Jackson Free Press

Just got word that the City Council has rejected the Melton adminstration's new budget with its $3 increase in garbage fees. Also, Kenneth Stokes has withdrawn his coup attempt to unseat President Marshand Crisler—who has become a leading critic of the mayor, as well as the council members who vote in lockstep with him: Frank Bluntson, Charles Tillman, as well as Stokes. Four council members joined forces to reject the budget as presented: Ben Allen, Margaret Barrett-Simon, Leslie McLemore and Crisler.

Previous Comments

ID

121757

Comment

I pretty much lost much of what little respect I still have for Kenny Stokes for this one. Melton is the real reason the Council has become a circus in the last few months, with Bluntson acting like his personal puppet and mouthpiece in his opposition to Councilman Crisler. And Kenny pretty much has allowed his alliance with Mayor Melton to blind his better judgement just so he can have the Mayor supporting his pet projects like shutting down gun shows. If a white mayor had tried to do what Mayor Melton has been doing with the Maple St Apts (and the hidden costs that should have been researched first), crime sweeps, and attempting to raise fees on poor folks to cover for administrative mismanagement, he'd be stomping up and down (with a TV news camera nearby) with Derrick Johnson ready to protest in front of City Hall. What a hypocrite. Did he, Bluntson and Tillman also vote against the fee increase? At least Councilman Allen is trying to find ways to raise revenue from unpaid fines.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2006-04-18T22:39:43-06:00

ID

121758

Comment

Maybe we can lure our councilman-blogger on here to share some poop on tonight's meeting. Ben, it sounds from here like the Stokes-Melton plan to overthrow Marshand might be backfiring. Certainly, that looks bad for them, and like they can't handle criticism. And talk to us about the $3 garbage fee. If that comes out, what replaces it? I know the budget is $3 million in the hole, even after all the massive cuts by the city. Where is there room to cut if there is no fee raise?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-04-18T22:41:09-06:00

ID

121759

Comment

If a white mayor had tried to do what Mayor Melton has been doing with the Maple St Apts (and the hidden costs that should have been researched first), crime sweeps, and attempting to raise fees on poor folks to cover for administrative mismanagement, he'd be stomping up and down (with a TV news camera nearby) with Derrick Johnson ready to protest in front of City Hall. What a hypocrite. I tend to agree. I had some respect for Stokes before this as well, but his alliance with Melton seems to go against many things he supposedly represents (that drew my respect in the first place despite his antics). We endorsed him in the last election, partly due to his stubborn independence, but that has gone now that he has become a lapdog for Melton. Of course, it was predictable, I guess, if one understood the Mill Street alliance that helped put Melton there, while flying under the radar of North Jackson. But it's still sad." Did he, Bluntson and Tillman also vote against the fee increase? The Ledge said that Stokes abstained. That's convenient, I guess. He's definitely been tamed by Melton. And Tillman, though seemingly nice enough, just came in as a cypher who isn't going to rock the boat he's solidly riding on. Kind of reminds me of Clarence Thomas. I keep holding out hope that Stokes will wake up, but the signs don't seem good. I've always believed that he and Allen could be part of an uneasy alliance someday, perhaps because the parts of both of them that I like is more similar than either would admit. But that side is submerged in Stokes these days, even as it seems to be emerging more in Allen.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-04-18T22:47:35-06:00

ID

121760

Comment

I keep holding out hope that Stokes will wake up, but the signs don't seem good. -Ladd Stokes is in a deep coma, induced by Melton. It called "Frank has me by the b@$% and I can't tell you why". The only real cure is to get rid of them both. There is a name for people like Stokes, it's called a paper tiger. Or in 'da hood you might say that Stokes is a cabbage...all head and no a$$. I wonder who's shoulder Frank will cry on now that he and the CL are having a lover's quarrel?

