Jackson Jambalaya

Note: Ruth Ingram wrote a real good story on this debacle in the newspaper yesterday. Jacob Fuller published an article in the Jackson Free Press as well, but he did not stay for the executive session, thus his coverage only covers half of the story. WLBT reported on this vote last night.


The Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted to hire Malachi Financial Products to conduct a feasibility study of the Byram Clinton Corridor project. Supervisors Robert Graham, Doug Anderson, and Kenneth Stokes voted for the study, while Supervisors Phil Fisher and Peggy Hobson-Calhoun voted in opposition. Supervisor Stokes led the charge in awarding the study to Malachi and repeatedly made it clear throughout the meeting he wanted to kill the project. The meeting grew heated at times as Supervisor Fisher accused Mr. Stokes and others as using the study to "stall" while Supervisor Hobson-Calhoun said board was giving Malachi "a blank check."

Supervisor Phil Fisher presented an update on the Byram-Clinton corridor project in an earlier part of the meeting. (This is the second clip below).  In a nutshell, it is Hinds County's attempt to build something similar to Highland Colony Parkway in the only part of the county left with decent demographics for attracting businesses. Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson opposes the project. The county obtained $33 million in federal grants. $26 million remains. Mr. Stokes said the county didn't have the money for the project. He said the $9 million already spent would have been better used if $2 million was instead given to each Supervisor district for roads. (Guess he doesn't know the beat system is dead). Larry Day addressed the board for Malachi Financial Products about a feasibility study for the project. No one else from Malachi was present. The board voted to hire Malachi for the study in March but later rescinded the motion to hire in the same meeting and voted to use the county's department of economic development.Earlier fireworks Malachi quoted a price of $200,000 at the March meeting while HDECD said it would cost no more than $10,000 if it conducted the study. Blake Wallace, Executive Director of the Hinds County Department of Economic Development was out of town but participated later in the meeting via telephone. Supervisor Anderson was absent from the meeting.

Supervisor Fisher pointed out to Mr. Day there was no study, as the board had rescinded the hire, but Mr. Day said Malachi had started the study "in good faith". Mr. Stokes accused the board of using back door means to rescind the study. Mr. Fisher said a feasibility study is "a fancy term just to stall". He said the project has been discussed since 1992 when he was a Clinton alderman. Mr. Fisher said if the county does not spend the money, the federal government will revoke the grants. He said the county had the property and the necessary right of ways and was ready to move forward. He argued the project is good for the "economic vitality of the county" and that the project will benefit all cities in Hinds County. Mr. Stokes responded "the best way to work together" was to "give each district $2 million." Mr. Stokes said the county had to contribute $4 million on the project and it could be better spent on other projects. Mrs. Hobson-Calhoun said the county already had the match and once all right of ways were acquired, state aid would reimburse the county. Mr. Stokes said the county should not spend money on a project unless it benefited everyone. Mr. Fisher replied he didn't want to see the county versus Jackson on everything. The Board conducted other business for an hour and then went into executive session for another hour. The Board returned to the issue of the study when it ended the executive session.

When the board returned from executive session, the full court press for the study began. Porter Bingham, the President of Malachi, local bond attorney Tony Gaylor, and a representative from Rice Financial Products were present. Supervisor Anderson and Blake Wallace participated via telephone. Mr. Wallace said he was in discussion with other parties to conduct the study. He said he was attempting to partner with Jackson State University to conduct the study. He said it would be "a substantial amount of work" and a proposal would be ready at the next meeting. He said he could not provide an estimate of the cost but it would be included in the proposal. Mrs. Hobson-Calhoun asked it would cost in the "realm of $200,000". Mr. Wallace said he did not know what it would cost as it involved more work than he "originally anticipated". It should be pointed out Malachi did not provide any proposals, cost estimates, or how it would charge the county for the study. Mrs. Hobson-Calhoun accused the board of giving Malachi "a blank check to someone who charges by the hour." Mr. Stokes asked about the vote at the March meeting. Mr. Fisher replied he missed the vote because he didn't say for the executive session that day (See 14:51 in first video). Stokes demanded to see a contract from HCDED even when Mrs. Hobson-Calhoun pointed out to him there is no contract for a county agency as it is..... part of the county government. Supervisor Stokes moved to have Malachi conduct the study and Supervisor Graham seconded the motion. It is then the fireworks began (16:57 of the first video).

Phil Fisher asked "how can you vote to study" when money has already been spent building the project. He said "you have just opened the door for someone who bills by the hour to come in and hand us a bill for an untold amount of money. I'd like to know what it is you are going to do". Stokes dismissed his statements as he argued for Malachi. Peggy Hobson-Calhoun tried to get the Board to wait until the next meeting to make a decision, arguing Blake Wallace would be present to provide the information needed to decide between competing proposals. She said the congressional delegation said the county should "have the funds obligated before the fourth quarter of this year" or else the grants will be rescinded. The board voted and the motion passed.

Peggy Hobson-Calhoun called the vote "a slap in the faces of our taxpayers not to know what we will be paying for services rendered for an impact study. I don't know what bill you are going to bring back to the county but I think the board should have a number." She said "we don't have any information than you want to do the project. You have 3 board members that want to give you a check that has not been signed. A check that doesn't include a dollar amount." She then said "why do three members of this board want to give him a check and let him write in the dollar amount." Mr. Graham said he was not going to get into "a debate of writing checks and covering costs." He asked Mr. Bingham to provide a "scope of work" and that no one had "an estimate on what the cost would be." Mr. Bingham then told the board he had worked with the county for nine years and had always looked out for the county's best interests. Mr. Bingham did not provide any evidence of prior economic impact studies he had conducted for other clients.

Mr. Stokes finally erupted (26:00 of first clip) at the end of the meeting as he interrupted Mrs. Hobson-Calhoun. "I'm not providing a blank check to nobody so don't say I'm trying to provide a blank check." Mr. President these are false allegations," in heated tones. Mr. Stokes then yelled "that's a damn lie". Mr. Graham then adjourned the meeting.

Clip of the vote and the discussion after executive session.


Phil Fisher update on the project and dicussion.


This is a clip from a couple of months ago where I get Stokes to say on camera he would hire the county economic development department if it was cheaper. Liar. Go to 3:59 of the video.