Jackson Free Press

Better late than never. It looks like the state and the media are finally playing catch-up on investigating the city's allocation of money to Frank Melton's "lawn service" contracts to young friends from the Wood Street area. The Jackson Free Press has been trying to get attention to this matter for many moons now, and it seems that the feds took heed before the state auditor bothered to take a closer look. For background, here is one of our stories, from last March, on the issue in which I interviewed the head of the "lawn service" (and that story links to documents that we acquired and published for the first time).

Previous Comments

ID

96480

Comment

I saw this on the news last night. With this and the FBI investigation, the dominoes are about to fall on this (mis)administration.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-10-25T10:36:25-06:00

ID

96481

Comment

Well, it is nice to start seeing the reporting coming to fruition. It's funny how the Ledger story gave no actual background on the lawn-crew contracts, who had them, what they were for, etc. I'd heard yesterday that they were freaking out, scrambling around trying to get the information about what the auditor requested so they could "break" it (sound like TV beat them anyway). After all that, I expected much more of a story than this, which says very little. It seems like they would put effort into giving actual background on what is being discussed, especially considering that we've already given them a roadmap to follow. Don't they think people want real information? I don't get it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-25T10:48:41-06:00

ID

96482

Comment

Hey ladd did you know that Brunson was arrested earlier this year for Receiving Stolen Goods. He was caught driving around in a carjacked vehicle with lawn equipment in the back of it. He was doing city business while in a carjacked vehicle. WOW.

Author

The truth

Date

2007-10-25T13:14:23-06:00

ID

96483

Comment

"Melton has said he is willing to discuss with the FBI what he called his efforts to eradicate drugs and to eliminate crime in the city." if by "eradicate drugs" and "eliminate crime," he means picking on users, not arresting dealers, harboring fugitives, and committing crimes himself (including illegal searches, terroristic threats, destroying property and violating civil rights), then yeah, he's doing a great job!

Author

eyerah

Date

2007-10-25T13:27:14-06:00

ID

96484

Comment

I don't think it's up to Melton whether to be "willing" or not. ;-) Of course, that may well have been The Clarion-Ledger's unfortunate word. They seem to be a lot of words in people's mouths in their paraphrases.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-26T08:54:46-06:00

ID

96485

Comment

As for their follow-up story today on the lawn crew mess, they added very little to the story, gave only superficial context, and even said they don't know what the city has paid to the lawn crew. Well, WE knew at least some of wha the city paid to the lawn crew as of last March, as is spelled out in my story then and the PDF documents attached. From my story: In his Nov. 6, 2006, contract proposal (PDF, 800 KB), Brunson stated: “This proposal is for the city of Jackson to help in the beautification of the city.” His work included “cleaning up areas not serviced by city workers,” Brunson said, adding, “Prices will vary per job assignment.” City records show that on Dec. 4, 2006, then-financial administrator Peyton Prospere approved a request from Brunson for $3,500 for grass-cutting and clean-up of the site of the Town Creek Apartments, which Melton demolished last year. On Dec. 1, 2006, Melton sent a memo to Herman Taylor, then community improvement manager, attaching Brunsons invoice. “Please process the payment of this invoice accordingly and in a timely fashion,” Melton requested. Both Taylor and Prospere have since left their city jobs. On Dec. 27, 2006, Joseph Lewis, Taylor’s replacement, signed another request for payment for the group, this one for $2,500, for clean-up of the grave yard at 1233 J.R. Lynch Street, and then another for $800 on Feb. 15, 2007, for work on city property at 3712 Spryfield Road. Brunson said that Lewis, and his boss Don Neely, give him assignments and help him get paid. The JFP also obtained a copy of a three-page “bid pack” (PDF, 600 KB) dated Jan. 17, 2007, on which Brunson submitted bids totaling $13,750 for cutting grass and weeds on 36 lots around the city. The lowest bid was $200; the highest was $800 (for 607 Tifton Drive). Brunson also submitted a certificate of insurance dated Dec. 8, 2006, issued by Statewide General Insurance at 3073 J. R. Lynch Street, where Melton took him to get bonded. When asked if they were concerned about his record, Brunson said, “I don’t think they even know about the criminal record.” The bigger question is: Why didn't The Clarion-Ledger try to do more on this story months ago, and follow it up back when we broke it, instead of waiting so long? And it seems especially relevant considering that one of the D.A. candidates was Michael Taylor's attorney in part of this mess. I guess the Ledger was too busy giving us breaking Britney headlines and goofy horse-race updates on elections. Oh, the busy lives of mainstream dailies ...

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-26T08:59:21-06:00

ID

96486

Comment

Also, note that Ledger story says Melton is out of town. Anybody know where he is this time?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-26T09:02:09-06:00

ID

96487

Comment

Oh, and it's also intriguing that the Ledger is so hot on the trail of the auditor's report this time around, considering that they refused to tell readers what was going on with them, Melton, and the auditor's report in the Meridian lawsuit during Melton's mayoral's campaign, when they endorsed him enthusiastically even as he was lying to a judge under oath about leaking them a faulty document at the time, eh? Turnabout

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-26T09:04:15-06:00

ID

96488

Comment

As I've said many times before, if it were not for JFP, we would be left totally blind about news and breaking news events. GOOD JOB JFP! Thank you for shaming the rest of the media and making them finally do what they should have done all along.

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2007-10-26T16:06:25-06:00

ID

96489

Comment

Hear, hear, blu! I couldn't agree more. Thanks to Donna, Todd and the entire JFP staff!

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-26T20:08:20-06:00

ID

96490

Comment

Remember, Al Capone was jailed for tax evasion. It is always the small things that bring people down first.

Author

Willezurmacht

Date

2007-10-27T16:56:22-06:00