Jackson Free Press

Yesterday, Mayor Harvey Johnson gave his annual State of the City address to a filled-to-overflowing crowd at the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center. (The overflow crowded into the room next door to watch the mayor on a large screen.) Following is the full text of his speech:

"Good evening to all of you. Thanks to Reverend Andy Wells, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church for offering the invocation. To President Mclemore in his absence and members of the city council, our city employees, the citizens of Jackson and friends, it is my pleasure to be here this evening. I'm also happy to be joined by my wife, Kathy, our daughter, Sharla, and my brand new son-in-law, Luther Riley. You know, this is my 7th state of the city address, and my report to you is that the state of our city is good—that we're moving in the right direction and that the year ahead will be a challenging and exciting one. We will continue our hard work to tackle the problem of crime. We will see numerous development projects unfold in our downtown, and neighborhoods throughout the city. In November we will vote on a new convention center. This decision will set our future course here in Jackson. We will see our neighborhoods continue to serve as building blocks for our quality of life.

I am particularly pleased to be here tonight at the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center, one of the anchors of the Farish Street Historic District and one of our public treasures ? not simply because of the unique exhibitions that have been unveiled here, but because of the history and symbolism this building holds.

This building, named for Jackson's first black alderman, was the first school built for African-Americans in our city. Smith Robertson opened its doors more than 110 years ago, just thirty years after the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War. Although this building may have had the shadow of Jim Crow cast upon it, I nonetheless believe that these students who first entered its doors came with a sense of wonderment, a sense of awe, and a belief, also held in the hearts of their parents, that their lives and their futures would be better ? and a marked break from the mostly brutal conditions endured by their forebearers. Smith Robertson school was a gateway for these students to enter the rest of the world. The school graduated many fine people who went on to do great things ? including Richard Wright, famed author of "Native Son"—who went on to do great things. We have two very special people, Ms. Cloteal Beasley, a graduate of Smith Robertson, and Ms. Anita Beadle Scott, a former teacher, in the audience. Ms. Beasley please stand, and Ms. Scott, raise your hand! Thank you for being with us this evening!

You know, each point in our history has its own significance and the opening of Smith Robertson 110 years ago was historically significant for the people of our city. I chose Smith Robertson for this address today because the city likewise is experiencing a unique and exciting period.
As noted, we face many challenges, but we are being blessed with so many opportunities.

Budget
First, let me talk about the city's financial condition. Recently, we introduced a balanced budget, causing us to live within our means, but also allowing us to do the good things we need to do. And we will do them without a tax increase. I am proud to say that this budget proposes a pay raise for all of our full time employees, and permanently puts in place the salary enhancements that we gave our police officers and firefighters last year.
T
he capital budget, that's the budget for all of the big projects such as roads and water and sewer lines, is lower this year because we have finished so many jobs over the past seven years. I assure you, however, that we will be unveiling additional projects for water and sewer improvements, new public facilities and street improvements in the course of this upcoming year.

So look for work to begin on the widening of Siwell Road in South jackson, Boling Street in West Jackson, and West County Line Road near Tougaloo College. We have again presented a balanced budget even though we, along with similar cities, faced a downturn in the economy and suffered a significant decrease in the amount of federal dollars that we enjoyed when i first came into office. For instance, when i first came into office, the city and county shared nearly $900,000 in local law enforcement block grant funds, not only for equipment and training, but also for overtime pay for our police officers. This year, we share about $200,000. Unfortunately, the federal assistance has diminished and we have had to look elsewhere, and have had to tighten our belts and to work smarter.

In recognition of the sound stewardship of the public's dollars, i want to personally thank each and every department head and the chief administrative officer for their work during these difficult times. At this time i would like the cao and all of the department heads to wave your hand. Thank you so much for the work that you are doing.

We are constantly looking for ways to make sure that the city's finances are managed and invested soundly. We are following the recommendations of a strategic financial and management plan which, among other things, identified numerous areas where revenues could be obtained for the cost of services provided to individual users.

Additionally, our financial strength as a city continues to be recognized by the bond ratings we receive from standard and poor's and moody's. For long term capital projects, we have to issue bonds or borrow money, similar to what you do when purchasing a home. Favorable bond ratings mean that we pay lower interest rates than other communities, and have resulted in millions of dollars of savings. These bond ratings do not just happen, they occur because we are managing your money wisely.

