Storm Water Management Authority

The Jefferson County Storm Water Management Authority (SWMA ) was formed in 1995 to coordinate efforts by local governments to comply with the monitoring requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. It was originally constituted by 22 municipalities in Jefferson County and granted the authority to collect an assessment of $5 per residence and $15 per business from each member city to fund its operations. When it became active in 1997 it was hailed by area mayors for its efficiency in reducing costs to local governments. Then-Mayor Richard Arrington announced that the SWMA would save Birmingham over $1 million per year.

Beginning in 2006 the SWMA was criticized by a coalition of businesses and developers calling itself the Business Alliance for Responsible Development (BARD). They claimed that the authority needlessly hindered their development activities and actively lobbied area governments to withdraw from the agreement. BARD-members such as engineering firm Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. made large campaign contributions in municipal elections.

During 2007, following a rescinded proposal to increase its assessments, the cities of Bessemer, Hoover, Graysville, Fultondale, and Leeds withdrew from the authority and instituted independent monitoring. Jefferson County and the cities of Homewood, Irondale and Mountain Brook considered leaving, but determined that it was less expensive to remain with the authority.

In January 2008 Malcolm Pirnie successfully lobbied the Birmingham City Council to remove itself from the SWMA. In May the same company was chosen from among two bidders to provide training services for the city to perform its own monitoring. A one-year contract for $544,000 was signed on September 9. The SWMA's loss of $750,000 annually from Birmingham (40% of the its total assessments) is likely to cause the authority to dissolve.

In January 2009 the Jefferson County Commission notified the authority of its intention to withdraw from the program, despite the fact that the employees of the SWMA would return to the county's payroll, costing the county more than it recoups from storm water fees. The authority asked the commission to reconsider its resolution, and commission president Bettye Fine Collins has indicated that a reversal is likely.

Leadership

The current chairman of the authority is Trussville mayor Gene Melton.

References

• Spencer, Thomas (January 10, 2008) "Firm that gave $8,000 to Larry Langford wants role in managing storm water runoff." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (May 29, 2008) "Birmingham City Council committee recommends replacing Storm Water Management Authority with environmental engineering firm Malcolm Pirnie Inc." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (September 10, 2008) "Private firm OK'd to monitor storm water system." Birmingham News
• Whitmire, Kyle (September 10, 2008) "Leapin' Larry throws a bone." Birmingham Weekly Mixed Media blog
• Spencer, Thomas (February 12, 2009) "Jefferson County, Alabama Storm Water Management Authority asks County Commission to reverse decision to pull out." Birmingham News