New info released about Jackson water\, billing investigation

MULTI-MILLION DOLLARDEAL, THAT HAS CREATED HEDACHESFORRESIDENTS, AND CITYGOVERNMENT...IT'S THE 6 YEAR OLD CONTRACTWITHSIEMENS TECHNOLOGY...THE MAYOR SAYS THE CITY ISN'TGETTING WHATTHEY PAID FOR... BACK IN 2013, SIEMENS WAS HIREDTO IMPLEMENT A BILLING SOFTWARESYSTEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS, AND NEWWATER METERS THATWOULD PROVIDE MORE TIMELY, ANDACCURATEBILLS TO CUSTOMERS...AS WELL ASADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THECITY...LUMUMBA SAYS THE EXACT OPPOSITEHASHAPPENED...THE RESOURCES OF THE WATER ANDSEWER SYSTEM HAVE BEEN NEARLYDEPLETED, BY LOWERED, BILL-BILLED, AND COLLECTEDREVENUEAND THERE ARE POTENTIALLY MOREFINANCIAL WOES AHEAD FORJACKSON...BACK IN 2012, MAYOR HARVEYJOHNSONINTERED INTO THE AGREEMENT WITHSIEMENS...A DEAL MAYOR LUMUMBASAYS IS THEBIGGEST INVESTMENT DEAL IN THECITY'SHISTORY...NEARLY 90 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICHREQUIRES THE CITY TO MAKE ANNUALDEBT PAYMENTS OF 7 MILLIONDOLLARS, THRU 2041THE MAYOR SAYS THE SYSTEM HASNOTPROVIDED ACCURATE BILLS FORCITIZENS, ANDBUISNESSES SINCE IT WENT ONLINE...EARLIER THIS YEAR JACKSON CITYCOUNCILWEIGHED THE POSSIBILITY OF SUINGSIEMENS OVER THE FAILEDSYSTEM...THEY MAY BE GETTING ONE STEPCLOSER...I HAVE ENGAGED A LEGAL TEAM,WHICH HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SOMEOF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILEDINVESTIGATIONS IN PUBLICMALFEASANCE IN RECENT YEARS ASJACKSON CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATEIN THISONGOING CRISIS, MAYOR LUMUMBASAYS HE ISBRACING FOR A POTENTIAL NEGATIVECAMPAIGN AIMED AT THE CAPITOLCITY...WE ANTICIPATE, THERE WILL BE AMASSIVE PUBLIC RELATIONSCAMPAIGN, TO CAST EXTREMELYNEGATIVE ASSERTIONSAGAINST THE CITYTO THAT, THE MAYOR SAYS, HISADMINISTRATION WILL REMAINFOCUSED ONGETTING THE FACTS... DUE TO WHAT CITY HALL ISDESCRIBING AS A HIGHLYSENSITIVE MATTRER', THE MAYORDID NOT TAKE QUESTIONS ATMONDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE...HE DID REMIND CITY WATER, ANDSEWERCUSTOMERS TO CONTINUE PAYINGTHEIRWATER BILLS AS THIS ONGOINGINVESTIGATIONCONTINUES...TROY JOHNSON 16 WAPT NEWS... MISSISSIPPI LAWMAKERS REST