Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Mayor Asks for More Time

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba wants the state to support the Jackson water system for a little while longer.  Mayor Lumumba asked Governor Reeves in an email yesterday:  

Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for the citizens of Jackson, Mississippi through your August 30, 2022 emergency declaration. Please accept this letter as an official request from the City of Jackson that the State of Mississippi extend the State of Emergency set to expire on November 22, 2022. We respectfully request the extension of aid provided by the State of Mississippi as allowed by law. Specifically, we have a continued need for assistance from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to contract for additional water plant operators and maintenance personnel. We have not yet negotiated a permanent operations and maintenance agreement and do not believe a final contract will be negotiated by November 22, 2022.

The quote is the complete text of the email.  

JJ seems to remember something about November 17.  Can't remember what it was exactly but perhaps the readers know.  

EPA Administrator Michael Regan will be in town today for another dog and pony show for another dog and pony show, er, community round table discussion about Jackson's water system with community leaders and residents.   

Lumumba's staff met several times with the EPA over at the federal building last week.   

Kingfish note: Just one word: Zooceanarium. 


63 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seriously? This man is a joke.

Anonymous said...

A sports team downtown would solve this problem. Bring back the Bandits!

Anonymous said...

More time! Now, why is that not a surprise.

Anonymous said...

Ready! Fire! Aim!

Anonymous said...

What's time to a hog?

Anonymous said...

You've got to be F'ing kidding me.

Anonymous said...

What a JOKE

Anonymous said...

I would tell him to go cry to Derrick Johnson. Maybe they can hold a meeting and spread false into for cover

Anonymous said...

The COJ approved contract last week with a staffing firm for 4 Operators - The cost is $40,000 per week. This is for 4 people-thus $10,000 per week per person- Come on Asbey...that ain't $40 per hour as conveyed to you in the meeting and you acknowledged!!!
At this rate, the grifters will make a helluva lot more than they ever thought about with Richards..Wake up Asbey and the rest of the board!!
$10,000 per week per person- Hmmmm..

Anonymous said...

Contractors and many city workers do not trust this punk of a mayor. His agenda is to implement Marxism in Jackson, not to provide responsible management of infrastructure to enable dependable city services that buttress business, traditional families, 1st class education and effective crime control.

Anonymous said...

5th world despot, clown show.

Anyone still supporting that idiot is also part of the circus of incompetents and grifters.

Kingfish said...

Mayor is spelled M-A-Y-O-R. I suggest using that spelling if you want a comment that was otherwise pretty good to be approved.

Anonymous said...

I think it is turrible that Tater won't do Da M-A-Y-O-R's job for him. Shame!

Anonymous said...

When is a federal takeover not a federal takeover? This is merely a plan to entrap the State - cooked up by a friendly EPA. If the Gov. agrees he'll catch hell from the voters and if he refuses the DOJ will start digging into all the grant money sent to MS. Throw in an end-of-the-year supplemental appropriation for disaster relief and it's a two-fer win for Biden: save an impoverished democratic southern city and rub the republican state leadership's nose in it.

Anonymous said...

The governor’s response should be: bugger off, punk

Anonymous said...

Gotta admit, him humbling himself and asking for help after declaring that he absolutely did not need it might be the only mildly impressive thing Choke has done in office, ever.

How humiliating.

And he just had to accept his abject failure and beg for assistance.

Would not be impressive for anyone else, but the bar for this guy is so low...this is actually impressive for the MAYOR.

Grifters be Grifting, right? said...

So now Chowke is playing kiss-kiss, until he doesn't. While he is hugging the governor with his right hand, he is pick-pocketing him with his left hand.

I guess Sista Rukia and "doctor" Safiya weren't available to make things happen in time.

Anonymous said...

The city of Jackson is not capable of running a water/sewer system. Lumumba isn't capable, Yarber wasn't capable, the people they hired aren't capable. They just can't do it. They don't focus on the task, they don't have the work ethic, they don't understand business management. They can't do it.

Water/sewer is a business that takes work, management, and attention. They can't provide any of that. These people are legit clowns.

Anonymous said...

Apparently Socrates won't be available until later in the month. It takes time to print up those certified operator certificates.

Anonymous said...

It starts with an M.

It ends with an R.

And it's one word.

Some of you people need to get your thinking straight.

EFGAlterEgo said...

Put the screws to 'em Tate. Call his bluff.

Anonymous said...

Let it fail for real this time please.

