We're calling the uh public works committee meeting to order uh and today is the 24th of March at approximately 236 uh PM.

Uh and we have Mr.

Anderson and we have our attorney and and and so we welcome uh Mr.

Grizzell, Mr.

Parkinson on video, and myself and uh councilman foot is here in person.

Uh so welcome gentlemen.

Uh we will start off, Mr.

Anderson.

Uh we're gonna ask you some questions and quickly we could hopefully we will go through it quickly.

And uh equipment, equipment.

And the reason I keep pressing this is because you know, longer folks see us not having equipment and see things growing up, etc.

And uh then we all get in trouble.

So given this status of some of our equipment.

I think we had skid steers on order.

We had um I'm looking for my list here, but there was a lot of equipment that we had ordered uh after we had gotten the funding in.

And so I wanted to just a brief rundown of some that we may have gotten in and and what's that what status of it.

Okay, um thank you.

Um we ordered um well, we have 19 pieces of equipment.

Um I just go uh one at a time.

Um the portable water tank uh is in the process of ordering the skid steer is on the quick bid, and uh most of these pieces of equipment we're getting from uh divining, and they say we could get it in a month or less.

Uh there's only one piece of item.

So how many skid steers are we do we have coming in?

Uh three three skid steers, and they and we hope to have them in less than a month, yes, or about a month, yeah.

A month month max at least a month max, uh and so how long before operation?

I know you had to get it signed in.

You have to get it um decaled and uh make sure folks are trained on it.

So how how long are we looking for that?

Um I'm looking probably um May.

Hopefully, I mean the ski steer, I think uh I probably could operate a ski steer, but um I don't think it's that uh not like any other piece of equipment, maybe the saws and things like that.

We may have to have some more training on that, but I think the the uh our equipment operators uh we have no uh it'd be a minimum training on this skid stair.

So we're talking probably late April, uh early May.

Okay, so we'll have it up and running in the field late April.

Okay.

Um so we have three ski ski steers, two uh grapplers.

Okay, hold on a minute.

I'd like to welcome uh councilwoman Brown Thomas uh to the meeting uh as well.

Okay, so three skid stairs have it operational by May.

Yes, and out in the field.

Yes, yes sir.

We're gonna need trailers to put them on.

Yes, that's already been ordered.

Uh we have three utility trailers and three dump trailers.

Uh all of those uh within the within that time frame for a month.

Um we have a one truck mounted uh fuel sale and one did you say fuel sale?

Yeah, it's for fueling for okay.

Okay.

Um and all of the rest are attachments.

Okay, how many dump trucks are we looking at?

Three, three dump trucks.

Yes.

Okay, three skid skid steers, three trailers, all of them, three dump trucks, so they can be working in crews around the city.

Yes, okay.

Yes, sir.

Sorry.

Continue, please.

And uh a bunch of attachments, thumbs, um, and we have three zero turn oars.

I believe those are already here.

I have to check the parks break on that, but I think they already here.

Uh three ATVs uh with three, I'm sorry, three ATVs.

Yeah, for spraying.

Okay.

Do they come with the uh containers on the back?

Yes.

So we have to pay we don't have to purchase that separately.

Well, it's like a package once we uh we ordered we ordered with the gas.

I think one of those are in uh but if not, will we get those within the month?

Yes.

Okay, and so okay, how are we doing on pesticides or insecticide or excuse me, herbicides?

Um I have to check with staff on the herbicide as far as uh the level we are.

Well it's like a package once we uh we ordered we order the game I think one of those are in uh but if not will we get those within the month yes okay and so okay how are we doing on pesticide or insecticide or excuse me herbicides um I have to check with staff on the herbicide as far as uh the level we are um I have to check with staff on that please do okay what else sir um I mentioned the zero turns oh and we have seven pickup trucks uh between twenty five hundred and thirty five hundred and those are ordered as well do we have any expected dates on those um I think we get those in my in two to three weeks two to three weeks uh back to your zero turns uh when are they coming in I think we have some of the zero turns in now I have to check I remember uh someone saying that the zero turns are in but I have to verify that uh I know Parson Ray already ordered some zero turns I'm trying to make sure it's the blight I'm trying to make sure that we have the capability of getting to these sides of the roads with the grass yes sir so uh we should be ordering which so we have three more on order then yes okay and also just to make a note that after this meeting we have our our grass bid uh for grass right away cutting so we'll be receiving those right after this meeting to see where we are for the major therapy so it'll be able to be open this afternoon yes so we have a lot of folks uh that submitted bids yes sir we have pre-bid meeting and I think it was probably 10 contractors there.

