Jackson Free Press

Hinds County departments should not spend money in the city of Jackson, Supervisor Doug Anderson said at a meeting this morning. Anderson made the claim after learning that county public works employees had mowed grass along Highway 18 in Jackson last week at the request of District 3 Supervisor Peggy Calhoun.

Anderson, who represents District 2, argued that Calhoun should have submitted her request to the full board instead of going directly to Carl Frelix, the county's public works director. She did not have authority to make a direct request, Anderson insisted.

"I will tell you this: Mr. Carl Frelix is being jeopardized by you," Anderson told Calhoun. "His job is being jeopardized by you."

Calhoun made the request after noticing that the grass along the road was especially high. The Mississippi Department of Transportation no longer handles landscaping for the thoroughfare, leaving the job for Jackson Public Works. Calhoun asked Frelix to send a mowing crew as a one-time request, she said.

District 4 Supervisor Phil Fisher pointed out that he also occasionally asks Frelix to send work crews to particular sections of road in his district. Anderson responded that what made Calhoun's request exceptional, and improper, was that it applied to the city of Jackson.

"But taking your argument to the next step, we shouldn't spend any money in the city," Fisher said.

"We shouldn't," Anderson replied.

Calhoun pointed out that county workers mow grass in other municipalities within the county, including Edwards, Bolton and Raymond, though not Clinton. Anderson's complaint was personal, she suggested.

"What's the difference? The difference is that it's in District 3, which Peggy Calhoun represents," Calhoun said.

Saving for Later

Supervisors also butted heads on a proposal by Board President Robert Graham to reserve the remaining $12 million in a 2007 infrastructure bond issue for the county's Byram-Clinton parkway project. Graham suggested that the county set aside the full balance of the 2007 bond issue because some of the project's costs, such as right-of-way acquisition are still uncertain. He also argued that the county needed to demonstrate its commitment to the parkway if it hoped to attract additional federal funding, through earmarks or grants.

"I just want to have enough money there to keep the project moving forward," Graham said. "If we can't support our own project, then we can't expect anyone else to support our project."

At its last meeting, the board approved reserving $2 million for the project from the bond fund as the county's matching contribution to a federal grant application. The county should know the outcome of its application by the end of the year. Frelix estimates that the project, which would connect Byram and Clinton with a parkway more than 15 miles long, will cost a total of roughly $136 million.

Calhoun said she doubted that acquiring right-of-way for the parkway would cost $12 million and urged the board to take stock of other infrastructure expenses that it might have in the near future.

"I suggest that we sit down and determine how much we need," Calhoun said. "What's the rush? Not one shovel of dirt has been overturned."

"The Byram-Clinton corridor is a long way off," she added.

Graham rescinded his motion to set aside the money so that the board could discuss the potential costs of right-of-way acquisition in executive session. Back in open session, he made his motion again, but it failed on a tie vote, with Fisher and Calhoun voting in opposition. Supervisor George Smith was absent, attending an event sponsored by the National Association of Counties.

Previous Comments

ID

158714

Comment

Let me get this straight: Jackson contributes an overwhelming majority of money that comes into the county's coffers, but the county shouldn't provide any services to the city in return? How about if we become an independent city? We'll see how much they beg us not to do it.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-07-19T13:32:50-06:00

ID

158728

Comment

To settle this, I propose we create Chimneyville County.

Author

kaust

Date

2010-07-20T05:50:01-06:00

ID

158732

Comment

Why do we continue to elect mean spirited people like Anderson. Golden Eagle, I'm with you and with the same question, "...but the county should not provide any City services?" This is crazy. Where exactly does Anerson think the bulk of their County funds come from? Also, isn't Jackson in the county of Hinds? We need a special election because there is a strong need to dump some of these jokers from political office.

Author

justjess

Date

2010-07-20T08:56:29-06:00

ID

158741

Comment

Anderson sounds like such a whiny little (expletive). Perhaps *proper protocol* wasn't followed, but at least Calhoun erred on the side of providing legitimate county services in her district.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2010-07-20T13:16:16-06:00

ID

158742

Comment

Where do you find the info like that Hinds county gets the bulk of it's funds from Jackson. Not disagreeing with ya'll, just curious?

Author

BubbaT

Date

2010-07-20T13:25:56-06:00

ID

158754

Comment

I've seen media accounts over the years say that. At the same time, we comprise over 70% of the county's population (about 175K to 250K as a whole for the county), so it would stand to reason that the majority of the county's budget comes from Jackson. While there usually is some sort of "agreement" (for lack of a better term) that county governments won't tread on city property unless asked, to say that no work should be done in the city is asinine and disrespectful to those of us who help keep the county afloat.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-07-20T15:58:11-06:00