City
Council Notes
Special City Council Meeting – Thursday, December 12, 2024
IN THIS MEETING...
In Attendance
- Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba
- Chief of Staff Dr. Safiya Omari
- Ward 1 Councilman – Ashby Foote
- Ward 2 Councilwoman- Tina Clay
- Ward 3 Councilman – Kenneth Stokes
- Ward 4 Councilman (Vice President) – Brian Grizzell
- Ward 5 Councilman – Vernon Hartley
- Ward 6 Councilman – Aaron Banks
Public Comments:
Monica Butler: Gave a congratulatory speech about a “Midtown Crime Deterrence Initiative”. The initiative had three phases: 1) Installing two Blue-Light Cameras that connect to the wider network. 2) Paid for the installation of “Ring” cameras for all residents. 3) Removal of “blight” in the area.
Homeowner association chairwoman: Complaints about not being notified about low-income/affordable housing developments in her area.
Item 8: Ordinance to prevent unregulated camping city property, including sidewalks, alleys, and streets,
and providing for the removal of unauthorized campsites on public property. (Lindsay)- Stokes opened the flooor to say that he’s observed an atteitude that people in these encampments don’t respect city property and are adamant on “doing what they want to do”. He also claimed that “most of these people got checks”. He ended by saying that he thinks the city should follow the lead of Houston and eventually have somewhere for people to go, maybe through redirecting the personal money to the city. Attorney Drew Martin stated that he’s been at some state-sponsored sub-committeee meetings to try and get more money to fund homelessness programs. He stated that he doesn’t want the situation to become a mass-incarceration problem, so he’s hoping that they can have humane places to put people. Hartley expressed desire to know if the administration had a plan that should include a 10-year projection.
- Guarantee Restoration LLC: $586,490 repairs to Thealia Maria Hall
- Entergy: $359,765.60 street lights
- Guarantee restoration: $346,490 repairs to Thealia Maria Hall
- Metro-Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau: $293,536.72 for transfer of taxes 2024
- Vote: 3-3 failed. Grizzell, Banks, and Clay in favor; Foote, Stokes, and Hartley opposed
Item 11: Order authorizing the retention of Ice Miller, LLP Atteorneys to assist with water/sewer compliance and transition.
Councilman Stokes opened the discussion with a request for clarifiecation on “assistance with water/sewer compliance and transition”. Atteorney Martin explained that the city is current in discussion with the EPA and DOJ over consent decrees and stipulations over the water and sewers. Thee discussions include looking at what transition away from JXN Water will look like. Thee other private atteorneys would assist the city in drafting orders and a plan for compliant transfer. He also reassured Mr. Stokes that Ice Miller, due to their familiarity with cases like the city’s, that they would be able to properly assist in the proceedings. Councilman Foote adopted for saving legal monies for other areas. Atteorney Martin folks know that there’s money that JXN Water will have to contribute to legal sometime around late 2025.
Vote: 3-3 fails. Grizzell, Banks, and Clay in favor; Footes, Stokes, and Hartley opposed
Item 12: Order authorizing an appropriation in the amount of $443,383 to Jackson redevelopment authority.
Stokes asked what was the money going to be for. CFO Malembeka explained that the money is already in various funds, it’s that the authority wanted it to be presented in one large appropriation. Stokes pressed the CFO to explain why so much money is going to legal services. Councilman Foote supplemented those comments by saying that he’s tracking 40% of legal funds going to four diff erent law fierms.
Vote: 3-2 passes. Grizzell, Clay, and Banks in favor; Foote and Stokes opposed; Hartley stepped out
RECONSIDERED Claims:
- Guarantee Restoration LLC: $586,490 repairs to Thealia Maria Hall
- Entergy: $359,765.60 street lights
- Guarantee restoration: $346,490 repairs to Thealia Maria Hall
- Metro-Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau: $293,536.72 for transfer of taxes 2024
Stokes complained that the city keeps giving all this money to Entergy but the overall darkness of the city has not improved.
CLAIMS WITHDRAWN FOR RECONSIDERATION AT LATER DATE (TBA)
Item 13: Order approving the municipal depository bid notice for the city of Jackson for 2025 through 2028.
Vote: 5-1 passed Stokes Abstained
Item 14: Order authorizing mayor to renew contract with METLIFE to provide group life, accidental death, and dismemberment insurance coverage to active and retired city employees participating in the self-funded health plan for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31,205
Vote: 6-0
Item 15: Order ratifying and approving payment of invoices submitteed by animal medical center for goods and services received by the Jackson Police Department.
Vote: 6-0
Item 16: Order ratifying and approving payment of invoices for goods and services received by the Jackson Police Department from the Hall’s Towing Services.
Vote: 5-1
Item 17: Order approving the payment of $300.00 for Jackson police department’s membership in the Regional Organized Crime Information Center (ROCIC).
