Jackson Free Press

The Jackson Historic Preservation Commission voted Tuesday to save A-1 Pallets on Mill Street from city wrecking balls.

The commission delayed their decision on allowing the city to raze the pallet recycling company for 60 days. Members say they want to personally tour the business, which city code enforcement said has numerous code violations, including standing water, fire hazards and vermin.

Owner Charlotte Reeves denies the violations, particularly assertions of rat infestation. Reeves said the business has routinely passed code inspections until this year when Mayor Frank Melton declared war on the company, vowing to tear it down by the end of the year.

Chancery Court Judge Dewayne Thomas granted Reeves a restraining order against the city in June, until the Preservation Commission could vote on the property, which is located in the Farish Street Historic District.

Previous Commentsshow

Has anyone observed the old McCarty-Holman (Jitney Jungle) Warehouse on Mill Street and just blocks from the Pallet Company? You talk about an eye sore - This is truly one. Abandoned, unsafe, unhealthy, rat and roach infested with bird drippings and all sorts of debris. Why hasn't melton jumped on that train? The Pallet Company is operational and gives employment for some of our residents. There is nothing but crud at the old Jitney Warehouse. Can anyone say, "UNFAIR?"

justjess

Jul 16 2007

Justjess, life isn't fair for sure. There is more to the story than we apparently know, that's for sure. As to why he chose the pallet company over the other, who knows.

LawClerk

Jul 16 2007

One simple guess is that the Advocate crowd doesn't like Reeves. That, apparently, was a big part of the reason that he tried to stop the King Edward renovation. They wanted it torn down.

DonnaLadd

Jul 16 2007

"Has anyone observed the old McCarty-Holman (Jitney Jungle) Warehouse on Mill Street and just blocks from the Pallet Company?" -justjess How 'bout the La Quinta on 20 near Terry? That is the new King Edward of the city...

kaust

Jul 16 2007

I'm not a fan of Reeves and I do consider the A-1 Pallet Company "unattractive", and if it were an abandoned and neglected property I'd fully support his efforts. But it seems silly for Melton to declare war on her business in such an unreasonable and public way when I can name 2 dozen empty and abandoned commercial properties throughout the City that are equally "ugly" and more hazardous and should be torn down. He's using Farish Street's historical designation as a cover for some kind of vendetta against Reeves it seems.

Jeff Lucas

Jul 16 2007

It would certainly seem so, Jeff. And you don't have to be Reeves' cheerleader to see that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about things. I just can't get over the horrible examples he sets for the kids in his "care" with the way he twists and ignores the law as it suits him. Does he really not think that is one of the first thing he is teaching those kids? And she's a woman, remember.

DonnaLadd

Jul 16 2007