.S. cities facing similar issues."
39 comments:
Mayor, you finally realized it ain’t about you. All we want is clean water! Could careless how and who made it happen.
You have to admit he covered his ass with a slick response.
In other words, “Thank you, sir, may I have another!”
If Hizzonner likes it then he is likely being enriched under the table, along with his pals who are in the front of the line to be contractors/subcontractors, right Socrates?
I think the idiot mayor has finally realized both white and black jacksonians are tired of him and now understand he can’t do anything except run his big mouth
Hopefully, other cities in similar situations have the ability to toss the negligent leadership to the curb.
I do t care what statement he puts out, he is not happy and it’s now ALL under Fed control.
Finally the mayor realizes he has nothing to gain by engaging in a verbal tug of war with the governor with an eye on their respective political futures. It's a no-win and Antar has nothing to gain. The governor on the other hand needs to fan these flames. He could be warmed by a Jackson fire come election season.
You want the community to be engaged??? Then get them a water bill and make sure they pay it!!!
What was unequitable about the water system?
@10:45 AM It's "couldn't care less!"
Wait til the stuff hits the fan when the appointed manager starts disconnecting people.
A bad child spanked behaves for a but little while.
Now can you fix the PIPES and the POTHOLES!!!!
Mayor shut up & sit down as your continue to stir the pot with wording such as Interim Stipulated Order and You becoming a Model for other cities! Have you lost your mind? Flint Michigan was No Model and if memory serves us well there was Charged for the Same Crimes You Committed! Right? Violating Federal & Environmental laws while traveling Abroad or Domestic Lavish trips while taxpayers who PAID THEIR FAIR SHARE for water & garbage suffered in on YOU alone.Right. If you are sincere go to every media outlet that you appeared on & RETRACT all the Racist/slanderous lies ASAP. While we all know you will not do what is Honorable, Right? Please sit down and ask forgiveness!
@10:45 AM Your grammar critique should have focused on the mayor's gratuitous and bullshit use of the word "collaboration" in a lame attempt to control the narrative. Ain't no collaboration when the court requires you to comply.
Getting my popcorn and beverages stocked to be ready for the S**t hitting the fan when the billing system "is fixed" and every house and business gets a bill that must be paid or your water is cut off. And then the howls from the Po' Peoples campaign and his holiness-honor screams "inequality" and "equity" and "racism." And don't forget "fairness." Man, this gonna be good.
The Mayor's response is a diplomatic one that strikes the right tone. It was most likely drafted by a clever and savvy public relations staffer, rather than the mayor himself. What else could he say? The federal government is the last stop and source of assistance required, so he'd be truly foolish if he disagreed with, and disparaged the plan. Rather, he code to spin it as ,"this is what we've been collaboratively working on".
Don't worry, this stupid voters of Jackson won't re-elect him again
You have to give Choke credit for trying to turn the bitch slap he got into a great resolution. Here the fool is trying to make it seem that this was the result he was aiming for. Quite a few of his voters will believe him too. Because they want to. But wonder how they are going to feel when their water is cut off when they don’t pay their bills
Can we get a street takeover and a police takeover?
Note to Dad: Dad; Thank you for that spanking. You were right all along, and I was wrong. I deserve the ass whoopin' I got and want you to know I respect your decision to tan my hide, ground me and unplug my stuff. I look forward to more behavior-corrections in the future. Your loving son...
I don’t blame him.
Impossible task due to limited finances and ignorance.
Now if readers here would pay close attention….the entire state of Mississippi is just as dysfunctional as the city of jackson.
MS is just as broke as jackson.
MS gets more federal aid than 48 other states. Without our own “consent decree” MS would cease to exist as it operates today.
So pay attention those who giggle at federal oversight of jackson water ….it’s essentially how MS operates already.
The feds should merge MS with a financially functioning state to make our financial drain more tolerable. How about MS and WA?
