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