Jackson City Councilmen Kenneth I. Stokes and Brian Grizzell got into it over what else but a street renaming.
5:15 - Councilman Grizzell: When everything was initially happening, I actually called Rod Little myself. And he told me out of his own mouth that he was honored, but he didn't want no smoke behind any of this. And I asked him, I said, I'll call Councilman Stokes and express your opinion. And he called me back and he said, you know, Councilman Stokes wants to move forward with it and I respect that. But out of respect for the people who showed up that evening to express their concerns, I'm gonna vote no. Thank you.
5:48 - Hartley: Councilman Stokes.
5:51 - Stokes: Thank you. Mr. President, that's everyone up here is elected to vote and speak their own mind. And if this councilman is saying that Dr. Little did not want this street named in his honor, he a damn lie. I talked to him and I saw him again at the Battle of the Bands.
6:10 - Grizzell: Point of order. Point of order.
6:12 - Stokes It's no point of order. I have the floor, Mr. President.
6:15 - Grizzell: You're being disrespectful.
6:17 - Stokes: You're being disrespectful. Let's stop it. You have the floor, Mr. President. Brian Grizzell is not a damn liar!
6:22 - Brian Grizzell: Yeah, you a damn lie. You're a damn liar and a sissy. I talked to him. You see one, hit one.
0:00 - Clerk: Order renaming Wood Street from Cohea Street to Peach Orchard Street to Dr. Roderick Demond Little Drive.
0:08 - Brian Grizzell: So moved, Mr. President.
0:09 - Councilman: Second.
0:10 - Mr. President: It's been moved and properly seconded. Is there any comments? Discussion, Mr. President.
0:16 - Mr. President: Okay, Councilman Stokes.
0:17 - Stokes: Thank you. Mr. President, some voices in this city, as I said before, there's no killing, there's no crime. In other areas of this city, we have dope boys trying to run neighborhoods, citizens can't go to the parks. Drug activity and they treat it like they have a right to do it. And we said no. We had a young man who lived in that community. He's called Uncle Tom because he went to school. He's called Uncle Tom because he graduated from college. He's called Uncle Tom because he led his high school band. Called Uncle Tom because he led Jackson State University. Young men who grew up where these dope boys, the only thing they want to do is hurt children's lives. Give them dope. Have their mama hooked on drugs and prostitution. Then they say they love the city. If that's love, who needs hate? We gonna change the image of Wood Street whether those dope boys like it or not. Cause we not afraid of dope boys. We gonna save this city, Mr. President. We sent a letter to every resident over there. Certified. No, it has been notarized. If they get up here and say that they didn't come cause they didn't know about it, they a lie. We notarized it. We certified it. We got the land roll from the tax assessor's office. If you have a problem with naming this street for Dr. Roderick Little, all you had to do is tell us. You know how many out of 70-something people said they had a problem? Three. That's not even a percentage. Everybody support this young man. They had the battle of the bands in here. Bands came out of Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama. They didn't come to Jackson, Mississippi because we've changed that much. They came because of Jackson State and Dr. Little. And now we gonna let dope boys try to stop us from improving our neighborhoods? Only thing they want to do is make our children drop out of school, saying stupid things like it's smart to be dumb, it's dumb to be smart. We can't allow our children to go backward. Let them look up to a dope boy who dropped out of school, selling dope, got them girls at that old nightclub over there off Pleasant Avenue prostituting, dancing naked. You don't want that for your child. You don't let these dope boys come and sit in city hall. I know Lumumba brought them in here. I know he did. But you can't let them come in here and tell you that it's okay for us to have this neighborhood for drugs. No, it's not okay. And we gonna fight against it. It's in Ward 3 now. Ward should have done something about you dope boys. I had one council member who suggested, and we gonna listen, Mr. President. He said Kenneth, let's do an honorary today. Gonna take the council member off the spot. We gonna get people to suggest honorary. Cause we gonna honor this man. That's the band director. But just like this came back, we coming back. So Mr. President, I talked to the legal department. I think it take a motion...
