Board addresses sewage and drainage, approves meeting time change
By Randy Bell
Clinton leaders are taking action to address the city’s wastewater and stormwater issues. At its meeting on February 1, the Board of Aldermen voted to hire the Watkins and Eager law firm to help create a working relationship involving Clinton, Raymond and Bolton to pursue the millions of dollars in federal funds that are needed to build a new sewage treatment plant and a pipeline to the Big Black River. The Board also approved a contract with WGK, Inc. to estimate the cost of possible improvements to Clinton’s stormwater/drainage system.
Alderman Chip Wilbanks said the multi-city authority will be a “really important step in a long-term plan” to deal with the city’s future wastewater needs. Clinton will pay 83.5 per cent of the legal costs, while Raymond will cover 13.5 per cent and Bolton three per cent. The three cities would reap economic benefits from the Big Black project, which would help promote additional development in western Hinds County. It’s a very expensive undertaking, with a price tag of $97 million. And the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has set a 2030 deadline to get the job done.
Mayor Phil Fisher said in his State of the City address January 27 that, without the added capacity to handle wastewater, Clinton’s growth “stops” in eight years. Fisher will lead a City delegation to Washington next month to explore funding opportunities for the project.
As it looks for ways to solve some of Clinton’s drainage issues, the Board says it will focus on the four major creeks in the city as a starting point. Fisher says he’s not sure how long the process will take. The Board held a lengthy discussion during a January 31 work session talking about previous efforts to deal with drainage issues and limitations the City faces in trying to solve those problems.
Starting March 15, the aldermen will meet one hour earlier. The Board voted to amend a City ordinance so it can start its meetings at 6 p.m. The change takes effect in thirty days.
