BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham Water Works Board’s decision to offer new contracts to senior managers just as it faced being shut down or dissolved has set off a wave of skepticism and concern among city officials and residents, who question whether the move was motivated by self-preservation rather than public interest.
The board’s actions came during a chaotic week when state lawmakers passed a bill to eliminate the current board and replace it with a new regional body, a move that would strip Birmingham of much of its authority over the utility. The city responded by suing the state and offering to buy the water system for $1—plus billions in debt—while the board, in a special meeting, voted to extend contracts to its top managers and an executive assistant.
Critics say the timing is suspicious, with the contracts being offered at virtually the same time the board’s existence was being called into question.
The board and city officials maintain that the contracts are necessary to ensure stability for the utility and protect ongoing operations. But the move has fueled doubts about whether the board is acting in the best interest of ratepayers or its own leadership. Local leaders and residents are left wondering if this is just the latest example of a pattern that has long kept the Birmingham Water Works mired in controversy.
The moral questions are hard to ignore: Should a board with a history of mismanagement be allowed to make such consequential decisions as its authority is being challenged? And when does last-minute action cross the line from prudent planning to self-interest? As Birmingham waits to see how the legal and political battles play out, the city’s faith in its water utility—and those who run it—remains uncertain.