Mississippi’s public service commission planned to move forward with a show-cause hearing against the city of Holly Springs following a recent ruling by the state’s supreme court, but a lower court’s ruling has stymied the process.
Back in November, the commission scheduled the public hearing concerning utility services provided by the Holly Springs Utility Department (HSUD) to take place on January 7. The city of Holly Springs, which manages the HSUD, filed a petition seeking to reschedule the meeting to a date after the 2025 Mississippi legislative session wraps up.
Petitioners first went to the commission to have the hearing delayed. That request was denied. The attorney representing the city of Holly Springs, State Sen. Bradford Blackmon, took to the Mississippi Supreme Court seeking relief, largely due to the fact that he has a conflict of interest and is constitutionally obligated to be present during the session.
Nonetheless, the state’s high court denied the city’s petition, allowing for proceedings to be carried out at the Woolfolk Building in downtown Jackson as originally scheduled. But the court’s order left the door open for Holly Springs’ legal counsel to seek a temporary restraining order in the Hinds County Circuit Court — and that they did.
“While we respect the judicial process, we believe that the delay caused by the [temporary restraining order] is not in the best interest of those suffering in the Holly Springs Utility District despite the best efforts of this commission to obtain cooperation from the City,” Mississippi’s three-member commission stated.
“The Commission will set the hearing after the 2025 Regular Legislative Session in order to expedite a resolution and avoid further delay tactics and exhaustive legal battles which contribute nothing to providing relief.”
Customers of the HSUD have long voiced concerns over the quality of services rendered, with some citing days-long power outages. Additionally, there are “hot spots” in which vegetation has grown along power lines, subsequently causing parasitic power loss or outright power failures.
The show-cause hearing was called to bring Holly Springs representatives to the table to
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