'This is something we need': Jackson council members, mayor argue over maintenance struggles

The weather is hot. The grass is growing, and it is not being cut. Lack of staff and resources has made the job of cutting grass on the City of Jackson's properties a major issue.

However, Jackson City Council Members approved two short-term contracts during Tuesday's meeting that will get the grass cut for now as they grapple with a more permanent solution.

Last year, the decision was made to move the maintenance of rights-of-way and cemeteries from the Department of Parks and Recreation to the city's Solid Waste Division, which is within the Department of Public Works, according to Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Jackson City Council, Lakesha Weathers, the city's solid waste supervisor, presented one contract that would hire outside contractors to maintain 300 miles of rights-of-way in the city, and another that would hire contractors to maintain the city's five cemeteries.

Over 20 minutes of debate followed, with council members and the mayor discussing the city's maintenance, or lack-there-of.

'Short-term solutions': Rights-of-way and cemetery maintenance contracts

The first contract presented to the council is with Redmond Lawn and Cleaning Service at a cost of $45,000 per month. Redmond's job is to maintenance 300-miles of the city's rights-of-way, an issue that was occasionally brought up by council members throughout the year. The contract ends on Sept. 30, 2024.

The second contract is with PDT Logistics LLC, a company out of South Jackson that will be maintaining the city's five cemeteries at a cost of $33,360 per month. That contract also ends on Sept. 30, 2024. In June, PDT volunteered to cut the grass at the 83-acre Cedar Lawn Cemetery for free.

Weathers told the council both contracts are "short-term-solutions."

"This is a short-term solution based on the outcry from all the residents who came and spoke about their concerns about the cutting in the cemeteries," Weathers said. "In the meantime we are putting out an RFQ, a request for qualifications, to secure a long-term contract, that way we can qualify the companies that we are intending to contract with."

Weathers is referring to the council's June 4 meeting where several residents lamented the lack of upkeep at the city's cemeteries.

"It's an embarrassment, it's disrespectful, and it's hurtful to know that I can't go out to my mother's grave or my wife's grave without bringing a weed eater," said James Hopkins at the June 4 meeting, who visits Cedar Lawn Cemetery.

The City of Jackson is charged with up-keeping five cemeteries, including Elmwood Cemetery, in Ward 3; Cedar Lawn Cemetery, Willow Park Cemetery and Lincoln Cemetery, all in Ward 5; and Greenwood Cemetery, in Ward 7.

Weathers urged the council to recognize the city does not currently have the manpower to continuously maintain all the cemeteries.

"There is no way we can do the cutting in-house with what we have," Weathers said.

Foote, Hartley angered by 'on-going lack of maintenance' and contract process

Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley started off by saying he doesn't "think there is anybody on this council who is against getting these things (right-of-way, cemetery maintenance) done."

For Hartley, the problem lies in the city's "on-going lack of maintenance." He emphatically questioned both Weathers and Lumumba as to why it has taken so long for maintenance to occur, while also suggesting the city create its own rights-of-way maintenance division.

"Especially over in my ward, we've got overgrown cemeteries, we've got right-of-ways and these things didn't just happen," he said. "We can't wait until something becomes an emergency and then just throw out 'well this is the solution that we decided to go with.' In this city, we have to maintain our personnel."

Foote said his "beef" was with the contracts not going out for bid, "which is what we should do to get the best price, the best bang for our dollar."

"This sort of last minute 'you've got to accept this or nothing else' is an unacceptable way to run the city government," he said.

"It is not last minute," Weathers responded as Foote yelled back "yes it is."

"Why didn't they put it out for bid six months ago?" Foote said.

So, what happened?

After Foote and Hartley aired their grievances, Lumumba responded by repeating that both of the contracts are short-term solutions while the city waits to hear back from companies bidding on the long-term maintenance contract.

"Right now, we have residents who are complaining. Right now, the grass is high," Lumumba said. "It feels like sometimes two plus two equals cookie around here. I'm just trying to understand the math on this. She is (Weathers) trying to help us, she is trying to provide a solution to this issue that we're talking about in public comment everyday…This is something we need."

Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks also "implored" his fellow council members to approve the contracts.

Lumumba then argued against Foote's complaints of not sending out the contracts for lesser bids, saying under Mississippi law contracts that are under $75,000 do not have to be bid on. City Attorney Drew Martin backed up the mayor's statement.

"You approve contracts that are under $75,000 every single meeting. Every single meeting you do this!" he said.

After, Ward 4 Councilman and Council Vice President Brian Grizzell and Ward 7 Councilwoman and Council President Virgi Lindsay called for a vote.

The PDT contract to maintenance the cemeteries was approved 4-1. Grizzell, Banks, Lindsay and Hartley voted in favor, changing his stance from earlier. Foote voted against. Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee was not in the room for the vote. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes was not in attendance for the meeting.

After that contract was approved, Banks called to reconsider the contract with Redlawn, who will maintain the rights-of-way. The Redlawn contract ultimately passed in a 3-2 vote. Grizzell, Banks and Lindsay voted in favor. Foote and Hartley voted against. Lee was again absent when the vote took place, though she walked back in the meeting right after the vote.

Calls to Lee as for why she left during the vote were not returned.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: 'This is something we need': Jackson council members, mayor argue over maintenance struggles