Update: Water freedom is coming to Jackson. The Senate passed HB# 1677 by a vote of 34-15. The bill goes to the Governor for his signature.
Original Post: The legislature is only one step away from creating a utility authority to oversee Jackson's water and sewer systems after the Mississippi House of Representatives approved the conference report for HB# 1677 by a 78-40 vote.
The conferees are State Reprentatives Shanda Yates, Hank Zuber, and Brent Powell. Senate conferees are Joel Carter, Hillman Frazier, and Bart Williams.
The Senate must still approve the conference report before it goes to the Governor for his signature. Governor Reeves is expected to sign the measure into law.
State Representative Shanda Yates (I - Rootdown Dispensary) authored HB# 1677. The bill will create the Jackson Metro Water Authority and task the Authority with operating water and sewer services operated by the city of Jackson. History and text of bill.
The bill creates a nine-member board to govern the Authority. The board members are:
- Three appointed by Mayor of Jackson
- Two appointed by Governor
- One appointed by Lieutenant Governor
- One appointed by Mayor of Byram (Confirmed by Board of Ealdormen)
- One appointed by Mayor of Ridgeland (Confirmed by Board of Ealdormen)
- One appointed by Governor who will confer with Jackson Mayor on appointment.
The Jackson Mayor will be an ex-officio member of the board. He can participate in discussions but will not have a vote.
A two-thirds majority of the board is required to approve rate increases and bond sales of more than $5 million. Major contracts must be submitted to a competitive bidding process (Section 13).
The appointments must be made by May 1. Board members must have experience in one of the following areas: business management, fiscal affairs, public finance, public health, engineering, public works.
The minimum qualifications are good ones. The goal is to have professionals serving on the Board, not politicians, preachers, community activists, DJ's, and nurses. The state of Louisiana followed a similar policy when it reformed the levee boards after Hurricane Katrina (although Landry and his cronies are trying to undo those reforms.).
Members serve four-year terms and no member can serve more than two terms.
* The Authority is subject to the Open Meetings Act and the Public Records Act.
The transfer of the water and sewer systems to the Jackson Metro Water Authority is not a fait accompli as the city has to approve the lease. No lease, no transfer. However, if the city agrees to a lease, it will enjoy $120 million in water/sewer debt, including Siemens bonds, rolling off its books as the Authority will assume the debt.
31 comments:
Democrat block vote- apparently against Jacksonians having a functional water system
I didn't have to read the conference report -- though I did after reading JJ -- to understand that Horhn lost the battle for voting control of the board. The Yeas and Nays alone told the story.
Odds are it passes the Senate considering that body overwhelmingly passed it the first time they had a chance (and after they amended it).
Does it have in the bill where the board,
their kin or friends can't get contracts?
I believe the Senate will concur. I also think city of Jackson, or some arm, will file a lawsuit the day the governor signs it. Basis of lawsuit? same old crap....we want control of who has to pay their bill, we want control of who gets contracts, we want the money. Hope I'm wrong.
Yates said if governor and mayor can't
agree there will no appt.
How is this latest version of the bill different than the one the Senate originally passed?
Changes Mayor's status
See y'all in about a decade after the fifth circuit reverses and renders Carlton Reeves for 8th time. Until the 5th circuit does so, ain't nothing of consequence changing and Jackson will continue to Jackson the water system up.
KF, you post that members will serve a 4 year term; my read of the bill is that the appointees will be will-and-pleasure appointees, which negates any term of appointment.
Also, bill includes a requirement that the authority will "negotiate" with the city on a lease for the facilities. What happens if the city refuses to agree to any lease other than one that provides them with a ridiculous cash payment (anything over $100/year would be ridiculous considering the value of the system at this point; Hohrn is quoted as having said he expects a $10 million lease agreement). If the city refuses to agree to the lease, what happens with this entire process?
The info posted above states that the appointees by the mayors of Byram and Ridgeland must be approved by the board of aldermen, which implies their board and not the city council of Jackson. The original house bill had these appointees being approved by the council.
That might be Yates' opinion, but I'm not sure that would be the result; although it will be interesting. But IF that is the case, it means that Yates again ceded to Hohrn control of the board; all the Mayor has to do is not agree on the "consultation" and the Governor loses a position - something that might lead Tate to veto as written. (An eight person board, with a 2/3 requirement to raise rates would give Mayor control over seeing rates were never raised.)
City has to agree to the lease.
Logical stance: "This authority will have certain protections that will not allow COJ administration to deviate. With oversight from all of these parties, water quality and procedural mandates can be followed and adhered to."
Local stance: "Shut the fuck up white boy"
That is the epitome of Jackson and, honestly, Mississippi as a whole. It's all pure trash. Every acre, every square foot from Louisiana to Alabama. Period.
Any major changes from what was sent back to House from Senate?
How many MORE years will this keep going on? Who are the (so called) lawyers Who continue to get rich off of this ephemeral scheme?
March 30, 2026 at 12:34 PM
How so?
Senate passes it.
Unless the board is made up of representatives of “producers” and not “takers”, then the water crisis will continue to fester and grow. Creative Destruction with the City filing for bankruptcy may be the only solution. To be sure, the water crisis is not the only serious problem facing the City.
Well, the “everything is racist” grift has kinda played out so they need a new bandwagon to make money on.
Doesn't the court have to approve it?
The authority will not be set up if the city doesn't agree to lease the system.
One thing is certain, City of Jackson isn't returning to control the system.
No. The Governor has to sign the bill. Wingate only has purview over the current running of the sewer and water systems.
@347, Im not sure about that. The City of Jackson will be involved in 4 of the board seats - that will basically ensure that rates will never be raised and the system has to have revenue of it will fail again once JXN Water is gone.
Why is the COJ fighting tooth and nail for years to retain/maintain control of the water system. This question is at least as valid as: Why do democrats in congress fight tooth and nail to oppose voter I.D. and prohibiting aliens from voting?
Rates: There is a section that states every 2 years rates must be checked. After two 2-year rate checks, rates will be raised if necessary and if not already raised.
"In the event of any action or matter against the authority, the Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court shall select an appropriate circuit or chancery court, which shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the matter."
All funds provided in HR 2617 and any other funds related to fed case against city "shall be spent according to the direction of the ITPM" until authority assumes management and control over the systems.
"To write off revenues deemed uncollectible that were billed to customers prior to November 29, 2022, and, as a regular accounting practice of the authority, to further write off revenues deemed uncollectible after the third year of collection efforts. Nothing herein permits the provision of services without charging applicable rates in effect at the time services are provided and requiring payment of such services"
4:47 - If a rate increase was voted upon and all three representatives from Jackson voted no, there are still six votes for yes that would see it through, so yes, 3:47 is pretty accurate. I think this is the best it's going to get, but it does assure that COJ doesn't (mis)manage it again. Thank sweet Jesus.
4:21 Judge has control of system. He will have to agree to turn it over.
Carter said he was looking long term. He said Horhn will not always be mayor.
Blount who was all goody goody with Bad Bennie a while back and I commented my disappointment in him and got "unfriended" again proves he's a disappointment by taking sides against a good water system and giving control to the ineffective wannabes in charge!
Interesting: Sen. Joel Carter, a Republican from Gulfport who led the Senate’s work on the proposal, raised two other changes in the latest version of the bill. The first is requiring the authority to conduct an independent rate study every two years. If two straight rate studies recommend a rate increase, and the authority hadn’t raised rates in two years, the new law requires the body to adopt a rate increase.
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