Ten contractors yeah so uh there was ten people there I don't know if two of them was for the same company but uh had a lot of interest in it we uh we bid it out where the different wards and different sections small we'll be able to bid on it without invite my colleagues to chime in if you have questions go ahead uh Mr.

Anderson when we put these bids out are we weighing um minority participation um yes we we don't have a minimum but we are contacting local minority businesses and seeing their interest in it say for instance if uh non-majority well for majority non-minority firm uh bids um on a job who determines the level of minority participation um because I remember you know last term that was something that you know council members were really intentional about and the issue is coming up again in terms of what the city's doing to not only help smaller uh minority firms you know build capacity but you know we want to make sure that the you know everybody who is capable is getting a piece of the pie if that makes sense correct sir you're you're correct and that's why um some of these uh minority firms um to answer the question uh it's up to the council on um if you know we want a certain amount of minority participation we receive the bids and then we uh how we did it we try and encourage minority participation by having it not a big contract but have it uh where it's all throughout the wards and have uh smaller contractors to do a lot if it makes sense where so if you're minority so so in the bids do the do the request the do the request for the what's it the RFQs RF whatever do do they stipulate minority participation and what that looks like no sir is it's RFP or RFQ or RFP RFT there's no minorities no sir um we used to I think it was a law passed recently that you don't have to require minority participation um that's all over the country um but we can encourage minority participation by how we set up our contracts where we don't have this big contract where you have to have a two million dollar bond on it and that sometimes excludes minority contractors so that's why we set it up where uh your minority contractor or smaller contractor or whatever you could give us a compar um a compet competitive rate I would say and you uh just dial back with uh with our planning division the EBO section I guess we still have that and just kind of find out or perhaps one of our attorneys can chime in here uh concerning the uh EBO requirements and how we're managing that a little of this equipment city attorney I've got um Mr Williamson's here as well and Ms.

Drew Martin City Attorney, I've got um Mr.

Williamson's here as well, and Ms.

Montkier is on uh and I say that only because one of them may have a more uh up-to-date statement on this.

Um there wasn't a new law, but there have been a series of executive orders um essentially making it more and more difficult to put explicit minority participation requirements into these contracts these days.

Um they are being pursued by the Department of Justice as uh discriminatory acts.

Um we did some pretty extensive research on this very recently, and I want to I want to look back at it before I give you too much advice on it.

There are still ways to accomplish the goals we want to accomplish, which is to make sure that uh people in the Jackson area who have smaller businesses, including minority businesses, of course, and disadvantaged communities have an opportunity to participate to participate.

Uh you just have to be a little more careful about how you describe it and advertise for it now.

But we can get you an update on that.

Thank you.

I appreciate an update.

Perhaps if we can have something for our next meeting.

Sure.

Um and look, we're not trying to uh circumvent any of our presidential executive orders.

Uh however, we do need folks to employ in the city tax, and then we need to build our city.

That's right.

Okay.

And I want to be clear if I may, you know, we cannot negotiate contracts.

But uh, as a as a legislative body for the city, you know, even if we have to do it through resolution, I think it's pretty clear that we want to make sure that we're giving a fair shape to uh smaller uh companies and minority own companies.

And just for one more sort of background context on it, what what courts look at, and and by the way, they overturn a lot of these things these days, but what they look at is the the difference between what the community looks like, what are the demographics of the community, and what is it what are those same statistics look like for the people getting the business?

And when it's not consistent, something's off and something needs to be done to help things out.

Uh so there are still again ways to do it legally, and and we can uh present some advice on how to do that.

And if you know, if uh if there's something that's rather sensitive, we need to go in an executive session to discuss, we can do that as well.

Sure, got to get our folks employed.

Agreed.

We got to.

Uh, Mr.

Anderson, thank you, attorney.

Ms.

Dennison, you may want to take some notes here.

Some things I didn't ask you about earlier that uh you may have to go back on.

Uh other members, council members, Mr.

Parkinson.

Thank you.

Okay, okay.

Go ahead.

Um on the on the uh grass cutting.

