The city of Jackson issued the following statement.
For many years, the Jackson Zoological Park has experienced a series of water leaks that have caused higher than average water bills. Work began hours after Mayor Horhn’s inauguration to identify the various leaks within the Zoo and design a systematic plan for repair. Wicker Construction will be on-site Monday October 20, 2025, to repair one of the largest leaks that has been identified.
“The Jackson Zoo is one of our city’s most treasured assets, and we are taking decisive action to protect it,” said Jackson Mayor John Horhn. “For too long, these issues have been ignored, draining both water and taxpayer dollars. Our administration is committed to addressing these long-standing problems head-on.”
“For years, efforts to identify and repair these leaks have not been dealt with in a swift and aggressive manner, for whatever reason. That stops now.” said Steve Hutton, Recreation Manager for the Parks and Recreation Department. “At some point you have to stop the leaks. Just because it is painful to spend $100,000 or $200,000 now, you can’t let that prevent you from dealing with the problem and allowing those problems to turn into a million-dollar plus water bills. It’s fiscally irresponsible.”
Hutton said that identifying the leaks has become a complicated multistage process. For instance, in 2015 it became apparent that the moat surrounding the chimpanzee exhibit was losing water. This moat is critical as it prevents the chimpanzees from encountering the visiting public. To keep the moat always filled, a water source was turned on and allowed to run 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. To repair the Moat, the chimpanzees have now been moved to their permanent structure, and this water source was turned off to allow the moat to drain fully. However, the moat did not recede. Upon further investigation, a major water line leak was found nearby which was also backfilling the moat 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. This apparently has been going on for years.
Peter Teeuwissen, Chief Administrative Officer for Mayor Horhn commented, “The water leaks at the Zoo that we have been hearing about for years are complicated. It seems like when we identify one problem, it results in another problem being discovered. The voters made it clear they were hiring us to fix difficult problems. We absolutely will get these problems fixed.”
After the first major water line leak is fixed Monday by Wicker Construction, work will begin to identify and repair the leaks in the chimpanzee moat. Smaller leaks are also being repaired around the property.
38 comments:
CLOSE the zoo. The animals will thank you.
very novel idea to maintain and provide routine maintenance on a "asset" Shame on the administrations prior that kicked the can down the road.......I read something somewhere (related to judges and terribly low bail and weak sentencing) that said "if a bartender can be held accountable for serving one drink too many, then why aren't we holding judges accountable for repeat offenders?" I think the same applies to prior administrations and their staff that exploited their positions w/in the city governmental structure.
Disappointed in Horhn’s decision. But I then remember it is “their” zoo and, for that reason, it is difficult to accept failure.
While the water leaks are a financial burden on the city and need addressing, fixing the water leaks will not make myself and my family go to the zoo. They could give away gold bars and I still would not go. It's what's around it that keeps me from going.
What waste of good money that is needed elsewhere.
If you want a zoo, start over. Build a zoo gradually:
1. Animals indigionous to MS that don't need a lot of upkeep
2. Large animal indiginous to MS that need some consistent upkeep.
3. Animals outside of MS that don't need a lot of upkeep
4. Large animals outside of MS that need a lot of attention.
Use some creativity.
(I used to live and work near one of the greatest zoos in the world. Brookfleld outside of Chicago. Magnificent and very expensive but worth it.)
The same Steve Hutton that is a pimp? https://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2021/08/hutton-pleads-guilty.html
Horhn: "...Zoo...is one of (Jackson's) most treasured assets."
This is an absurd bloviation. This former "Zoo" lacks accreditation from AZA and ZAA. Further, USDA found rats, roaches and ground water at the Monkey exhibit. Many of the remaining "exhibits" are empty or overgrown with weeds. Has Jackson paid its $6.5M water bill for the Monkey Moat? Doubt it. Please close this money pit down, move the remaining animals to a more humane and accredited location.
Yeah and he's been doing a better job than anyone since Ramey Ford.
JXN Water took it out of their garbage collection fees. Now Jackson has to come up with money to pay Richard's.
This is absurd, and I didn't vote for Horhn for illogical financial decisions like keeping the Zoo open which appears to be his stance.
Close the zoo.
Zoo blues for real
If Richard's isn't paid how is Chowke going to get his cut?
