The infamous water leak at the Jackson Zoo reared its ugly head recently as it ran the zoo's tab up to over $6.4 million at JXN Water. However, the Lumumba administration was informed over a year ago about the leak, and did nothing.
A major leak in the moat of the chimpanzee exhibit at the zoo has been running up water bills for quite some time. The defunct Jackson Zoological Society commissioned a study in 2017 to find the source of the leak. However, nothing was done as the city was responsible for such repairs under the terms of the lease.
Ironically, the city sued the Jackson Zoological Society for a $6 million water bill in 2020 even though the Society repeatedly told the city about the leak. Once the city took over the zoo, it just cancelled the amount owed. Problem solved, right.
Such behavior was typical as Jackson ignored such maintenance at the zoo for years. Six HVAC units were broken at the zoo in 2019. Employees suffered iin the sweltering heat. Yours truly called Public Works Director Bob Miller to inform him of the problem. He brought up the $6 million water leak (which the city claimed the water bill was back then). I responded by pointing out the city was responsible for all facility repairs. Mr. Miller read the lease and within a month, the HVAC units were fixed. The zoo suffered $250,000 of hail damage in 2013. However, the city pocketed the money and did not fix the roofs until five years later. Notice a pattern?
JXN Water noticed the leak and commissioned a reputable plumber to inspect the moat in the summer of 2024. JJ spoke to the plumber. He said there was a major leak at the bottom of the moat. The bottom was natural soil and erosion had taken place. He recommended draining the moat and hiring a contractor to fix the leak.
Ted Henifin, JXN Water Manager, notified the then Chief Administrative Officer Louis Wright of the leak over a year ago yet nothing was done while the water bills continued to pile up. Thus yet again, the city failed to do anything when informed about the leak. Remember the old Colonial Country Club leak?
The Horhn Administration moved the chimpanzees last week and turned off the fire hydrant used to keep the moat full. The administration is exploring options to repair the moat.
Kingfish note: Just more of the same from the Lumumba administration. Always griping about how it got no help from the state while doing nothing to fix the problems it could fix.
27 comments:
If I do nothing for long enough someone hands me a bailout check, right?
Lumumbda is gone and this low T, shrill, high pitched, racist little blogger is still obsessed. Time to move on and maybe take some suppliments.
There ya go, keep throwing out the race card, baby. Don't disappoint. Maybe you didn't notice but the city just had its entire garbage collection fee seized because of that leak. Then we learn the city was told about the leak over a year ago and did nothing. Nope, not newsworthy at all. Just racism at work.
If it's still a problem, it's the present, not the past.
So it's been 8 years (the entire two terms of the Lumumba administration) and the leak still isn't fixed, with a $12 million dollar water bill that never got paid.
Two months into the new mayor's term, and it's finally getting addressed.
at 11:08 AM He's not gone until the Feds & all the mess he made is cleaned up his name will always be brought up failure after failure his name will keep ringing see this is his Legacy now corruption,infidelity & manipulation this is just the beginning get use to it.
Maybe Bennie Thompson can get it fixed.
Looney Tunes reality bites from duh former mayor:
"In the past year, we’ve gone from our zoo being closed to regaining our USDA license to having a successful limited reopening. Momentum has not stopped on improvements and investment in the park. It is unfortunate that the contract with ZoOceanarium Group did not work out, but we are confident in our team," Lumumba said. "We are looking forward to expanding our hours for the zoo this May and to bringing a full schedule back by the end of the summer. We encourage everyone to come out to visit and support the Jackson Zoo." Mayor Lumumba, April 21, 2021.
$250,000 hail damage insurance payout is probably the most profit that has been generated at that expensive COJ asset in years.
How many paying customers visit the zoo annually, and how much does it cost to visit?
If only someone had written about it yesterday. If only.
I'm seeing a pattern here: Any criticism (justified or unjustified) is racism. Man I wish I had that Privilege.
City of incompetence.
As much damage as that turd did to this city, his name will spoken for years to come. Maybe you can be his cellmate. Y'all can work on each others' hair and beard lines.
The one playing card that never seems to get old and worn out.
@11:04 is the first post on this thread. His/her post sums up this entire fiasco, and Jackson's entire existence. Do nothing then expect a bailout check. Because working, managing, competing, planning, and accomplishing just doesn't sound like fun. Do nothing, then scream racism until someone bails you out of YOUR SELF-INFLICTED PROBLEMS.
The consequences of bad decisions are not racism.
Just cut the water off or re route the pipes! I’ll be running for Mayor of Jackson next term and my only slogan will be; “ I’ll fix the water leak at the zoo that’s been running and wasting millions of dollars a year of your taxpayer money”.
Why doesn't the city sell the animals and shut down the zoo. We have no business owning a zoo that we cannot take care of and is completely insolvent.
The board had that option not too many years ago and blinked.
@11:08 spils gud
Locate the leak, cut the water, reroute the pipe! You mean to tell me that with all the plumbers/ contractors in the Jackson Metro Area no one can fix a leaking pipe?
Did you read the post? What part of its soil erosion did you not get? The bottom of the moat is earth and THAT is where the leak is.
Plumbers solve Problems everyday if they're paid by Honest Politicians. Wonder where the hick-up happened?
No pipes were involved. Plumber said the soil leak was outside of his expertise and they needed to hire a contractor. The Horhn Administration is saying the same thing.
"Lumumba said."
Speaking of him ... what's been going on with that clown " ?
Any updates on his FBI situation ?
"The consequences of bad decisions are not racism." They are in the alternate universe named Jackson, MS.
Where are the poor chimpanzees? Are they are being cared for and housed properly? Someone, please have the compassion to close the zoo and give the animals a better home.
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