Author

lance

Date

2006-04-19T05:59:15-06:00

ID

121761

Comment

How bout ol' ben last night offering alternatives to a crap plan. Sounded pretty good, does the stokes-melton affair used to keep melton out of stoke' district? Frank has never ser up raids on that side of town... that have made it to the news anyway...yesterday i saw a man chasin another with a 2x4 but thats another story. I wasn't opposed to the $3 increase but more pertrubed by the mismanagement. I think Ben's and Malcolms idea of getting what the city is entitled to(parking tickets and hinds county tags) first and then figure out what we need to do to fill the smaller gap is a better approach and can help efficiency of the city in the longrun.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-04-19T08:29:29-06:00

ID

121762

Comment

Yes, I agree, Lance, it's like being made to watch an ugly divorce happen between Melton and The Clarion-Ledger. One wonders if they're learning anything from this process. Sigh. Also, did you see that even as he filed suit against the Ledger yesterday, Melton came to Council meeting and embraced Crisler last night (with the cameras rolling). WLBT reports.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-04-19T12:07:34-06:00

ID

121763

Comment

I've grown to like Crisler, unlike before. Lance, what a helluva assessment. Like a lot of us, you're getting tired of apparent bullcrap, and it's showing. Even I'm confused by Kenneth 's unusual silence, and recent position to replace Crisler unless I believe he was looking out for the city's best interest and not the interest of Melton. That is possible, isn't it???. Kenneth is usually his own man. I wouldn't be surprised if something big for his ward wasn't hanging in the balance of all this mess.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-04-19T12:35:10-06:00

ID

121764

Comment

There are some tings going on in Stokes ward that I believe is keeping him from his usual outrageous behavior. I believe that Melton is the nucleus of it all. It just dosen't make sense the way that Stokes has turned into such a pansy. Ladd I did see that fake hug on tv lalst night. I hope that someone was able to plug up that hole in Crisler's back that Melton left when he embraced him. The next thing you know is that Melton will arrest him too. I just wonder how long this is going to continue. This town is not big enough for all of this drama.

Author

lance

Date

2006-04-19T12:58:29-06:00

ID

121765

Comment

This town is not big enough for all of this drama. Heck no if everyone in my area knows through an email that i took in a dog, and didn't tell anyone, it's a small town. What could be hanging in the balance? Melton's absence in that ward, stokes' not blaming all the problems on the white man recently....somethings up. Or maybe its change, good or bad?, we shall see.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2006-04-19T13:22:30-06:00

ID

121766

Comment

I got in town late last night and didn't see the hug at 10:00. I stayed up to see it at 1:00 or whatever time that was. I was touched by that hug. The mutual love and sincerity made me cry. That hug reminded me of a man trying to hug a woman he has dogged out but is trying to get back with because he needs her now to drop the domestic violence charges, and she needs him or his money too, at least for the moment. Neither will ever trust the other one, and somebody is going to get screwed over as soon as possible. "All that intercourse and not even a reach around." This says it all for me. That was mean.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-04-19T13:26:13-06:00

ID

121767

Comment

"I just wonder how long this is going to continue. This town is not big enough for all of this drama." lance And we are supposed to be a Capital city at that. One of 50. A billion dollars in investments is all good; but, let's not fool ourselves into thinking this wouldn't of happened without Frank. Very good assessment of the "Hug" Ray. I am so surprised we haven't hit the front pages of Fark.com or the Smoking Gun with all his antics. Only a matter of time before we are nationally humiliated by something he does.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-04-19T13:48:01-06:00

ID

121768

Comment

So, I'm visiting MSNBC.com and see this headline under "Recommended Stories" on the home page of the site: "Melton, Crisler Resolve Dispute". It's official... The rest of the world is watching.

Author

kaust

Date

2006-04-19T13:59:32-06:00

ID

121769

Comment

Someone trusted Stokes? When? :) Glad it's not MY Soap Opera. I get the Clinton, MS Soap Opera.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2006-04-19T13:59:34-06:00

ID

121770

Comment

Guess I should include a link: - MSNBC.com Homepage - Story referenced

Author

kaust

Date

2006-04-19T14:00:34-06:00

ID

121771

Comment

Alan Lange, a frequent visitor to the Jackson Free Press site, made a point on the "everything but treason, crow, and malicious intent" blog. He suggests WAPT is back-dooring cookies so their stories show up on the front page of MSNBC. Not actually. A cookie is next-to-impossible to access by another server/domain. The story referenced on the homepage is suggested solely on articles you've read on MSNBC. When I accessed MSNBC this afternoon, it was my second visit for the day and I had no cookies from WAPT (my work browser is set to terminate all sessions and cookies upon quitting which I do frequently -- Firefox) nor did I read any local news on MSNBC (that's why I come here and search Google News). The headline from WAPT was indeed on the front page of the site by random selection. There were no other local stories other than that one about Melton. Other headlines were international and scientific. It appears coincidental but is certainly not some evil plot on WAPT's behalf. Good to know readers and comrades like Lange are eager to help clarify randomness and chaos. I feel safer knowing we have people like him in our ranks supporting page impressions and adsense and watching out for all mankind... ;-)

Author

kaust

Date

2006-04-19T19:28:35-06:00

ID

121772

Comment

The other interesting thing I noticed today while searching Google News is that nearly ALL sites that run AP headlines actually host nearly all news headlines by AP journalists based in Jackson. I was surprised to see how many news sites out there have information on our budget, city council, and, of course, Melton.

