The Jackson City Council discussed closing the Jackson Zoo during a budget hearing yesterday but not without resistance from Mayor Chokwe Lumumba's administration.
The Jackson Zoo collected only $70,000 of revenue in the 2023 fiscal year. Parks & Recreation Director Ison Harris, Jr. submitted a budget request for $1.6 million. The deficit created some consternation among the City Council as President Aaron Banks brought up a word never mentioned before in the hallowed chamber: "Closing."
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba took issue with Mr. Banks, claiming the revenue was "zero" when it assumed control of the zoo from the Jackson Zoological Society.* However, Mayor Lumumba lied yet again. The Jackson Zoological Society ceded control of the zoo on October 1, 2019. The numbers speak for themselves.
The final attendance for FY 2019 was 48,114. It was 73,000 in 2018 and 101,000 in 2017. Not exactly "zero" as the Mayor put it.
Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley urged the Lumumba administration to seek grants to help the zoo. The zoo is in his ward. Mr. Banks said the Council should consider closing the zoo. He said the city had thousands of other needs, including a surprise $2 million rate hike for its insurance policy. WLBT article on insurance hike.
Chief of Staff Dr. Safiya Omari said such a discussion did not belong in a budget hearing but should take place at another time as she refused to address the zoo's financial picture. She said closing the zoo because of a $1.6 million deficit "was a kneejerk reaction."
If the zoo closed, it would stake some time to transfer the animals. Mr. Banks said the administration stated in an email it would cost over $600,000 but the Mayor said it would cost more.
Kingfish note: It is impossible to take Dr. Omari and her boss seriously after their ARPA funds fiasco. She said they should figure out a way "to make it work." Well, this is what Dr. Omari and Mayor Lumumba think of the zoo. They planned on spending only $250,000 of ARPA funds on the zoo while dropping $4 million - yes, $4 million - on creating an open-air market on Farish Street. Yeah. That is their idea of helping the zoo. The City Council tore up all those plans after the water crisis a year ago and decided to direct all ARPA funds to water projects .
Closing the zoo will not immediately free up $1.6 million but it must be seriously considered. The city does not have the money to create a prime attraction at the Jackson Zoo nor does it have the will to do so, judging by the ARPA plans. The city would have to keep the zookeepers while paying for feed and vet services. Homes have to be found for the animals and unfortunately, some animals will have to be put down due to age.
Corporations close unprofitable divisions all the time. However, the administration is not drive by logic but ego and the Mayor can't admit his zoo showdown might end in failure. He never dreamed the zoo would close for nearly a year. Don't think that little episode doesn't stick in his craw. Closing the zoo is simply not an option for him. However, the Jackson City Council is the one that can pull the plug and pull the plug it must.
One last note. Many want to move the zoo to Lefluer's Bluff by the museums. Doing so would be a mistake. The bluff is a GREAT location but a HORRIBLE site. The area is hilly but worse, it floods. Good luck getting past the USDA with the history of floods in that area. The zoo would have to shrink from its current 33 acres to 25 acres, leaving no room for expansion or additional exhibits.
A much better site is where the old car auction site used to be by the Junction shopping center. Raising the railroad tracks created easy access to the area. It is right by two interstates. There are restaurants, shopping, and hotels on East County Line Road and at nearby Renaissance. A zoo would work much better there than it would on Lakeland Drive.
However, such will never happen. The zoo belongs to the Mayor and he is going to do to the zoo what he did to the water system and Jackson crime and that my friends, is the bottom line.
* Yours truly served as a Board member of the JZS.
67 comments:
Good numbers KF! Obviously attendance revenue has fell off the cliff! It won’t come back there. But can Banks get 5 votes to close? No chance!
The ideal win-win solution would be to let Richard’s Disposal take over the Jackson Zoo.
Is the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition supplying bottled water to the zoo? Since they cannot shake Henifin down they might try the zookeepers.
When I was a teen out here in the woods, we’d go to the band festival and take a side trip to the zoo since the marching competition didn’t start till eveningtime. There was an ape that used to smoke cigarettes people threw into the pen, and the ape would pitch turds out. Hilarity abounded. If I were looking for entertainment in Jackson now, though, I’d just go to a council meeting.
When JZP took over the zoo, it was in pretty rough shape. In just a few years they were able to get it back on its feat and led the zoo to its greatest years ever.
