The Hinds County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing last night on redistricting. The Board hired Derrick Johnson to handle the redistricting chores. JJ video-taped the entire hearing and posted it below. Before watching the video, it is important to remember several things:
1. The hiring of Mr. Johnson was not posted on the agenda for the December 20, 2010 meeting.
2. The notice for the hearing was not posted on the bulletin board in the Courthouse. It was not posted on the county website until the afternoon of the hearing after this correspondent personally visited the office of the County Administrator. The notice was posted in the Jackson Advocate (The law requires posting either in newspaper OR at the courthouse) and it is unknown if it was posted in the Clarion-Ledger.
3. No maps or materials were provided by Mr. Johnson to the audience. No maps were on display. This was a stark contrast to the Madison County hearing yesterday where the Board, yes, Tim, Karl, and Paul, had giant displays of maps and passed out documents containing maps, district information, and a copy of the board resolution.
Mr. Johnson stated at the beginning of the hearing the only matter to be discussed was the criteria to be used. He only wanted comments or "input" on what "criteria" should be used in setting the new lines. Voters repeatedly asked for maps and precinct information only to be told there were none to distribute and the meeting was for criteria discussion only. The meeting grew testy at times and frankly, Mr. Johnson was very arrogant and rude to the audience. Just watch the video, everything will pretty much explain itself. The video is nearly an hour long but worth watching as it will show everyone exactly what goes on down at the Hinds County Board of Supervisors.
Here are is the one thing Mr. Johnson did provide to the audience: some census numbers:
Since Derrick Johnson and the Board won't provide you with maps, here is one from 2002 created by CMPDD:
11 comments:
Watched it all. Agreed with everything except the "KKK" analogy. Not the strongest argument.
Hold them accountable. What a great example, again, of representative Democracy!
Great job inspiring folks with insights to action!
No complaining going on this site, or by its readers, just taking back what has been overlooked and left to wither on the vine.
Supervisor (Brigadier General) Phil Fisher is serving our Country as Commander of the largest Brigade in Afghanistan, the 184th Sustainment Command. This hero is authorized to miss Board meetings during his tour of duty. Click here to see his military bio We need more servants like him!
Painful as it was I watched the entire clip. When all is considered, i.e. the handling of Johnson's hiring and the farce that was this public hearing, I'd say the Hinds County Board of Supervisors has been caught doing exactly what they planned to do all along. Which was redraw district lines secretively and without regard to providing the public with input or review. Smith's fumbling comments and feigned ignorance about half-way through the clip regarding following the necessary procedural steps and notifications for the hiring of Johnson said it all.
It is little wonder why Hinds has lost populaton over the last 20 years. It has nothing to do with skin color and everything to do with utter incompetence and corruption.
Could've killed the guy who made the klan analogy. Very stupid comment. The NAACP is on the same level as the Klan? Completely idiotic comment.
Free speech isn't always pretty.
Looked like Sup Smith had you good and steamed.
Well, he was flat wrong and I'd already had that same discussion with Mrs. Martin and Mrs. H-C. they didn't believe me either until I showed it to them.
He was flat wrong. From the video I'm concluding he knew it and was purposefully fudging the truth.
A caller to Gallo this morning while Hosemann was on claims the HindsCo Sups produced a receipt for the supposed Jackson Advocate ad ... dated yesterday and that the actual ad in print has yet to be found.
The number one rule of practice of Public Hearings, is providing visual aids and handouts. If CMPDD was hired, they most likely would have provided visual aids and pamphlets.
But this guy is doing is a twice the cost!
He sounds very hostile from the get go--also not a good Public Hearing tactic.
What a charade!!! Looks like Hinds County Board of Supervisors decisions have gone from bad to worse!
Click here to read inaccurate and misleading Clarion Ledger article
There is no requirement that county redistricting must be done by Tuesday... it's impossible. Wonder if they have even considered school board districts and justice court districts which also must be redrawn!?
What is amazing to me is how many people actually watched the whole video. Nice job.
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