Jackson Jambalaya

It will take her 5 days to do...what? Find some office movers and someone to babysit the giraffes?

So, where do we go from here? My understanding is that a new management group will take over operations. Can you tell us the expectations as to if such a group exists?

Wasn't my call. She submitted her resignation and the President of Board accepted it. No Board meeting was held to discuss it. I asked for one anyway.

I understand that it was a misuse of funds, but she was desperate to keep the doors open, and "robbed Peter to pay Paul". I wouldn't want to have been in her position. I wish her well.

She meant well, but shouldn't have monkeyed around with the funds.

I will always cherish my childhood memories of the Jackson Zoo. Today I only enter the city limits if absolutely necessary. All of those memories of visiting family and shopping at Metro Center are locked away in my mind. I know those days will never return. Someday the name of the city will be changed. Why? because racism, that's why. But good bye Jackson Zoo. I will always remember the 1980 and 1990's.

Doing it once, I can understand. But misuse of bond funds for NINE years is grounds to open a case - oh Dellllllllllberttttttt.

1:01, I see what you did there. Good one!

"Today I only enter the city limits if absolutely necessary."

HAHAHAHAHA give me a break. You people act like it is Somalia down here, but I see your leased BMWs with Madison plates at the Whole Foods lined up next to we the "brave" residents of Jackson.

Have you ever been robbed in Jackson? I doubt it. Do you know anyone who has been killed in Jackson? You don't. Enjoy your ticky-tacky ivory tower of excessive debt and poor construction in Gluckstadt.

How do I get placed on administrative leave with pay? Sounds like a good deal if you can get it.

This is all a distraction so that the corrupt Jackson politicians can continue to do nothing and get paid.

I heard that Shad White spit out his Count Chocula at the news of possible misuse of funds at the Zoo.

"Have you ever been robbed in Jackson? I doubt it. Do you know anyone who has been killed in Jackson? You don't. Enjoy your ticky-tacky ivory tower of excessive debt and poor construction in Gluckstadt."

My son was robbed in Fondren outside his house, my son's house was broken into in Fondren and he jumped out a window to avoid being beaten with a pipe.

I was robbed in Belhaven in my duplex, my purse was stolen. My car was broken into in Belhaven.

My good friend's brother was murdered in downtown Jackson. My former neighbor was murdered in NE Jackson. A good friend of my son's was murdered on Fortification Street.

In NE Jackson pumping gas, I was assaulted by a homeless man who acted like he was on drugs.

So yeah, some of us know what we speak of.

I see you can dish it out but you can't take it... Sorry KF you need to get off the board and so do the rest of the board members. You are ALL guilty.

A LOT of us knew the child who was killed by the man hole cover or lack thereof.. So yeah, I would say it is getting a LOT like Somalia.

Neither Slim Shaddy Shad nor Daddy Pickwick found this. Neither did Delbert. The Kingfish uncovered it by actually reading the audit report that the rest of the board never bothered reading.

To those of you who blame Kingfish or other members of the board, you really don't know what you are talking about. It was KF and several other members of the board that brought all of this to a head and forced this resignation. They also reported the matter to the proper authorities, which means they were exercising their fiduciary duties to the Zoo.

2:31
Seems like your family and friends would do better by living in South Jackson. We’d love to meet you at Bo Don’s.

I think I'll take my girls to the Zoo this weekend for one last visit. Haven't been there in years since they became teens. We used to go all the time not many years ago. I don't see how it can survive without significant outside funding. That's not going to happen. Seriously, go see it before they shut it down.

3:36 pm wrote, "Neither...Shad nor Daddy Pickwick found this..."

In fairness, nine years ago, Shad was still in kindergarten, so he does have a pretty good defense...

Was there any effort to hide any of this or was it done in plain sight but no one cared enough to check? Either way, just think about how bad it might be if a whole bunch of officials were actually stealing funds and actively covering it up...why, shoot, you'd have...you'd have...well, Mississippi. Hell, the more I think about it, if she really was simply and honestly attempting to keep things afloat and running but doing so with the wrong money, she is among the better officials around. That's pretty darn sad on several levels.