Hard to believe some old animals would have to be put down. Surely some zoo somewhere would take even an animal with only a year or two left. Obviously, they like the threat that killing the animals brings to the table.
I keep thinking the Zoo is being used for some sort of crime - hiding drugs, laundering money, something. Because why else would you give a flip about a zoo? If it is pride, that is an expensive personal issue.
Are you kidding me ??? They will NEVER EVER give up the ZOO! Why??? Duh... All the grant possibilities and ZERO CHECKS AND BALANCES.. All the money that can go under one big blanket of tom foolery. CLOWNS! I mean where is this thousand dollar train ? Why cash only per their website unless you buy online which the links probably don't work. But why would you buy a ticket online that cost $2 which is probably even or damn near the cost of what the surcharge is just to run the transaction in the first place? A review on Yelp from 7/25 by someone in CA talked about it being a ZOO run in a post apocalyptical time. And no running café. I remember the Zoo back when it was semi-worth going to. Pay in cash so the BIG man can buy himself and his buddies a steak dinner and the Mayor can keep having checks written for an account that "hasn't been set up yet" teehee ;) People are listening. Jackson loves a clown !
Hell... they wouldn't have to put "Half" the animals down... half the "Animals" you can release right back out into Mississippi wildlife reserves where they caught then... seriously... check out their facebook page... Alligators?? You don't even have to own a boat to see those... Just check out the Reservoir. A goose? A Turtle? I know people in Ridgeland that have more exotic creatures in their back yards!
To hell with Antar. What about the poor animals that are trapped in that hell hole zoo?
There are plenty of sites in Rankin/Madison county, that are far superior locations for a zoo. You put the zoo up in Jackson, and you will have problems. Crime, corruption, etc. excellent opportunity for rankin, IMO. Similar to Braves and Amphitheater .
What happened to Zooceanarium of Dubai?
According to a Secretary of State business filing search:
zoOceanarium Group, LLC filed a Certificate of Withdrawl dated April 5, 2022.
This means it's all up to the mayor and his crew, unless they can find someone else to go in with them.
How did they have a surprise 2 million dollar property insurance increase? Every agent under the sun knows property rates are going thru the roof and should be relaying that message to their clients. Either the agent failed or the mayor didn’t relay the message. I hope that placement is on a few and not commission.
856PM that's a gold star comment. I proclaim you the winner.
As a former Zoo Board member I can say this administration never had a chance to revive it with no talent or experience. The Zoo Society had the experience to run it and were actually doing a great job with the limited funds available. No one will ever give the City the funds to fix the nightmare the Mayor has created. They need to budget $1 million to be used solely for the liquidation of the Zoo. Then let the City sell the property as perfect urban renewal project to Soros or some other dumbass from out West
Keep the zoo. Get rid of the city council!!!
Grants...bribing the taxpayers with their own money.
One plan mentioned was to get JPS to have more field trips. Notice how it never occurred to them to reach out to Clinton or Hinds County schools, or even W-V. Of course that is all just shuffling government money around.
as for putting it in Rankin or Madison counties, well it iS the Jackson Zoo.
If it goes to Madison or Rankin, then those counties and their respective towns can pay for it.
What's with this "deficit" business. Most municipal services are not meant to be money making projects. How much profit did the Jackson/Hinds County libraries make last year? That said, the zoo needs to close for the sake of the animals.
Obviously.
However, there is a difference between losing money and burning money.
This is so sad for those animals. Lumumda is getting something out of the zoo. More than just ego.
The zoo has been closed for years now. Leadership just refused to accept it.
What about the millions the mayor claimed were saved by awarding the garbage collection contract to Richard's Disposal? Why not give that money to the zoo? Unless, of course, there weren't any savings to begin with.
This is so maddening, the zoo in hattiesburg is so nice!!! If this one wasn't being used as a political chess piece it could be too.....
corruption corruption corruption and its the people who pay the price for it.
I don't care who you are, where you are, or what you support, one thing you can bank on is NO POLITICIAN has your best interest at heart
Remember this crap?
Dr. Blaine advocated doing something like this but as always, Dr. Blaine was full of plans but empty of action.
Hattiesburg has a wonderful zoo
The zoo is no longer an attraction important enough to commit a significant portion of Jackson's ever shrinking tax base. It's past time to prioritize based on what works and what does not. Jackson's working attractions, the museums, the fairgrounds, Memorial Stadium, Lefleurs Bluff area, ought to be maintained and preserved before they deteriorate like the rest of the city.
