Jackson Free Press

Uh, no kidding. Did The Clarion-Ledger really just figure this out!?! The JFP has been reporting this for months now, in our Melton interviews and in other stories. Guess it's a slow news day at the Ledge:

At least three people Jackson Mayor Frank Melton has hired in the city youth program have criminal records. The mayor placed Donald Ray Quinn and Anthony Staffney on the city payroll June 1 as "senior administrative clerks" with salaries of $23,000 each to work with young people. Staffney spent the better part of seven years in and out of federal prison on a 1996 conviction of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. He was released in 2004.

Most recently the 38-year-old Staffney, a reputed member of the Wood Street Gang, was acquitted in February of a murder charge in the 2003 slaying of Carey Bias.

(That one reminds me of the Ledge following Adam's "Sex, Lies & Videotape" story about Melton with a story two weeks later about his lies -- but leaving out the ones that involved The Clarion-Ledger.)

Now, the part that I'm not sure we knew, yet (because the city has refused to provide the documents), is what the Ledge states in its companion mini-story:

Since Melton was inaugurated in July 2005, about 150 people have been employed in low-paying positions as "student workers" or "trainees," at a cost between $300,000 to $500,000, according to documents The Clarion-Ledger obtained through the Mississippi Public Records Act.

OK, $300,000 to $500,000??? They could get no more precise than this?!? And we wonder why the city budget is in such trouble. They really don't know whether they are spending $300,000 or half a million on Melton's student workers?

The weirdest part of either story is the closer on this one:

Workers for youth jobs program have to follow the same procedures as other city employees, including a drug screening. But some young people Melton said he has wanted to hire cannot pass the drug test.

Huh? What does that mean? Is this butchered language saying that he has not hired some young people because they couldn't pass the drug test. Or, is it saying that he is hiring young people who cannot pass the drug test?

Also, does anyone out there happen to know whether the city is required to drug test someone who is hired through a temp agency?

Previous Comments

ID

123012

Comment

Yeah, I don't see how the other governmental officials can't see the huge RED FLAG with this. How much more will they excuse before we lose all faith in our local elected leaders?

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-20T19:42:27-06:00

ID

123013

Comment

I'm curious. Did City Council approve this hiring strategy? And I ask that as someone who wants to see ex-felons put to work and have a chance to give back to society. My feelings are good about Donnie Ray. He did seem to hire Mr. Staffney mighty soon, though, after he, Maurice Warner and Vidal Sullivan beat the murder charge in February. That surprised me at the time. But Mr. Melton goes back a long way with these guys, and doesn't hesitate to say that. He seems to think he owes him because, after he tried to help them all those years, they still got in a lot of trouble.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-08-20T19:47:10-06:00

ID

123014

Comment

Is Hickinbottom apart of the temporary service? That sure is one large Youth Work force they have in place! Seems top heavy too!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-20T19:51:11-06:00

ID

123015

Comment

I haven't heard a peep about/from Hickingbottom lately. We know, already, that Robert Williams didn't last long.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-08-20T20:02:17-06:00

ID

123016

Comment

I thought felons could't work for the city. Has something changed ?

Author

jada

Date

2006-08-20T20:21:25-06:00

ID

123017

Comment

I think that's why they were telling me during the interviews that Mr. Melton was paying them directly. Then we were told they were paid by temp agencies. Now, it seems, they are squarely on city payroll. Thus, my question: Has City Council been involved with the decision to put felons on the city payroll? I'm not saying they *shouldn't*, necessarily (or that they should), but I can see concerns with it, and can see that such a program would require close supervision to ensure that it doesn't go awry. And where is the budget moved from to pay for the youth jobs -- this is a much higher figure than Mr. Melton and Mr. Melvin had told me. Kids need jobs -- but when police and fire are in trouble, we need to know that City Council is doing their job here by knowing what is going on. If not, this is as much their problem as anyone else's. I'm truly tired of a City Council that will not stand up to this mayor. That's how we ended up with such a meek police chief -- because they just giggled her on through. (Remember the goofy cowboy hats? Another Carolyn Redd production that merely distracts from a focus on running the city well.) Certainly, Robert Williams worked for the city for a little while, and he was a felon, right? That one was befuddling, considering that he had committed his felony while he was a city councilman (and remember all Melton's B.S. about not debating Johnson because he would have to sit next to a "convicted felon" Now, he's hiring them, and he hangs out with them all the time). I truly don't understand why Mr. Melton hires many of the people that he does -- one wonders if he owes them favors, or something. Or, maybe it's just that they are the ones who have shown that they will not challenge his inadequacies as a leader.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-08-20T20:32:24-06:00

ID

123018

Comment

Melton only looks out for the bad boys. Who is the spokesperson for kids who have stayed on track? They are 70% of this community. It is no wonder that there is so much flight when good students finish high school and college. Melton's hiring practice seems to follow a criminal thread and it does make you wonder if this practice has "Godfather" implications. Does anyone know when the budget will be made public and the results of both the internal and external audit? Just thinking. The CL seems to play both ends against the middle. They are trying not to offend a certain sector of the population who remain Melton supporters amd CL subscription holders. Melton says a lot of things that members of other races can't say. I know that this sounds strange but it is as if melton is the messenger for the KKK and their executioner. History is only repeating itself; however, one wonders how long will it take this community to realize the serious games that are being played. If we look at Melton's history, Blacks are the object of his negative behavior and Blacks will suffer the sad dilemma of being negatively evaluated based on what has happened during this period. Sad.

Author

justjess

Date

2006-08-21T10:08:32-06:00

ID

123019

Comment

One of my young neighbors complained about the hiring of ex-con because he has struggled so hard to do the right thing and can't get a job after school where he can make him a little money. Where is the fairness tell the children to stay in school and out of trouble only for them to see those who don't rewarded. How can the council stand for this??

Author

jada

Date

2006-08-22T00:16:52-06:00

ID

123020

Comment

Why are we making a big issue about people working ? Or maybe it's beacuse A Black Mayor is helping black men ? Well if we were honest we all know that this has been the white man's way for years the "Good Old Boy Club "there are alot of people who got jobs from the city of Jackson alll the way to Corprate American not because they were qualifed but because they were white and knew somebody who knew somebody so get over least these guys are working and not comitting crimes.

Author

REV

Date

2006-08-28T11:47:02-06:00

ID

123021

Comment

My beef with this is not racial, at all. It's that our mayor is crazy, and there's no method to his madness. As others have pointed out, the way to his heart seems to be to first commit a felony. I personally don't think that's a great message to send. I'd vote for rewarding the kids who stay in school, as well as providing second chances for felons. The whole thing is seriously annoying because of his behavior during the campaign, as well. I don't think that being mayor gives him license to hire whoever he chooses. REV, the good ole boy network sucks, too. Doesn't justify Frank's behavior one iota.

Author

kate

Date

2006-08-28T12:03:25-06:00