Author

kaust

Date

2006-04-19T19:32:05-06:00

ID

121773

Comment

Stokes is in a deep coma, induced by Melton. It called "Frank has me by the b@$% and I can't tell you why". The only real cure is to get rid of them both. Get rid of the men or the...? Oooooh, I shouldn't have said that.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-04-19T23:28:47-06:00

ID

121774

Comment

Aren't they just feeding the headlines? Ours are fed to all sorts of places, including the Roadrunner Jackson homepage last time I looked. Sounds like that dude is, uh, chasing ghosts again. Or, maybe he's just trying to deflect the fact that someone is feeding old racist content from one of his old site onto the SafeCity Watch Web site. There are some decent people involved with that group; I wonder if they know this is happening under their name.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-04-19T23:34:02-06:00

ID

121775

Comment

Actually, they feed their headlines to MSNBC but the question was how did Melton end up on the front page of MSNBC seeing as I'd only read a story about the oldest snake fossil and the White House shake-up. They utilize cookies to recommend stories but I had not read any local pieces on MSNBC's site. Meaning it was a random headline since cookies are not accessible cross-domain. I admitted the inaccuracy. Still, I'm glad to know Lange is a dedicated reader and a comrade in, er, truth. To your SafeCity point... I was more than surprised to see the smear Johnson/Moore crime site redirecting. Hell, I actually half-expected the site to reignite now that crime seems to be of concern in our neighborhood area with many businesses and homes being robbed since the last election and with cars being burglarized down the hill in Belhaven. But, noooooo. Nothing. Nada. Zip. What crime? Cue Alanis Morissette and the song about irony that isn't ironic.

Author

kaust

Date

2006-04-20T07:11:57-06:00

ID

121776

Comment

Well, it does certainly indicate that they were more interested in politics -- and unseating a mayor who was perceived as less friendly to their needs -- than they actually are in crime. I am disappointed in the SafeCity folks, though, for going down this ugly road. I expected better out of many of them. But I do suspect that the scope of Lange et al's hateful sites are so limited that most people just don't know what they're doing and saying. Maybe it's time to wake up. I can't imagine that the SafeCity board of directors want to host such race rhetoric on their Web site. And are they really using content from 2003 to have something to put on the site!?! That's sad. At the least, the board ought to read some of that content first before they claim it as their own. (And I wonder if he's feeding that old, false Obadele thread he had up and never corrected, even after being told that it was incorrect!) As for national media, the truth is that the mayor of a capitol city going on a mother's porch with a shotgun is going to attract national media attention if it doesn't stop. Just gonna. This is not going to help economic development. It's very naive to think that it will -- that's where you start to get into the smart-mindedness rhetoric that has long ruled our demagogues and dumbasses in this state. It's up to the rest of us to make sure that those kinds of "thinkers" aren't speaking for us. And if the smart, progressive people continue to speak up here, Mississippi's reputation will change quickly (and we can stem some of that brain drain). So, speak up, people. Of course, I'm rallying a voice-filled choir here, but get your friends and relatives on board, too.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-04-20T08:51:52-06:00

ID

121777

Comment

Great point Ray Carter. I call this behavior "Battered City Syndrome." It is analogous to "Battered Woman/Man Syndrome" - which has a vicious cycle. He/She is abused physically and emotionally - then he/she is stroked and told how important he/she is and how "I depend on you and I can't live without you" - or the opposite wherein the victim is told, "You made me do it" and the guilt felt by the victim produces the same effect. What follows is a "roll in the hay" and yes, this City has really been screwed. The article should not have read, " Stokes Drops Coup Effort." A better title is "Stokes Dropped to His Seat After being Beaten to the Canvass:" Then, like Jack and Jill, Frank "came tumbling after."

Author

justjess

Date

2006-04-20T16:34:56-06:00