Mississippi legislator files bills to address Holly Springs utility issues

HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (WMC) – A Mississippi state legislator has filed two bills aimed at resolving ongoing issues with the Holly Springs Utility Department, which has faced years of customer complaints, lawsuits and a state investigation.

State Representative and Hollow Springs native John Faulkner filed both House bills Tuesday. One would appropriate funds for infrastructure improvements, while the other would establish a board of directors to give residents more oversight of the utility department.

The Holly Springs Utility Department serves 12,000 people. Last year, the Mississippi Public Service Commission said the relatively small customer base made up 80 percent of TVA’s complaints.

Customers say they experience frequent power outages but pay high power bills.

“We’re hoping to get some kind of relief to come in to help those people with the high bills. It’s just so expensive,” said Yolanda Reese, a Holly Springs Utility Department customer.

“I’m tired of the lights going off, never knowing when they going back on. Because me myself, I’m on a CPAP, and I want the light to stay on,” said Mary Raimey, another customer who recently moved to Holly Springs.

Faulkner said this legislative session is the time for state lawmakers to act on behalf of customers.

“It’s been well-documented across the state of the problems we have here at the Holly Springs Utility Department, so I’m hoping and believing that this session, they will get behind this bill so we can get across the goal line,” Faulkner said.

House Bill 588 would appropriate funds from Fiscal Year 2027 for repairs, improvements and upgrades to the utility’s infrastructure.

House Bill 599 would establish a board of directors for the Holly Springs Utility Department.

“So now the customers will be able to have someone that will be accountable to them. To take the burden off the good mayor and the board of aldermen would be the customers what they need to lower the rates with a more dependable board in place,” Faulkner said.

Both bills were filed Tuesday and are waiting to be discussed in committee.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2026 WMC. All rights reserved.