Crime
We cannot be a great city unless our people feel safe, safe in their homes, safe at work, or just taking a walk or going to the store. Tackling the crime problem has been a top priority of this administration. Last year, Chief Moore and I introduced our five point plan to reduce crime in Jackson. Our plan is working. Crime is at a 16-year low.

One of the major crime fighting elements is "community policing." In keeping with our plan we have established important partnerships with community, neighborhood and business associations.

I am proud of the "community oriented policing strategies initiative," which was initiated this year and has allowed us to hold monthly precinct meetings involving the police, code enforcement, the mayor's office and public works to meet with the citizens to identify problems causing crimes. We have witnessed residents joining forces with the men and women of the jackson police department to identify criminals. I wish to recognize some of our group leaders from the community who participated in the process: Earnestine Rice, Belmont Trapp, and Sheila Woodard. Please stand and be recognized. We appreciate you so much. Thank you.

We are turning the corner on crime and we will not let up. We are putting a dent in the crime problem. One way is that we have graduated 15 classes from the police academy in the last 7-1/2 years. We have more police officers today than we have ever had. This continued growth in the number of uniformed officers was done in the face of constant attrition due in part to retirements, and officers serving our country in military duty.

We have a new police class beginning in a couple of weeks. I cannot wait to be at the next graduation ? to congratulate these young, enthusiastic men and women who want to serve in the front lines of protecting our community and taking back our neighborhoods. Let us salute our patrol officers, sergeants, lieutenants, chief robert moore and his command staff for the job that they're doing.

We all know that we can't do our job alone. And we have formed some very important relationships with local, state and federal agences. Fortunately, we have a tough prosecutor in our hinds county district attorney, Faye Peterson, and I want to recognize her and her assistants for creating an improved relationship with the police department since her reelection last year.

I also want to thank the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics for teaming up with us to go after the big drug dealers. I want to give special thanks and recognition to the new bureau director, George Phillips, who has ably and professionally served this state as a prosecutor and in law enforcement. Mr. Phillips could not be with us this evening, but at this time i'd like to recognize enforcement commander bobbye grimes and major nelson tate. Will you please stand? Thank you for the important work you do!

We've also formed important partnerships with the DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshal Service and the ATF on the federal level. If any representatives from these agencies are present, would you please stand?
I want to thank the Hinds County Sheriff's Office, particularly Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, who is represented this evening by Chief Deputy Ed Swinney, for doing a good job under tough circumstances. We are working with his office to implement a computer system that will allow jpd and the sheriff's office to view the criminal records of their respective offices and 700 other law enforcement jurisdictions. This model, we believe, will blossom so that each law enforcement jurisdiction of the state will effectively work together.

Last, but not least, i want to thank U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton and the U.S. Attorney's office for their numerous programs to prosecute crimes and in particular through Operation Cease Fire which removes felons with handguns from the streets. The Weed and Seed program, also funded through this agency, is not only enabling us to increase law enforcement, but also employment and youth activities in target areas.

You know, law enforcement in Jackson is hard work. It is work in the trenches. It is sometimes quiet work behind the scenes. Although we have reduced criminal activity in the city of jackson overall, when any part of our city is touched by crime, we are all touched by it. We are seeing our most vulnerable, our seniors and our children, being hurt by senseless acts. These are the same senseless acts that moved me to double my resolve in shoring up resources to combat crime here in our capital city.

In the months ahead we will continue to work to eradicate the root causes of crime in our city. We as public officials, police officers and community and religious leaders will meet regularly in neighborhoods across the city to discuss crime problems and, most importantly, ways to get our young people involved in positive activities.

We have been particularly pleased with the improvements to the city's drug hotline. Residents have responded with anonymous calls reporting drug activity with the confidence that a police officer will be dispatched immediately.

You know, it takes all of us to fight crime. I ask everybody to get involved, including our critics who are sometimes quick to cut us down, but offer no solutions, and seldom offer an extended hand. We all need to reach out to a young person who could benefit from an afternoon reading program, a summer camp or a summer or after school job, or even just a kind word. We are all in this together. So i have a message to some of the talk radio crowd, and to the naysayers who only know Jackson from the pearl street exit: My message is simply this: redirect your energy. Be a mentor. Be a big brother or big sister. Make every single person count. We can all make a difference.