4:11 - Mr. President: Drew Martin, City Attorney.
4:17 - Drew Martin: Yes sir. I spoke with Councilman Stokes just a moment ago. The ordinance, City Ordinance section 110-2 governs all street renamings. I apologize for my voice. All of the requirements for an honorary street renaming have already been met, is my understanding based on the notice that was provided by the council clerk previously, the public hearing that was held previously. So all that would be necessary is a motion to amend to add the word honorary before each place where renaming is mentioned in the ordinance.
4:49 - Brian Grizzell: So moved.
4:52 - Mr. President: Excuse me.
4:54 - Dree Martin: This is an amendment.
4:55 - Mr. President: Second.
4:58 - Mr. President: It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor of the amendment? Opposed? Okay, 4-3. Alright, let's move on to the motion itself. Any discussion on the motion?
5:13 - Mr. President: Mr. President. Councilman Grizzell.
5:15 - Councilman Grizzell: When everything was initially happening, I actually called Rod Little myself. And he told me out of his own mouth that he was honored, but he didn't want no smoke behind any of this. And I asked him, I said, I'll call Councilman Stokes and express your opinion. And he called me back and he said, you know, Councilman Stokes wants to move forward with it and I respect that. But out of respect for the people who showed up that evening to express their concerns, I'm gonna vote no. Thank you.
5:48 - Mr. President: Mr. President. Councilman Stokes.
5:51 - Stokes: Thank you. Mr. President, that's everyone up here is elected to vote and speak their own mind. And if this councilman is saying that Dr. Little did not want this street named in his honor, he a damn lie. I talked to him and I saw him again at the Battle of the Bands.
6:10 - Grizzell: Point of order. Point of order.
6:12 - Stokes: It's no point of order. I have the floor, Mr. President.
6:15 - Grizzell: You're being disrespectful.
6:17 - Brian Grizzell: You're being disrespectful. Let's stop it. You have the floor, Mr. President. Brian Grizzell is not a damn liar!
6:22 - Brian Grizzell: Yeah, you a damn lie. You're a damn liar and a sissy. I talked to him. You see one, hit one.
6:28 - Hartley: I recognize you Councilman Grizzell. Now let's recognize Councilman Stokes and you will have your chance to reply. Thank you, Mr. President.
6:38 - Stokes: Mr. President, this man deserves to be honored. And what makes it so bad, we go through this year we for it, but all the time we dancing with the dope boys and for the mayor, Lumumba. And some of us not gonna put up with it. We gonna stand on the side of right, if we have to stand by ourself. This man deserves it and he wants it. And nobody can sit up here and try to tell the public that he did not want this. Show me where he wrote us anything and said 'remove my name'. It does not exist. Thank you.
7:22 - Mr. President: Any other comments before we come to a vote?
7:25 - Councilman Grizzell: Yeah, first of all, I apologize, Mr. President. We know, I think it's pretty clear that I don't do disrespect on any terms, but I talked to Rod 4/22/26 at 2:52 PM and he also called me back. We talked at 1:56 and then we talked again at 1:59, again at 2:42 and again at 2:52 PM. And I think that, you know, as a practicing Catholic, part of the Church of God in Christ too, a man with as many degrees and the ethics that I stand on, Brian Grizzell is not a lie, not a damn lie, not a half lie, not a whole lie. I again, I've been working in this city for a long time and I called Rod out of respect myself and I talked to him. Thank you.
8:15 - Mr. President: Mr. President. Councilman Stokes.
8:17 - Stokes: Only thing I say, produce the letter where the band director stated I do not want this. Now we can start talking about when I talked to somebody yesterday, last month, and everything else. This man wanted this and you know he wanted this. Produce a letter where this man said no, I don't want it. Otherwise stop. I ain't gonna cuss Mr. President.
8:44 - Hartley: Okay. Any other... Let's go ahead and vote on this.
8:48 - Hartley: I'm sorry, I did not see your hand. Councilwoman.