I enjoyed working remotely from Madison while the state buildings didn’t have water. Saved some gas money and wear and tear on my vehicle’s suspension. Not to mention not a having to worry about catching an errant bullet on the interstate.

Let it fail, move all the state buildings to Madison/Rankin. Let Jackson then become Chokee’s vision of the radical city without water and order.

Anonymous said...

9:39 many professionals make that in a day. I ain’t mad at the contractors! Contract nurses make that in a week also, Drs, lawyers, Trump, Joe Biden, Brett, Nancy, why hate!!

I can go on and on! Spread that money around.

Merry Christmas

Anonymous said...

Didn't the mayor recently also ask Biden to extend the health emergency?

Anonymous said...

I just love it when a Marxist mayor grovels to a republican governor. WIN!

Anonymous said...

This is what it looks like when you have someone who wants all the power, but none of the responsibility.

Anonymous said...

November 17 is the date Chokeme said the City of Jackson would have everything in place and ready to take over the operation of its water plants. Tater graciously extended the State’s control a few extra days, until November 22. So, I am not surprised that Hizzonor can’t hold up his part of his own plan.

Anonymous said...

@11:26
I go to Michigan for 7 days 2 times a year for surgery cases
They pay me 15k a week. Your totally wrong about travel nurses
You think they make 10k a week. That’s hilarious and I pay my nurses 22 an hour at our clinic in Jackson located near RHC

Anonymous said...

10;05 am, KF, maybe when he starts to act like a MAYOR people will call him a MAYOR. He hasn't acted like a MAYOR yet.

Anonymous said...

State, please help!!

We don't want the State's help!!

To the national news media - the State won't help!!

The State comes in and restores the water treatment facility to operable condition.

We don't want the State's input - we want to hire the operator.

Please help us State!! We are too incompetent to handle this on our own (even though we blame you for our failed water system).

Anonymous said...

Jackson would be in better shape if they elected Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and the Fry-guys!

Anonymous said...

Governor Reeves is good at saying "no."

Say it again, Gov.

Anonymous said...



If a Mayor or any business leader sends an email and not request a face to face or conference call to FULLY discuss needs, time frame, number of needed employees, etc. he is either a coward or dumb as a post. If I was Governor I would insist on a face to face sit down with Mayor ( not his sister or another subordinate) before any response.

Anonymous said...

Bet those guys from Detroit are getting tired of all the false starts. Those pipes get heavy after awhile.

Anonymous said...

All of these elected officials need to stop grandstanding and playing politics! They call their press conferences criticizing each other and then have to eat their words. Chock has had to come back to Tate for help and Tate has had to call Biden for help. GROW UP. Be responsible LEADERS for ALL of your constituents!

Anonymous said...

Any day is a good day when you're not in Jackson Mississippi

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Choke-a-lot!!

Anonymous said...

@1:59 PM To have a sit-down the guv would have to fly to Miami or Atlanta.

Anonymous said...

2:43 as soon as Jackson residents become responsible enough to pay a fee for water...the utility can become self sustaining, right?
Surely your mayor is competent enough to know that a service must collect payment to remain functional, right?
Because it would silly to expect the state (all of us that DO pay for our water) to bail the Jackson idiots out of this continual mess without a sustainability plan in place.

That 2:43, would be irresponsible.

Chuck begging for money while grandstanding is not the picture of a leader that you desperately want it to be. No matter how much you shine the turd.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a change in demeanor for Baby Chok! His constituents don't typically go for showing weakness, but he sure showed some in that email. To BE the man, you got to BEAT the man....and BC didn't beat ANYONE in that email......

Anonymous said...

2:43 - just when did Tate have to ask Biden for help? He did request a national declaration which would allow him to activate the National Guard and have the feds pay for the 11 million bottles of water that he distributed. (prior to Tate stepping in, Hizzonner in complying with the EPA requirement that was issued following the February 2021 f**kup to have a contract in place and a process to distribute water - was distributing 1,500 bottles a day for the 150,000 residents; due to his failure to make arrangements for a source of bottled water. But who's counting now?)

Tate had the state in a position to continue helping under the emergency declaration in place with MEMA issuing a RFP to hire a management company to run the treatment plants for a year.

BUT LUMUMBA balked. He refused to allow such, stating that the City was prepared to operate the facilities as of November 17th. That being the case, there was no longer an emergency and the authority for the state to continue expired. Tate then, following the law, ended the emergency based on Lumumba's claim that they were capable of handling it.

