Jackson Jambalaya

She leaves having accomplished nothing beyond stewarding over Jackson's steep decline. She leaves the Council with the city worse off than when she was first elected.

Virgi knew all along.

Besides Fondren and Belhaven, she didn't do a damn thing for the other Ward 7 communities. Good riddance!!!!!

I live in Belhaven and have for 25+ years---the lady has done nothing for her district except draw a paycheck. I'm sorry to be so cruel but the truth is the truth. It's people like her that has caused the downfall of this once great city. She is like Ben Allen---she didn't know she was a dumbass.

I hope we have a chance to elect a wealthy business man with no need to take what is not his. Success breeds success. A person has to be very, very smart to successfully run this city.

Of course Virgi knew. That's why she quietly installed a puppet with the Belhaven neighborhood group. She wins the seat she gets to run both. She doesn't...well, she'll still be running the neighborhood group. Quick look at her most vocal and ardent supporters will convince you quicker than this comment, for sure.

Margaret is the dearest of people, and no matter your opinion on her performance, she does not deserve your exaggerated criticism and cruel comments - especially yours, 12:18! Sounds like you'd like Donald Trump to run Ward 7? Though, regarding her performance, she did much good over many years for the Ward and the City.

Or Virgi made her quit. That happens too. Going door to door for the next few months, raising money, fighting someone who could beat her, all of that was not an attractive prospect for her.

Margaret did a fine job for Ward 7 and the city until she started having health problems. She knows that it's time to move on, but she's not the first politician to resist the inevitable.

I had the pleasure of living in Belhaven 20 years and working most all those years with Margaret on neighborhood issues when I was on the Improvement and Security Boards. In all those years her love of the neighborhood she grew up in and of her neighbors was evident in everything she did. She represented the area with grace, humor and dignity while dealing with often interminable meetings with what seemed to me unreal patience and perseverance. She bridged many divides and brought together all segments of a vitally diverse swing district. Her knowledge of City government through so many administrations can not be replaced. Thank you Margaret for your years of devoted and faithful service which has made ours a better City. Robert P. Wise

Tried to reach the councilwoman via phone messages, written letters and several emails over an issue a few years ago. Could not get any, ANY, response whatsoever from her or anyone in her office. After a month and a half and 5 to 7 different attempts to contact her and speak with her on this valid issue I gave up. The impression I received was that she could not be bothered, did not want to get involved and or that I was not important enough to be provided with access. So - Good Riddance! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

You know, one of the most annoying things about this website is when a group of insiders start talking in familiar terms about people, places, or events with no explanation. It makes me feel like I just crashed some little private party, especially when the site administrator joins in.

I come to JJ a lot and live in the Jackson area and I have no flippin' idea who "Virgi" is. Obviously, the Belhaven/Fondren kaffeeklatsch knows things most of us don't, but would you mind enlightening us poor non-Belhaven hillbillies as to who the devil you are discussing?

And I had to deal with Barrett-Simon on an issue about a decade ago and it was not a pleasant experience. Arrogant doesn't even begin to describe her. For a public servant, she acted as if it was the most magnanimous of actions for her to deign to speak with us, let alone help.

Her ward is more than Belhaven and Fondren...it is quite large actually. And it probably will not be won by a Caucasian.

Margaret did a fine job working a difficult job having to represent a very diverse ward.

Enjoy your daughters and your retirement mam.

Do not believe in 32 years Barrett-Simon ever voted against a property tax increase.

Mr. Wise, I know the Councilwoman to be a very good person but that does not make up for being a dumbass. It's people like her that can do no wrong that has destroyed this city. Tell me one thing she has done for the Belhaven neighborhood---I had to carry a gun from my car to the front door of my home---I paid taxes for police protection but yet I was asked to pay for private security---my street is horrible (potholes everywhere)---I'm scared to drink the water---she has let Belhaven College ruin the neighborhood---and all she did was pickup her pay check. I'm so tired of people talking about what a great person he or she may be, all that BS gets this city nowhere. We need a strong arrogant educated rich bastard to change things. Everyone had better get on board before it's to late. I've already moved my business and my home to Rankin County. My business was downtown for 30+ years and I'm glad to be gone.

Stay tired, then, 12:18 / 2:36. She IS a great person and people will continue to talk about it. Since you're so happily in Rankin County, you can quit talking negatively about her and mind your own back yard!

MBS was a good councilwoman. Over the past term or two, her effectiveness, and her interest, has definitely waned. Facing a tough election year, I don't blame her for deciding it was time to quit. But for those watching the recent actions of the Council, it should be that she didn't want to have to defend her vote this week for the city to borrow $90 MILLION without any information as to why and for what.

If anybody asks for your vote in the city - anywhere - you should ask them if they support the borrowing of this money that the mayor has pushed through this last week. If they say they are for it, ask them why? See if they have any idea what the terms of the deal are, or why it is being borrowed.

They will tell you to fix the streets. Or water. But there is no plan to do it. Yarber has no idea how to plan such a deal. What he is wanting is one last chance to see what he can pocket by issuing some last minute engineering contracts. he will not have to report them because he has gotten away without reporting the over 400k that he raised around the country and isn't anywhere on his reports.

There's always a bigger fish out there but Margaret really made a difference and those 32 years were some of the best in Jackson's history. I hope Belhaven, Millsaps, Farish, Downtown, Midtown, Capitol St. can grow and prosper and remain to be a quirky, weird and cool place all at the same time.