8:53 - Tina Clay: First of all, I would like to say that this council is totally out of order, the way we're acting. And I would like to suggest if there's a school in this ward or in a school in the area that we since he was a band director that we could name a band hall or something at the school permanent that the kids can see and let everybody in the community be happy or even go out even further into the city and find a band hall or something to do in his honor.
9:24 - Hartley: Mr. President. Councilman Stokes.
9:25 - Stokes: I really don't have a problem with a band hall. But we trying to stop dope dealers. That's what we trying to stop. Dope dealers not at the band hall. But these kids can see a young man who grew up in that neighborhood, who made it all the way to the top, who is successful. That's what makes these kids stay in school. That's what makes these kids want to be successful. Long as they see a batman out there pushing money, buying them clothes and buying them shoes, then they look up to him instead of a band director who has a band hall named for him.
10:04 - Tina Clay: Can we not start a...
10:06 - Mr. President: Excuse me. Councilwoman Clay.
10:10 - Tina Clay: Can we not start a music program in the City of Jackson for all kids in the City of Jackson in his honor? And then that way all kids around the city will know that they can make money in music and it's a positive influence on their lives and music does take discipline. Even piano, etc, and come up with money for the instruments etc and do something in his honor that's lasting.
10:35 - Brian Grizzell: But they did, but it was Dr. Little.
10:39 - Mr. President: Okay, let's keep our discussion centered on the... okay, there's a... call the question. I'm sorry, he had his hand up first. Councilman Parkinson.
10:49 - Councilman Parkinson: Thank you Mr. President. And I really appreciate the efforts that Mr. Stokes is doing. He's identified a real concern and he sees a rebranding effort as part of the turnaround efforts and I think there's a lot of legitimacy to that. I had hesitancy about the official renaming for a variety of reasons. I supported the honorary street renaming. But just in light of some of the questions that have come up as we've discussed the honorary street renaming, I wonder if it would be best to table this item and just get a little bit more information from a variety of parties. And so I move that we table this item.
11:30 - Unknown Councilman: Second.
11:37 - Mr. President: Okay. There is a motion that we table this item, colleagues, for Councilman Parkinson's for the need for more information. Or if it will please the council, I know Mr. Stokes chairs the Public Property Renaming Committee. If it would, Mr. Stokes, if you prefer instead of me tabling it, me referring it to the Public Property Renaming Committee for us to have a discussion there and perhaps hear from Mr. Little or others. I'll take your preference on that, Mr. Stokes.
12:12 - Stokes: Mr. President, if we gonna put it in a committee, I'd rather we just take the item off the agenda and move the agenda that way into the committee and then we can bring it up that way.
12:28 - Mr. President: Okay. I will withdraw my second. I withdraw my motion. Okay, the agenda item is officially off the floor. Next item, please.
40 comments:
All these clowns know how to do is rename streets, etc. They need to focus on water, sewer, streets, street lights, crime, balancing the budget, getting an audit done on time, efficiency, etc. But they want to argue about street names.
Curious who would want their name on a pothole filled street? Unless their last name is Crater.
Normally, streets, buildings, bridges, airports, etc., are not named for the living.
And the nation is laughing.
That's some effective government right there.
Why not let the people who live on the street decide?
Because this is the important business of Jackson.
We are doomed. So many problems to work on and we lack leadership with any sense whatsoever. So tired of this shit.
Brian Grizzell thinks because he has degrees and is a “public servant” (aka a permanent taxpayer leach) that he is some sort of dignified aristocrat. What a joke!
I think all in the city, across all racial, and socio-economic lines would be fine with a 20 year moratorium on not changing street names in exchange for a municipal government that only concentrates on reducing crime / murders, economic development / education / infrastructure.
GO Kenny!!! I bc don’t live in his ward but I’d vote stokes!
Why did Pudgy have to call Dr. Little at all if not for wanting to obstruct folks.
Grizzell, as Lumumba's water carrier for all those years we are all well aware of the ethics you think you stand on.
It’s so funny to watch these COJ “elected officials” fight over what is the equivalent of table scraps. It’s like watching wild dogs fighting over who controls the junkyard.