Now, Lumumba makes this weak attept at acknowledging what everybody knew at the time - the city was not in a position to do what the city's Mayor claimed.

Its time for the state to take over the entire water/sewer system - remove it from the city's hands. It would be the best blessing the city could get if Lumumba's ego would get out of the way. It would get the biggest headache off his hands; it would be a positive impact to the city's budget - today the city has to subsidize the system's budget through the general fund, the internet tax dollars, the ARPA dollars and the sales tax dollars. Giving the system to a regional organization would be a positive boom for the city.

But - Lumumba can't acknowledge that he can't do the job that every other Mayor in the state does accomplish, running a business operation.

Anonymous said...

. . . "the false smile, the rubbed hands of hypocrisy, the fawning, greased, obsequious leer."
Minister of the Interior. Kubrick, Stanley. A Clockwork Orange. Warner Bros., 1971.

Notice how his honor becomes all sweetness and light when he wants something.

Perhaps the Governor should extract an apology for all the false accusations of racism.

Anonymous said...

Face to face meeting with staff in place to assist Governor with recording meeting to perhaps be played on National News; after first requiring Chokwe to write & call EVERY News outlet he appeared on & retract his comment about State not assisting. The media FIRST must Report the Truth to the Nation, Right! That would be the correct thing to do prayerfully. Right? Then set up meeting through Governors Media spokesperson . The Mayor was Adamant about having Everything in Order by 11/17/22 and did not want or need state help for the COJ. Right?

Anonymous said...

Ps Have Reagan of EPA co-sign all letters to the Media retracting Every Racist remark that was made to insult All MS taxpayers who pay Their fair share!

Anonymous said...

Dadgummit, first the price of bacon got beyond my reach, now crow will be in short supply.

Anonymous said...

A wise man (or woman) learns from his mistakes, and modifies the previous problematic behavior going forth. Apparently, Mayor Lumumba has learned nothing to help him successfully negotiate the troubled ongoing water crisis. He went on the offense nationally, painting Gov. Reeves and the state as racist and the cause of Jackson's water crisis. The media generally (local and national) gave him a pass, ignoring his administration's mismanagement and lack of transparency regarding the situation. He misspoke (lied) on many occasions. He advocated/demanded the city's right to manage the water situation. He garnered the support of Bennie Thompson, NAACP Derrick Johnson, EPA director Regan, and the Black faith community, all of whom on some level had to recognize that the Mayor's responsibly and role in the crisis was not negligible. Yet, they agreed (as is often the case politically) not to throw him under the bus. And in spite of the support from them, and the support and assistance from the state,the mayor continued to make unwise decisions and untrue statements. He wrote to the President asking for his direct intervention, when he has/is providing federal assistance through appropriate federal agencies. He stated the governor had refused to extend the emergency declaration, when he (the mayor) gave a November 17 date for city takeover. The governor provided an additional 5 day extension to allow for an effective transition. Mayor, please learn!

Anonymous said...

Our mayor is a total moron with no clue that those with leadership skills just laugh at him. He hangs with Derrick from NAACP that fraudulent stooge and they think people respect them.
Hell they couldn’t make a pay roll if they had
Too

Anonymous said...

If I was Tate, I would need the mayor to call an official press conference and make the request. He spent a lot of time in front of the media talking bad about Tate and the state. It seems like he needs to spend a little time walking that back.

The tone of his email sure seems different than his previous statements. Hmmm.

Anonymous said...

Two words reply- "Uh, no!

Anonymous said...

What is weatherization of OBC ?
Do you think Chocalot knows what this means?

Anonymous said...

I'm glad Tate called Lumbaby's first bluff.

Now, is Tate strong enough to call Lumbaby's bluff part 2?

Tate, take Lumbaby at his word that he didn't need State help after Nov. 17. You were gracious to give him 5 extra days.

Anonymous said...

Jackson resident here. Please Tate tell him NO!!! Stop being weak

Anonymous said...

If agreed by Tate, please request they do at press conference so the record can be set straight in front of media. During said conference, can we do at water billing office and discuss that issue once and for all?

Anonymous said...

I would like to be free. Currently I am a slave to Jackson, MS. I pay enormous taxes. My house was in the county when it was built. That was before Jackson annexed "tax" property it couldn't support. How about we "undo" the annexations and I dig my own well. Some young, intelligent entrepreneur will figure out more money can be made picking up garbage than working an office job. Chuckey will still have the old "Chimneyville" to call his kingdom. Those that want him can have him. He can claim his tax revenue from all the property citizens have had to abandon due to the outrageous taxes. The politicians stealing the dollars can fight it out amongst themselves. Maybe that will keep them busy enough to leave the rest of us alone.