If you lose the zoo you lose a liability, you can easily go to other zoo locations bigger and better. When you lose Memorial Stadium and they move
JSU to Newell Field or something comparable you will lose a big historic stadium with it's huge out of town crowds and a stadium capable of handling major games. Loose the fairgrounds you lose rodeos, trade shows, sports events, concerts, etc. with no alternative. Lose LeFleurs and you lose the only descent park attracting people from outside Jackson. And don't even think of losing the museums. The point is, protect your irreplaceable assets, cut your dysfunctional liabilities (the zoo).
Y’all leave the City of Jackson Administration alone, you are confusing them with all these questions. This is not how it works! You don’t question the City Administration. Give Mr Heflin another 2-3 hundred thousand to make the zoo great again. Dang, ain’t it funny how a man as Mr Heflin who doesn’t leave in a city can come in and begin to fix things!
If Mr Heflin fixes everything in Jackson nothing will be broken and the City Administration can’t ask for monies to fix stuff! But I don’t want the Cities buddies to suffer for lack of contracts to fix stuff over and over and over.
And, ain’t it funny how a few citizens complain about who and how they fix stuff. The fix must on in Jackson. But really I don’t know what I’m taking about.
I never used the Mayor’s name in this comment, cause I don’t want to cause confusion with all the comments.
Until the citizens of MS learn that "airing dirty laundry" is bad publicity and repels rather than attracts, none of the "family, friends, or neighbors" want to visit or experience the War of the Rednecks or see the innocent victims " in the house" suffer.
@6:59 great point. I wonder if the COJ has an earmarked reserve for the percentage wind/hail deductibles that should be in the hundreds of thousands. I bet the agent has CYA and Chokwe didn't relay the message. Hell, they waited until the day before the renewal to present it to the board to look at it.
Zoos are expensive.
It should have always been a State Zoo with support coming from the State.
That comparisons of the past with the present overlook the competition in Hattiesburg and Rankin County is a politically convenient omission.
That all of Mississippi trashes Jackson and more strongly the zoos location doesn't encourage visitors.
That the closeness to a highway and creating attractive access via city zonings and ordinances is overlooked.
Our mayor and council like the State and mayor and the State and the Feds is perpetual with none of the above learning how to cooperate and negotiate reasonable compromises.
They've all become like gangs warring against each other, not "leaders" working for the citizens. We just suffer the verbal shots fired with no cease fire or peace treaty in sight.
Theirs is difference between strength and power and just being onery and uncooperative. The first requires taking actions that work to create peace and safety. Politicians have become blowhards, not doers and they take credit for the work done in the past that make their few accomplishments possible. Or blame others for past actions that caused them to fail.
When will we stop being enablers?
Maybe the Junior League of Jackson should take over the zoo. Look what the ladies did with the Children’s Museum. It is a wonderful place to visit. I imagine it brings in lots of money to Jackson area.
Everyone knows Jackson is being destroyed by the inept mayor, the elected leaders, his money sucking cronies and family. Exactly what are the majority of voters getting from his regime to keep supporting him?
Madison or Rankin Counties would start from scratch with the concept of a zoo. Market research to determine the need and viability, and a bond issue or two to fund the startup -- IF sustainable. They wouldn't touch the existing zoo in some sort of move or takeover. They could easily snatch-up the good employees without having to deal with the rest of the baggage.
Well, there is the matter of McClain's which is doing quite well out there.
No matter if they keep it open or close it down, it makes no difference to myself or the majority of the Jackson Metro residents. I will not go into that crime ridden part of town for any reason and I damn sure am not going to allow my wife and kids to go alone. I'm sorry, the Zoo failed due to the area surrounding it. Poor funding and misstatement didn't help, but people stopped going because it was extremely dangerous.
No one wants to take their kids to the Jackson Zoo in fear of their kids being hit by a stray bullet in the most radical city in America.
Hey firefighters, screw you, we're putting the money into the zoo.
The arguments put forth by Omari and Lumumba exemplify the complete lack of experience and, arguably, common sense this Administration has.
This Administration keeps talking about envisioning "radical"...oops, Lumumba now prefers "progressive"...changes and solutions WHILE OFFERING NONE.