I just listened to the Mayor and the State of City speech. Just where is he going to get all the money for the projects proposed when they cant manage what they have now and don't have two quarters to rub together?
I love how everyone is an expert but can't show up to the zoo to pay a small fee to get people back. Forget volunteer work. All the naysayers are just lazy keyboard warriors
Horhn has a bureaucratic mind set. I could never be a politician but if I were mayor for a day, I would give up the airport to the regional authority outlined by the State in that one day. Horhn thinks money comes from grants and programs. He has no business sense. Bringing that airport up to snuff is very important to ever bring substantial new business investment to Jackson.
The zoo ranks a zero among this city's investment factors.
I am so confused of the appeal of a zoo. Leave the animals in their native habitat.
Horhn: "...Zoo...is one of (Jackson's) most treasured assets."
He’s one of the few that feels that way. 2024 revenue down to $47,000.
Fix the chimpanzee leak and they will come
Shut the SOB down and cut the lights off, the city and the zoo!
Here we have the first real mistake of Horhn’s mayoral term. Not one penny should be spent on that place. Woodrow Wilson is in the most decrepit and 3rd world condition possible and we are worried about a zoo that not even JPS kids take a field trip to? I really do like John Horhn but this is a mistake. Hopefully they just stop the water leak and then close it!
If Mayor Hohrn actually believes that crap in his opening statement - that the Zoo is one of our "most treasured assets" , I am now completely turned around on any hope for the success of his administration and the ability to lead this city out of the depths of failure that it has slid into over the past decade plus.
I had hopes for John, but the idea that - even understanding his background in little of nothing but political savvy in his speaking - he could come out with something thiis stupid has diminished those hopes to where the light from the lit candle has almost extinguished.
KF - at 4:52. That's a very low bar, and it only considers the 'job' he is hired to do. In employment decisions, there is more to be considered than just the ability to function in the official duties - and he doesn't meet anything other than outside the official work inside the office.
4:52- It disappoints me to hear you stand up for him. Go across the road and fly with him. He is only where he is now because he has the goods on a few of his prior clients.
A hellhole city like Jacktown does not need a damn zoo. Close it. The poor animals deserve to go live in a nicer place away from all the gunfire.
I completely agree
Its sad day when all we have to look forward to is the zoo getting their water leaks fixed. Where is Bennie when you need him?
How do I traverse West Jackson to see a worthless, discredeted fake Zoo, without body armor and a tank? And I want the Jackson Zoo to be overgrown with kudzu and poison ivy, to become a self care home for snakes, armadillos, possums, racoons and vultures.
And simply cut the water line to this stupid fake Zoo = no more leaks.
Y’all are kinda simple, huh?
The real nugget here is the City actually spending money to fix leaks that have been bleeding city dollars for years, you know actually taking responsibility for fixing a problem. The repairs have to occur regardless of whether the zoo stays or goes. The zoo will resolve itself in the upcoming financial reckoning left by the previous fella. Politics takes a back seat to a deficit.
But you can’t honestly think Horhn can say that to the people of Jackson, right? Right? Horhn might be a smidge smarter than y’all realize. For the sake of Mississippi’s capital city, let’s all pray so.
Fixing the leaks just used some of the $40 million the city just received from the bond issue.
The Zoo is an asset like a car - a depreciating asset.
The zoo is a liability like storing a junk car in a garage you rent from your neighbor. Ongoing out of pocket expense, at some point someone hauls the junker to the scrapper.
Can't fix stupid. But at least they are trying.
It is sad, I even feel sad for the new mayor. BUT, Jackson is no longer a viable place to plan 'outings' for kids. The money spent trying to revive a dead zoo would be bettr spent on other possibilities. Until Thalia Mara was allowed to turn to wreckage it was still drawing some audience. Pro liberals will still go to things they view as intellectual or educational, and Jax has had some good acts in the past. Put the money into cleaning up & fixing up that venue which has a better chance at reviving. Close the zoo & admit failure isn't always accompanied by fault of the people currently in charge. It is a cost of prior yrs of pretending things were okay in an effort to sooth racial tensions.
Zoo=luxury. Roads=necessity. needs>wants
This is why I say Horhn won't be much different than Lumumba (other than not calling you racist in the media and maybe getting crime under control). He doesn't have the balls to shut down the zoo.
Do you applaud people who are merely functional?
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