City Council returns to quick meetings

Jackson City Council’s monthly meeting only lasted 17 minutes on Tuesday, but here’s a rundown of things that happened in that time.

Julie Holt is the new treasurer for the City Council, replacing Johnny Dodd, who resigned in July after being voted as this year’s vice-mayor. She was approved by a vote of 8-1 with the one dissenter being Holt.

The Council approved a resolution joining Madison County in asking the United States Postal Service to bring its sorting center back to Jackson.

The County Commission approved a resolution earlier this summer asking for that and encouraging the area’s federal representatives – David Kustoff in the House and Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty – to do what they could to urge the USPS to bring the sorting center back here.

“After the tornado that hit Downtown damaged their building, the USPS eventually decided to shut down that location and move sorting for this area to Memphis,” said Mayor Scott Conger. “But I think we all know how that’s not been a good thing for the area as a lot of mail is getting to its destination late, mail is arriving already opened and other things like that.

“[Madison County Mayor A.J. Massey] asked if we could join the County in asking for this, and I think we’re all in agreement to bring the sorting center back.”

The Council unanimously approved $150,000 to be given to TheCO to manage public arts for the next year.

Council member Larry Lowrance had questions about the use of the money. Our Jackson Home’s Lizzie Emmons and TheCO’s Lisa Garner were there to answer questions, but the budget hasn’t been determined yet. It will be next month at the Public Arts Commission meeting, and they said they would bring it back to the Council after that.

Emmons did say that the money will go toward commissioning different public arts projects that will be displayed where the public will be able to see it.

The meeting ended with a statement by Council member J.P. Stovall apologizing to fellow Council member Marda Wallace after they had a confrontation at the end of their special-called meeting on July 19.

Council member Richard Donnell commended Stovall for the apology and then encouraged the entire council to drop their political biases when they come to City Council meetings so they can do what’s best for the citizens of Jackson and not what one party or the other wants.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news