@6:10 PM is living in an alternate universe.

Love her or hate her, no one could argue she could write a book about the decline of Jackson. And she would be in that book from start to finish.

So...She's a dear person, keeps her room neat and was a swell neighbor. But, that's not what we want in a City Councilman, is it? She seeks a 'new challenge' yet had challenges in her face for 32 years and did nothing more than sit there and stare straight ahead. Perhaps her biggest failure was in NEVER once standing up to the bully Stokes.

I don't get what you people assume of MBS...she counted only as one vote of 7 members, 5 or 6 of which were consistently knuckleheads to say the least! That's not even counting the Mayor's influence on the city. City Council Members are not dictators that are assigned fiefdoms over which to assert their autonomy. As a City Council Member, you are assigned idiot staff, rely on idiot researchers in the Mayor's admin., rely on limited info provided by the Mayor's office, and are expected to save a crumbling city such as Jackson. Grow up, people. I promise there are bigger things to worry about!! If you don't like it, move! You sure stayed a long time for someone who hated it.

These so-called "paychecks" amount to less than what welfare or McDonald's could provide. I think she made a noble sacrifice to do this. She could have easily worked at Belk or Highland Village.... at least before Mesa Lyles destroyed Highland Village.

Arden Barnett needs to run...Virgi is like the Hillary candidate in this race. I don't see what her experience lends to the City Council. What exactly has she done other than witnessed the sun rise and set day after day?

At least she came to the meetings. Good luck and God bless you.

those 32 years were some of the best in Jackson's history....
I have no words that would be adequate to explain how insane that statement was. Oh. It was a joke. Ok. Not very funny.

Sniping aside and accolades aside, can somebody please mention two or three things that, in 28 years, she was out in front with, led with, assumed leadership of and advocacy for and for which she demonstrated resolve and vigor (and of course..which succeeded)?

"At the August 19, 1997, hearing Councilman Barrett announced that the construction of Westminster Commons would generate ad valorem taxes at current millage rates in excess of $194,000 per year."
Fondren North Renaissance v. Mayor and City Council, Columbia Pacific Mgmt and St. Andrews Day School

I hate that she never got her nursing home in the declining Fondren area.

The white folk of Jackson need there version of Kenny. Make a big ole noise. Get some national media coverage and uncover the mayor and council for the criminals they are.

Barrett refused to return phone calls or meet with constituents other than her Junior League crowd. In fact, until she had
Been invited numerous times, she had never crossed the Woodrow Wilson or Fortification Street Bridges to view the dilapidated
Houses in the part of Mid-City that she represented. Wish she had retired after one term.

Still waiting on one or two of her most accomplished projects. Margaret?

Still waiting to find out who the hell Virgi is.

Yes, Virgi, there is a clause.

"These so-called "paychecks" amount to less than what welfare or McDonald's could provide. I think she made a noble sacrifice to do this. She could have easily worked at Belk or Highland Village.... at least before Mesa Lyles destroyed Highland Village."

March 3, 2017 at 9:23 PM

You're right about Highland Village's being destroyed. It looks like Victoria Gotti bought it, and declared, "Let's do it TASTEFUL, and WHITE!"

I'd go inside, just to cringe a bit, but frankly, I stopped going to Highland Village, years ago, when they installed those speakers in the parking lot, blasting pop oldies from the bushes. If somebody was abducting me, who'd even be able to hear me screaming for help, over Elton John's caterwauling? Or maybe that was the point: covering up the screams of women being abducted from the parking lot.

Can love of MBS all you want to. Nice lady, but if you watch this last week's special council meeting you can learn quickly that it is time for her to move on.

Special meeting called to address the Mayors attempt to borrow 90 million dollars as a going out of office transaction. Guess he is trying to fund his reelection efforts.

So our esteemed councilwoman enters the conversation and making opined that "Asking us to make this huge decision today, I'm just not comfortable without knowing where these funds are going to be used." Continuing, " the list of what the 90 Million is going to be used for is in the sky somewhere but we need to have these facts before we tie the city up for years to come."

Later in the meeting, she repeats this concept. So far, so good. Actually thinking that knowing what is going to happen with 90 million dollars borrowed before you do it is a good thing. Right?

But, when it came time to vote, MBS cast the deciding vote to move forward with the loan. Great job, Margaret. Appreciate your watching out for us and tying the city up for years to come with no facts available.

So; Does that go on the list of two accomplishments 5:07 asked for?

What? Asking the right questions? Or, when she didn't get any answers voting to 'tie the city up for years to come"? Actually, like Tyrone H., they both voted for it after expressing their concern because they know they will not be around after June, so dumping this debt on us won't be their concern.

But needing to find an accomplishment, guess she can count this one since she at least attended the meeting.

I always thought she appeared to be medicated and wish she had shared it around the table.

Virgi Lindsay ran the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation for years http://www.greaterbelhaven.com/ and is currently running for the Ward 7 seat. I agree, I hate it when they're like that --I just happened to know this one.

Virgi Lindsey ran her own little fiefdom at GBNF - many folks in that neighborhood are not fascinated by her lack of leadership. Having her on the Council is not an improvement over Margaret B-Simone. MBS didn't do much the past few years, but that is better than Lindsey will do. Don't know the other candidates but will take them sight unseen over VLindsey.