They could have had another downtown convention center instead of all this...
...[yawn]...
Will renaming streets also fix the potholes?
What is the secret quid pro quo?
I like stokes but I’m sick of name changes of buildings streets etc. nowhere else does it happen like this.
These two are the poster children for what not to vote for. I wish Vernon Hartley would have smacked big fat Kenny. A petulant little bitch who needs humbling.
These are a bunch of idiots with Pillsbury Dough Boy leading the pack. It's unfortunate that those persons with sense don't want any part of Jackson or Hinds County so we're only left with the better of the worst. Kenny, you are a horrible example for kids with that vulgar mouth of yours. Sit your big ass down!
3 is in fact 4.28% of 70. Just saying.
It's only the perception of chaos. Right?
Street DEDICATIONS are cheaper and way less of a hassle for ALL involved !!! Do you realize how much crap people have to go thru for this dumb ideas like street name changes ? Just dedicate the dang street.
I would too! I would vote for him to be governor! He’s entertaining
You might be doomed but not me I don’t live in Jackson
Instead of renaming a street for a person that doesn’t want the street named for him; Kenny needs to get street signs for all of the streets in his ward missing street signs & working to get streets renamed & blighted property removed & building codes enforced. Ride around in Kenny’s ward & you will find no improvements have occurred in 30 years, homeowners & businesses are moving out & remaining voters cannot get Kenny to actively seek improvements. As for dope boys on Wood Street, the dope boys live elsewhere & come into Midcity because Kenny does nothing to keep them out. Capitol Police are the only law enforcement to patrol Midcity & they don’t answer to Kenny.
If renamed Wood Street should be named for Helen Talliaferro or Lee Vance.
Jackson City Clowncil Quote of the Month from Tina Clay:
"“ I am totally against the concept saying that the city of Jackson can’t run its own water department,” Clay said. “ When it left the city, it was run down, it was torn up, it was broken, the city had no money. But now that it’s fixed, the city can run the water department. Anything that’s broken and with no money, nobody can run effectively.”
The councilwoman disagreed with recent comments from Mayor John Horhn, who said it was unlikely the systems would come back under city governance.
“That should not be a thing of the past,” she said. “ Jackson State (University) has an engineering department. We have a lot of resources that we can reach out to. We don’t have to give up and give away things.”
Stokes is a very ineffective council person. His ward has seen no improvements since he has been in office.
Kenny might tell a joke but he hasn't lied yet!
And people wonder why Jackson is the way it is? I mean for heaven's sake, it just baffles my mind?
The people of Jackson who support Kenneth Stokes have long ago adopted the idea that the only impact they have on the city is either obstruction or symbolism. Real substance is beyond them. Kenneth is the shameless champion of their failure. Other councilmen are embarrassed to argue with him.
What a bunch of clods running a city. Pitiful.
When it left the city, it was run down, it was torn up, it was broken, the city had no money. But now that it’s fixed, the city can run the water department. Anything that’s broken and with no money, nobody can run effectively.”
How exactly does Clay think these bad things happened?
Who does she think is responsible for doing these bad things?
I am confident that renaming the street would result in a significant decrease in crime and the entire surrounding area would prosper as a result of it.
So, to summarize: The way to stop the Dope Boys is to change the name of the street. Got it.
Most of us with walking around sense remember ten years ago when Stokes started every meeting to rename a street or a building. Who volunteers to list all the street names Stokes has changed over the past 15 years?
Changing street names, building names, motions to nominate and seconds to recognize....All that bullshit has made how much difference in the status of OUR capital city? How much?
Did Grizzell's brother make off with one of the JPD cars when he was given the heave-ho?
Maybe Kenny can get actual lines painted on the streets in Jackson while he's at it?
Ridgewood Road, Meadowbrook, Old Canton. There are places where there are mere suggestions as to where the cars should be located because there are zero yellow or white lines.
Is Stokes still suggesting that people throw rocks/bottles at police?
Why even bother to paint dirt and pavement crumbs?
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