Jackson’s mayor and a majority of the City Council gave their support Monday to a proposal advancing at the Capitol that would put long-term control of the city’s water and sewer systems under a separate utility authority. Residents, though, offered concerns during a crowded town hall meeting that included tense confrontation between officials.
House Bill 1677 would create a “Metro Jackson Water Authority” led by a nine-member board who would appoint a president to run daily operations. The bill passed the House last week and awaits action in the Senate. The Jackson City Council called a meeting Monday to hear residents’ thoughts on the idea.
Several Jacksonians also backed the bill, arguing this was as good a deal the city would get. In previous legislative sessions, lawmakers have only introduced bills that would give a majority of the board appointments to state officials.
“From my perspective, we’re caught between a rock and a hard place,” said John Byrd, vice president of the Association of South Jackson Neighborhoods. “It’s problematic we’re in this situation, but we’ve got to get out of this situation. This is a way to ease out of the burden and hopefully get back onto sound ground.”…