UPDATE:
Prichard residents are asking Prichard Water Board's leadership to show them the money. An emergency meeting was held Tuesday; It comes after financial documents revealed the utility is in default on the service on a $55 million bond with Synovus Bank. The meeting was packed with Prichard Water customers, but several board members were missing. The customers in attendance are saying enough is enough.
Every chair was full, except for the 3 that actually matter. Board members Chairman Russell Heidelberg, Vice Chairman Earnestine Moore, and Secretary Treasurer Beverly Bunch were not in attendance.
"Me and John Johnson just like the customers, we want to know where the money at?" asks Prichard Water Board Member Cherry Doyle.
Documents obtained by NBC 15 dating back to December show the Prichard Water Board is in default of a $55 million dollar bond with Synovus Bank. Its missed payments from December and January so far. Johnson says the absent board members should've been there.
"Because they did not show and we didn't have 3 members it had to turn into an informal discussion and so therefore the customers are still left in limbo and we just want to know where's the money," says Prichard Water Board Member John Johnson.
Prichard resident, Carletta Davis, says community members should consider impeachment.
"If you don't want the responsibility of their position if you don't want to answer to the citizens, who are your boss, then you don't need to have your job," says Davis.
Attorney Harry Sattterwhite has been hired by Johnson and Doyle. He says starting impeachment proceedings would take 5 residents to file and would cost around $100,000.
"The problem is... Can 5 taxpayers in Prichard afford to do that? And the law says if they file the impeachment and it doesn't work and the person is not impeached- they have to pay the attorney’s fees," says Satterwhite.
Another resident, Severia Morris, rallying community members together to take a stand.
"We don't want to end up like a Flint, Michigan based on politicians and people making decisions to self-service," says Morris. "We got to press the flesh. We got to get out here and let these people know that we are free. They cannot hold us in bondage. We're not going to let 3 people hold us in bondage."
The next scheduled meeting is next Monday, January 13th at 4:30 and we'll see what happens. Satterwhite says the standard for meetings is not being followed. Including not having minutes for several meetings or treasurer reports that show exactly what’s going on with the finances. This is information residents are demanding.
ORIGINAL:
It was standing room only as two members of the Prichard Water Board held an informal meeting Tuesday morning.
It was supposed to be a meeting including all board members, but only JohnJohnson and Cherry Doyle were there.
Several customers showed up, wanting answers. Johnson and Doyle were talking with each of them individually.
We reported Monday the Prichard Water Board is in danger of defaulting on its $55 million bond due to non-payment.
NBC 15's Karris Harmon will have more on today's meeting in our evening newscast.