Jackson Free Press

Mayor Frank Melton told department heads he wants a serious re-commitment to house demolition and downtown development in Jackson at a meeting held before members of the press today.

Melton described a blitz approach to demolitions, telling Public Works Director Thelman Boyd and Charles Melvin, who City Council rejected as director of Parks and Recreation last week, to concentrate their efforts on demolition on only a few projects.

"I know you have a lot on the agenda right now, but what I need you to do is give up three or four days to knock all this stuff down with all of your resources, get everything out of the way and then you can go back to whatever it is that you have. ... Both of you have 15 different projects you're doing ... what I'm asking is that you put a halt to those projects and put all of your resources into here, so that instead of taking us six weeks we can get it over-with in three or four days."

Melton also asked Todd Chandler to help with burned properties, referring to Chandler as "fire chief." City Council rejected Chandler as fire chief last month.

Melton described a back-breaking to-do list of demolition work, including taking sledgehammers to apartments owned by Cade Chaple Missionary Baptist Church, on Ridgeway Street, the Maple Street Apartments, A-1 Pallets recycling company on Mill Street, a large section of houses on Cohea Street and a small swath of buildings in the Farish Street Entertainment District.

Melton repeated his belief that half the Farish Street neighborhood would have to be demolished.

Melton said he wants A-1 Pallets, Maple Street Apartments and the Cade Chapel Apartments served with 30-day notices by the end of May 14.

"I don't want to see (A-1 Pallets) sitting there at the end of this year," Melton said. "At the end of this calendar year, it's going to be gone. We already have an active case on that company. ... There's some legal things that I won't get into because the media's in here, but there's some criminal activity going on in there that (Code Enforcement Director) Joe (Lewis) and his staff are dealing with."

A-1 Pallets owner Charlotte Reeves said she was furious at the mayor's allegation.

"I think it's terrible that we would have to get an attorney to take care of something that's totally made up," Reeves said. "We're holding down that part of Farish Street. Here we are, a taxpaying private business. We pay our taxes, our permits and everything. That's $40,000 or $50,000 a year in taxes to the city, and now this. We save 50,000 trees a year with our recycling. I don't know why (Melton) hates us so much."

Reeves also pointed out that that her business is in the historic preservation district, which could make it very difficult for the city to tear down "arbitrarily."

Tampering with designated property could cost developers federal and state grant money for development projects in the neighborhood. Melton said some property owners were "hiding behind" their historical designation. Still, Melton said the city would "follow the guidelines."

"We'll take a picture of (the historically designated buildings) and put it up in a museum somewhere, and then we'll take them down to the ground," Melton said. "We're going to make sure that we'll follow (state and federal) guidelines, and then we'll negotiate with them. If I have to put them on a bus and take them down there and show them what they look like, I'll do that, but I can't allow those structures to exist in that neighborhood," the mayor said.

Melton acknowledged that even if he succeeds in overcoming legal hurdles and federal and state requirements protecting the property, the city's budget can't afford such a large slate of projects. Melton believed he had assigned the city "$2 million worth of demolition" though the city has "less than $1 million" in its demolition budget.

Melton said he wants to do the work more cheaply by getting city employees to handle the demolition work rather than contractors. He said he also wants to use city-owned heavy machinery and borrow machinery from the county and private businesses, like Hemphill Construction Co, Inc.

"We need for (Hemphill) to loan us, pro-bono, a bowling ball machine, with a big ball on it. You can knock stuff down," Melton told Boyd, apparently referring to a wrecking ball. "I don't know if you have someone in your shop who knows how to operate it, but if you do, then we will operate it and return it in short order."

Boyd did not return calls regarding what kind of equipment the city has at its disposal or if Boyd's department has the manpower necessary for Melton's undertaking. Hemphill construction did not immediately return calls.

Melton said he would cut costs for home removal on Cohea Street by enlisting the aid of an unnamed developer who Melton claims wants to remove the dilapidated Cohea homes, renovate them and move them down to the coast to serve as housing for hurricane victims.

