Electric Commission Reports Progress
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Tate Anderson (foreground) works on repairs after a tree came down Saturday morning on lines serving Simmons Street and Rolling Hills subdivision in Water Valley. Crews spent much of the day restoring power. In the background are fellow crew members Robbie Leard, W.J. Hannaford and Michael Richardson. The Electric Commission reports that long-term improvements are also underway, including pole replacements, transformer upgrades and vegetation management.
WATER VALLEY – The monthly meeting of the Water Valley Board of Aldermen was held Tuesday, Sept. 2, at City Hall with all alderpersons present. The meeting spanned almost three hours, and among the reports was a detailed update from Water Valley Electric Commission Chairman Brandon Presley.
Presley thanked City Clerk Vivian Snider, Kristi Tatum and City Hall staff for their cooperation as the commission continues building out the new city-owned utility. “It has been a pleasure getting this up and going. Give us another 60 or 90 days and you are going to be proud of where we are going,” Presley told aldermen.
He reported the commission met five times in August and outlined several key actions. Commissioners dismissed ATA, as auditor and appointed Bridgers, Goodman, Baird & Clarke, PLLC, a firm that also audits other city-owned electric companies including Louisville. A second firm was retained for a one-time engagement to establish a fixed asset list, which Presley said does not currently exist. “That is being corrected. It will cost a nice chunk of change, but we have to have an inventory going forward,” he explained.
Advertising continues for both a part-time clerk to help at City Hall during peak periods and for a full-time general manager to oversee the electric system. The manager position will shift to salary-based pay, eliminating overtime that previously cost around $7,000 annually. Applications are being screened through a review committee that includes leaders from neighboring power associations.
Presley said the commission also voted to hire Kelly McGee on a contract, capped at $25,000 annually, to provide comptroller services until audits are complete. Magee, who began Sept. 2, previously worked in the investigative division of the State Auditor’s office and later served as comptroller for Lafayette County and as county administrator in Panola. “She is extremely qualified, maybe one of the most qualified individuals in the state to come in and perform these services for us,” Presley told alderpersons.
On partnerships, Presley reported progress with Mississippi State University, saying faculty from the Paul B. Jacob High Voltage Lab conducted a site visit and agreed to use Water Valley as a case study in their coursework. “They had a very good site visit and they are taking us on as a case study in their course work with students in the high voltage lab to look at the fact that we have one connection,” Presley said. One idea under discussion is a year-long co-op engineering student placement in Water Valley at no cost to taxpayers.
• Compliance Training: On Sept. 3, Presley and commissioners participated in a 90-minute Zoom training session with the State Auditor’s office to review best practices for handling cash, marking vehicles, and other compliance issues. Presley said the effort reflects the professionalism the commission wants to demonstrate to customers.
• USDA Meeting: On Aug. 27, Presley, Commissioner Barry Weeks, Fire Chief Mark McGavock and Yalobusha Economic Development Director Kagan Coughlin met with USDA Director Dane Maxwell, who previously served alongside Presley on the Public Service Commission. Presley said Maxwell is scheduled to visit Water Valley in mid-October.
• Infrastructure Improvements: Work continues on a pad for a backup transformer to provide emergency power in case of major outages. Pole replacements tied to TVEPA’s fiber buildout are nearly complete, and the commission will accept bids Sept. 16 on a larger project to replace an estimated 150 poles that are past their lifespan. Presley called the project “a huge effort that has to happen” and said it will lead into a systematic maintenance program.
• Gore Circle Transformer: Updates are planned for the city’s main transformer and control room. Presley said nine of 12 cooling fans on the transformer are not working, contributing to electricity loss when the transformer overheats. Mayor Tommy Reynolds quipped that the city currently has “the best 1938 system available.”
• Customer Services: Presley reported that by mid-September customers will be able to pay bills through a new phone app and online portal. The commission will also purchase uniforms for employees so they are easily recognized as utility staff.
• Vegetation Management: Contract crews from Looks Good Services of Alabama will begin clearing 41 miles of rights-of-way in mid-September. Presley said contractors will be responsible for removing brush and stressed the importance of getting ahead of customer questions. “We are going to do our best to let people know what’s coming,” he said. “This isn’t just about keeping outages down. Limbs on the lines are literally conducting electricity and causing us to lose power.”
• Streetlights: Police officers are marking non-working streetlights during night patrols, and those reports will be sent weekly to the commission. Presley said the goal is to repair lights within a week of being marked. “Getting the street lights fixed will increase visibility and public safety,” he told aldermen.
Presley also reminded city officials that grant applications have been submitted to the Delta Regional Authority ($2 million) and the Mississippi Development Authority ($1 million) for grid improvements. Longer-term, the commission hopes to implement an automated outage dispatching system that would allow customers to text or call directly to report outages and view a real-time outage map online, reducing pressure on 911 dispatchers.
• Streetlight replacement work underway, with police officers marking poles during night patrols so repairs can be made weekly.
Presley also noted grant applications totaling $3 million have been submitted to the Delta Regional Authority and Mississippi Development Authority for grid improvements. Looking ahead, the commission hopes to move to an automated outage dispatching system that would allow customers to text or call directly, reducing pressure on the 911 center and providing real-time outage maps viewable by the public.
“This is generational work,” Presley told aldermen. “If we do it right, Water Valley—with just 2,100 customers—can become a model utility.”