Quality of life/absentee landlord
We have to do all we can to improve the quality of life for every jacksonian. This year we will be assigning a sworn police officer to work on quality of life issues. We will be enhancing our code enforcement efforts, including the establishment of a rental unit inspection program. We cannot let apartments that one day provided affordable housing to our citizens, go downhill in a hurry and send the rest of the neighborhood into a nosedive.

We are going to become more aggressive in our efforts to address absentee landlords and property owners who allow properties in Jackson to be neglected. We will prosecute you, and we will seek justice even if it requires us finding you outside of the city limits and bringing you downtown to Municipal Court to face justice. Get ready, ‘cause we are coming'.

Housing
Since i've been mayor, a top focus for improving the quality of life in our city has been to improve housing opportunities. Every resident must have the opportunity to live in decent affordable housing. In light of that, the City of Jackson formed a partnership with the jackson public school district to provide affordable housing opportunities. Under this partnership, the city provides funds for downpayment assistance to allow teachers in the district to purchase a home. At this time, i would like to recognize ms. Helen Persons, who teaches 3rd grade at boyd elementary. Ms. Persons was the first teacher to qualify for this program and she just closed on her new home and moved in this month. Ms. Persons please stand. Congratulations to you Ms. Persons.

Also, we are excited about the residential community planned at Calhoun and Capitol streets, known as the Bon Air Project. Phase one is underway and we have demolished 40 substandard properties, and will be building 47 quality homes for working families.

Fire Department
I next want to give special recognition to the fire department, which celebrated its 100th year birthday this summer. We continue to maintain a class three fire insurance rating for the city, which is the best rating in the state of Mississippi. Plans are now underway to construct a new training center and 911 communications center at the Northwest Industrial Park.

We have added seven new fire trucks and a new rescue unit this year. We have begun to replace two and four inch water lines with eight-inch water lines throughout the city. This $10 million project started in subdivision no. 2 In West Jackson. We have continued to maintain and improve the equipment and training for our firefighters so that we will be able to handle every emergency.
Thank you Chief McNulty and your command staff and all of the firefighters of this city for keping our citizens safe.

Downtown Development—Convention Center
Economic development remains in the forefront of our efforts. The people of this city pulled together and, with a unified effort, got the bill passed that lets us vote on building the capital city convention center. I applaud the coalition of citizens, the religious and business community and our neighborhood leaders and, most of all, members of the hinds county legislative delegation whose unified leadership made all of this happen. I ask that the members of the Hinds County legislative delegation stand. Also, the members of the convention center committee who are here today, will you please stand? Let me thank you for the hard work that you have provided to our city.

It is absolutely critical that we pass the referendum this November 2nd. We will be able to pay for the convention center with a tax that will largely fall on out of town visitors. What we are doing is consistent with the activities of other cities, such as Biloxi, New Orleans and Memphis. These cities know that their local economies are tied to conventions and tourism. The capital city convention center will be an economic development engine. Based on the studies that we have done, sales tax revenue will be significantly increased. There will be over 700 permanent new jobs. There will be 200 construction jobs while the center is being built. The convention center will be attached to the telecommunications conference and training center which, if you haven't been down there already, is under construction at the corner of Pascagoula and Farish streets. This will be a state of the art wired complex, unlike anything else in the southeastern united states. Again, we need this convention center referendum passed. I cannot tell you how many major conferences and conventions could not come to Jackson, Mississippi because we do not have the meeting space and other facilities. Members of the clergy have told me that religious conferences will come to jackson if we have the space. Other organizations have said the same. It is ironic that we have some of the greatest religious leaders in the country who hail from jackson, but they can't bring their members here because there is not enough meeting space. For the convention center to happen, we need 60% of the vote. So, every person's support at the polls is vital.

Union Station
I want to ask each and every one of you to encourage your friends, who for one reason or another may not come downtown, to do so. Ask them to come and look at Union Station and watch the city of New Orleans Amtrak train make its daily stop. They will also see that Union Station is the home of Jatran and Greyhound and other transportation systems. Union Station underwent a $19 million improvement. It is the beginning of the redevelopment of the western edge of downtown. We now have a private tenant, a jackson law firm on the second floor of Union Station, which I believe is some of the nicest office space in town.

Farish Street
Ask your friends to take a drive up Farish Street and see the infrastructure improvements that have been made in anticipation of development of the entertainment district. We have installed new storm drainage facilities, decorative street lighting, park benches, ornamental trees and we have bricked the streets and sidewalks. More importantly, we opened a police substation on farish street and even a jackson police department museum. I look forward to making additional announcements about new businesses and entertainment establishments that will open in this two block area.

