Federal judge makes ruling partially blocking Jackson Metro Water Authority
Federal judge makes ruling partially blocking Jackson Metro Water Authority
Members can be named, but water system decisions remain with JXN Water
AND THE CELLS ARE MOVING VERY SLOWLY. OKAY DAVID THANK YOU. WANT TO GET YOU SOME BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. A MAJOR FEDERAL RULING THAT COULD SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WHO CONTROLS JACKSON’S WATER SYSTEM. AND THE RULING. TODAY, A FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKED PART OF THE NEWLY CREATED METRO JACKSON WATER AUTHORITY FROM TAKING CONTROL OF THE TROUBLED WATER SYSTEM. 16 WAPT’S NICHOLAS BROOKS IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE WITH WHAT THIS MEANS MOVING FORWARD. NICHOLAS. YEAH, MEGAN. THE JUDGE DID NOT STOP THE NEW STATE’S WATER AUTHORITY FROM EXISTING, BUT IT DID SHUT THE DOOR ON IT, TAKING ANY REAL POWER AS OF RIGHT NOW. NOW, AT THE CENTER OF THE CASE IS MISSISSIPPI HOUSE BILL 1677, WHICH CREATED THE METRO JACKSON WATER AUTHORITY TO EVENTUALLY MANAGE JACKSON’S WATER AND SEWAGE SYSTEM. NOW, JUDGE HENRY WINGATE RULED THE NEW AUTHORITY CANNOT TAKE OPERATIONAL CONTROL, ISSUE BONDS, FINALIZED LEASE AGREEMENTS OR APPOINT A BOARD PRESIDENT, WHILE THE FEDERAL WATER RECEIVERSHIP REMAINS IN PLACE. NOW, UNDER THE ORDER, IT CAN STILL LEGALLY EXIST AND THE BOARD CAN BE APPOINTED AND SEATED. JACKSON’S WATER SYSTEM HAS BEEN UNDER FEDERAL OVERSIGHT SINCE YEARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURES LED TO BOIL WATER NOTICES, BILLING PROBLEMS AND WIDESPREAD SERVICE BREAKDOWNS. NOW, ALSO, I REACHED OUT TO CITY AND STATE OFFICIALS AFTER WORKING HOURS, BUT MY. TO GET A COMMENT. BUT MY CALLS WERE NOT RETURNED BEFORE THIS STORY AIRED. REPORTING LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE. I’M NICHOLAS BROOKS, 16 WAPT NEWS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING BATTLE OVER CONTROL OF THE CITY’S WATER SYSTEM. YOU CAN FIND MORE UPDATES
Federal judge makes ruling partially blocking Jackson Metro Water Authority
Members can be named, but water system decisions remain with JXN Water
A United States federal judge made a ruling Monday to temporarily prevent House Bill 1677, which forms the Metro Jackson Water Authority, from fully taking effect.Judge Henry Wingate refused to block the law entirely but also refused to let the authority exercise any real power while the federal receivership remains in place.The city asked the court to stop the law from taking effect. They argued that House Bill 1677 unlawfully interferes with the federal court’s control over Jackson’s water and sewer systems. The judge identified three parts of the law that potentially conflict with the federal receivership: transition planning, deputy-to-the interim third-party water manager provision (the judge said the state cannot insert its own official into the management hierarchy of a federal receivership without court approval) and financial and asset control.The judge allowed the Jackson Metro Water Authority to have board members appointed, seated and organize the board, but it cannot select a president, take operational control of the systems, manage water or sewer operations, execute lease agreements, issue bonds, exercise authority over the interim third-party water manager (Ted Henifin) or take any substantive action affecting the water and sewer systems.
A United States federal judge made a ruling Monday to temporarily prevent House Bill 1677, which forms the Metro Jackson Water Authority, from fully taking effect.
Judge Henry Wingate refused to block the law entirely but also refused to let the authority exercise any real power while the federal receivership remains in place.
The city asked the court to stop the law from taking effect. They argued that House Bill 1677 unlawfully interferes with the federal court’s control over Jackson’s water and sewer systems.
The judge identified three parts of the law that potentially conflict with the federal receivership: transition planning, deputy-to-the interim third-party water manager provision (the judge said the state cannot insert its own official into the management hierarchy of a federal receivership without court approval) and financial and asset control.
The judge allowed the Jackson Metro Water Authority to have board members appointed, seated and organize the board, but it cannot select a president, take operational control of the systems, manage water or sewer operations, execute lease agreements, issue bonds, exercise authority over the interim third-party water manager (Ted Henifin) or take any substantive action affecting the water and sewer systems.