Jackson Jambalaya

The budget vote and discussion was actually interesting. Saw some fireworks....

Budget Chair Priester had tough questions for frankly unprepared Director of Administration regarding last minute changes to budget that weren't itemized for the council.

Hendrix laid into the administration for the breakdown in communication and for not including recently voted upon pay raises in the budget for upcoming year. He was pissed. And so were the rest members of the council in attendance.

Hendrix - How can we not afford $120,000 wage for the lowest paid workers, when the mayor's office is raising salaries by $300,000.

Mayor challenged Hendrix on his naivete' on the time it takes to get budget together and on how many positions would be affected by the minimum pay increase.

Although clearly frustrated at the administration's lack of effort in implementing council priorities, Priester plays peacemaker and proposes council approve budget as presented, and if the administration doesn't implement pay raises of low wage workers once final numbers are in (1st of November), the council will come back and cut the $700,000 of dollars in increases in budgets of Mayor's personal office, CAO's office, city clerk's office, and city attorney's offices. Sounds like a threat.

Seemingly to spite the Mayor, Hendrix motioned to amend budget to move $79,000 and fringe benefits in funding to the Planning Department from the Mayor's department in an effort to move the funding of Economic Development director from under the office of the Mayor back into the ordinance required planning department was approved. City attorney stated that council can't direct staffing and Stamps essentially retorts that they control the purse that controls staffing.

Budget passed 5-1, with Stokes voting Nay. She didn't say why.

Stupid.

5:49, don't know if you are Stamps or Priester, doesn't matter.

Your crap is all just that - crap. Try to pass a wage increase the week before a budget is to be proposed - an increase that will affect employees scattered throughout the city - and expect a report reflecting that at the next meeting. Let me be the first to call b/s. First off, the minimum wage increase is nothing but your political pandering at the expense of the few taxpayers (who, by the way, do not live in your ward) to pay the excesses of our city government.

Hate to say it about our mayor, but its about time someone recognized that we need to get reasonably paid professionals here to run our $100 million public works department, our financial systems, etc. Jackson is a multimillion dollar operation - and some of the departments need to be headed by people that can't be hired for $75k a year (others should be eliminated, but that's a conversation for another post).

Stamps and Priester want nothing other than to do the Mayor in. Nothing wrong with that other than they want the job for themselves, despite the voters having kicked them to the curb already. Bennie wants to control and thus is trying to get Priester back in play while he and Stamps do anything they can, despite the detriment to the city so that they have a chance to become in control.

God lets all hope that doesn't happen.

What the hell are we wasting time on this site with this idiotic download? Just because it might recognize the stupidity of our city (or county) doesn't mean that we need to be led to waste time watching it. Granted, if the "Dixie Darlings" wanted to make it more interesting, I might be glad to spend my time, but considering - why in the hell did you think this should be posted.

KF, next time, at least warn us - a waste of your time, but I'm fascinated with stupidity

I enjoyed the jokes! Also, I get a good laugh with the Jackson city and county government.

Sounds as if it was based off the books written by Steve Mitchell 20+ years ago...perhaps modernized.