Jackson Jambalaya

Apparently RGA Disorder has broken out in Madison County as well as Hinds County. The MC Herald reported last week:

"The supervisors are holding a public hearing at 9 a.m. as they begin the process of redrawing district boundaries to reflect the larger population reflected in the 2010 Census.
"This is an opportunity to educate the public," board attorney Eric Hamer said.
Census data shows that Madison County grew 27.49 percent from 2000 to 2010, from 74,675 to the current 95,203.
Representatives of the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District will be at the hearing to discuss redistricting with the supervisors.
Last week the Board of Supervisors appointed a redistricting committee to work with CMPDD on drawing the five districts that are used for electing supervisors. Committee members are Circuit Clerk Lee Westbrook, county administrator Brad Sellers, attorney Hamer, and Supervisors Tim Johnson and Karl Banks.
None of the county's five election commissioners were included on the committee despite a request from chairman Kakey Chaney.
"We weren't invited but we're always available to help," she said."

Apparently this stirred up a few Madison County residents alarmed at the epidemic of RGA as they sent out a few emails. Carl Crawford, President of Brisage Homeowners Association, penned this email a few days ago:

"All MONA members:
A public hearing is being held at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Board of Supervisors meeting room at the Courthouse in Canton – and you or a representative of your neighborhood need to attend.

All county tax funds are spent by the five-member Board of Supervisors, as you know. The five Supervisors will be elected in November. They run in districts redrawn every decade, now being based on the 2010 Census. The present District 2 Supervisor, Tim Johnson, has generally voted with two rural Supervisors against the best interests of his own voters in District 2 which is largely Madison The City, in the opinion of many Madison residents. Now those three Supervisors – Tim and the two rural Supervisors -- have placed themselves and their county attorney on the Redistricting Committee, excluding Supervisors D. I. Smith and John Bell Crosby, who each represent large portions of south Madison County. Many fear the trio will redraw the Supervisor districts in a manner designed to reduce the voting strength of the southern portions of the county, i.e. split the populated areas into small portions of several districts, so they can maintain their three-person control of the Board of Supervisors and all county spending.

Below is a message from Madison The City Board of Alderman Guy Bowering to his constituents. MONA Board member Nelwyn Madison, president of Ingleside neighborhood, also has sent a similar email to all residents of her neighborhood. You may want to communicate similarly to alert your neighbors to attend the Tuesday 9 a.m. public hearing.

Carl Crawford
Chairman, MONA
President, Brisage Homeowners Association"

The President of the City of Madison Board of Alderman sent out this email as well:
"I'm sending the email to be sure that you are aware of the Public Hearing about Redistricting to be held at the regular Board room where the Supervisors meet. Monday is a holiday and the hearing is before the regular Board meeting. The Hearing will begin at 9:00am.

A Redistricting committee was formed by Tim Johnson and I think Karl Banks and they are on the Committee. Eric Hamer, Circuit Clerk Lee Westbrook, County Adm. Brad Sellers, are also on the Committee. The original contract with CMPDD was amended to read that the Committee is the only group that can give input to CMPDD. I find this very disturbing. This means that D. I. Smith, John Bell Crosby and Paul Griffin will have no input. This is not just BAD government practice, this is an obvious attempt to have total control over redistricting for Madison without all of the Supervisors input and interest of the Voters.

As was in the case of the so called Solid Waste Authority, District 3 has no input here either.

I would ask that all who care about the Redistricting of Madison County and can make arrangements to attend, to please do so. We need open and transparent Government for Madison County and have not had it for almost seven years.

Please make every effort to come to this Hearing and tell your friends and neighbors.

Thank you,
Guy Bowering"

Last but certainly not least, Madison County resident Nelwyn Madison sounded the alarm in this email:

"Dear Ingleside Residents:

I’m sure many of you saw in today’s paper that a committee has been formed by the Madison County Supervisors to re-draw district lines based on the 2010 census. It is quite disturbing that two of the supervisors (Karl Banks & Tim Johnson) placed themselves and the Board attorney, Eric Hamer on the committee. They omitted the other three supervisors (including ours, D.I. Smith). Since all districts have the potential to be affected by the new boundaries, it is unconscionable that three supervisors would not be included in this process.

Additionally, not a single member of the Madison County Election Commission was included, despite a request by Chairman, Kakey Chaney.

There will be a public hearing this coming Tuesday morning at 9:00 in the county Board Room in Canton. The people in Madison county whose supervisors are being excluded (included all residents of Ingleside) should rise up and demand some representation in this process.

Please consider showing up for this hearing, even if you don’t plan to speak. We need to let them know that ALL districts should be represented in a decision that will affect all of us. "

Of course, unless Lucy Weber or Steve Watson reports it, there is no controversy. Should be interesting Tuesday morning. Hope someone tapes it.