Can you uh refresh me on so you've got uh interstate highways, and then we got state highways, and then um there's you know local big roads that we have to cut the right-of-ways on.

The who takes care of the um federal highways on the long interstate?

Uh MDOT.

Mot does that, and then state highways like Lakeland Drive, do they do that as well?

Yes, up to sometimes a certain point uh you may see in of state maintenance signs, uh-huh, and that's where they stop it uh sometimes.

Um, like I think highway 80 is on ours.

There was some kind of agreement or something like that once a time yeah, time ago.

Um correct me if I'm wrong, but in mind, right?

Uh Drew Martin City Attorney, so so there's uh an agreement that the city entered into a good while back when the city was a lot more flush with money, uh, where it took on the responsibility to upkeep some of those state roads.

I think parts portions of 80 is part of that.

Um we have tried to get the city is working on getting the state to take back control of that, but there's an issue with making sure it's restored in the same condition or some certain condition.

I I can't remember exactly, but uh those they should be state responsibilities and they would be, but for that.

And most of them still are, but there's a couple sections that many years ago the city took on that maintenance.

What about um um the prisoners?

Um is there can they assist us in this, you know, um in these matters?

Or is that just litter pickup or what?

How where to where where can we can we get assistance from we we have an MOU that uh I can't remember which party is reworking parts of it now, but it's with the county and with the transportation commission and with the department of corrections that allows for um the use of inmate labor state inmate labor or cleanup of state rights of way within the city.

And that should result.

May have already resumed, I'll check, but it it should resume again very soon.

Mr.

Chair, um I'll share real quickly because I was in meetings about that very topic, and I Mr.

Martin's right.

There were some legal things that have to work through, but the other area that we've been flags to be aware of is that only certain inmates qualify for um such a program.

And actually, there is not a lot of inmates who actually qualify to be able to go out and and perform that that type of work, even though there's a lot of inmates in in the Jack from Nutter area.

Uh there's only a certain number that are um that are qualified that are that have the ability to perform that work.

And there are multiple agencies around Jackson who are all competing for a limited number of inmates who are working to that.

So I think Mr.

Martin's right, we have to work through the uh the legal things, but that should be the easy hoop to pass.

That's you know, just dotted the i's across the t's.

Um the other piece that our our group is gonna have to work with is work with some of the uh the department of corrections and some of the others to see how many inmates are available and and what can we do to make sure that the the capital city is being addressed with some of these inmates.

Mr.

Henderson, if you would, can you get a report for this committee on uh the status?

Uh we need some boots on the ground picking up litter around the city of Jackson.

I just want to know where is it all at how it all lines up, who's doing what, so you can get with the chief sheriff to ask him and uh or whatever else you need to do.

But I'll just add to uh um councilman Hartley.

Um this is a question for attorney Drew.

Like, if you ever been over there to course services, all these people that own fines and stuff.

Can we use those people that have fines to work off their fines to clean up the litter in the city?

The city used to have a program that called for that.

We tried to reinstitute something last spring, I want to say it was last year.

Um I don't know where it broke down to be honest with you.

Uh but the short answer is yes.

Uh there is a way to do it.

Um there is a way to do it.

Yes.

And I think we need to look back into that.

Absolutely.

I believe the last administration put out something, uh, I think it was the latter part uh of their term, and they had a whole flyer and everything on it.

And I think they had one day that they actually had people out there, it was only a couple of people, and then it uh do you know who was over it at that time?

Uh Vincent Grizzell was involved in some capacity, at least in one meeting I was in.

Um I'll have to check my notes.

I don't I don't remember exactly have the behavior.

Yeah, we have public works because Lakeisha was in there with us on on meetings.

We had uh court services, so Chiquita was in there with us on on some of it.

Um but I can't remember specifically ever each of them or who it was from JPD.

Also, i if I may, uh Mr.

Martin, can you get some clarity?

I had a constituent to she emailed, and I gotta go back to the email.

Um, but she emailed about the program that the sheriff office had, the sheriff's office had, and so um uh sheriff Jones responded to her in that email said that the program ended.

And so if we can get some information on that or figure out what we could do as a body to assist in terms of reinstating that program, I would really appreciate that.

And you're speaking of the program that councilwoman Brown Thomas was just asking about as well, which is using municipal uh uh people that come to the I think it was it was more in terms of detainees, it was more in terms of detainees.

