Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding his weekly press conference. The briefing is streamed below.
* Mayor started presser with a discussion of the RFP for the management of the water treatment plants. The city has been in discussion with the EPA for the RFP. The city funds the RFP. The cost is not a reimbursable expense under FEMA. Proposals are due November 7. Contract expected to be "in place by November 17."
*. Evaluation team will be 2 members from Public Works, 1 member from MSDH, 1 member from EPA, and 1 member from U.S. Water Alliance.
* Update on water treatment plants. The Mayor said "We had a very rough weekend. It was touch and go." A new pump was purchased and installed for one of the south Jackson wells.
* Asked Jacksonians to watch there use of water Saturday so the influx of visitors for the JSU game did not overwhelm the water system. He called it a "water conservation notice of sorts."
* Praised JSU for the national attention its receiving.
* WAPT's Scott Simmons asked the Mayor about the Governor's comments about him last week. He said he has never attacked the Governor personally. He said he never spoke poorly about the people of Mississippi. He said he is challenging the failure of the state leadership to fund Jackson over time. He took issue with the Governor saying he had been in office for 19 years and this was the first time he had to take over a water system. The Mayor said he has only been in executive office for three years.
Mayor Lumumba said the EPA said it never encouraged him to issue its own RFP. He accused the Governor of refusing to take EPA's call about the RFP. He said the Governor's claim was "patently false" and accused him of using "bipolar analysis." He said on some days the Governor says he is the savior of Jackson while on other days he brags about not being in Jackson.
He said the Governor's claim the state gave Jackson $200 million was "laughable." He said the number includes loans Jackson has to repay, 1% sales tax the citizens voted to tax themselves, and a CCID that offsets sales taxes.
The challenge is how to restore a dependable system for the residents of Jackson. This is not about the Mayor and its not about the Governor.
"We are here to cooperate, not be run over," concluded the Mayor.
* The Mayor met with the Mayor of Byram. He said he understands "the desire to maintain autonomy." He said it doesn't make sense to fight Byram in the long term. However, Jackson invested in the infrastructure and Byram should have to pay for it. He said Byram and Jackson could work through it. The challenge is to build confidence back into the system.
* He said he wants to looking at building a brand new water treatment plant.
Update (4:20 PM): Mayor Lumumba issued the following statement.
The City of Jackson is taking a proactive stance in responding to its current water crisis. The Mayor’s Office has its sights on over $100 million in federal funding that will be immediately available to advance efforts to repair, upgrade and modernize the city’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Earlier this year, $5 million was provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). Congressman Bennie Thompson and Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith successfully included $20 million in supplemental appropriations in Congress' Continuing Resolution on September 30. These funds will come directly to the City of Jackson for water infrastructure projects along with $4M in State and Tribal Assistance Grants through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On the same day, the City of Jackson submitted applications for funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and match funding through the Mississippi Municipality & County Water Infrastructure Grant Program (MCWI) totaling over $71 million.
In addition to the funds already secured, the City is also pursuing a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant offered through FEMA for undertaking hazard mitigation projects that will reduce the risks faced from disasters and natural hazards. The maximum possible BRIC grant available to Jackson is $50 million for construction with a portion of that expected to be secured in early 2023 to begin design work.
“We know that the condition of Jackson’s water system didn’t happen overnight but is due to decades of disinvestment in the city’s infrastructure,” said Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. “The solution must address the immediate issues, but also provide long-term investments that will help us reimagine Jackson’s water infrastructure."
"I commend my staff and the many federal, state and philanthropic partners who are working daily to ensure that our recovery is complete and sustainable. Jacksonians deserve clean, safe drinking water and the comprehensive approach that we are taking to a more resilient infrastructure will ensure a water system that will be safe and reliable for generations to come.”
54 comments:
No need to listen to this guy… he is only BS and lies
Looks like he's wearing a new suit more fitting of his recent upsize in girth.
Attention $ocrate$! Hi nibs wants a new water treatment plant. Cha-ching!!!
What a child like dummy.
The Mayor doesn't have long because the congress is going to flip in November. All of his stupidity is going to backfire on him.
Garden variety bullshit artist.
Intelligence absent character, is ergo unintelligent.
There is absolutely no way city of Jackson needs a new water treatment plant. All experts have said this already
Problem isn’t the plant. Besides it’s newer than many in Mississippi and around the country that perform great. It’s like 30 yrs old
He wants a new one to create a slush fund contract to someone
Because of Jokeway, I am moving out of 39211 for the first time in my life. I can’t live in a corrupt city without water and trash pickup and watch the crooked mayor collect his bribes.
