The legislature moved one step closer to creating the Jackson Metro Water Authority yesterday after the Senate passed HB# 1677.
State Representative Shanda Yates (I - The Holman Castle) authored the bill. The Authority will be tasked with operating water and sewer services served by the city of Jackson. History and text of billA nine-member board will govern the Authority. The bill spells out who will sit on the board:
Rate increases and bond sales of more than $5 million will be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board.
HB # 1677 passed the Senate 43-8.
State Senator Joel Clark ( R - Mary Mahoney's) said "We are not a third-world country. Everyone deserves clean drinking water," said State Senator Clark when his Senate Energy Committee passed the bill.
The bill will be returned to the House of Representatives for concurrence.



34 comments:
Jackson has clean drinking water.
COJ officials should not be allowed near the operations of the water system.
It says byram and Ridgeland nominated. Does jxn city council
have to approve?
I’m hoping the city leadership will approve this bill considering Shonda is an elected official from the city of Jackson (even though she’s white) I get it she represents a population that isn’t reflected in other parts of the community but she’s elected none the less. Limousine liberals. St Andrews parents and private college educated citizens with money elected her is the mentality.
The inevitable race-based federal lawsuit can be consolidated with Stallworth v. Bryant (airport lawsuit). Same weak-ass, contrived arguments will be made.
The House stupidly passed the version that gave the City of Jackson back de facto control of the water system via majority control of the newly created water authority. How are we feeling about what the house will do with the current version?
You mean Senate didn't go along with the mayor. Sounds good to me.
Jackson water can never be left solely under the control of that incompetent city. Actually nothing should under control of that city.
Why bring race into it?
@8:57am, no Yates slander please. I am a hard right conservative who voted for and appreciates Shanda. I know many others like myself.
Thank God for this bill, Belhaven resident here
Who gives a damn if the City approves this version or not? It's time for the adults in the room to take charge. I'm sure Jackson will throw a tantrum over it, but Jackson should have thought about losing control of the water system permanently while it was running it into failure.
@9:20
Because it drives everything in the COJ
8:57 am So are you saying educated people are liberals and uneducated people are conservatives? That's ridiculous and ignores the history of both political parties in MS.
What really defines being educated is realizing you don't know everything there is to know once you leave school, no matter how high your degree.
You don't ,for example, want a doctor or dentist or plumber or repairman( among many others) that doesn't keep up with new tools and materials . That requires continuing to read to learn new things and that involves reading and comprehending what you read.
And, you don't want an insecure person who fears competing with others. You want competent and honorable folks who "do their homework"!
Shanda, not Shonda (Mr. Worldly), is a blessing to us. Best legislator in our district ever. Author of the CCID. I am sorry you are jealous because her son goes to St. A. Hint: GROW UP.
Because Jackson is a "race to the bottom."
"It says byram and Ridgeland nominated. Does jxn city council
have to approve?"
Try to keep up. The bill's objective is to remove the water system from control by Jackson. The Jackson City Council is Jackson. Why would you suggest the council might have to approve anything?
Star Date 2045…. Hearings to be held on status of Jackson Mississippi water system…
Does Blount feel any guilt for voting with Blackmon?
No, that was amended.
10:22 House Bill said it.
8:57 - It doesn't matter what city leadership thinks one way or another. There is no approval at their level. They're going to get what they're going to get and this senate-ammended version is a step in the right direction.
No. Jackson is a race at the bottom.
There. FIFY.
All of you Jacksonians should email Shanda and let her know you would like the Senate version to move forward.
10:22, the original bill called for Byram and Ridgeland nominees to be approved by the Jackson City Council. It was amended in the current bill.
Wonder if the Mayor should be allowed to make an appointment without the consent of the COJ board?
Way to go Shanda. Thank you.
Ridgeland resident and I don’t want ties to Jackson in any way please!
That soon?
Bill Lear, who made the Learjet famous named one of his daughters....Shanda. Shanda Lear. Seriously. True story.
Great..Byram and Ridgeland nominate them. Great, the amendments remove the COJ mayor and/or council from the approval process, right? Then WHO approves them? A nomination is not an appointment (as the others are labeled) and has to go thru an approval process, yes? I believe the question being asked is what is that process in this version of things?
6:29 Wlbt said they are appointed.
Blount is awful. He’s a long time resident so he knows damn well what caused the water system to fail, and wants the same incompetent Jackson officials to run it again. It’s amazing how soon people forget how bad it was. Is he stupid or voting against it for political purposes since his vote didn’t swing it one way or the other?
And today grifters are asking for donations on Zero Out to cover past due bills. Those donations will more than likely be used for other reasons. Do not turn services over to COJ
Post a Comment