"There's a gentleman who wants to come in and move every house out of there. ... l think that's an excellent idea. If I didn't misunderstand him, he's going to pay the city $2,000 per house to move them," Melton said, not naming the developer.

Melton said he was putting a high emphasis on removing houses on Cohea Street to make way for new neighborhood development starting in just two months.

"We're going to start building that neighborhood up effective July 1. ... We're going to come in there with brick homes with wood floors and they're going to be two or three bedroom homes," Melton said, again without naming the developer.

Melton said he was also gunning hard to get moving on a $209 million construction project involving the area around the incoming Jackson Convention Center. Council members say the Jackson Redevelopment Authority put the breaks on the project because developers, including Dallas developer Gene Phillips, wanted to skip the appraisal and the bidding process and had no complete list of incentive requirements for the city.

Melton interpreted the hold-up in the $209 million deal as a problem with JRA, rather than his friend Phillips. Melton said he had ironed out JRA's issues and was personally overseeing the project.

"This is a deal that I'm personally monitoring because I'm trying to learn what it's like to do business with Jackson. I've had my frustrations ... with the JRA, and we finally got that straightened up last week," Melton said.

JRA Director Brent Alexander said the project is not complete but it is moving forward.

"We're comfortable that this project has the best interests of the city in mind, but we're still in the process of negotiating an agreement," Alexander said, adding that negotiations were "going well."

Melton said he wants Phillips getting quality service from the city in the meantime.

"I want these people served like kings. ... I don't want nobody coming to me and telling me that they applied (for something) six weeks ago. We're going to have a 48-hour turnover," Melton said.

Melton's attention to Phillips is in sharp contrast to his treatment of developers for the King Edward Hotel. The city, under Melton's watch, twice stalled federal funding for developers over the King Edward Hotel renovation. In 2006, Melton cited delays caused by his own administration as cause to hand the project over to Phillips.

Melton also alerted department heads that he wanted to make swimming lessons mandatory for children at city swimming pools this summer, saying he wants kids to spend at least "one-third of their time" learning their strokes.

"I'm going to spend a lot of time at our swimming pools this summer making sure that gets done," Melton said.

He said he also wants to push for an "organized tumbling program" under Melvin.

Melton said the reason he'd invited the media to attend the meeting in the first place was to avoid news of the meeting getting leaked to the press.

"For the media: The reason I invited you here is instead of somebody snitching and calling you on the telephone I thought you might as well hear it from me. I know we got snitches in city government," Melton said. "Y'all know things before I do sometimes. And they'll continue to call you. ... Every time I send out a memo they send it to the (Jackson) Free Press so I'm going to do something different. I'm going to send you the memo first, ... If they're going to send that to you, hell, I might as well send that to you as well. So you can call me and ask me about it before they put some kind of stupid spin on it. "

Melton was referring to a memorandum he sent last week to council members, asking them to withdraw the name of JPS school Board Vice President Jonathan Larkin for re-nomination. Melton signed that memo May 10, but on May 11, he told Council President Ben Allen on a talk radio show that he intended to submit Larkin's name to the council for nomination.

When asked if he had lied, Melton said, "Yeah, but let me tell you: These two appointments are the most significant appointments I'll make as mayor. ... What worries me is we have 30-something percent of our kids not going to school."

JPS spokeswoman Peggy Hampton said that student daily attendance at JPS has consistently exceeded 93 percent the last four years.

Previous Comments

ID

128680

Comment

Real quick, the Clarion Ledger sux! They totally got it wrong this afternoon!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-14T21:25:16-06:00

ID

128681

Comment

Was The Clarion-Ledger at the same meeting!?! Here's their version of what happened. Compare and contrast, ladies and gents.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-14T21:33:07-06:00

ID

128682

Comment

Charlotte, come back. we do love you over here. ;-)

