Thursday, September 15, 2022

Mayor: We Might, Might, Need a New Plant

 Surprise, surprise.  Hizzoner wants to replace the O.B. Curtis water treatment plant with a brand, spanking new plant.  Nothing like a new project to line pockets and pay off your pals, right.  Don't believe me? See the poster at Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumuba's town hall forum Tuesday night. 

Credit: Clarion-Ledger, posted under Fair Use Doctrine

Um, yeah.  The Clarion-Ledger reported:

"It makes it incredibly challenging to staff the professionals that know both treatment processes," Lumumba said. "So when we're bringing people from other states ... or looking for them here in this state, many of them have conventional expertise or membrane expertise, in Jackson our technicians and our professionals have had to be trained in both."

For this reason, Lumumba has openly questioned whether a new plant should be built, rather than investing in repairs at the Curtis plant. Reeves has said he does not see why the Curtis plant would need to be replaced when the J.H. Fewell Plant, which is far older, seems to be operating well. Lumumba said it is a question of functionality and design, not of age.

"I question whether O.B. Curtis has ever really been true to us," Lumumba said. Article

Unfortunately, cub reporter Wicker Perlis (Shouldn't he be a golfer with that name?)  didn't exactly engage in any critical reporting as he breathlessly repeated everything the Mayor said without question.  After he learns how to shave, perhaps he should learn how to use the archives at his own newspaper.  JJ reported just last week the membrane side of the plant is only 15 years old while the conventional filter side of the plant is all of 29 years old.  

May 5, 1994


The Mayor has not shown any studies to back up his claims that O.B. Curtis should be replaced.   No experts have said it is the most complicated system in the country.  No, what the Mayor wants is a project to reward his friends while the taxpayers are punished.  


41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Public works spending is how you create jobs in a recession. Yes there will be set asides. Yes Tesla and GM will sell a dozen new $150k EVs to Jackson businessmen. But think about all of the good $15 an hour construction jobs this project will create for illegal aliens!

Anonymous said...

Maybe they just need to keep the old plant and instead get new city leadership.

And regarding the parrot reporting, I once called the newspaper to task over a water/sewer report that included a number that was 1/1000 of the correct number. He defended himself by simply saying, "Our article is correct. That is what the mayor said." (Different mayor, different town.) But they didn't report that the number wasn't right. In other words, they don't report fact, they report statements. They're farcebook!

Fix the Pipes and Fill the Potholes said...

The Mayor is about to be embroiled in class-action litigation for the rest of his tenure in public service. He's done in politics.

Anonymous said...

I realize that O.B. Curtis has been a cluster-fuck here lately, but now that the professionals are on the ground making the necessary repairs/upgrades to that plant, why would there by any need to replace it?? I would think that the the Fewell plant would need to be replaced first given its age. Maybe I'm thinking too logically.

Anonymous said...

Conversations are happening
Experts will come to the fore
The city is smaller than it used to be
It would seem to me that replacement of main lines in and around jackson in some orderly fashion should begin while the current plants are operational and the feds could help make that happen

Any new plants would have to be better located to serve the entire city but those are engineering issues

This is now an issue we can focus on together and help one another improve our lives

But…this caldron of caustic hatred run by the satanic closeted self loathing hate peddler will never allow that because it’s main function is to castigate blame on “lesser” races ability to manage and communicate

Anonymous said...

Is this what he calls a plan? Somebody needs to explain to him that a plan would detail how he was going to do each of these things.

And 'applying for funding' isn't a plan. Granted, it's his answer to everything and when it fails he then blames those that didn't give him what he wanted - and in his mind, deserved.

Kingfish said...

Oh really, dummy? WHERE should they be "better located? They are on the damn water!!! You put the plant where the water is, knucklehead. The rez is a much more stable source of water than the river is. That is one reason they built the plant by the rez.

Funny how you never actually refute anything I post.

As for caustic hatred, all you have to do is listen to Pickett and Rukia and you will get all the caustic hatred you want.

EFGAlterEgo said...

Voters: We might, MIGHT need a new Mayor

Anonymous said...

KF you really shouldn’t insult your readers. It’s unbecoming of a blogger and makes you appear to be petty and thin-skinned.

Anonymous said...

The Plan that the Mayor showed at the Town Hall meeting looks like a good start. My question is why did he not perform any of these steps when he was first elected 5 years ago.

Lying Lumbubbles said...

@9:50 AM - See KF's comments at the end of the post. Jackson doesn't need a new plant, but Chowke the crook wants a new plant to justify receiving a billion dollars or more, much of which will be distributed to his crooked pal$, i.e. $ocrate$ G., and many other "consultant$/middle-men" for their "$ervice$." There is a lot of grea$e in a billion dollar$.