Banks correctly points out that this Administration has ZERO common sense when it comes to dollars and cents. They want everything but have no money to do it. "Raise property taxes" is the solution. What is "radical" or "progressive" about that?
Go ahead, tax your base to death all for the sake of keeping the USDA Nursing Home for Animals open. Good luck with your political future.
I remember years ago when area restaurants would hold fund-raising events at the zoo. They actually raised a lot of money and brought really good publicity and community awareness & support. Sadly, those days are long gone with the loss of community
pride in our city. These sad animals should be removed to a better place and the zoo should close. When the citizens become disillusioned, it’s a losing battle.
@9:17
"Until the citizens of MS learn that "airing dirty laundry" is bad publicity and repels rather than attracts"
So you want everyone to help fool people into visiting Jackson and risking their lives doing so ? NOPE !
This is "our" zoo.
Like everything else, this is a black-white issue
Having a zoo, planetarium, convention center, civil rights museum, and other attractions is great for a city. But, not if it cannot provide the foundation to support them. Things like public safety, intact roads, clean water, lodging, restaurants, etc.
You must be able to walk before you can run.
Can't help but wonder KF if the avoidable errors you exposed were actually worse than the abject incompetence that became the result.
The mayor and his revolutionary cronies simply do not believe in the simple business concepts of supply and demand, free markets, or private enterprise. If a zoo is arguably an educational tool they will keep it no matter it's economic liabilities. They simply raise taxes. If all the people's money goes to fund government services then so be it. As long as it's the "people's zoo". Whether you are Democrat or Republican, black or white, at some point you must realize that these people will make living in Jackson totally unaffordable if they have their way. Only the very rich can afford to stay and ironically, they are the first to leave.
What's the point of having a zoo if it does not attract customers? Really.
What's the point?
Mayor, you did lots of these dumb things. As I have said, because I deal in cities, watch as he can't use the water sewer revenue to prop up his budget. It is against the law to use the water/sewer revenue on anything but water sewer and it is suppose to be in a separate account. The answer now is to chop all of the stupid advisory departments and public relations and get back to basic police, fire, roads public works. Who needs a coalition to help homeless, they don't care. Give the zoo animals to a group that will build a new zoo by the children's museum.
I must commend the city administration on developing tremendous stamina and a strong right arm. Any normal person's right arm would have failed long ago from beating this dead horse.
10:49 I could give a shit about the color of one’s skin excuses. I just see broke shit that’s haven’t been fixed. The Mayor was elected to solve problems of the city and create a safe environment for ALL. He and Jody Owens, the prosecutors, judges in Hinds County has just destroyed this once prosperous city.
Keep on letting these fools ruin your streets with y’all lackadaisical asses, but until it hits home y’all ain’t gonna do shit!
When will the regulatory arm of USDA finally do something about this zoo and the conditions these animals must exist in? 500 deaths in 12 years???? It's encouraging to finally see local media reporting the true facts about the actual conditions and failures of this zoo! I have been contacting anyone/everyone I could think of since 2018 with dismay and shock that this facility is allowed to house animals.
The zoo lost accreditation with AZA in 2016 because the facility does not meet their licensing standards.
In May of 2021, USDA confirmed that the zoo was not licensed by USDA.
The staff at the zoo is comprised of Jackson City Personnel: how are they qualified to care for exoctic animals?
Please share this!
If Vernon Hartley votes to increase property taxes so that he can avoid an uncomfortable vote to close the zoo then he can kiss his aspirations of someday running for Mayor, and winning, goodbye. (And BTW, I think Hartley would be a quite able administrator in the job.) There is a better argument for running JATRAN at such an obscene level of annual operating loss than there is an antiquated facility crumbling optional zoo.
C'mon Pearl, MS Government. I'm tired of driving to Hattiesburg to safely take my kids to a decent zoo, and I'm tired of having to drive an hour plus to get to a damn waterpark. Good grief! You're on the crossroads of I55, I20, Hwy 49 and Hwy 80, yet you can't develop the area for sh!t. The restaurants suck, the entertainment sucks. Rather than killing M-Brave attendance with ridiculous parking fees, why not support businesses by recruiting more attractions. A waterpark, a zoo, a Pearl River casino. Hell, Madison County is getting a Golf Suites AND a Top Golf. How did you not manage to pull one of those? Pitiful!!!