New plant = more money = thicker grease = happy grifters
Wonder if the good Rev Pickett will start a company that manages water treatement plants.
* WAPT's Scott Simmons asked the Mayor about the Governor's comments about him last week. He said he has never attacked the Governor personally. He said he never spoke poorly about the people of Mississippi. He said he is challenging the failure of the state leadership to fund Jackson over time. He took issue with the Governor saying he had been in office for 19 years and this was the first time he had to take over a water system. The Mayor said he has only been in executive office for three years.
He said the Governor's claim the state gave Jackson $200 million was "laughable." He said the number includes loans Jackson has to repay, 1% sales tax the citizens voted to tax themselves, and a CCID that offsets sales taxes.
Addressing the first one, maybe Tate has only been governor for 3 years. But maybe Lumumba should tell us what other water systems in Mississippi that the state has taken over in the last 20 years (regardless who was mayor or governor).
Addressing the second one, Lumumba said the number includes loans that Jackson has to repay. That's how it works Antar. Other systems repay their loans. They don't get the free money you are asking for. That's why the other systems have to work, manage, put in the hours, watch the finances, maintain, etc.
@3:27pm - What took you so long?
Lumumba is the biggest gaslighting lousy no-good sob on the planet.
Our lovely mayor makes Darrell Brooks look like a Rhodes Scholar. <>
Ummm, aren’t water/sewer systems self-funding?
Surprisingly, WAPT let's their Scott Simmons ask questions that makes Antar uncomfortable on camera.
But I guess that comes down to local "news" ratings.
Pretty sure the BRIC program can't be used to correct deferred maintenance. I doubt the others can either. But perhaps Chokwe is special and they will, change the rules just for him.
This might be a solution. Why not get someone like Ulysses S Grant to come back and burn it down again and reassume the name of “chimneyville”. Start over, I don’t believe it can get any worse!
It’s always a great day when ludumbda is not in control of Jackson.
3:27 you’re making lumumba very happy, that’s exactly what he wants
Lumumba dog-and-pony show is a containment strategy. Legislature holds all the cards. $5 gets you $10 that with today's statement of having $100 million to spend on infrastructure there won't be any incremental 2023 appropriations.
BRIC is a nationally competitive disaster mitigation grant program managed by FEMA. For a project to be approved it must demonstrate that it strengthens community resilience against natural disasters. Communities must also demonstrate past & current capability of maintaining regulations, programs & staff that promotes safe communities.
Take that mask off of the mayor’s head and send him to Parchman. The good thing about his going there without his mask is that no one will recognize him.
Forgot to add, this clown is like watching skits at a 1990 era comedy club.
Years of disinvestment uh? Didn’t realize enterprise funds required investments from other sources.
What is an Enterprise Fund?
An enterprise fund is a self-supporting government fund that sells goods and services to the public for a fee. An enterprise fund uses the same accounting framework followed by entities in the private sector, such as GAAP or IFRS.
Example of an Enterprise Fund
For example, a government-owned power generating facility provides electricity to local homeowners in exchange for a fee.
So the State is going to invest millions into the jackson water system to stabilize it and then just let the City dictate what happens going forward? This State is so embarrassing. They let Chokwe play them like a fiddle.
Well Lumumba will be gone soon. Not soon enough
The beer is on me when Lumumba leaves office!!!
I haven't asked this question yet - Tonight seems to be the night though.
Is his honor the Mayor running for Gubenor?
Wouldn't that be a nightmare!
Did he really say proactive or is that a typo? Do the folks who sign off on the checks to Jackson understand that his management of the water system and decisions around billing, are the reason it failed the past three years? What a bunch of morons.
5:35, with Jackson's current "leadership", no one with any business sense would invest a penny to start over.
God I hope so… please Lumumba run for governor. I would love to see that. Too funny.
I’m new to this back and forth between the mayor and the governor so I’m honestly curious about what the mayor said about the people of MS?
We are just days away from another major water failure.
Mayor Lumumba: +1,000,000 points
KF and Tater: -500,000 points
One can become too weary....you just can't fix stupid .
So how's the zoo going?
Don't worry about Jackson Water. The Russians will be Nuking us by Thanksgiving. Every major city in United States will be a wasteland.
I am going to put this here because the news stations I have contacted seem uninterested. This week end the band from Germantown high school rated #! in the State for marching bands. Could we have a little GOOD news, for a change? Number one in the State is nothing to sneeze at!!!!
Notice how the Mayor says nothing and has no refutation for being called out as a liar?
There is no water in parts of NE right now, according to posts on Nextdoor.
This past week, Pascagoula had a problem with a pump on their water system. It happened on a Thursday. They lost pressure and sent out a boil water notice. The problem was fixed immediately, and the boil water notice was lifted by Saturday morning.