Okay, that's gonna uh to help pick up trash, but also uh, you know, even with the judges, I think they also need to get on board with respect to you know their sentencing uh you know and let them know, you know, hey, you if you don't because I know we don't want to run a debtor's prison, but if people are willing to get out there for six, seven, eight hours and pick up trash that clean up the city.

I think that's the avenue that we definitely need to get back on.

And we the municipal judges, I will add, uh, are fully on board with doing this.

They they were supportive of it before we had uh guidelines we'd created uh as to when this could be applied, when they could sentence it, what kind of situations?

Um, like I said, it just kind of fell apart um for other reasons, but I don't think it would be hard to reinstitute uh because most of the legwork was done previously.

Okay, and Mr.

Yeah, let's get some let's get some super goal and put it back together.

Thank you.

This falls under solid waste.

Perhaps you can get Ms.

Weathers to make a deep do a deep dive into it, find out where all the pieces are at and what's missing, coordinating with everyone that was mentioned, mainly uh the chief to Hines County, uh her department.

We need to get a hand along using free labor if we can.

Yes, sir.

These roads are just deplorable.

So um, and we're gonna move along quickly.

That's why I asked you to take some notes and some things get back.

Councilman put did you have something?

Uh councilman Parkinson had was said, made some comment uh as the way I understood it anyways that that we had to compete with other agencies in the city for some of this.

Um so who who are the other people that are competing with us on this?

Is it state agents?

No.

Um the impression that I got, Mr.

Footies, you're exactly correct.

I think there was some sense of uh there were groups that uh for a long time might have had uh, you know, a set because uh particular places might only have X number of inmates, and you know, so many of those were already dedicated to this place and that place, and and and we had asked, but you know, the need is so great in the capital city, and the capital city is so important to the entire community.

Would it not be appropriate to redirect maybe some of those folks to uh say the Jackson area and and we were told uh you know, oh that's you know, we gotta be sure, and I'm not sure, you know, there was a lot of um non-commitment there, but um Commissioner Simmons was in the room and he's very supportive of it, and so I think uh connecting with him as well, he'll be a great ally for us in this work.

Um and uh putting some of the pieces together.

But I I'm sorry I can't remember the exact other groups that we would have to quote unquote compete for, but Mr.

Foot, I will say your characteristic is the impression that I got that we that really we are gonna have to look at look at that aspect in some ways it might be a little bit of a competition.

Yeah, let's uh let's pull out all we should have uh as if it's our litter, you know, and we're responsible for it.

We ought to be at the top of the list, not the bottle goes, you know.

Yeah, they they may be at the state, but we shouldn't have to compete against state agencies to get people to you know pick up litter, right?

And especially, you know, we have inmates as well, and we just have them do a deep dive, have solid waste litter is under them, have them do a deep dive into what all connecting pieces we need to look at.

Yes, okay.

We do have a part of our grass cutting contract, and no last year.

Uh we put it in writing that they must pick up litter before they cut the grass and after.

And after.

Excellent.

Excellent.

Uh was there anything else on your equipment list?

Okay.

We talked about skid steers, utility trailers, zero turns.

Uh, we need those in, we need everything, ATV in their sprayers, pick-up trucks or dump trucks.

These are dump trucks.

No, these are regular pickup trucks.

Uh some, yeah, some are pick-up trucks.

We have three dump trucks.

Okay, yeah.

Okay.

But no, no additional.

No additional.

Okay.

Let me ask you a question.

Ms.

Harley.

Let me ask about street sweepers.

Last time you said that we needed two weeks of training to get the street sweepers back up.

What's the status there now?

Um, I will have to get back with you on that from our deputy director.

Um, there was some training done last week, and I don't think it went well, but I'll give update soon as he's ill right now.

So as soon as you get back, we'll get up.

If you would uh put that on your notes and get back with us on the next meeting.

Also, um, one thing that came up earlier, I think it was earlier today, or maybe yesterday, was the fact that you know, during this time when we have uh oil prices rising up, then we need that was yesterday during the planning meeting, then we need to take advantage of bids that we've already gotten in, etc.

My question is about asphalt, which oil is definitely in major ingredients.

So are we gonna do any pre-orders for uh asphalt or any way we can take care of the prices today versus uh later?