The fight Chokwe picked with the Zoological Society a few years ago made this outcome inevitable. The Zoological Society was at least considering moving locations, which was about the last hope the zoo had. Chokwe's takeover ensured a move would never happen.
The council should consider shuttering Mynelle Gardens, Smith Robertson Museum and the Municipal Art Gallery while they are at it. If those places are still open, they must have even fewer visitors than the zoo.
Monroe, Louisiana, approximately 70 miles to our west, has a population of 47,000 people and has a wonderful zoo.
Wonder what the difference might be?
The Hattiesburg Zoo is building a waterpark. Looks like it will be a nice addition.
The zoo represents “us” vs “them.”. It’s not about the zoo or the welfare of the animals within. It’s going to have to close because
it isn’t going anywhere, and they aren’t reaching outside of Jackson for visitors.
I am fortunate that when my offspring were of age to go to the zoo, it was great at that time. Train ride, new exhibits, nice merry go round, and a nice animal collection complete with elephant. It was affordable-which was amazing.
The neighborhood is worse today than it was and that’s saying something. The old Collins zoo had a larger and better collection of animals from what’s there now.
But do the voters care? Nope.
Jackson is in a death spiral — like anyone here with any grasp of reality didn’t already know that. The mayor lacks the competency to administer the rudiments of water, sewage, and public safety yet, without money or visitors to justify the zoo’s continued existence, there’s going to be this interminable discussion — Jackson is biiiiig on “having a discussion” — about what it’s plainly obvious the City cannot afford. What to do with the exotic animals will be another nationwide msm crisis on par with the recent water woes. “Coming up next, Animals in crisis: How state government’s racist failure to provide zoo funding in Mississippi has placed exotic animals in harm’s way and the effect on climate change.”
But can anyone explain to me how is it that the chief of staff has a seat at the council dais and inserts her gum-bumping and hand waving as though she was elected by the people? Why is it she’s not back of the house chiefing the staff instead of acting as some kind of second mayor? The mayor and his mini-me certainly view this blog. Perhaps they might deign to reply.
@1:36 PM, Hartley has already folded like a lawn chair. He doesn't have the stomach to make the hard calls. He looked like a leader during the garbage collection imbroglio but he's going to be all lackey on the zoo.
Don’t forget Jacksonians, y’all vote for this shit every election.
What the heck is ZAPP? Zoo area progressive partnership? Who funds them? Anyone looking at the numbers can see the zoo is a deep hole the city is throwing money in.
The tri county area should set up a Commission and build a new zoo. Hinds, Madison and Rankin should all fund it and the Cointy Supervisors should appoint the Commissioners. The new zoo should be built in a safe area.And be easily accessible.
Since JAN is a zoo already, let's put both the zoo and the airport under the same regional authority. And, they could be on the same property -- there's a lot of wasted space around an airport, and what excitement seeing the animals and planes trying to avoid each other!
It would significantly increase attendance because every person flying or driving the travelers in and out, would technically be in attendance. They could then be charged an entry or exit fee like Canada's AIF, to fund the everything.
I've got more ideas like this - it just takes a couple of bloody marys to get started.
" There was an ape that used to smoke cigarettes people threw into the pen, and the ape would pitch turds out. Hilarity abounded."
Many of us of a certain age remember that ole Gray Back Gorilla very well. Throwing his turds at the humans was funny at the time, but after leaving the zoo, I always felt sorry for that ape.
But after my Mother pulled into the Dairy Queen on West Capitol ...
and bought us an original "pronto pup", we for forgot about how close the ape came to throwing hi shyte into our face.
I forgot to add, the Jackson Zoo was started by the Jackson Fire Dept. (over 100 years ago).
Now closing the Zoo to pay Fire fighters a decent wage is a very ironic
chapter in Jackson Zoo history.
The zoo is an extravagance, like a Dior handbag on a two bit ho in the rain with no umbrella, no customers, no money for food. Difference is the ho knows to sell the bag and get food and an umbrella. Some in Jackson Government would tell her no, keep the bag and buy more haute couture on credit, because being wet and penniless is an investment.
Jackson itself is a zoo and those poor caged animals deserve better. FREE THE ANIMALS-CLOSE THE ZOO. Nobody is going to visit the zoo because it's in a sh*t hole area that no one feels safe in.. Close it.
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