The City of Pascagoula did not blame the State for this problem, did not complain about years of alleged "neglect" from the state, did not try to have the US Congress step in and come up with millions to fix the system, did not call for legislative help, and generally di not try to blame everyone except themselves for the problem.
Jus' sayin',
Y’all are so hateful! I have seen not one positive comment on this matter. I so glad I left Jackson in the 80’s. I live in a city where the Majority of voters/people love our Mayor, our New College President, the Police Chief, Fire Chief and other officials. Ain’t no way but “To The Top” Hattiesburg Mississippi. And yes we love Brett too.
@7:29, one positive thing I could say about Jackson’s water problems, at least if the citizenry is out of water then they won’t have to pay a hefty water bill.
Oh! Hol’ up.
We will hire the workers to work the water plant. Less than a month after we cant find anyone to work at the water plant. That is why we are in this mess.
This is example number 1 how Chok inherited a declining city and then immediately made it worse. Jackson , We blew it this guy is worse than anything we have ever had in Jackson. Im moving if I can find a sucker to give me close to what my property is worth
7:29 Must be something in your water you’re drinking…
Mayors got this, time for the State and Tate to pull out.
"The Russians will be Nuking us by Thanksgiving. Every major city in United States will be a wasteland. "
So, if it only applies to a "major city", Jackson will not be nuked, right? ;-)
Just raise the property taxes in Belhaven. They have proven that they are willing to pay more taxes.
Lady in the very tight dress starts it off with a little attitude and then says we have a lot to cover so listen up. That’s right, listen up! Cause we gonna tell you something. Then the mayor goes to preaching. I listened and watched closely with an open mind because I want to know what in the world they are thinking. After listening I don’t think the mayor likes having assistance and coordination from the state. He wants their money but he wants to be left along to run his city. He has clearly made his mind up on this and is not backing down. The Governor and mema will have to decide to continue helping the mayor or walk away. It is kind of like giving the drug head on the street a dollar. The drug head doesn’t want your assistance and coordination to get him back on his feet and straighten out, he just wants your dollar. A dollar or two ain’t gonna get him off the street and a dollar or two ain’t gonna straighten out the Jackson and their messed up water. And by the way, that guy on the street didn’t become a drug head over night and get in the shape he is in.
All this nonsense about 55,000 people being "in town" for the JSU game last weekend almost causing the water system to fail again is just that, nonsense. A reporter needs to ask:
Mayor, you know Ole Miss and Mississippi State had tens of thousands of people in town for games BEFORE OB Curtis even existed (i.e. way lower water treatment and production capacity) and BEFORE the city began experiencing a massive outflux of population (i.e. way more people here to begin with combined with a lower supply than we have now). Mayor, did you ever hear about any of those games causing water supply problems? Hmm, me either. They didn't. Why should anyone buy your latest excuse?
Oh, by the way mayor, did you bother to consider how many of those 50,000+ at the game LIVE IN JACKSON? Hmm, well wouldn't you need to know that before you go talking about increased strain on the system, because I'm guessing quite a few already live here and use the water regardless of a JSU game.
Oh, one more thing mayor - you always talk about the city needs more funding. Why would you go tell everyone that might come from Southern to GameDay, hey you know we might run out of water if you come. That just might decrease your tax revenue if you give people who want to come here a reason not to.
The national media is playing right along, with Bennie front and center.
"Water investigations said to test Biden racial equity pledge"
https://apnews.com/article/biden-religion-race-and-ethnicity-mississippi-business-63aba5a1fab4043f03e6570f45f3e0d9
No mayor in his right mind would give the State control of water or airport revenues and that is essentially what Tater wants.
I might be willing IF we didn't already see the glaring examples of State corruption!
Grow up people, neither the GOP or Dems give a hoot about anything other than enriching themselves. TRY to vote for someone who is qualified and has a plan and isn't a party robot!
I remind you all again that our Constitution doesn't recognize the existence or necessity for political parties for good reason.
It doesn't matter what the extremist jerks call themselves or try to sell, they are all about money and power and NOT YOUR INTERESTS!
Hey Chokwe maybe you can offer your home to persons needing to shower & bath. Also mention to Chief Davis who said people were never in danger at Provine after the bullet hit the door of the school; THAT BULLETS CAN AND DO INDEED KILL! RIGHT? Doesn’t matter if it was individuals shooting at each other; bullets can and DO TRAVEL a and RICOCHET! SO YES INDEED THEY WERE IN DANDER BECAUSE NO ONE KNEW THE SHOOTERS INTENTIONS!
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