Here are some highlights from the Jackson City Council’s virtual meeting on June 16 from cityofjackson.org.
- The council adopted a resolution that declares racism a public health crisis. The resolution recognizes the impacts of institutional racism on the health and wellbeing of Jackson’s African American residents, and lays out ways City government can dismantle systemic racism in Jackson.
- The council voted to support two Black Lives Matter murals on two City streets. An existing mural on E. High Street that was painted this past weekend, and a planned mural on W. Washington Avenue in Downtown Jackson that will be painted on Friday, June 19. Both murals spell out Black Lives Matter in large letters across the street.
- The council also approved a resolution that declares June 2020 as LGBTQ Pride Month in the City of Jackson.
- A 6% increase in water rates and a 3% increase in sewer rates were approved by the council. This is an annual rate increase that is planned every new fiscal year to keep up with the increasing costs of operating the City’s water system. This increase is not related to the lead water service line replacements.
- Proposed City Charter amendments were brought before the Council from the Charter Review Commission. The council agreed to consider five amendments that could potentially go before voters in future elections. Two of them include filling council vacancies by elections and changing City elections from odd to even years.
- The council approved the first reading of a new ordinance that would place special assessment payments on tax bills instead of a separate payment schedule. Another vote is needed at a future meeting for it to become law.
