The Jackson City Council deep-sixed outgoing Councilman De'Keither Stamps' attempt to change Jackson's government. WLBT reported:
A resolution that would have signified unity among Jackson city councilmembers to embrace a new form of government for the Capital City now resides in a committee without a vote because of concerns expressed from the city’s mayor and a councilwoman Tuesday about citizens being cut out or unduly influenced by the action.
“I really feel like this is just the cart before the horse. And I really think that with all due respect, [Ward 4 Councilman De’Keither] Stamps, I think I’m just gonna vote against it,” said Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay, shortly before Council President Aaron Banks sent the resolution back to the committee from which it originated.
The measure, placed on the agenda by Stamps days ago, would have been non-binding; changing a city’s form of government requires a petition and referendum before it can move forward, according to state law.
“What we have now is a system that’s great for contractors. But is it good for people? Is it good for progress? Is it good for efficiency?” Stamps said in an interview Wednesday. “Does it root out fraud, waste, and abuse? And those are the types of questions and answers that we have to start seeking.”
Stamps remains particularly frustrated because of the city’s ongoing water crisis; he stressed to council members Tuesday that he cannot truly address the needs of his residents without going through a process that may not even lead to help for his residents.
“I got folks ain’t had water in a month, right? And all we get is a pump, the most minimum thing to fix the problem? Well, I want the complete solution. I want more towers, I want more water in west and south Jackson. But if I don’t have four votes to do it, under this structure, it’s not gonna happen,” Stamps said.
Jackson’s strong mayor-weak council form of government puts the day-to-day operations of the city with the mayor, with the council holding the purse strings, setting policy and drafting the budget.
The council-manager form, which Stamps has been advocating for since 2016, would establish a city manager to handle day-to-day issues and let the mayor run council meetings, with both of them setting policy for the city.
“Over half of the governments in this country run on the council-manager form of government. A lot of big cities,” Stamps said, citing Las Vegas, Nevada, and Norfolk, Virginia as examples.
Several cities in Mississippi do, too.
“The city manager form of government, in my opinion, certainly does provide more accountability,” said Michael Silverman, who serves as city manager for Pascagoula until June 17...
With the city of Jackson’s current form of government, department directors are usually replaced once a new mayor takes office.
In the council-manager form, however, the same city manager could continue independent of newly-elected council or mayoral candidates....
“We’ve had almost two wards pack up and leave Jackson with our population decline. So should we have seven council people? Or should we have less? Our budget on government is increasing, but our population is decreasing. So we must restructure our government based on what we can afford,” Stamps said. “The goal is a unified leadership. The city can’t move forward and be the one voice that it should be when it has multiple voices. We need one leadership. And so this structure will allow us to unify the leadership to be on one accord.”... Article & video.
Kingfish note: JJ used to be against this idea but has slowly changed it's mind over the last few years. Jackson has a budget that is over $300 million. Look around the city. Murders broke records last year and are going to break them again this year. The city repeatedly goes without water. Jackson pumps and dumps sewage all over the place, including the Pearl River. Some paving has taken place but the roads are still in horrible shape. Libraries are literally crumbling to pieces while the Mayor says he is working on a plan. It's always a plan. The few successes that take place are due to a few strong neighborhood associations that have taken the bit between their own teeth with little help from the city.
The problem is the people keep electing Mayors who are simply not qualified for the job and their performance shows it. Some were good at planning, some are good at yapping, but none of them have actually known how to do their jobs. That's what happens when the people keep electing people who've never done anything nor run anything. The chances of Jackson getting competent leadership under the current form of government are almost zero.
It's time to give Mr. Stamps' idea a try. Unfortunately, it won't happen. Installing a city manager means the Mayor will lose his precious power as it will shift to the City Council. Patronage, contracts, and other perks would no longer be under his purview.
It is no surprise Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay led the charge against Mr. Stamps. She has turned into the Mayor's leg-breaker on the Jackson City Council. She helped him move the Election Commission and City Clerk to his authority. The rest of the clowns on the Jackson City Council said nary a word, sheep that they are and that, my friends, is the bottom line.
24 comments:
Now that Stamps is leaving I'm sure he's just full of good ideas that will unravel the boondoggle that he and the remaining city officials perpetuate for their own petty interests. If this is a really good idea he could have fought for it, really fought, when he was part of the problem that would have been great. Thanks anyway.
Did he suggest DECREASING the size of city government? In Jackson? His Democrat membership card was just cancelled. He got to be kiddin'.
Yep, Lets keep doing things the same way and it will have to get better. No reason to shake up what is working so well for Jackson. I think if a plane is going down after about 5 min the passengers should get a chance to pull it up :)
I disagree. The roads have been paved and improved significantly in my neighborhood. Jackson’s tax base is finally increasing, not decreasing. New businesses are popping up everywhere, all because of the leadership of Mayor Lumumba, who just won re-election in a landslide.
JPD’s excellent detectives, though overworked, arrest the criminals responsible for almost all of the murders in the city. The FBI, ATF, and other federal law enforcement agencies also help in a big way.