Well, the good thing we have a bid uh I think it's a is it a year?

Supply bid six months.

We have a supply bid where we every year we do a supply bid where it locks in the price.

I don't know when it's up, but I know that's what we're using now, and we also are using the uh counties be term be it too on some of these projects.

So just want us to take advantage of uh things that we already got locked in before the prices goes up.

Yes, sir.

Sir I've got a yeah, I got a question for still on equipment.

Um is that where we are still under equipment stuff?

Right.

My question is all the stuff's gonna be located at Michael Avalon, is that correct?

Okay.

One of my concerns, and I or like you know, is the that we have an effective maintenance operation out there that really does a good job of taking care of this equipment and responding to when something some problem emerges.

And but we've also got a problem with or not a problem, but a situation where that's where JPD keeps a lot of their stuff too out of there, right?

Isn't that right?

Police department, right?

So my my question is who who uh who's responsible for the maintenance operation out there?

Is it public works?

Is it JPD?

Is it uh Mr.

Davison and and um so how does accountable accountability work?

So if if the to make sure that we had a uh an effective chain of command for our water pool.

We have um I think it's two responsibilities.

One is like maintenance of the vehicles, if you're a tire uh uh fuel pump or light, you know, that's one part of the maintenance.

Um that way you see a police car we were working on as far as the fleet.

The second part is that it's the same space is used for impound.

I think Mr.

Uh Tailson was handling and uh the CFO was handling that part with the JPD.

So it's two separate issues where you see all the police cars out there, some of them, you know, just regular cars.

So um public works, we are responsible for the maintenance of you know the the vehicles.

Um except for fire, fire has its own maintenance.

Um, but as far as maintenance, like I said, tires, fuel pumps, motor mounts, stuff like that.

So is there is there one person in charge of the motor pool?

I mean, is there is a single person?

It's one big garage out there.

I know it's a big garage.

I'm trying to tell you if you listen.

Um is one big garage out there and it's one person, they have one person manager that's over the garage.

Okay, right that manage the garage.

So if uh if a a policeman comes in and have the vehicle needs to be, you know, have the tire changed or whatever it might be.

They go to the tire side, right?

There's a tire side, yes, and they go there and tires and brakes, and that and that guy they talk to is uh oversees the tires or the whole maintenance operation.

No tires.

So it's not if something's not getting done, who who you know, um is it is it Jason?

Is Rodney still over it?

Because that's who's the manager.

His name was Rodney.

I don't know.

No, Tony, Tony Um is the fleet manager now.

The thing is um the number of vehicles that we have for the city of Jackson, we have one fleet manager, and we have four mechanics.

One is a tire mechanic, uh, which you know, which he's not doing tires, he's doing uh um smaller stuff, and then we have a small engine, means like our weed eaters, uh compactors, things like that.

And also that so they leave us with three mechanics to take care of the whole city.

So uh one of them uh um um is on leave right now, so we're down to two.

I just had to hire the fleet manager asked for two more positions.

Um I hired, I mean in the process of hiring one, but that's um I gave he gave me a report saying how much they can handle is more of being over um, I guess utilized as far as the number of vehicles that are coming in versus how many we can take care of.

Okay, you've got a fleet manager that works for you, yes, sir.

Does the chief of police have a fleet manager that works for her?

No.

Should she have a fleet manager that works for her?

They got a lot of people.

Well, they you know, they all come to the city garage.

Okay, I think I think the only one separate is the fire department, right?

Right, because they have special equipment, yeah.

Fire truck there and things like that.

The service.

Uh I did want to um since you brought up that issue.

I think it's important that we look, we're getting new equipment in.

Hopefully, we won't have many maintenance problems.

Hopefully, right.

Brand new stuff.

Right.

However, I'm concerned about theft and storage.

So how how are we going to ensure we're spending over a million and something dollars that this stuff is protected and nobody walks away with a zero turn?

Um we're gonna I want to say we'll I guess give them alert.

Get that get back with another next next meeting, okay?

Well, we've also seen instances where people have driven their vehicles through that fence and drove out of it with their own vehicle, whatever vehicle that was seized.

So we definitely need to make sure that we're securing it that lot.

Right.

We're gonna have this expensive material, these expensive equipment on that lot.

Yeah.

Even if we have to put fences around it, it's already and and constantly wire at the top.