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-14T21:35:09-06:00

ID

128683

Comment

Melton said he was also gunning hard to get moving on a $209 million construction project involving the area around the incoming Jackson Convention Center. Council members say the Jackson Redevelopment Authority put the breaks on the project because developers, including Dallas developer Gene Phillips, wanted to skip the appraisal and the bidding process and had no complete list of incentive requirements for the city. Hello! Any surprises here? Now that his TX billionaire, some other TX company, and Danks have that project downtown, they have to make sure they can give the business that is government related to 'their friends' over the best interest of the taxpayers' dollar without the oversight of a quasi-independent group that looks out for the long term development of Jackson's downtown. The IMS JPS deal that Ward tried to swing shows this mayor and his people are going to only reward a few companies with work.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-14T22:12:34-06:00

ID

128684

Comment

Posted on another thread: This may even need its own thread; but, did you catch this on WAPT? - "Melton Begs Department Heads To Be Passionate" The money quote: "The only problem that I'm struggling with with some of you right now -- and we'll work this out -- you have got to develop a passion. You have to develop my passion to get things done, and if you can develop my passion, it will keep me out of trouble. But I have to have people. I promise you I will stay out of trouble if you just develop my passion," Melton said. IF 'they' showed the passion HE does, then HE could KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE. It's never his fault is it? Need I even say more? Councilman Allen, Barrett, and Crisler (congrat's on the Master's Degree), please save our City from this egotistical madness. _ _ _ _ _ _ He hasn't changed, and who cares if Mrs. Yahoo in Noxubee Co. says Melton is doing a good job. Wake Up Folks.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-14T22:18:24-06:00

ID

128685

Comment

appraisals? we don't need no appraisals.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-14T22:20:29-06:00

ID

128686

Comment

IF 'they' showed the passion HE does, then HE could KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE. It's never his fault is it? I thought the exact same thing! So, was it the code enforcer's fault that Frank sledgehammered the Ridgeway Street home? Melton also alerted department heads that he wanted to make swimming lessons mandatory at city swimming pools this summer, saying he wants them to spend at least "one-third of their time" learning their strokes. Is he talking about the dept. heads or the kids at the pools learning how to swim? Melton said he would cut costs for home removal on Cohea Street by enlisting the aid of an unnamed developer who Melton claims wants to remove the dilapidated Cohea homes, renovate them and move them down to the coast to serve as housing for hurricane victims. Why would send them to the coast if they're not good enough to live in anywhere else? While I think Frank is right in wanting to see dilapidated structures torn down, I'm waiting to see if he will follow the guidelines necessary before tearing them down.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-05-14T22:32:08-06:00

ID

128687

Comment

There have been several notable (notorious?) leaders in history who mandated a "buy in" to their own passions. To my knowledge, this type of blind faith in a flawed leader is never productive of a good outcome. Unbelievable that he shifted the blame for his future mis-behavior to others who might not seek his vision. There is not much left to say other than Jackson is getting what was voted for and the courts are impotent to stop him. If you like what is happening, vote for his candidates and see what Hinds County and the Metro Area get. And, I too wonder who is mandated to learn to swim. Will they need a doctor's excuse if they have bad ears or hearts? Also, it would be interesting to learn what the City's workman's comp carrier thinks about demolition participation without training; or what OSHA thinks. A few years ago we had trouble finding enough qualified life guard to man all of the City's public pools. Will we have trouble finding enough instructors? Or do these little details matter anymore?

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-05-14T23:46:26-06:00

ID

128688

Comment

Oh my stars.... seriously, the man needs ...... I'm just speechless! "We'll take a picture of (the historically designated buildings) and put it up in a museum somewhere, and then we'll take them down to the ground,"..... That is unbelievable. Swimming lessons mandatory???? I must be reading this incorrectly. I have defended him on some issues, but my lord....