Tate, tell him to pound sand. My dog and I don't drink Jackson water and I put bleach in the filthy bath water. It is taking all my assets to survive here, so if necessary, I'll collect water in a rain barrel and put bleach in that. We're already close to being a third world country here. A little more effort to survive probably won't be much of an imposition.

Anonymous said...

Email, what a joke.

Anonymous said...

From JJ 2 weeks ago.... Can't wait to see this spin from Chok

"Jackson’s mayor has announced that the city will have a private operator in place by November 17, stating, “we anticipate having a contract in place by November 17th.” Recognizing this, I have decided to end the emergency on November 22, to allow for a five-day transition period between the state’s management team and the chosen private operator.

At that point, the State of Emergency must, by statute, end as the water system can be managed solely by local control, as has been insisted upon by the City of Jackson. The State of Emergency must only exist when a situation is beyond local control and the City of Jackson has demanded local control."

Anonymous said...

"Specifically, we have a continued need for assistance from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to contract for additional water plant operators and maintenance personnel. We have not yet negotiated a permanent operations and maintenance agreement and do not believe a final contract will be negotiated by November 22, 2022."

Wait, what ? When the State sought a RFP to contract with additional operators and maintenance personnel, the Mayor stepped in and said No, we will do that ourselves and it's only the City's decision, not the State's. But now he wants the State's help in contracting with more operators and providers ? Which is it Mayor ? Make up your mind.

And, Mayor, you so confidently said that the City WOULD have a contract in place by November 17th, but now you don't or can't ? Again, make up your mind.

Anonymous said...

"And, Mayor, you so confidently said that the City WOULD have a contract in place by November 17th, but now you don't or can't ? Again, make up your mind."

They don't call him Lyin Lumumba without any reason.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how long the city will get to maintain control over the RFP process for permanent operators, while MEMA pays for temporary contractors.

Anonymous said...

Raise your hands if you gave Antar even a .0001% chance of having anything lined up by November 20. I’ll wait.

Anonymous said...

@10:08 weatherization is the red herring Lumumba used for months leading up to the collapse. He claimed that a protective structure was being erected over the membrane to mitigate the fallout from another weather event like the 2 week ice storm and record low temps of February 2021. He swore up and down the project would be COMPLETED in October (2022). I say red herring because it was his response to the growing outcry of the 3 back-to-back boil water notices this summer, and srsly, what does a structure have to do with (a) a bad batch of chemicals, (b) staffing problems, (c) a “thin bench” from which to recruit new hires in the Jackson area, (d)-(z) blah blah blah. Imagine my surprise when I saw Antar beg President Biden for $$ so OB Curtis could be
weatherized in a November 2022 letter.

Truth be told, I flew into a total rage. OH NO YOU DON’T, you sorry POS excuse for a mayor. How nobody calls him out on his perverse deception just gets all over me.

Anonymous said...

Something about emailing the governor with an “official request” of THIS magnitude, under THESE circumstances, at THIS time, screams cowardice. I can almost see Antar in a panic, cowered in a dark little office corner, thinking if he sends a quick email maybe nobody will notice.

And that’s on top of it being inappropriate, disrespectful, and unprofessional. What could possibly be Antar’s excuse? Surely not instant transmission. In 15 minutes, it could’ve been typed up on proper office of the mayor stationery and simply walked the 2 blocks to Tater’s office. Hand-delivery of a properly-executed official request would’ve at least been less unseemly.

Anonymous said...

How nobody calls him out on his perverse deception just gets all over me.

Local media = progressive sycophants

Anonymous said...

When I saw the RFQ, I knew the timeframe was WAY too tight. Any time you have a complex situation like this and have a quick turnaround, you are just asking for the quotes to be higher and it also usually results in change orders to cover things that were not flushed out by having a longer period to put together a proposal. Also, don't think the people that whatever company is providing are making big bucks. The rates you will see in a contract like this are going to be AT LEAST 230% of what the employee is actually making. But this also makes it to the company's advantage to offer higher salaries than the typical market rate. And sometimes you have layers of contractors, each marking things up.

FYI - I worked for a company that did projects like this for a municipality so I have over 20 years experience and know this scenario all too well. Municipalities would be far better off hiring well-qualified people, paying them good salaries, and investing in them with good benefits and investing in their training/continuing education.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.