March 18, 2013
Get Your Questions Ready for Tonight's Telephone Town Hall Meeting with the Mayor!
[verbatim from the mayor's campaign]
Tonight.... you'll have a unique opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and share your opinions directly with the Mayor.
Taking part is easy. All residents have to do is answer the phone. Or dial in.
About 20,000 Jackson households will receive phone calls tonight at 7 P.M. inviting them to take part in the telephone town hall. Once you answer the phone, you'll be connected to the live meeting. It's as simple as that.
Residents may also call in. Just dial 1-877-229-8493 and enter 111507 when prompted. The meeting will last one hour.
The Mayor is using this new technology as a means of addressing the concerns and issues important to city residents during this year's mayoral campaign.
Comments
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Reporter Tyler Cleveland is tweeting about the town hall @tylercleveland by the way.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Interesting crime question about hearing about crime every time they turn on TV or read the newspaper (clearly not this one).
The mayor pointed out that most of the crimes are between people who know each other, which is true, and that the police have a hard time preventing it. He also talked about a program to get guns out of the hands of felons.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Interesting: They're doing a poll at the same time. Huh.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
The mayor's line went dark; said pushed the wrong button. But he's back now.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Re city's financial state: "We're in great shape." Said because balanced budget, etc.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Explaining why stopped leaf pickup: bread and butter issues. ;-)
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Instance poll revealed that street repairs was the top issue listeners chose (over crime, water/sewer, job creation and maybe another one. I forget!). We will be requesting all results of this poll, by the way. We'll keep you posted.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Woman with fear about water bill being too high with new system -- mayor said fear being pushed by opponents.
He doesn't anticipate water bill going up too much in Jackson -- but needs new billing system. Can flag system when get to a certain amount. People need to conserve water. "Only trying to be sure people pay for the water that they're using."
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Woman with question about Farish Street Entertainment District.
Mayor: "That project has gotten caught up in the recession. ... I'm afraid that the private section hasn't done as well of a job (as the city in weathering the recession)."
"There's no city money involved with the project. All private money or state money."
"Storefronts look good on outside ... the inside where the rub is."
"I'm just as frustrated as anybody."
"Quite frankly, if the developer does not do what he needs to do to move the project forward, we're going to have to get another developer." Said B.B. King's still in.
"We're going to keep fighting to make it a reality."
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Marietta on keeping dollars here in Jackson; mentions Sam's Club moving to Madison. "Has anybody tried to reach out to a Costco or other warehouse company to fill that space?"
Mayor: "We have reached out to Costco" ... went to Vegas in 2010 to get Costco interested in city. Said he wrote Costco, just got response, got information on real estate company. "We're going to follow up with them."
Had some success stories: I-55 corridor: Comcast and Carmax in old Kmart. Virginia College in old Brookshire's. (Mentions others.) Talks about Whole Foods, etc.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Woman asking about city employees living outside the city, and whether considered tax for people who work here but don't live?
Mayor: In about half the state capitals, state govts provide PILTs (payment in lieu of taxes). About 30 percent of property, and 60 percent downtown, is non-taxable. A lot of users of streets are state government employments.
Also some cities have income taxes on income generated in city, but city cannot do that. Has to come from the Legislature. We would support that.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
I really would like to hear the mayor urge people to shop local more such as with McDade's.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Now, he's saying people need to make economic decision on whether to "follow them out there."
Said talking to a consultant to "look at a movie theater situation here in Jackson."
(We've heard a rumor about a possible one; we'll report when we can confirm.)
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Woman: What about South Jackson?
Mayor: Says he has not abandoned South Jackson ... one of most diverse parts of the city. Talking about Jackson Square redevelopment by developer Jesse Wright. Also proud of Vowell's Market on corner of Raymond Road and McDowell Road. Helped them get grant to get in old Kroger building that "had a blighting effect." Now other business coming there.
Working with developers of Cedar Falls, housing development. About to extend Forest Hill Road; put more retail operations there.
Wants to "come up with an economic development strategy for south Jackson ..."
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Now they're polling about whether telephone town-hall meetings are a good idea. We'll let you know the response. ;-)
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Woman who's concerned about crime asked why he's having police arrest pro-life protesters who are trying to save lives?
He said they are arresting people breaking the law.
Mentioning St. Paddy's Parade; someone got arrested; question about whether officer used baton in the right way.
Due to large crowds, "I think JPD did a pretty good job."
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
They said 85 percent likes the town-hall format.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Mayor on water and sewer: Next 20 years, may be spending close to a billion dollars on water and sewer alone.New program to start training people to get the related jobs that are coming. "Worst thing to happen is for us to sit on our hands and not prepare people for those jobs" and let people from outside Jackson to get those jobs.
Talking about "predictive policing"model to better deploy officers where needed.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Moderator said 3,500 people called in to participate. Said can leave a message at the end to listen to comments; they will answer on his Facebook page. Not clear if it's a campaign page or his city page.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
Closing remarks: "I am a public servant."
Warns about hearing " a lot of rhetoric. ... I am the incumbent. People going to spend a lot of time telling you what I'm doing, not doing..."
Added that "fighting for a Convention Center hotel. ... developer has the land ... we have to wrestle that away from him ... we will have a convention center hotel."
Says Farish Street will happen -- 2nd oldest African American biz district in country, I believe he said.
Make sure young people stay in city in Jackson ... mentions talent retention job fair at Metrocenter (which, to be fair, the Chamber also told me about next week.)
OK, he just adding that he's working with the Greater Jackson Partnership on the job event.
Streeets: stay tuned. "We could not do streets during the wintery months ... spring is going to spring. Look for a lot of activity in terms of paving our streets. Paving 27 residential streets; 25 intersections."
Mentioned again that evaluating 1,200 miles of streets in city of Jackson.
donnaladd 11 years, 1 month ago
OK, it's over. We welcome your responses and questions for our upcoming interview with the mayor.
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