Author

mommish

Date

2007-05-15T04:28:30-06:00

ID

128689

Comment

another take on the historic building battle historic building zealotry

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-05-15T06:08:22-06:00

ID

128690

Comment

Frankie's got his believers in place, he's got his free pass from the Supreme Court, and now he's cranking up the bulldozer, ready to tear down anyone opposed to his manical ego. And the sheeple of Jackson just sit there and "Baa". Pathetic.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-05-15T07:31:05-06:00

ID

128691

Comment

Frankie's got his believers in place, he's got his free pass from the Supreme Court, and now he's cranking up the bulldozer, ready to tear down anyone opposed to his manical ego. And the sheeple of Jackson just sit there and "Baa". Pathetic.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-05-15T07:31:19-06:00

ID

128692

Comment

sorry for the double post.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-05-15T07:32:22-06:00

ID

128693

Comment

I know some will hate me for saying this but I think Frank might finally be on to something. After all, "Somebody somewhere in the heat of the night looking pretty dangerous, running out of patience. Tonight in the city you won't find any pity. Hearts are being twisted, another lover cheated, cheated. In the bars and the cafes, passion. In the streets and the alleys, passion. Alot of pretending, passion. Everybody searching, passion. once in love you're never out of danger. One hot night spent with a stranger. All you wanted was somebody to hold on yeah. New York, Moscow, passion. Hong Kong, Tokyo, passion. Paris and Bangkok, passion. A lot of people ain't got passion. Hear it on the radio, passion. Read it in the papers, passion. Hear it in the churches, passion. See it in the school yard, passion. Can't live without passion Even the president needs passion." And If I don't start seeing more passion from some of y'all I'm gonna stop blogging or playing with y'all. I hope they understand Frank wasn't talking about his batty passion.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-15T08:05:49-06:00

ID

128694

Comment

another take on the historic building battle kingfish Yeah, there is another take on the whole "swimming pools and tumbling" for all children - but I ain't going there this morning. :-(

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-15T08:14:29-06:00

ID

128695

Comment

OSHA! We don't need no stinkin' OSHA!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-15T08:15:44-06:00

ID

128696

Comment

I corrected the story above to make it clear that Melton was talking about children when he said that swimming lessons should be mandatory at city pools.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-05-15T08:22:14-06:00

ID

128697

Comment

"I don't want to see (A-1 Pallets) sitting there at the end of this year," Melton said. "At the end of this calendar year, it’s going to be gone. We already have an active case on that company. ... There's some legal things that I won't get into because the media's in here, but there's some criminal activity going on in there that (Code Enforcement Director) Joe (Lewis) and his staff are dealing with." Here we go again. If Melton doesn't like how the business looks from the front, why doesn't he offer to fix it up for her? "We'll take a picture of (the historically designated buildings) and put it up in a museum somewhere, and then we'll take them down to the ground," Melton said. "We're going to make sure that we'll follow (state and federal) guidelines, and then we'll negotiate with them. If I have to put them on a bus and take them down there and show them what they look like, I'll do that, but I can't allow those structures to exist in that neighborhood," the mayor said. Does he really think that anyone's going to "negotiate" with him after saying something like that? He just alienated them. Melton acknowledged that even if he succeeds in overcoming legal hurdles and federal and state requirements protecting the property, the city's budget can't afford such a large slate of projects. Melton believed he had assigned the city "$2 million worth of demolition" though the city has "less than $1 million" in its demolition budget. So, where's the money coming from? Isn't the city already over budget? "We need for (Hemphill) to loan us, pro-bono, a bowling ball machine, with a big ball on it. You can knock stuff down," Melton told Boyd, apparently referring to a wrecking ball. ROTFLOL! Melton said he would cut costs for home removal on Cohea Street by enlisting the aid of an unnamed developer who Melton claims wants to remove the dilapidated Cohea homes, renovate them and move them down to the coast to serve as housing for hurricane victims. I'm with Golden Eagle on this. If he doesn't want them, why would anyone else? "There's a gentleman who wants to come in and move every house out of there. ... l think that's an excellent idea. If I didn't misunderstand him, he's going to pay the city $2,000 per house to move them," Melton said, not naming the developer. I think he misunderstood him, whoever "him" is. Moving a home can cost as much as a home. You have to take into account dodging power lines, utility setup, blocking traffic, etc. Melton said he was also gunning hard to get moving on a $209 million construction project involving the area around the incoming Jackson Convention Center. Council members say the Jackson Redevelopment Authority put the breaks on the project because developers, including Dallas developer Gene Phillips, wanted to skip the appraisal and the bidding process and had no complete list of incentive requirements for the city. So that's why he wants to get rid of the JRA... Melton also alerted department heads that he wanted to make swimming lessons mandatory at city swimming pools this summer, saying he wants them to spend at least "one-third of their time" learning their strokes. He said he also wants to push for an “organized tumbling program” under Melvin. I assume he means the youth. Look, I'm all for giving children something to do to keep them out of trouble while they're out of school, but how can he mandate something like that? What about the other summer programs they may be in? What about transportation? What about lifeguards? What if any of them have to go to summer school? Melton said the reason he'd invited the media to attend the meeting in the first place was to avoid news of the meeting getting leaked to the press. I must have control at all costs. Bwaaah ha ha ha... "For the media: The reason I invited you here is instead of somebody snitching and calling you on the telephone I thought you might as well hear it from me. I know we got snitches in city government," Melton said. "Y'all know things before I do sometimes. And they'll continue to call you. ... Every time I send out a memo they send it to the (Jackson) Free Press so I'm going to do something different. I'm going to send you the memo first, ... If they're going to send that to you, hell, I might as well send that to you as well. So you can call me and ask me about it before they put some kind of stupid spin on it. " Stop snitching. LOL When asked if he had lied, Melton said, "Yeah, ...and that's when I stop listening.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-15T08:29:22-06:00