And speaking of new businesses in the Farish Street area, John Calhoun and Rod Hill of IMS, a national engineering firm, recently purchased the Adkinson Hardware building on amite street. They are preparing the building for a complete renovation and they are here with us today. John and Rod would you please stand.

Electric building
I hope all of you have read the news about the renovations to the electric building located on pearl and west streets. Last week the renovations started on this 77 year old Jackson landmark that will include office space and more importantly, downtown luxury apartments.

Parkway
We have opened downtown to the west by completing phase one of the Jackson Metro Parkway between Wiggins and Dalton streets. This is an impressive gateway to Jackson State University and boasts walking trails and landscaped rights of way designed to enhance the surrounding neighborhood. And the city council will soon approve the contract for phase two and construction will begin shortly thereafter that will connect dalton to gallatin street.

City centre
A little farther down Pascagoula Street, between Lamar and West streets, a five hundred plus space parking garage is being built to service the two buildings comprising city centre. Parkway Properties has made a $12 million investment in the centre and the garage. At this time i would like to recognize Parkway Properties President Steve Rogers and thank him and his company for their investment in downtown.

Other Developments
There are other developments taking place. Renovations of the police department and city hall are underway. We look forward to the construction of the new federal courthouse. The planning stages are underway to upgrade one of our key gateways into the city, Fortification Street, from Interstate 55 to the mill street bridge with roadway upgrades, new sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and water/sewer improvements.

King Edward
But let's talk about the biggest eyesore in our city, the King Edward Hotel. You know our sentimental side says save it and do great things. It took a long time and a lot of hard work just to get our arms around it quite frankly. We now have clear title. We have had three developers submit proposals. The most recent development plan was not acceptable to the city and we have moved on to the proposals from the two other companies. We hope we will be able to move forward with a viable project. I pledge to you that we are moving expeditiously in coming up with a development plan, and developer. But, let me assure you of this, we will not be put on hold. The King Edward Hotel will be renovated soon or it will come down.
Other public improvements are underway.

We are currently constructing a new animal shelter and we will start construction on a new festival park on the pearl river this coming year. The first of the asphalt was laid on the new i-220 interchange for Hawkins Field Industrial Park at Industrial Drive. I truly believe that we were able to locate Nissan automotive suppliers into the industrial park as a result of this improvement. Lighting is also being installed on I-220, and i want to thank our friends at the mississippi department of transportation for their help in this regard.

We are about to construct a library in North Jackson. This is the first library built in the city of jackson in 27 years. Additionally, we will soon start construction of a second library in the westside community. Ms. Johnetta Jurden, former member of the library board and westside resident, indicated to me that she's personally worked to bring this to fruition for 25 years. Ms. Jurden, who is with us today, your efforts have finally paid off. Ms. Jurden will you please stand and be recognized.

The North Jackson library project was made possible in part by Entergy donating the land on which the library will be built. I cannot thank Entergy enough for this donation and the other good things they have done for our city. Entergy has helped us significantly with parks and recreation. We have partnered with the company to purchase playground equipment for Wightman Park, and later on for Benjamin Brown Park as a way to commemorate September 11. Both of these parks are located in the mid town section of our city. This year, Entergy, along with the Jackson Senators, partnered with the city to purchase playground equipment in a park that has never had it, Poindexter Park. This will again commemorate the September 11 tragedy. We invite you to join us on
September 7 at 8 a.m. For the dedication of the Poindexter Park playground.

Parks and Recreation
Our Parks and Recreation Department is doing a great job. We made upgrades to numerous facilities. In the last year, we have made upgrades or are in the completion stages of upgrades at 15 parks throughout our city. We have increased our athletic participation at various parks by eighteen teams. And a couple of months ago, Jackson's Parks and Recreation Department was featured in a national publication, Ground Maintenance, pointing out the positive and immeasurable social and economic benefits jackson is gaining from recent parks facility improvements, including being slated to host state, regional and national sporting events.

