Senior managers overruled Phillips, noting the agency was down to a 10-day supply of the chemical. When Phillips's allies on the commission delayed a vote on the purchase, Griffin ordered a two-month emergency extension of Delta's contract, saying the dispute "directly threatens the health" of WSSC customers.
The board eventually voted to renew the contract. But by that point, relations between Griffin and the commissioners were sunk. At its next meeting, the board voted in secret to fire Griffin.
The commission surreptitiously tried to fire General Manager John R. Griffin as tensions came to a head last February.
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Agency attorneys later ruled that Griffin's dismissal violated procedural rules, but he agreed to leave with a $250,000 buyout in October. His departure, and that of his deputy, P. Michael Errico, touched off a debate about the future of WSSC.
In response to Griffin's departure, Duncan's appointees on the commission -- Jinhee Kim Wilde, Gerald Roper, and Luis Valencia -- were replaced. Duncan called on Johnson to do the same. Johnson has refused, saying he is happy with WSSC's performance.
Now the legislature is intervening.
Bills under consideration include conflicting proposals -- some would enhance Phillips's control and others would dilute it.
Sen. Leonard H. Teitelbaum (D-Montgomery), a former WSSC commissioner, said he's not sure which, if any, of the solutions will emerge to improve the agency.
"If the last 12 months tell us anything," Teitelbaum said, "it's that the place is broken, and needs to be fixed."