ID

128698

Comment

Melton said he wants to do the work more cheaply by getting city employees to handle the demolition work rather than contractors. He said he also wants to use city-owned heavy machinery and borrow machinery from the county and private businesses, like Hemphill Construction Co, Inc. "We need for (Hemphill) to loan us, pro-bono, a bowling ball machine, with a big ball on it. You can knock stuff down," Melton told Boyd, apparently referring to a wrecking ball. "I don't know if you have someone in your shop who knows how to operate it, but if you do, then we will operate it and return it in short order." That passage alone had me ROTFLMAO. If Da Mayor thinks Hemphill, or any other private contractor, is going to roll over and just let the City "borrow" their equipment pro bono to be operated by City crews who likely aren't even certified to perform building demolitions, he's got another think coming!

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2007-05-15T08:39:23-06:00

ID

128699

Comment

That is the most ridiculous pile of garbage I've read in a while. Demolitions work requires certified contractors-lots of asbestos in old homes and buildings, requiring some level of competance to do. If somebody from the city got injured tearing down a building that is a huge liability on Jackson. And I'm sorry, the last thing I wanna see Melton possesing is a wrecking ball.

Author

GLewis

Date

2007-05-15T10:29:43-06:00

ID

128700

Comment

Well, you know a wrecking ball is just a big ole "sludgehammer." ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-15T10:31:12-06:00

ID

128701

Comment

Also, all, note that the Ledger didn't even follow up today with a real story about all this bizarro crap he said to the media and his department heads. Could it just possibly be that this kind of blackout on his crazy remarks is why people didn't know who/what they were electing? Food for thought.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-15T10:32:41-06:00

ID

128702

Comment

Melton just needs to leave the city running to someone else, step down and just be a private investor. If he is so interested in all these projects that the city can't afford, fine, put up the money to get it done. Buy out all of Farish street, Ridgeway, wherever......put up your personal money to provide every kid swimming lessons this summer, recording studios...........that's great......I applaude it........just get out of the mayor's office.

Author

Birdseye

Date

2007-05-15T10:44:17-06:00

ID

128703

Comment

Donna, I read their six-sentence report, and I really wish they didn't leave out so much.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-15T10:45:55-06:00

ID

128704

Comment

Actually by not actualling quoting Melton's statements they are doing a huge disservice to the local population. People should have the opportunity to read verbatim the mayor's own words and form their own opinion of him. By summarizing and not quoting they totally eliminate the context of incompetance that shines through his statements. Does Melton have a speechwriter or somebody to prepare remarks for him?