Jackson was a train wreck when Mayor Lumumba was first elected, but he’s made much progress, despite what the Rankin County Jackson haters on here like to proclaim
Oh brother. I’m sorry, Jamie. Go vote for Charlotte Reeves or something. Lol
He's had a few good ideas up there, you just weren't listening. He suggested having water/sewer customers pay at least $50 a month as a minimum while we straightened out the billing system. Look at those graphs I posted a few weeks ago and tell me that wouldn't have made a difference. He's had some others. Just not as loud as some others on the council and ignored by the media.
Everywhere? Take out Belhaven and Fondren and where are they? There are more shuttered businesses in Northeast Jackson than ever before.
Detectives may be clearing cases but so what? The crime is still going up, up, up. So they are clearing cases. That means last year they clear 130 murder cases. This year they will clear 140 or so murder cases. Progress.
The two main road projects, N State Street and County Line Road, were TIger grants (Thank you Thad) started under previous administration. I've said some roads have been paved. However, the rest of public works is a disaster.
Sorry, didn't vote for that psycho. Hate that I disappointed you.
2:35 Weren't you working for WorldComm a few years ago. I could have sworn...
KF at 2:36: One definition of ineffective leadership: Great ideas that never
come to fruition.
KF, obviously the vast majority of us who live in Jackson disagree with your opinion that Mayor Lumumba is doing a poor job since we just re-elected him in a landslide. When elected officials carry out their duties in a subpar manner, the voters vote them out. See former President Trump.
A councilperson with good ideas is useless if he or she cannot IMPLEMENT those ideas. If Stamps has been trumpeting such good ideas since 2016 but nothing comes to fruition, then he is an ineffective leader and should be ashamed at his inability to progress anything.
He is right about one thing. If Jackson population is 25% smaller now, our budgets should somehow reflect that reduction. But then again, isn't council responsible for the budget process, and wasn't Stamps council president for several years? Once again, he had the ability to actually do something, but failed.
I do agree that city manager government is the way forward. But no way will the current council lead us to making that change.
Doesn't matter what form of gubment you have if everyone involved are idiots , crooks and fools. Lol, Norfolk Va is a friggin craphole . Vegas ? Come on man.
2:35 is what Jackassery is all about. Almost got us there buddy.
" I think I’m just gonna vote against it,” said Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay
( Virgi actually said something ) ?
Gawd ... it's funny that she actually spoke.
Yeah, only 17% of the voters voted. All-time low. He got 92% last time in the general, 69% this time. He had literally no opposition because no one wants the job. Even the population has written off Jackson.
The people of Jackson have the leadership they want. A book, people no longer believe in, says that people chose leaders that feel as they do. Nothing in Jackson, or anywhere else for that matter, will change until the people start thinking, or feeling different. Sad, but true.
Sounds like 2:35 is already smoking that "medical" Mary Jane, no matter what Queen Mary has to say about it!!!!!
Guess that's why its called DOPE.......
Kingfish nailed it - no one wants the job.
Watch Wonder Boy declare 11.75% support (69% of 17%) is a mandate to free the land or whatever BS he’s spouting as he pines for higher office or whatever. Hopefully the State will pass an emergency manager law and Antar will find somewhere else to ply his hustle.
3:33 so you’re saying this was another case of voter corruption? Many of us agree that democrat voter fraud is RAMPANT!
Sitting downtown by the railway station, one toke over the line, come on sing it with me 2:35... Waiting for the train that goes home sweet Mary, hoping that the train is on time... you know the words come on now
Stamps and Priester have been the most honest, competent and intelligent City leaders for years. I think it unlikely they left because they thought things had been put back on the track. More likely, they concluded that things had to get much worse before they could get better, and they didn’t want to be associated with that sinkhole.
Lumumba is a shameless beggar, prostrating himself in the dirt of obsequious dependency before his federal masters for bailouts to fix his and previous Democrat failed infrastructure responsibilities.
Before he crawls like an alley dog whining for scraps, should he not first sell off City owned real estate assets, like the Convention Center, the Convention Center "Hotel" vacant lot, the enormously valuable land near Ridgewood Rd at Lakeland Dr, the decrepit Libraries, the Zoo and many other hopeless wet dream disasters before he drags all of Jackson down into his pity pit?
Lumumba's priorities should be to attract a tax base back to Jackson, but he has a legacy of potholes, undrinkable water, crime and financial ruin that will scare off all but dollar stores, bail bond hustlers, payday loan sharks and nail salons.
With rampant crime, bad water, broken sewer lines and seemingly war ravaged streets, Jackson is doomed. Please sell off Jackson real estate, get it on tax rolls and fix the city with the funds thereby generated.
Why can’t Lumumba act like a responsible adult? Why does Virgi Lindsay pat his head and buy his diapers?
2:35 is right. You people just don't have the integrity to admit that the Honorable Mayor Lumumba will soon have Jackson ranked as the Number 1 city in America.
Under Lumumba we are soaring toward Number 1 in murders.
Under Lumumba we are now Number 1 in STDs.
Yes, we lag is looting and arson but give Mayor Lumumba time. His ambition continues to bring results to lift Jackson to the top in the areas that count.
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