Wastewater Agreements Void - Hattiesburg Council
Hattiesburg Council Votes to Void Four Decades-Old Wastewater Agreements
The Hattiesburg City Council voted to void four long-standing wastewater agreements with private utility operators during its September 22 regular meeting.
The council took the action following an executive session called to discuss prospective litigation. According to the council's minutes, the vote passed 5-0 and applied to agreements with Acadia Oaks Utilities, F & H Utilities, Heatherwood Utilities and Bellecrest Mobile Home Village, some dating back to 1998. Each resolution cited the same legal rationale, stating "that since the City is not authorized by law to bind successor City Councils with respect to entering into contracts for the collection and treatment of wastewater; that the aforementioned Agreement dated October 3, 2006 between the City and Acadia Oaks Utilities, LLC be voided."
The affected agreements included contracts with F & H Utilities from 2004 and 2019, Heatherwood Utilities from 2018, and Bellecrest Mobile Home Village from 1998. City officials have not said whether the four operators were notified in advance or whether they have objected to the move. The decision could set a precedent affecting other long-term city contracts, raising questions about which agreements might similarly be subject to reversal by future councils.