Author

GLewis

Date

2007-05-15T11:10:02-06:00

ID

128705

Comment

Well, as Donna says, "It ain't over til it's over." Maybe that should be the first sentence of every story about the Mayor written from this point on. HA!

Author

JenniferGriffin

Date

2007-05-15T11:25:37-06:00

ID

128706

Comment

I've been inside some of those buildings. It is financially impossible to restore many of them and they are a danger. Many were shoddily built to begin with, can never meet current code, are full of asbestos and mold, and are fire traps. I would much rather see an open space than delapidation. I can appraise most of them for you: $0.

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2007-05-15T12:02:10-06:00

ID

128707

Comment

Maybe Geraldo can help him with Farish St!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-15T12:19:20-06:00

ID

128708

Comment

Right, Wille. Raise your hand if you think there is a very good reason that Melton would not name the developer who wants to put up these houses and move them to the Coast. This is wacky, way-out stuff. These nonsensical remarks of his are almost more disturbing than Melton strapping guns all over his person. Almost. Of course the most disturbing part is all the people who keep nodding as if he makes any sense when he says stuff like this. He is making a fool of Jackson.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-15T12:24:35-06:00

ID

128709

Comment

"I've been inside some of those buildings. It is financially impossible to restore many of them and they are a danger"....... Sometimes a clean slate is just the cure for urban woes......

Author

ATLExile

Date

2007-05-15T12:30:27-06:00

ID

128710

Comment

Ladd, If the CL was at the same frank party with his dept. heads that Adam attended,the stories just don't add up. Ain't nothing wrong; but, something ain't right. I think that the CL is trying to pander to some of the more conservative readers who continue to believe that frank hung the moon. What's up with Rev. Buckley, the minister for Cade Chapel Church? He was in line to be a witness for the defense? Now frank is back on his old kick of tearing this property down. To tell City employees that they must develop his "passion" is really a slap in the face. It was his "passion" that brought about all of the trouble he has been in and the result of the courts was a miscarriage-of-justice. The judge told them that. Note: After the fact. He laid out specific instructions on how to take down a property and if my memory serves me correctly, I heard nothing about a sledge-hammer. The "BOTTOM LINE" here is that fm is getting ready to force these dept. heads to do the dirty work he is now afraid to do for fear of legal reprisals. Out of fear for their jobs as dept. heads, some of them may actually rush in and try to tear down these historical sites. They will pay a big price if this is done the frank way. They had better get them some lawyes quick, fast and in a hurry. This man (fm) is out of his mind. Someone needs to do something before he harms himself or some innocent person. This sounds like the serious beginning of the phase of elation. Where is the medicine bottle? The only thing I can say is, 'HERE WE GO AGAIN!"

Author

justjess

Date

2007-05-15T13:33:58-06:00

ID

128711

Comment

That passion comment was the professional and public manner of Melton telling his legal and public crew "I want you mua ______ to start doing something job related besides just holding jobs and trying to protect me from jails and judges." As the camera scrolled the room I saw people silently saying to themselves "what up with this bullshit, he knows we ain't about doing anything conctructive and neither is he. I'll be glad when the camera are gone so I can get back to my hairdresser, golf outing, video games, card games, shopping, visiting friends, drinking and having some fun." However, some of us are hopeful the mayor meant well, his request is answered or followed, and Jackson will soon get to moving in the right direction.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-15T13:39:40-06:00

ID

128712

Comment

I memory serves me, when the Judge read the law/policy on how to go about "legally" ridding Jackson of properties, he gave timelines of 30 days/then 60 days, etc. Donna and Brian - based on city policy, can you give us a timeline on when a property can be torn down? I may have missed where you posted the procedure read by Judge Webster.