"Today I only enter the city limits if absolutely necessary."

Lol I only enter Madison to litter.

Wait. the Secretary of State has nothing to do with the zoo or the misuse of public funds. Is Delbert on the board or something?

Somalia has much better roads

9 years of missuse of funds tells me it has been a sinking ship for over a decade. Move the entrance out of the war zone or move the zoo to an area that can and will support and sustain it.

3:33, your example doesn't work - an accident resulting from a faulty construction material is not relative (or limited to; google the issue and see how many places a similar accident has occurred) to the question.

Won't argue that some may know or have been a victim of a crime in Jackson; just as many of us in Ridgeland knew the shop owner killed here not long ago.

But the point made was probably valid - it depends on where in Jackson one travels, and what their purpose for being there at the time. Hell, while driving through the Virden addition the other afternoon I observed a young (white) couple parked on the street with their Rankin County tag very visible. I didn't look like they were the landlords collecting the rent, but maybe that's the story they would tell if questioned.

KF, maybe the new operator(s) will take a look at your plan to relo the entrance.

Another DUD Melvin. Little wonder why nobody listens to your jokecast.

So, I just have to ask. Did the board not know where the money was coming from to pay salaries? Don't mean to p*ss off the KF but I haven't seen this question answered.

Like I keep saying to my blogger friends; The Zoo needs to sell the animals to
McClain General Store (Safari Tours) at Holly Bush Rd.in Rankin County for a dollar each. They already have over 40 exotic species from across the world. If the city wants a ZOO let them restock the cages.The city needs to just concentrate on The Civil Rights museum.

She's WHITE, therefore that is the problem. Remember, this is Jackson Ms. Where is the white city council people?

Next!

7:24, what has that have to do with her misappropriating funds?

Didn't the board periodically review the financials for the zoo? When there were shortfalls and the payroll was miraculously taken care of, weren't inquiries made - or were the books being cooked to conceal how specific funds were used? I'd be looking into what kind of fringe benefits the board received over the past 9 years - sponsored travel, etc. And, if the board members had knowledge of misappropriated funds and possibly benefitted, they should be investigated - at the very least, the director should return the salary she was paid while she was misusing funds.

Kingfish is either asleep at the wheel or pretending he can't hear. If he's a Board member, that implies there's a Board. And if there's a Board, it must have members; so, how do the members of that Board explain not knowing for years how the payroll was being met? Did they never look at a ledger or an accounting of income and expenses and cash on hand and budgets and assets and liabilities and such minutia as payroll to include FICA, PERS (if applicable), garnishments (if applicable).....?

Were they complicit, uninvolved, distracted, in a fog?

@1:40

"Have you ever been robbed in Jackson? I doubt it. Do you know anyone who has been killed in Jackson? You don't."

Yes to both ops your questions. Also home burglarized 4 times, house vandalized 2 times and car vandalized numerous times. Harassed several times by vagrants at gas stations.

I got out of Jackson as soon as I could. Do I still venture into Jackson? Yes, but only when absolutely necessary and NEVER unarmed. My sidearm has gotten me out of several dangerous situations, without firing a shot.

McLain couldn't take the more popular ones if they wanted to do so. Those animals have to get along due to the free range set up. Zoo has tiger, rhino, hippos, gators, and other such aggressive animals or predators. The zebra is a different breed from the ones at Mc's and is old and ornery to boot.

Delbert's Securities Division has jurisdiction over municipal bonds when there is misuse of proceeds. (See: David Watkins saga.)

However, Delbert's Securities Division is a bit thin these days, and has a very small knowledge base, except for one employee. They don't seem to be doing much these days. Delbert booted several former employees in that division or they left. He can't take someone disagreeing with him, or someone trying to open a case on a friend.

Hell 1038, if the Securities Division is thin (because they left or were told to leave because they had an opinion that didn't jive with Delbert's as has been the case throughout his office) why doesn't the Elections Division take care of these securities issues? Their knowledge of securities law is probably equivalent to what they know (not what they think they know) of the election laws. I'm sure they would issue an opinion quickly, albeit questionable as to its correctness.