Water Works Ends Longtime Ties With Lawyers Waldrep, Stewart and Kendrick

| December 11, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/waterworksbd.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:500;s:6:"height";i:333;s:4:"file";s:24:"2015/12/waterworksbd.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"waterworksbd-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"waterworksbd-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"waterworksbd-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"waterworksbd-467x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"waterworksbd-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"waterworksbd-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:113352;s:14:"optimized_size";i:66335;s:7:"percent";d:41.479999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:28951;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14298;s:7:"percent";d:50.609999999999999;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5706;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3936;s:7:"percent";d:31.02;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-336x224.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:14223;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9051;s:7:"percent";d:36.359999999999999;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:2873;s:14:"optimized_size";i:2145;s:7:"percent";d:25.34;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:15689;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9441;s:7:"percent";d:39.82;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-467x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:22763;s:14:"optimized_size";i:13050;s:7:"percent";d:42.670000000000002;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-398x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:18219;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11014;s:7:"percent";d:39.549999999999997;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/waterworksbd-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4928;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3400;s:7:"percent";d:31.010000000000002;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1674011989 
1449853540

The Birmingham Water Works Board cut ties today with its longtime lawyers Waldrep, Stewart and Kendrick. The board’s vote ends a lucrative relationship valued at more than $ 1 million a year and had lasted almost three decades. The contract ends on Jan. 11, says Mac Underwood, General Manager for the utility.

Charlie Waldrep, a founding partner in the firm, has been at the table for some of the Water Works’ major developments, including the selling of assets, negotiations over board representation and rate changes. The firm has represented several Jefferson County municipalities including Fultondale, Homewood and Hoover.

“They have done a good job working for the Water Works and defending court cases over the years,” says Underwood. But a majority of the board decided to go in a different direction.

“They hired Fuston, Petway and French several months ago, and they will be handling the legal work for the Birmingham Water Works,” Underwood says.

The Water Works has 10 to 20 legal cases in various stages, and Underwood said, decisions on transitioning that work will be made in the coming days.

 

 

 

New York Giants hire John Harbaugh as coach after identifying him as their top choice

Harbaugh joins the Giants 11 days after he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens. The Super Bowl champion is now tasked with turning around a beleaguered franchise.

US launches new retaliatory strike in Syria, killing leader tied to deadly Islamic State ambush

A third round of retaliatory strikes by the U.S. in Syria has resulted in the death of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader, said U.S. Central Command.

NASA rolls out Artemis II craft ahead of crewed lunar orbit

Mission Artemis plans to send Americans to the moon for the first time since the Nixon administration.

Trump says 8 EU countries to be charged 10% tariff for opposing US control of Greenland

In a post on social media, Trump said a 10% tariff will take effect on Feb. 1, and will climb to 25% on June 1 if a deal is not in place for the United States to purchase Greenland.

‘Not for sale’: massive protest in Copenhagen against Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland

Thousands of people rallied in Copenhagen to push back on President Trump's rhetoric that the U.S. should acquire Greenland.

Uganda’s longtime leader declared winner in disputed vote

Museveni claims victory in Uganda's contested election as opposition leader Bobi Wine goes into hiding amid chaos, violence and accusations of fraud.

More Front Page Coverage