Jackson Jambalaya

Sorry that they had to be terminated at Christmas but they have been getting their "Christmas" at our expense for years. Better check their Mom 'n them, too.

No one is getting "free" water without knowing they are getting "free" water.

I thought Powell said there were 20-30 who would be terminated. Was she only able to get through five before she started crying?

** SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION **

Powell told city council members this week that month-to-month there is a high degree of adjustments done to water/sewer bills and a number of employees in the water/sewer billing office were handling their own accounts.

Powell told council members."There is so much theft at this point."

Normal for Jackson. Is anyone surprised?

Were any of the terminations black employees?

10:26 and your point is? Do away of u people ever see anything except in the context of race? Bubba. Carpenter?

I live in Rankin Co and it pisses me off to read about water theft and the indifference the city has about collecting payments. For the most part I don't care the the citizens of Jxn allow their city to be run like a backwards third world county. However the water issue effects me personally. About 50 percent of my monthly water bill is paid to Jackson for sewage treatment at a plant that is mismanaged. If Jackson is not collecting water bills that means they are not collecting sewer fees which is causing a shortfall that I have to make up. If I don't pay every penny of my bill my water and sewer are cut off. In Jackkson if you don't pay they look the other way and continue to provide you the service. Why don't I have the same rights?

With 20-30 employees involved, and around 1700 illegal hookups, I would think Ms Powell should shoulder some responsibility. Curious that nobody noticed this until outside auditors and investigators were hired. I would love to see a map with pins for every location water is being stolen, and an independent Federal investigation. Time to clean house, and I don't mean just the little guys, someone enabled them for this to get so big. I'm betting it even gets bigger!

8:12

I agree that theft sucks. Makes me mad too.

But....for you to go out of your way to harp on Jacksonis a little disingenuous.

Eps and your representatives stole much from you....your BOS is as corupt as they come. Even a lying thief such as Craig Slay had to quit....must have been some serious graft going on to get his retarded crooked self to quit.

So, in short, save your outrage for your folks.

It is more than 1700 illegal hookups. More discoveries every day.

(to the tune of Barefootin', by Robert Parker)

Everybody get out your tools,
This city's run by a bunch of fools,
Remove that pipe and hook right in,
We're getting water for free again,
We're straight pipin', We're straight pipin',
We're straight pipin', straight pipin'

Went to a meeting the other night,
Big Fat Kenny was out of sight
Said everyone was doing this here,
Sayin, "hook me up!" for many years,
They're straight pipin', They're straight pipin',
They're straight pipin', straight pipin'

Somebody asked, "What do we do?"
But Kenny hadn't a single clue,
He pointed fingers at JRA,
Cause pig-ear sammiches ain't being made,
He's straight pipin', He's straight pipin',
He's straight pipin', straight pipin'

And how many customers who have been receiving stolen property have been popped. Kenny makes it sound like they are victims. Everyone one evolved should be held accountable.

While it is well and good to fire those who facilitated the theft of water the REAL THIEF is the person who paid for the straight hookup and subsequently received the "free" water.

Why are they not being sought and penalized?

Hard to believe that apparently thousands of water meters were bypassed, and no doubt there were millions of dollars put in the pockets of city employees for the side job of robbing Jackson, and it was not an organized crime.

Show me the bosses. In handcuffs.

Thank you Ashby for urging the Mayor to act. Now Mayor, keep the arrests coming, and get some of the home owner thieves too.

So far five have been fired... another 20+ may be implicated...

The way I see it there is SEVENTEEN HUNDRED) obvious criminals and the city knows where each and every one resides.

What the hell are they gonna do?

12:17 and 5:54 I think the part you are missing is news reports indicate a water department off the book collection system in which customers WERE paying, just not to the City. I admit these folks SHOULD have known something wasn't kosher but some were probably elderly that trusted the legitimacy of their City representative.

8:08

Sorry, don't buy that crap. ALL of them, ALL AGES are criminals.

It will be hard to prosecute residents just as its going to be hard to prosecute employees. A few will be arrested and convicted but the majority of the employees fired probably won't be. Evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, and all that jazz. Citizens can claim in many cases they were doing what they were told by a city official i.e. the public works employee.

Hmm.... can we start calling these people the wet bandits?

It is sort of hard to find honest, knowledgeable, workers with experience when the politicians who we elect for their dishonesty give their friends the jobs.
Why do you think every time Jackson gets a new mayor they clean house and hire their friends?

You would hope just once a "house cleaning" wouldn't just replace them with more of the same.