Author

JenniferGriffin

Date

2007-05-15T13:58:32-06:00

ID

128713

Comment

Sorry, that's "If memory serves me, ... "

Author

JenniferGriffin

Date

2007-05-15T13:59:23-06:00

ID

128714

Comment

I agree the mayor is seriously disturbed and most probably mentally ill. I also think that there are a LOT of properties that ought to be seized and demolished. Of course, many of the people that actually LIVE in these areas cannot comment on this as they dont have internet access. I know that if I was living next to an delapidated or abandoned building I would rather have an open cleared lot next door.

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2007-05-15T15:44:50-06:00

ID

128715

Comment

Donna and Brian - based on city policy, can you give us a timeline on when a property can be torn down? I may have missed where you posted the procedure read by Judge Webster. I have it, Jennifer. Go here. I discussed it further in my blog entry.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-15T20:49:04-06:00

ID

128716

Comment

Thanks L.W. for the post. It's nothing like a "teachable moment." You would think that melton would learn from these events. He hasn't.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-05-16T10:18:00-06:00

ID

128717

Comment

Justjess, your comment was right on. Those people would have to be crazy to break the law or particpate in unsavory conduct though whether demanded or not. Any of my ex-bosses will tell you that no one can make Ray Carter do anything he feels is wrong. The boss doesn't have the last word. The employee does. Too many doesn't realize it though.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-05-16T10:47:15-06:00

ID

128718

Comment

Here's a bit of history--and this just barely scratches the surface--on Gene Phillips that will appear in the print edition of this story: Phillips has a history of legal trouble. In the late 1980s, Phillips’ Southmark Corp. and its San Jacinto Savings and Loan subsidiary went belly-up, costing taxpayers more than $1 billion, according to a 2000 New York Times report. In 2000, the U.S. District Court of New York indicted Phillips, along with his associate Anthony “Cal” Rossi, for racketeering, wire fraud, union pension fund fraud and payment of illegal kickbacks. The charges were part of the biggest security fraud case in history and included indictments against 120 people, including reputed members of New York’s five mafia families, for schemes involving union pension funds and stock manipulation that prosecutors said would have generated $50 million in illegal profits. Phillips and Rossi were acquitted of those charges in 2002. In 2002, the Securities and Exchange Commission hit Phillips’ company with an $850,000 fine for fraud and stock violations. In 2004, an Oklahoma grand jury indicted Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher for taking a $25,000 check from Phillips, along with $20,000 in office furniture, in exchange for preferential treatment, according to the Daily Oklahoman. In 2006, Fisher was convicted of perjury and embezzlement, and he still faces bribery charges. Phillips was not indicted.

Author

Brian Johnson

Date

2007-05-16T13:09:27-06:00

ID

128719

Comment

Good grief, Brian. I suspected that he might be shady, but dang...

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-16T13:23:23-06:00

ID

128720

Comment

Once again, The Clarion-Ledger misses the story. Today, they write in their piece about the Standard Life building: "We submitted a proposal to redevelop it into residential on the upper floors and retail on the bottom," said Mark Small, president of MJS Realty in Dallas. Small is part of the TCI MS group, which has proposed a $209 million hotel, retail and residential development to support the coming Capital City Convention Center. TCI is Transcontinental Reality, the Phillips' family's latest corporate iteration.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-16T15:23:55-06:00

ID

128721

Comment

Melton is enamored with Gene Phillips. LOL

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-16T15:32:54-06:00

ID

128722

Comment

This is what opened my eyes: In 2000, the U.S. District Court of New York indicted Phillips, along with his associate Anthony “Cal” Rossi, for racketeering, wire fraud, union pension fund fraud and payment of illegal kickbacks. The charges were part of the biggest security fraud case in history and included indictments against 120 people, including reputed members of New York’s five mafia families, for schemes involving union pension funds and stock manipulation that prosecutors said would have generated $50 million in illegal profits. Phillips and Rossi were acquitted of those charges in 2002. Phillips dealing with the mafia? And this is Frank's boy? Yet, we should leave Frank alone? OK.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-05-16T15:56:52-06:00

