Get the Facts: How Senate Bill 330 could reshape the Birmingham Water Works Board
For years, legislatures have tried to revamp the makeup of the Birmingham Water Works Board.
drafted 10 years ago, shows lawmakers have had time to beef up what they want to see in
Essentially, it鈥檚 all about power, who gets the most representation on the board.
Here's how the appointed board will work if SB330 passes. Under the amended bill, there will now be eight regional board members instead of the five they wanted when the bill was originally drafted.
Birmingham's mayor, the city council of Birmingham, and the Jefferson County Commission will each get to appoint one person.
The governor and lieutenant governor will have a say, too, with one appointee each.
Here's where both sides are getting into the power battle.
Under SB 330, Shelby County will get one appointee because they are the biggest county outside Jefferson. Shelby will get another board member as will Blount County because each has a major reservoir.
鈥淲e have a reservoir in Blount County that provides holds 47 million gallons of water per day. So, representation there. I can show the acts that passed in 2015 and 2016. In those acts they realized they could not sponsored by a local bill was passed out of this legislature establishing the Blount County and Shelby County which is the largest customer based," added "We currently will have Jefferson County representation on this board but we're trying to pull some of the best minds to be a part of making a difference to make this board."
City of Birmingham leaders and water works representatives disagree and say Jefferson County and the city of Birmingham have the most customers, and they deserve more seats at the table.
The current board is nine people mostly appointed by the city of Birmingham. Birmingham city councilors and the mayor appoint a total of six representatives.
The Jefferson County Mayor's Association has one appointee.
Blount County and Shelby County only have one each.
鈥淭he City of Birmingham, without a doubt, built this utility and expanded it as other municipalities asked to come on board because they did not have the financial wherewithal to create their own water system. Now, we know that there has been issues with this utility in years past, but we are very proud of this current board and everything that they have done to overcome the issues,鈥� said Hunter Williams, a councilor.
Williams says, while standing next to BWWB general manager and the chairperson, "It's local government that understands the needs of its people are closest to the people. But every time you get bigger, every time you get a level outside of that bubble. Inefficiencies come up. Different type of political actions come up that are not in the best interests for those local people. And my biggest concern is that we have seen state Republicans get away from what the Republican Party has traditionally stood for in the state of Alabama."
Last week, the bill was read for a third time and passed 30 Yeas and no Nay votes in the Senate. Now that the bill has made it out of the house a second reading will be put on the calendar.
Birmingham Water Works and city leaders mentioned that the bill takes away the ability to offer public comments. We have not found that information inside the bill. SB 330 is on the schedule to be voted on by the full House tomorrow and could be on the governor's desk as soon as Friday.