Bill to restructure Birmingham Water Works Board passes legislature
WBRC 6 News
[{'start': '0.240', 'end': '4.080', 'text': 'New at 10, a bill that will overhaul the'}, {'start': '2.240', 'end': '6.240', 'text': 'Birmingham Waterworks Board now heading'}, {'start': '4.080', 'end': '8.000', 'text': "to Governor K. Ivy's desk and it comes"}, {'start': '6.240', 'end': '9.840', 'text': 'with mixed review. Your reporter Brady'}, {'start': '8.000', 'end': '11.920', 'text': 'Tolbert explains how this affects the'}, {'start': '9.840', 'end': '13.360', 'text': 'leadership customers rely on. Brady,'}, {'start': '11.920', 'end': '14.799', 'text': 'yeah, Britney, Steve, after several'}, {'start': '13.360', 'end': '16.640', 'text': 'complaints regarding Birmingham'}, {'start': '14.799', 'end': '18.800', 'text': 'Waterwork, supporters believe this will'}, {'start': '16.640', 'end': '21.520', 'text': 'make things right. However, opponents'}, {'start': '18.800', 'end': '24.960', 'text': "say it's merely political."}, {'start': '21.520', 'end': '26.720', 'text': 'This is an abomination. Strong words'}, {'start': '24.960', 'end': '28.960', 'text': 'inside the state house from Birmingham'}, {'start': '26.720', 'end': '31.199', 'text': 'Representative Wandling Gavan. Although'}, {'start': '28.960', 'end': '33.520', 'text': 'she admits Birmingham Waterworks has its'}, {'start': '31.199', 'end': '35.760', 'text': 'own challenges, she believes a bill to'}, {'start': '33.520', 'end': '38.640', 'text': 'restructure the board was a political'}, {'start': '35.760', 'end': '40.960', 'text': 'power grab. No one has taken over any'}, {'start': '38.640', 'end': '44.000', 'text': "other utility where we've had high"}, {'start': '40.960', 'end': '46.239', 'text': 'power, we have had uh high uh'}, {'start': '44.000', 'end': '48.399', 'text': 'communications, telephone bills, our'}, {'start': '46.239', 'end': '50.399', 'text': 'rail systems, all of those things.'}, {'start': '48.399', 'end': '52.320', 'text': 'Nobody attempted to take over those'}, {'start': '50.399', 'end': '54.079', 'text': 'boards or to regulate them any other'}, {'start': '52.320', 'end': '55.920', 'text': "way. But supporters say they've been"}, {'start': '54.079', 'end': '57.920', 'text': 'receiving calls from constituents'}, {'start': '55.920', 'end': '60.480', 'text': 'complaining about billing and service'}, {'start': '57.920', 'end': '62.879', 'text': 'issues. Representative Jim KS, a'}, {'start': '60.480', 'end': '65.600', 'text': 'Republican representing Vestavia, says'}, {'start': '62.879', 'end': '68.960', 'text': 'this bill will do a lot of good. This is'}, {'start': '65.600', 'end': '70.799', 'text': 'a an attempt to correct some of the'}, {'start': '68.960', 'end': '72.640', 'text': 'problems.'}, {'start': '70.799', 'end': '76.000', 'text': "Uh there is a history that I'll probably"}, {'start': '72.640', 'end': '79.040', 'text': 'get into later, but this bill is setting'}, {'start': '76.000', 'end': '80.560', 'text': 'up a regional waterworks board with'}, {'start': '79.040', 'end': '82.479', 'text': 'several counties, the governor,'}, {'start': '80.560', 'end': '84.720', 'text': 'lieutenant governor, and Birmingham city'}, {'start': '82.479', 'end': '86.640', 'text': 'council making appointments. There also'}, {'start': '84.720', 'end': '88.640', 'text': 'requirements such as directors having'}, {'start': '86.640', 'end': '90.960', 'text': 'financial, engineering, and business'}, {'start': '88.640', 'end': '93.520', 'text': "backgrounds. The bill's passage has been"}, {'start': '90.960', 'end': '95.520', 'text': 'a quick process as it was introduced'}, {'start': '93.520', 'end': '97.840', 'text': 'just two weeks ago. Much of the'}, {'start': '95.520', 'end': '100.079', 'text': 'criticism is coming from Democrats. It'}, {'start': '97.840', 'end': '102.159', 'text': "was a rushed bill, which means it's, you"}, {'start': '100.079', 'end': '103.759', 'text': "know, no one's surprised that it's a"}, {'start': '102.159', 'end': '106.320', 'text': "flawed bill, and I think that's going to"}, {'start': '103.759', 'end': '108.720', 'text': 'open the door for some challenges um uh'}, {'start': '106.320', 'end': '110.799', 'text': 'in the judiciary um community.'}, {'start': '108.720', 'end': '113.119', 'text': 'Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodin saying'}, {'start': '110.799', 'end': '115.360', 'text': 'in part, "My top concern is for the'}, {'start': '113.119', 'end': '117.360', 'text': 'Birmingham rateayers. This bill is not'}, {'start': '115.360', 'end': '119.759', 'text': 'in their best interest. The city does'}, {'start': '117.360', 'end': '121.600', 'text': 'not own the waterworks nor operate it,'}, {'start': '119.759', 'end': '123.439', 'text': 'but the passage of this legislation'}, {'start': '121.600', 'end': '127.520', 'text': 'clearly weakens the voice of a major'}, {'start': '123.439', 'end': '129.280', 'text': 'portion of the utilities rateayers.'}, {'start': '127.520', 'end': '130.959', 'text': 'The current Birmingham Waterworks board'}, {'start': '129.280', 'end': '133.599', 'text': 'called this bill misguided and'}, {'start': '130.959', 'end': '133.599', 'text': 'unnecessary.'}]