Baroque
Next week we will be saying farewell to our fourth international exhibit, "The Glory of Baroque Dresden." We welcome visitors from all over the world to experience this exhibition. The chancellor of Germany, Gerhardt Schroeder, came to jackson to inaugurate the exhibition. If you haven't gone, as mayor of Jackson, I am asking you to get there in the next few days. You will not regret it. You will be proud our city is a place where cultural exhibits of this type can be displayed. At this time, i want to recognize my friend Jack Kyle for the outstanding work he has done to bring these exhibits to Jackson and the Commission on International Cultural Exchange that has raised the money for these events. Will jack and the comission members please stand?

You know there are some other initiatives from this administration that should be noted. We will do $2 million in street repaving over the next 2 years. We've already begun to resurface nearly twenty miles of residential streets. Our Department of Human and Cultural Services assists 1,000 homebound elderly people by delivering a hot meal to them five days a week. We provide transportation services to our senior citizens so they can take care of personal needs such as shopping or medical appointments. I want to particularly thank MDOT again, and Commissioner Dick Hall for helping us purchase four new vans for the care of our seniors.

We are providing GED classes for 200 people. We have increased our early childhood development program to service more children. There are 340 children at five centers around the city.

Homeless
The City of Jackson is committed to delivering quality services to every segment of our city, and our homeless community is not an exception. I have appointed an internal homeless task force to develop a plan to service this population. We have distributed emergency shelter grant funds for the agencies that care for the homeless. Congress has also appropriated money for the city of Jackson to undertake a pilot program to provide on the job training for homeless persons.

Livable City
It is particularly gratifying to me that we were named one of the nation's "most livable cities." We are one of only thirty cities chosen this year for this distinct honor. This designation is ours forever, and i am proud to tell anyone who will listen that we were chosen. Jackson was noted for its creative and aggressive downtown development projects, and we were noted for our motto "Best of the New South" which indicates a push toward innovative strategies for the new millennium, while maintaining the best of what jackson's history offers.

School Book
Recently I was proud to present to the school board and Superintendent Earl Watkins copies of "Our Communities," a third grade social studies textbook published by McGraw Hill. The textbook is currently being used by tens of thousands of students across the country. What is so great about it is that the chapter that explains municipal government uses Jackson, Mississippi as the model. If there are any members of the school board here, will you please stand? We were also fortunate to be able to donate a book for all 124 third grade social studies teachers in the Jackson Public School district. We did this because we wanted our students to take pride in their community and to know that other children across the country are learning that Jackson is a model for government at the local level of american democracy.

Speaking of books, last year the Kackson Public School district began a reading initiative that challenged young people to read more. I'm proud, at this time, to recognize an 8th grader at Morrison Academic Center, Kiwon Williams. Kiwon read more books than any student in his school last year when he read an astounding 66 books. Kiwon is also a member of the Mayor's Youth Initiative. Let's give Kiwon a big round of applause!

Morrison Academic Center is set aside for people who are academically challenged. Therefore, for Kiwon to read that many books s academically astounding.

I mentioned earlier the Weed and Seed program, that we have benefited from thanks to the U.S. Justice department for the past several years. We managed to weed out crime by having increased law enforcement in the target areas and to seed the areas by developing employment opportunities and summer and after school programs. This grant has allowed us to serve Washington Addition, Dalton/Deer Park, Olin Park, Poindexter Park, University Park and the adjacent neighborhoods. We have also been able to add a sergeant and four police officers at the valley street substation.

Conclusion
In closing, Smith Robertson school closed in 1971. The building's future did not seem promising as it stood empty and in disrepair. But as history tells us—vision, tenacity, cooperation and faith can go a long way to bring forth great things. The late Dr. Jessie Mosley and Dr. Alferdteen Harrison organized the petition to save the building and to establish a museum devoted to the African American experience. At this time we'd like to recognize Dr. Harrison. Will you please stand? Now we have a facility to celebrate, not only in its past incarnation as a unique place of learning for african american children, but as a place of learning and sharing for all today. Smith Robertson is like Jackson. Jackson has realized its status as a most livable city. Jackson draws rave reviews for its artistic and cultural offerings. Jackson is celebrated for our hospitable people. We are the medical, transportation, government, cultural and recreational center of the state and i predict, the soon to be premier convention destination for the state of mississippi and the southeastern region. Downtown Jackson is undergoing an unprecedented renaissance of public and private projects. We are aggressively combating crime. Jackson's neighborhoods are joining forces with us to improve the city's quality of life. Jackson is experiencing the same type of vision, tenacity, cooperation and faith as Smith Robertson school did during its existence. Jackson is becoming the Best of the New South.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the state of our city. Thank you.