City council holds special meeting to approve sale with Birmingham Water Works

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham City Council held a special called meeting Thursday morning to approve the sale of the Birmingham Water Works to the city.

Control of the water works board and who gets to appoint members has become hotly contested following the drafting and passage of SB 330. The law, which Gov. Ivey signed Wednesday afternoon, takes the Birmingham Water Works Board mostly out of the city’s hands and restructures it to include regional members appointed by both the state and surrounding counties. Additionally, the previous board would be dissolved and new members are to be appointed.

Hours after Ivey signed the bill, the Birmingham Water Works Board voted to sell the utility company to the city of Birmingham for $1 by a vote of 5-2.

In response to the water works board voting to sell, Phillip Wiedmeyer, selected as a member of the newly formed Regional Water Board by Jefferson County Commission Jimmy Stephens, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Birmingham contesting the sale. Weidmeyer is asking for judge to invalidate all action taken by the Birmingham Water Works Board after SB 330 was signed and affirm that the new board is in full control.