He is trying to run up the meter. Even The Weather Channel is carrying his racist/climate/prior administrations dogmatic water.

Anonymous said...

"But…this caldron of caustic hatred run by the satanic closeted self loathing hate peddler will never allow that because it’s main function is to castigate blame on “lesser” races ability to manage and communicate."

It's a bit early to be hitting the hard stuff, isn't it? I believe the reservoir was actually built to be a water source for Jackson. Should that be relocated as well?

Anonymous said...

Amazing how the Fewell plant is still contributing significantly to Jackson's water supply!! I am 79 years old, grew up in Belhaven (a few blocks from the Fewell plant) and the same plant, properly maintained all these years, is STILL operating efficiently. Could it possibly be that poor or perhaps no responsible leadership has been the ruin of the "new" plant? I think so!!!!

Anonymous said...

9:56am is having conversations about moving the Ross Barnett Reservoir to better serve the entire city, since a primary reason for it's construction was to provide reliable water to the city.

The conversations surrounding Jackson need to be caustic. We need to burn away the satanic worship of skin color over pragmatism where it ignores itself in order to be able to blame racism. Quit spiting the rest of us just because you think this vehicle called racism still drives, even if there are no roads.

Anonymous said...

That which Lil Choke wrecked for 6 years, he declares too complex to fix or maintain, yet is being fixed by his betters in spite of his failures.

New treatment plant? He only knows how to wreck what others built, leaving it broken, rusted, sludged, slimed, molded, financially ruined, trashy and covered in blood, outlined in chalk and grown over in weeds.

Anonymous said...

These are just talking points, NOT a plan. Even if it was a plan, the title would be

“Things I Should’ve Been Doing for the Past 6 Years,
and Won’t Do Now”.


The whole city needs to declare bankruptcy and go into receivership. It’s our only hope and yes I live here.

I should’ve gone to the meeting myself but I wasn’t sure if I could stop myself from bitch slapping the mayor when he started his usual lies and gum flapping.

Anonymous said...

Mayor crybaby is full of it. No new plant needed. I’m a Jackson resident and I’m sick of his crap. I’m guilty of voting for him and it makes me sick. He’s a crook!!! No new plant. Need another company to run the plant

Anonymous said...

Sure, listen to the man who was not smart enough to keep a water plant working. That is exactly the person Jackson need to decide if they need a new plant. If there was a new plant who are they going to get to keep it running?

Anonymous said...

There have been ideas to move the water plant in water works curve to alleviate traffic but Belhaven residents objected if the plan meant to cut up Belhaven.

If a new plant were built to accommodate for a new stretch of 55 to alleviate the multiple wrecks that occur there annually that could be beneficial.

These are engineering decisions of course best left to those who know what they are talking about as opposed to the people who post here who…like the owner….only hope to stir up things so he can get more clicks and money….and then he can feed his tiny dog and stand over a well in his basement in a pup mask

Anyone ever seen the blog owner on a date? Any woman? Man? I think the JPD should do periodic checks on this guy….he’s as creepy as they get

Anonymous said...

Guys, why don't you reach out to the mayor for comment on this? Oh yeah, that's right...he's unavailable right now because he is in Miami. Smh.

Kingfish said...

It is not going to be built there. Period. The ice storms of 89 convinced them of the need to go find a more stable source of water, hence they built O.B. Curtis at the Rez. Go read the old newspaper articles.

As for me, you sure do take a keen interest in my personal life and my dog. Just curious, do you fixate on other reporters in the same way or just me? Sure takes a big man to pick on someone's dog.

Anonymous said...

The mainstream media was stone cold silent on the Jackson water problems for years...until a conservative Caucasian could properly be blamed.

Its criminal that people are still stupid enough to listen to any suggestion from this moron.
Used to be racism to vote based on skin color, now it is progressive.

Enjoy the results of your refusal to reward leaders based on skills and talents.

Painted-on hairline said...

"When someone shows you they're a clown, believe them the first time."

Anonymous said...

@10;47 - You have got your concept back ass backward

The plan that Belhaven residents objected to that involved the Fewell plant was MDOT's idea of straightening out the curve - which would have involved demolition of (another) street in Belhaven, Myrtle Street. (The original construction of I55 required the taking of the most eastern neighborhood street of Belhaven, which is why the reference to "another')

There has never been an idea of moving the Fewell plant - but of course if there was, the residents of Belhaven would be happy, not objecting.

There has been discussion of decomissioning the Fewell plant - Mayor Yarber's team was actively considering it. Damn good thing they didn't do it, since Fewell is the reason most of the city has had water the past month.

Thanks for your input though. The idea of moving Fewell did provide for a good laugh this morning, especially with the concept that Belhavenites would object.

