Robert "Bob" Miller, the Public Works Director for The City of Jackson, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the club's April 7, 2020 Zoom meeting. The first part of Miller's presentation was devoted to Crisis Communication. He has had a full career in which he has had to deal with a number of crises ranging from the current Coronavirus Pandemic to hurricanes in New Orleans and crises in previous incarnations with the City of Louisville, KY. The bottom line of his crisis communication plan is to adhere to the Rotarians 4-way Test; i.e., "is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, is it beneficial to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendships." His complete presentation is available on the club's website.
In addition to crisis communication, Miller described his primary responsibility as Director of Public Works is dealing with the metering, billing, and collection systems. Those systems have been under increased scrutiny for several years and he is spending a significant portion of his time trying to get them operating accurately and effectively. The water/sewer business administration has undergone significant changes since he arrived in an attempt to correct the billing and collection issues. He noted that changes range from the arrest of citizens for stealing water by bypassing the meters, to corruption in the department that led to retirements, resignations, and terminations
He also noted that the City is under a consent decree with the U.S. EPA and that he is in the process of trying to renegotiate the terms of the consent decree to conditions that the city can reasonably afford to meet. We thank Miller for his service to our city and for his presentation to our club. As a final point, he said that he expects to retire in about 15 months or June 2021.