Council items of interest

The upcoming City Council meeting will have more than a few items of interest to South Jackson. Under the consent agenda:

Item # 6:

ORDER authorizing the Mayor to execute a contract with Kathy McColumn d/b/a Therapy First Outpatient Rehabilitation for a Storefront Improvement Grant in an amount not to exceed nine thousand three hundred fifty dollars (Ainsworth, Melton) (01/29/08)

I am certainly glad to see this and hope more businesses do the necessary paperwork to get these grants and spruce up. It's only a good thing for South Jackson when we see someone trying to beautify an existing business instead of moving.

Item #17:

ORDER authorizing the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute an Interlocal Cooperation agreement between the City of Jackson and Hinds County for the following units; SWAT, Child Protection, Narcotics and Gun Interdiction (McMillin, Melton) (01/29/08)

Has anyone seen these interlocal agreements? Have the issues of intermingling of funds been properly addressed and have attorney generals opinions been sought in these matters? Personally I believe these issues need to be discussed openly and at length before the city goes down this path. However in Camelot all is perfect and as usual only a couple of lone voices on our city council speak out. They are not heeded and a few years from now we will have many of them explaining how they didnt understand the full ramifications of their actions. Actions which are not being discussed in a transparent fashion by the Council or the Mayor.

Item # 19:

ORDER authorizing the Mayor to execute a professional services agreement with Asset Property Disposition, Inc. to provide consulting services on the Farish Street Historic District Housing Development Plan (Armstrong, Ainsworth, Walker, Melton) (01/29/08)

Haven't we already paid enough consultants?

Item # 27:

ORDER authorizing Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwall & Berkowitz, PC to serve as bond counsel and Stimley-Brown Law firm, PLLC to serve as underwriters/disclosure counsel for the restructure of the 2002 General Obligation Refunding Bonds payment due on May 1, 2008 in the amount of $5,314,400.00 (O’Reilly-Evans, Melton) (01/29/08)

Why are we paying the city attorney again?

These are just a few of the items on the agenda. It really is in our best interest to get our hands on these agendas and see exactly what our City Council is up to. Having all the city council meetings at 6:00 in the evening wouldn't be a bad idea. It would certainly allow citizens greater access to government. Click on this link to see the entire agenda. http://www.jacksonms.gov/assets/CityCouncil/CouncilAgendas/012908.pdf

Just The Facts Please!

I'm nominating Sgt. Jeffery Scott for a Jackass Award! His comments to the media about the people responsible for a recent holdup in NORTH JACKSON on WATKINS DRIVE, leave something to be desired.

Sgt. Scott found it necessary to make the following comment: "they live in South Jackson but they come to North Jackson to do their dirt"

What the hell does where they live, have to do with the crime they committed? Perhaps our former Commander (Orange Young) had simply done a good job of letting the criminals know that crap wasn't going to be tolerated over here and Commander Jones is continuing the legacy.

First the Ledger says crime is worse in other areas of town and then Sgt. Scott makes a point of saying the criminals came from here to commit there crimes? Hee Haw Sgt. Scott, Hee Haw!

Forming Public Opinion

As the world turns here in South Jackson and we enjoy lazy Sunday mornings, the good folks over at the Clarion Liar are busy doing what they do best. Making sure you don't have a clue about what really goes on in your city and how the powers that be ensure you never will.

WLBT did a story which I posted about here, which was titled "McMillin Sees Improvement in JPD". No I'm not discounting there may be improvement but in the same story Bert Case reported on a Saturday night where there were only four patrols instead of thirteen in Precinct 2. You know precinct 2, it covers a large portion of West Jackson. Remember those folks, our neighbors to the west whose crimes are always said to be occurring in South Jackson?

Well I waited for the media to jump all over Chief McMillin about that in the manner they would have jumped on Chief Robert Moore, Johnson or Chief Shirlene Anderson. No such thing! I'm not against McMillin so don't take this as a McMillin bash. It is not. What I want to see is some actual reporting by television and the Ledger.

After failing to report that story, the Clarion Ledger came out with a piece that talked about crime being higher in Precint 4 than any other area of the city. Imagine that! Crime is actually higher in a precinct that is not South Jackson? Can you believe it?

Then they came back today with a piece that said since JPD overtime budget was so high, Chief McMillin was going to concentrate on placing patrols in the worst areas. Remember the worst area? It was precint 4 according to the first piece by the Clarion Ledger.

So there you have it. First they bombard you with stories of the crime in West and South Jackson, then in order to ensure you don't get upset about not having proper police protection, they tell you crime is actually higher in precint 4. After that they come back with the story that patrols will be moved to higher crime areas to help and combat the overtime budget at the same time.

So sit back and feel safe my friends. The Clarion Ledger will be sure to ignore any problems you have in South Jackson because after all, crime is higher in Precint 4. Haven't we been telling them that all along while they were having the South Jackson bash?

Precinct 4 Story
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080120/NEWS/801200365&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Jackson's Overtime Dillema
http://search.clarionledger.com/sp?aff=100&keywords=crime+highest+in+precinct+4