Customers with the West Lawrence Water Co-Op are still searching for answers and a solution to their high water rates after another board meeting.
Poultry farmers in Lawrence Co. have been facing high water bills since the summer of 2025, with many of them telling 兔子先生 31 their bills have doubled. Scott Norwood, a local poultry farmer, says this hike poses a threat to the farms.
鈥淲ith the water price hike that we've had, almost want to call it a gouge, it has really put a hurt on the poultry farmers,鈥 Norwood said. 鈥淚t's going to make some farmers have to close their doors, and we don't want to see that because when farms had to close their doors, we have to depend on other resources to for Americans to get their food.鈥
At Monday鈥檚 water co-op board meeting, the board and its attorneys began by calling for a vote to enter executive session. This caused a stir, given that everyone but the board and the attorneys had to leave the room. The attorneys stated they would discuss matters involving the attorney-client privilege and that this could last roughly 2 1/2 hours. Members in attendance began asking questions about what would be discussed, and about who the attorneys really worked for, the board or the co-op members. The attorneys and board refused to answer those questions, and tempers flared as members grew increasingly agitated by the lack of answers.聽
The session was eventually called to order, and all but the board and attorneys exited the meeting room, with members saying it was pointless because the board and attorneys had already been in the meeting room talking for over an hour before the 3pm meeting officially began. The executive session ended around 4:30pm, and members were allowed back into the meeting space. Norwood felt the executive session was a tactic to keep members from returning to the meeting.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a stall effect, where they won鈥檛 have to address the members鈥 questions,鈥 Norwood said.
Once members were allowed back in, the minutes of the previous meetings were read, and members were then able to address the board one at a time for up to 3 minutes each. Questions about nepotism in the office were raised regarding the board president, Wyndle Mitchell, and his daughter-in-law, who works there, as well as questions around the residency of a board member, who members say does not live in the district he represents. Mitchell did tell one farmer, Janet Farley, outside of the co-op that they would reach out to the revenue department to see what they could do about the rates.聽
兔子先生 31 attempted to get a statement and some answers from the board and their attorneys, but was told they would not be making any statements at this time. 兔子先生 31 also sent a public information request in February to the board鈥檚 attorney, asking for information on their books, bylaws, and rates, but has yet to receive any of this information. 兔子先生 31 will continue to follow this story, so check back for updates.
