Jackson Free Press

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton pulled his nomination Monday of former Rep. John Reeves, a Jackson Republican, for a Municipal Court position. Melton instead asked the council to consider putting Reeves on the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, an unpaid appointment. Melton had nominated Reeves to fill outgoing Judge Melvin Priester's seat after Priester, a long-time friend of Melton and his former private attorney, moved to an appointed position with Hinds County Circuit Court. The Mississippi Supreme Court appointed Priester to fill one of two full-time special judge positions in July.

Melton instead asked the council to consider appointing Reeves to the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, an organization formed by the city to purchase property and arrange contracts for property development or redevelopment.

Reeves, a white resident who has remained in his home for decades while many of his white neighbors fled the city for the suburbs, was one of the city's champion cheerleaders during the last few years of his legislative career.

Melton withdrew Reeves' nomination on Monday and replaced him with Jackson attorney Bridgett McDade Clayton, who is black. He told The Clarion-Ledger that his second thoughts were not due to Reeves' race.

"The council knows that I have no sensitivity to race, so it wasn't a factor," Melton told the paper.

The Clarion-Ledger reported that Council President Leslie McLemore said the city should have a judge that better reflected the city's 70-percent black demographic.

McLemore could not immediately be reached for comment.

Robert O. Waller and Jennifer Studebaker, both white, hold two of the five municipal judge slots. The other judges, Henry Clay, Ali Shamsiddeen and formerly Priester, are black. Reeves' appointment would have reduced the black members of the court to minority status.

Reeves said he preferred to work with the JRA over the judicial appointment.

"I spent all those years in the legislature promoting the development issues of Jackson, the Telcom Center, the Convention Center, the Farish Street Entertainment District, the Metro Parkway, the Old Capitol Green Project—all these things I've pushed, and in many cases, spearheaded. It seems a natural fit for me," Reeves told the Jackson Free Press Tuesday.

Reeves added that Melton had initially approached him back in March to serve on the JRA board, but Reeves took an interest in the municipal judgeship after Priester's re-appointment. At the time, Melton was happy considering Reeves' request, but then, when Brent Alexander announced his departure as JRA head, Melton chose Reeves to fill one of the three vacancies on the seven-member board. Board members Jimmy James and Alexander comprise the two most recent vacancies, with another longstanding vacancy resulting from the death of board member Richard Porter.

"He felt my experience, my education and my legislative service would serve the JRA, and I said, 'Of course. Let's do it,'" Reeves said.

Melton's relationship with the JRA has not been harmonious. During his term as mayor, Melton has stood against the JRA's decision to sell the downtown Standard Life building to David Watkins and HRI Realty for condominium development, as well as its decision to stick with HRI's plan to renovate the King Edward Hotel. He also very vehemently opposed JRA's continued resistance to dropping Memphis' Performa Entertainment Real Estate as the head contractor renovating the Farish Street Entertainment District.

The mayor has twice asked the council to cut JRA funding to cover shortfalls in other portions of the city budget, (even though the majority of the board's money is used to pay off the mortgages of property the city has purchased over the years) and he repeatedly lobs criticism at the board.

Reeves said he believes he'll be able to work with Jackson's ill-tempered mayor.

"I learned this working in the Legislature: Your effectiveness as a policy-maker is determined by how well you work with people. I support the mayor's determination to help this city, and I look forward to working with him and Downtown Jackson Partners' (Executive Director) Ben Allen."

Previous Comments

ID

133217

Comment

Well, I trust that our able and foreward thinking mayor knows what he's doing. In my eyes, both bad some say, he has been a good mayor. I'm thinking of sending him some money to help put his legal problems behind him so we can get him back full time and without distractions. Will y'all join me me in helping the mayor pay his lawyers?

Author

Walt

Date

2008-08-19T13:47:23-06:00

ID

133218

Comment

Since the mayor is not race sensitive, according to him, let's see if he tries to play up to the sensitivity of the black community to save him from the justice department in this upcoming prosecution that ain't gonna be pretty? When you say one thing because it suits your situation and fantasy about yourself at the time, but does another when your ass is on the line, you're a nut and hypocrit.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-08-19T13:52:21-06:00

ID

133220

Comment

If Melton is not race-sensitive, why has he often accused critics of picking on him because he's a powerful black man? My experience with Mr. Melton is that he plays the race card when it's convenient for him personally.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-08-19T14:34:28-06:00

ID

133271

Comment

Did anyone read the article in the newspaper about Melton and his attorneys. He said they're asking for too much money. He singled out my friend and mentor Graig Washington in particular. I spent a week with Craig, et al, at Depaul Law School in Chicago a couple of months ago, and Graig didn't badmouth Melton in any way. He just asked how he was doing.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-08-20T09:09:29-06:00

ID

133276

Comment

What is "the newspaper" Walt? Could you be more specific?

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2008-08-20T09:35:36-06:00

ID

133293

Comment

Clarion Ledger.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-08-20T11:32:19-06:00

ID

133312

Comment

DOes this guy EVER think anything out before he acts on it???? Melton is the world's worse at retracting and contradicting himself and his statements. I'd be weary to take any offer this man makes to me for anything. I think he might need a mental evaluation. I'm concerned for his stability. Really.

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-08-20T12:37:16-06:00