"We hope that this collaborative effort to repair, replace and modernize Jackson's water infrastructure will become a national model for other U.S. cities facing similar issues."
Other cities should let their infrastructure turn to dust and let the feds come in and clean it up.
I’m curious if there are going to be a fair amount of city employees shown the door when this third party takes control. If so, that is when it will hit the fan and when the mayor will be doing damage control left and right. Imagine what these employees could say about how the city was run under his administration.
"...we have enjoyed building a working relationship with him since the start of the emergency."
So, did the mayor stoke this relationship in person or over the phone? If it was in person I wonder what our water savior thought about the mayor not being in Jackson during the biggest crisis since the 1979 flood.
It seems some reporter should get a clarification on this.
What did you expect the little tin dictator to say? He had been strutting around like a peacock, calling the entire state racist, even after Tate sent the Calvary. Washington was all he had left.
“Impossible task due to limited finances and ignorance.”, two subjects you seem to have intimate knowledge of.
Are you somehow ignorant of the fact that the state of Mississippi was made to return to the union? You should take the financial agreement up with Washington, DC.
BS 4:03!!! If the Mayor had any leadership skills (or have a hoot) he would have immediately (2017) got the water billing issues resolved and then he would have had $100M to pay for workers and maintenance at the water plants. If you like Washington state go for it!!!
Chuck, I didn’t read we or us in the agreement. It said Jackson and it’s Administation has failed and for Chuck and his new world order to stay far away. Let’s just make a list of what else needs to taken away from this inept city government. Streets, zoo and the list goes on.
As much as I hate the governor, I hate the mayor more… but dang. If it’s a war of words, mayor won (oh, the pain to praise that horrid petty prejudiced bully)… Tate, we all know Lumumba sucks, but don’t SAY IT. The high road is always better in the long run.
Lumumba doing what he does best: sling BS to try to make himself look good.
403 - wrong. and wrong,
The state collects is bills, and pays its bills. Jackson does neither, when it comes to collecting water/sewer bills. And for the past few years, it doesn't pay any of its vendors in a timely manner - resulting in many businesses that won't do business with them, and ---- schazam! Higher costs.
The state may receive a hell of a lot of federal funds, as do many states. The feds like it that way - since they print the money and don't have to worry about balanced budgets.
But unlike the city of Jackson, the state operates with a balanced budget, and in fact for the past several years, has operated with surpluses. The city, on the other hand, has not been able to get a clean audit of its finances for years, and does little but raise taxes without controlling spending.
Yes, the Mayor is "happy" with this - the same Mayor that said earlier THIS YEAR that once a city loses its water system, it loses the city. Well Mayor, you have now "lost" your water system (thank God for those of us that live in Jackson). I didn't care whether the State took it over or if the feds took it over, just get the Mayor and his cronies hands out of the operation (or in this case, the non-operation if one wants to be correct) of the utility.
I see stokes is now talking to feds about murders in Jackson. Hope they can take over crime with police at federal levels
The crooked Chokeway finally realized that he will NOT get his sticky fingers on the billions. So garbage folks beware. He will now need to squeeze more out of Richard’s.
Capitol Police taking over, a judicial overlay being added in 2023, and now the Feds taking over the water/sewer world. Time to revisit the State taking over JPS.
Checkmate for Tate!
If you believe the Mayor or any of his staff wrote this on their own accord, you are are mistaken. If the Mayor agreed to this Federally conjured up press-release, you can BYSA somebody in cahoots w/ the Mayor fiddin' to get paid... Choke and the Po Peoples campaign does not roll over that easily.
I don’t care who won the war of words. I just want clean water. If a solution has been found, I am grateful.
Imagine football coaches meeting at midfield after the final whistle. One says, "Thank you for coming to our field and thank you for whipping us unmercifully. It will make us better and we will use the experience to benefit our players and fans. But, before we shake hands, will you please wind my clock one more time?"
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