State and local officials have begun to appoint members to a newly reformed Birmingham Water Works Board after Governor Kay Ivey’s official enactment of SB330 early yesterday afternoon

The new law establishes a regional board with broader representation than just the City of Birmingham, which historically has accounted for a disproportionate level of control over the state’s largest water utility. Lawmakers addressed those issues in this year’s legislative session.

Under the new law, the board’s composition shifts from nine members – six appointed by Birmingham officials – to seven members appointed by various state and regional authorities. 

That new board began taking shape on Thursday as Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth and Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens announced their first appointments.

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Appointments must be made within 20 days of the enactment of the new law by the Governor, the Lt. Governor, the Jefferson County Commission President, the Birmingham Mayor, the Birmingham City Council, and the governing bodies of Blount and Shelby counties, which house major reservoirs supplying the system. 

As proposed by lawmakers and enacted by the governor yesterday, SB330 requires those appointed to the new regional board possess specific professional qualifications to ensure competent oversight. According to those provisions, appointees must demonstrate a varied balance of specific strengths such as financial expertise, such as banking or long-term debt management, engineering proficiency, extensive experience in managing complex business operations comparable to water or sewer systems.

RELATED: Birmingham Water Works overhaul bill clears House committee, awaits final passage

Today, Jimmie Stephens, President of the Jefferson County Commission, announced his qualified appointment in Phillip R. Wiedmeyer, a retired professional engineer with more than four decades of experience in the Alabama business and energy sectors. 

Wiedmeyer spent 46 years with Alabama Power Company. Over the course of his career, Wiedmeyer held various roles in the design, construction, and licensing of power plants, as well as in external affairs.

“Beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Wiedmeyer has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to public service through leadership roles in numerous civic, transportation, and community organizations, including the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, the Coalition for Regional Transportation, and the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Citizens Committee,” Stephens said in a statement to Yellowhammer News. 

“Phillip is a man of exceptional character, proven leadership, and deep organizational experience. I am confident that his appointment will bring valuable insight, accountability, and integrity to this newly restructured Board as it works to serve the water needs of our citizens across the region.”

Bill Morris, a longtime public servant and utility manager, who has spent decades contributing to the growth and development of the regional community in St. Clair County, was appointed by Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, Yellowhammer News confirmed on Thursday.

Since 2003, Morris has served as the general manager of Leeds Water Works, where he has worked closely with engineers on current and future projects to promote regional growth. His expertise includes a thorough knowledge of Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) rules and regulations for water utilities, as well as experience with bond issuance and the State Revolving Fund program.

In the past 24 hours since the legislation was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey, the City of Birmingham’s attempts to maintain control over the water utility have been unsuccessful in both legal and logistical means.

On Tuesday, the city filed a federal lawsuit challenging the law, before U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks quickly denied the city’s emergency request to block its implementation.

Separately, the Birmingham City Council approved a resolution to purchase the Birmingham Water Works Board’s assets for an absurd $1.

However, this faced immediate legal challenges.

Phillip Wiedmeyer, the first member appointed to the new regional board established, filed a federal lawsuit stating clearly that the board ceased to exist upon the governor’s signing of the bill.

Yellowhammer News requested information from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office regarding when he plans to announce his appointment to the new board. At the time of publication, no response had been received.