Sewer Report Storm Delay

The receiver in control of Jefferson County’s sewer system may delay filing a report with the court because of damages caused by tornadoes at the end of April, according to the Birmingham News.

John Young, the receiver appointed by the court after defaults on nearly $3.2 billion of sewer warrants, said he had planned to file a report regarding the next steps for the wastewater system and its customers around the end of May.

Young now expects to delay the report two weeks to assess damages to sewer facilities that could run as high as $4 million. He also said damages to homes in the system could lower revenues by $1 million, the paper reported.

Sewer revenues and related fees are the source of repayment for the county’s variable- and auction-rate bonds that failed in the wake of the market crash, resulting in high penalty-interest rates. For nearly three years, the county has failed to negotiate a restructuring with creditors.

Meanwhile, two of three applicants to become Jefferson County’s first manager have withdrawn their names from consideration. County commissioners last week interviewed Harry Jones, the current manager for Mecklenburg County, N.C., and Patrick Thompson, the former administrator for Hamilton County, Ohio.

Jones withdrew from the contest after last week’s interview, the Birmingham News said. A third finalist who was never named by the county withdrew from consideration earlier.

Commissioners expect to schedule a follow-up interview with Thompson before voting whether to offer him a job.

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