ID

128723

Comment

It's remarkable how consistently Goliath misses the story. They might not know that Transcontinental Realty is a Phillips company, but they certainly know, or should know, that Phillips is behind the $209 million convention center development. We have reported it, and Melton has confirmed it. It's not a secret. When you consider that the Melton administration nearly scuttled the King Edward redevelopment, from Watkins et al., in order to bring in Phillips is crucial to informing the public of what is at stake here, since the same two groups are competing for the Standard Life. Yet, Goliath's story is entirely devoid of context, as usual. It doesn't even mention Gene Phillips' name. If you just read The Clarion-Ledger, you would have the impression that two development groups, both worthy, are vying for the Standard Life. The truth is that one developer, with a long history of legal and financial scandal, is favored by Melton, while the other developer had to fight tooth and nail just to keep the King Edward project. And not a word about Melton threatening to disband JRA, though one of their bloggers was good enough to point this out.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-05-16T16:02:39-06:00

ID

128724

Comment

Brian, did you see this blog entry from that article? 209 million patch up job! Wow! I wonder if it'd be cheaper just to tear it down and build a new one. Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 10:35 am Does anyone appreciate good architecture any more?

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-16T16:36:50-06:00

ID

128725

Comment

Nor does it mention the various Phillips family trusts, which actually own his companies. He "advises" them. (One of them is called the May Trust, for instance, but there are others.) And, all, remember that Melton has now criticized me personally—twice—for asking why he is so enamored with Phillips. He said on Ben Allen's show, and then again at this bizarre staff meeting, that if I had $209 million to put into the city, he would be anamored with me, too. Thus, he is making it crystal clear that it is all about money, and he does not care what the source is. That's what he said.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-16T16:53:00-06:00

ID

128726

Comment

Also, I wish there was a way to figure out how many millions Mr. Phillips' legal and financial woes have cost the public sector to date in legal fees and so on? There is truly no telling.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-05-16T16:54:51-06:00

ID

128727

Comment

Melton served a warrant to A-1 Pallets tonight. A search and inspection warrant has been issued for A-1 Pallets, a day after the property owners refused to allow city code inspectors and fire marshals to enter the premises. City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly-Evans said Municipal Court Judge Melvin Priester signed the warrant late tonight for the five-acre property located at 1000 Mill St. Mr Priester, campaign contributor to Melton Mrs. Priester, represented Melton after that young boy drowned in the YMCA pool due to his negligence. Officials attempted late tonight to serve the warrant, but no one was visible at the property, O'Reilly-Evans said. The inspection amounts to protecting the “public health and safety,” she said. “We will continue and personally serve them to get access to the property. It's vital to the city that our inspectors can get onto these properties,” O'Reilly-Evans said. “If our inspectors are denied access we're going to seek the court's permission.” Gee, who would serve a warrant to a business well after it's closed? Just make Deion Sanders buy the property at market value and leave these good people alone. BTW: The budget won't matter if you ain't got taxpayers left in Jackson.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-05-16T21:39:39-06:00

ID

128728

Comment

If they're so worried about protecting the public health and safety they should do something about that damned falling down former La Quinta in south Jackson. There it sits, right by 20 and 55. Welcome to Jackson! Stupid things been falling down for years. I wrote the city about it about a year ago because its got vagrants and dead animals and the nastiest pool of water breading God knows what. But hey, lets go after A1 pallets instead!

Author

Michele

Date

2007-05-17T11:31:32-06:00

ID

128729

Comment

I'm sure they knew their office was closed that time of night. Give me a break.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-17T11:43:38-06:00

ID

128730

Comment

I ran into one of my friends employed with the City today, looking pretty glum as he made his way to the Hood Bldg. I started to tell him that he didn't look passionate enough and should take a cue from his leader, but I decided not to in case he got mad at me and decided to take a sledgehammer to my house by this afternoon.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2007-05-17T13:09:21-06:00

ID

128731

Comment

Worse yet, Jeff, a sledgehammer to you.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-17T20:03:49-06:00

ID

128732

Comment

Hey, Jeff, maybe you could tell your friend about this the next time you see him.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-17T21:47:56-06:00