Kingfish said...

MDEQ and EPA wanted to close Fewell. It wasn't built to handle sludge. $10 million in improvements were made as Curtis was doubled. The plan was for Fewell to be shut down eventually, if not by now.

Kingfish said...

Really, you want to throw a bunch of stuff about Hinds County schools into this? Not happening.

Anonymous said...

10:47 Show us on the doll where KF hurt you?

Anonymous said...

KF can you report on the Architect and Construction Firm that built the OB Curtis Plant along with photos. I am sure it was & is impressive to read about. Maintenance is 99% of the life of anything IMO

Anonymous said...

"After he learns how to shave, perhaps he should learn how to use the archives at his own newspaper. "

KF - that is some world-class snark. Have a drink and take off until Monday - you earned it ;-)













Anonymous said...

"The conversations surrounding Jackson need to be caustic. We need to burn away the satanic worship of skin color over pragmatism where it ignores itself in order to be able to blame racism. Quit spiting the rest of us just because you think this vehicle called racism still drives, even if there are no roads."

Ah, JJ - come for the news, stay for the poetry ;-)

Anonymous said...

10:37 The only reason I wanted to go was TO COME UNHINGED at the first lie or excuse.

Anonymous said...

"4. Bring operations and maintenance staffing up to needed levels."

Until very recently, the majority of the vacancies at the water plant weren't even being advertised. The mayor said they were posted on Indeed, but the only ones there were a few entry level jobs... not the skilled maintenance and electrical positions or the desperately needed Class A operator positions.

Well, I just looked again, and it appears a company named "Chief of Minds" out of Baton Rouge is now posting all of Jackson's water plant positions. 7 different jobs posted: 3 different classes of operators and 4 different levels of maintenance.

Doesn't Jackson have an HR department, and if so, why are they paying someone in another state to do their job? How is this organization linked to Jackson's administration? Isn't Richard's Disposal also from Baton Rouge?

Inquiring minds want to know...

Anonymous said...

That's because the Mayor and his folks think the purpose of federal government is to give away money to poorly run Democrat hellholes because RACISM. That woe-is-me entitlement mentality is pervasive across the majority of Jackson and its the reason this city is in such pitiful shape.

Anonymous said...

UMMC stole my baby’s organs after she passed and gave them them to another child. When I confronted them they produced a forged consent form. I got an attorney and they must’ve paid that attorney a lot to convince me to take a settlement. They gave me $10,000 and made me sign a non-disclosure. My baby was already dead so I just took it. They know who I am. They are crooks and organ thieves.

InsertSarcasmHere said...

Why sure!Let's build a new plant so the new plant water can end up in the old a** pipes that will still burst due to no maintenance. Streets and yards and sinkholes oh my! To quote a favorite line "Winter is Coming."

Anonymous said...

Cities and other public water systems make money that support other services. Let that sink in. Any dummy can manage a water system for it a required service and you can charge any fees you wish to. There is almost no way to mess up a water system.

Anonymous said...

“But…this caldron of caustic hatred run by the satanic closeted self loathing hate peddler will never allow that because it’s main function is to castigate blame on “lesser” races ability to manage and communicate”

They have help for those projection issues. If you don't like the criticism your boy is catching, you should tell him to step his game up.

By the way, it's spelled cauldron.

Anonymous said...

September 15, 2022 at 1:18 PM, we kindly refer you to the clown in the mayor's office in Jackson, Mississippi as a rebuttal to your post.

Anonymous said...

“Chief of Minds” sounds totally legit.

Anonymous said...

"The ice storms of 89 convinced them of the need to go find a more stable source of water, hence they built O.B. Curtis at the Rez."

Anybody else remember when the reservoir and the OBC intake structure froze up and caused a citywide water outage? That was due to a bad freeze, not an ice storm, and wasn't really due to the OBC location, but poor intake design. Point being that ice storms shouldn't really affect either location, IF they can keep the power on and IF the water/intake itself doesn't freeze up. We don't actually have ice storms and bad freezes at the same time. Ice storms require marginal temps right around 32 degrees, while bad freezes require much lower temps for much longer.

Anonymous said...

We should form an oversight committee including leadership from Corps of Engineers, Entergy, a successful businessman, and an independent water plant specialist. No cronyism. This committee should have oversight of all procurements, hires and expenditures and regular performance reporting of the water department in the short term. Longer term, the committee should go out for bid for private operation of the water dept. The committee should evaluate the bid and select the operator, then turn oversight over to the public service commission.

Without cronyism a private company can provide better quality water cheaper than the poorly managed city departments. And we might as well start the same process on roads. We can’t have departments run by people with little to no understand of what they are doing or how to manage people.



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