Jackson Free Press

After giving away part of his family's property bordering the Two Lakes development footprint last week in response to ethics questions, Jackson businessman Leland Speed today asked fellow Levee Board members to provide a list of gifts they have received from vendors and contractors doing business with the levee board.

Speed, appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to represent the State Fairgrounds, last week asked the state Ethics Commission to decide the ethics of not disclosing his ownership of several acres of property between Eastover and Lakeland Drive that could be valuable waterfront property under the Two Lakes plan. Mid-week he decided to abdicate 25 percent ownership in property owned by his mother's estate, declaring that the issue was then moot and that he no longer needed the Ethics Commission to issue an opinion on his lack of disclosure to the board.

In the Levee Board meeting last week, Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads waved a copy of a January Jackson Free Press that reported on the property owned by Two Lakes supporters, including Speed, declaring that he would not sit on a board with someone with an ethics violation.

Today, Speed came back to the board with a motion demanding that all board members submit information to the board secretary identifying any land that board members own that would be affected by the decisions of the board. The motion also demands that members submit a list of gifts and gratuities, such as money or work, received from vendors or contractors doing business with the board. The gifts do not include campaign contributions, which must be filed with the state.

The Better Jackson PAC, funding largely by Two Lakes proponents, had given generously to candidates perceived to be in favor of their project in local elections last year, but did not file a campaign report until the last minute and under pressure from the Jackson Free Press to reveal the donors. One of the candidates funded in part by Two Lakes developers--Mayor Brad Rogers of Pearl--is now voting against Two Lakes and in favor of levees.

Today, Speed was passionate about the need for sunshine on the Levee Board. "I think the public has every reason to look to us to be forthright in every decision we make," Speed told the board. "This is the largest public-service facility investment ever envisioned in central Mississippi, and I think the people are expecting an enhanced level of accountability."

Speed has given money to the Two Lakes Foundation, which researches on behalf of the project as well as identifies public officials to provide information to, but declined last week to say how much money he has provided to the foundation.

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. argued today that the people were expecting the board to decide on some form of flood control, and pointed out that the decision to expand the levees was the closest the board has ever come to delivering flood control for the Jackson area.

"What I see now instead is a lot of infighting," Johnson said in response to Speed's motion.

Speed said that standards at the State Ethics Commission are not strict enough to identify gratuities such as work that vendors may volunteer to do for board members, or vacations and trips that vendors may choose to finance--gifts that could amount to more than $10,000.

"Are you suggesting that there are some other means of people receiving gratuities on this board?" Johnson asked. "That people are taking gifts of $10,000 or more?"

"It's been going on since time began," Speed answered. "The public wants to know if they are or aren't. I don't see the problem with this."

Speed would not offer examples of such gratuities to the board.

Board members Brad Rogers, Mark Scarborough of Richland, Chairman Billy Orr and Speed voted to approve the motion, while members Harvey Johnson Jr., Gary Rhoads and Socrates Garrett abstained from the vote. Garrett is the only Levee Board member other than Speed who is still supporting Two Lakes over levees.

Johnson said he had questions about the format of the information, and pointed out that members of the board who are mayors already submit campaign donations to the secretary of state.

Speed said that he learned from his conversations with the Ethics Commission last week about his own ethics question that state law does not provide enough details on donations and gratuities that board members may be receiving from vendors.

For the JFP's full coverage of Two Lakes and Levees, visit the The Pearl River Archive.

Previous Comments

ID

156053

Comment

OMG

Author

Queen601

Date

2010-02-16T14:18:45-06:00

ID

156063

Comment

I love it. You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!!!!!

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-02-16T17:36:57-06:00

ID

156065

Comment

I love it, too. I love the idea that Adam and Ward's hard work on this may lead to more sunshine through and through. I love seeing Mr. Speed as an advocate for transparency on this. Bring it! Now if he'd tell us how much money he gave the Two Lakes Foundation ... it seems like everyone connected to that would be happy to talk about it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-02-16T18:03:19-06:00