Vote: 6-0
Item 18: Order accepting bid of Cannon Chevrolet Nissan for the 12-Month Contract of 2024-2025 Jackson FD SUVS/Pickup vehicles to be used by the city of Jackson FD.
Vote: 6-0
Item 19: Order authorizing the contribution of matching funds to Stewpot and support social and community service programs and authorize the mayor to execute a memorandum of understanding.
Stokes asked for clarification on the item. Dr. Scotte, director of human cultural services, explained that the human and cultural services department provides a non-competitive grant as part of their normal operating budget. The money is used to pay staff , security, utilities, and other everyday operations. Thee normal amount is $35,000.
Vote: 6-0
Item 22: Pulled
Item 23: Order authorizing department of public works to pay professional association dues, conferences fees, and travel related expenses associated with representing the city of jackson and its employees as is reasonable and necessary to the performance of the duties of the department of public works.
Vote: 5-1 Stokes abstained
Item 24: Order authorizing addendum to prelim engineering services contract for officcer thomas catchings drive bridge project with stantec consluting services.
Vote: 4-1-1 Stokes abstained & Hartley Opposed
Item 25: Order authorizing addendum for Ellis Avenue (renamed Bobby Rush Blvd.) signal improvements project with Stantec.
Vote: 6-0
Item 26: Order authorizing payment of full and final settlement of claims against the City of Jackson brought by plaintiff Robert Wattes in the matter of “ARTHUR, ET AL. V. THE CITY OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI ET AL.”
Vote: 5-1 Stokes Abstained
Item 27: Order appointing James Henley Jr. Deputy Clerk of council on a part-time basis.
Councilwoman Clay explained that Mr. Henley is a resident of Ward 2, atteorney, and CPA from that area.
Vote: 6-0
Item 28: Resolution of the council in support of a Merry Christmas 2024
Vote: 6-0
Item 29: Resolution supporting Kwanzaa Celebration
Vote: 6-0
Item 30: Resolution for New Years
Vote: 6-0
Item 31: Resolution of the 2025 MLK day
Vote: 6-0
Item 32: Order of the city to hire Deshun T. Martin and Martin& Martin, PA Attorneys & Counselors asa Independent special counsel for and to the city council of Jackson, MS.
Vote: 3-3 fails
Discussion:
Item 33: Update – Gas Lines (STOKES)
Item Held
Item 34: Litigation Legal Matters
Item 35. Monthly Report of Privilege
Announcements
Christmas Parade Float Winners:
- 3rd place: Bean Path
- 2nd Place: Community Improvement with the City of Jackson
- 1st Place: Jackson Police Department.
They’re invited to be recognized at the next council meeting.
To view upcoming City of Jackson Events go to: https://www.jacksonms.gov/events
- WSBA Accounts can now be linked with Zip Code instead of Social Security Number. https://dss-coj.opower.com/dss/login
- Please call 311 for non-emergency issues or Constituent Services: 601-960-2324 or 601-624-0637
- Special Events Permits for the City can now be completed online: https://www.jacksonms.gov/special-events-permit-application/
- You can sign up for Emergency Alerts from the City-Code Red: https://www.jacksonms.gov/code-red/
More on the City Council
The Jackson City Council acts as the legislative branch of the city government. Meaning, they have the power to create new laws that apply to just the city of Jackson. For example in 2010, after a series of unjust stops of young black men by JPD and unjust stops of people in the Spanish-speaking immigrant community, the Jackson City Council created a law known as the “Human Rights Ordinance” that bans racial profiling based on race and nationality. The Jackson City Council is also responsible for approving the City Budget. This is one if it’s biggest functions.
Jackson City Council is also your direct representative for your neighborhood, so if you have a problem with something in your neighborhood, your City Councilperson is the government representative that is responsible for helping you to improve that.
Does the Mayor have a say on the Jackson City Council?
Jackson has a Mayor-Council form of government, meaning it’s a check and balance type of system. The Mayor has the power to create laws via executive order, has authority over all city departments, and drafts the City Budget. The City Council also has the power to approve or disapprove of the City Budget. It can also create laws, but the mayor has the power to veto those laws if she/he deems that necessary. For example, in 2019 the Office of the Mayor engaged in Participatory Budgeting process fo include residents in setting the priorities for the City budget. The City Council then voted on the budget, with four of the Council people voting to pass the “People’s Budget” and three of the Council people voting against passage.
Council Members
Ward 1 – Ashby Foote
Ward 2 – Tina Clay
Ward 3 – Kenneth I. Stokes
Ward 4 – Brian Grizzell
Ward 5 – Vernon W. Hartley, Sr.
Ward 6 – Aaron Banks
Ward 7 – Virgi Lindsay