We need to make sure that there's one person that's controlling the entrance and exits and making sure that stuff don't go up missing.

We're looking at putting trackers and everything.

Uh that's why I was trying to uh not give them a heads up, but I think trackers will uh like you could tag all kinds of equipment.

Uh we've talked to some companies, and it's less probably less than 20 dollars a month.

Yeah, I think we have one of them here, but any rate, if you could just maybe pass one on us a note or something, we don't have to broadcast it, but okay, we have to ensure our equipment security.

Okay, yes, sir.

Constantine wire guards, you know, uh Rockwallers, whatever it takes.

We don't want folks taking our stuff.

If I could, I just want to dream our city attorney.

I wanted to add one thing to that.

Uh at the police impound lot right now, because there have been similar issues uh even recently with the new contractors working on it.

The new contractors have recommended and are currently putting out bids to put an electrical fence around that with appropriate notices and warnings as well.

So no at the at the yes on the full for the police impound.

Uh I was gonna suggest that, but I didn't want to be on the record with that.

Well, I the only thing I'm bringing it up is is it while it's being looked at for one, it might be an economical time to look at it for the other if if that sort of thing is necessary as well.

Okay, make sure we could the other thing I guess speaker, yeah.

Junction with with um making sure we got proper fencing and whatever you're gonna make it electric or what concertine or whatever, but uh we also need to have a a protocol where once a month or once whatever period of time we do an inventory the the the inventory is done that here's all the vehicles we've got.

So it so we know then it as of March 31st, we had all the vehicles we're supposed to have, and there's some master lists there.

So you so you know that, and something can't go missing.

What worries me would be the zero turn mowers that can be turned into a business real quick.

You know, we need to make sure those things are secure.

So can you get it down in my notes?

Yeah, if we could uh just make sure that uh maybe someone there is responsible for a monthly inventory, yes, sir.

Uh another question.

I'm trying to move really quickly because I want to get to our next agenda item.

Environmental service center.

What's the status there?

Uh we have good news.

Um we're we've been looking for um a building, and uh Mr.

Tailson and uh Miss Lakeisha Weathers and uh the deputy director, we went to Michael Avalon building where Jackson Water was occupying uh just yesterday.

Uh Jackson Water agreed to that they would use the back bay of the um building, and we will move solid waste into that building.

Is when you go into Michael Avalon, it's right there to the right.

They use it for staging.

Uh I guess it was part of the order.

I don't know how they got the building, but uh anyway, we're gonna use that building for uh environmental and there's a little break room across the street.

That's where the hazardous waste is going to be stored.

It's perfect it's perfect for it because it's a uh city block building is it's away from the main building, so I think it's okay, and um, and let's make sure we get the word out.

Frankly, I think that you know our other location, which is great because it was uh it was accessible, jump off the interstate or whatever, and you're right there at it at it on highway 80, very convenient location.

Right now we're tech asking folks to go to the industrial park, go back down the road.

There's a building, but it it is an option.

So we appreciated that.

Let's just get the word out on that.

Okay, yes, sir.

Okay.

The other thing is uh storm drains.

Any updates on that?

Um there's a lot to do.

Um we know that.

Uh uh we're looking at um TV and a lot of um talking to a couple of contractors to TV uh storm drains.

Uh we've been working with uh a local hero, I would say Mr.

Lock Ward, and um, you know, doing a lot of storm drains, and we are trying to get our jet truck, you know, a hundred percent is I think 12, 15 plus years old.

So we're trying to get that, you know, a hundred percent.

But uh they'll probably be coming up in budget.

But this is did we order in equipment for storm drain cleanup?

I thought we did.

Do we have a VAC truck?

Yeah, we have two.

We actually one of them is always down, it's got like a Frankenstein, and then the other one is we got one operational.

Um it stopped Friday.

So uh it had it had a code, uh it's in the shop right now.

That's what I'm saying.

The the the downtime, we only have one jet truck operational, and then when it something happens to that, happens to that uh truck, um, it does put uh you know slows down operation.

So so if if someone called in about hey, there's a ponding problem on this road due to clogged storm drain, what are you guys gonna do?

Um use some of our equipment, uh, shovels, um things like that.

Yeah, we we uh have some equipment that we use, like I just turned one in where grass is growing through the storm drain.

Um let's use our backhoe equipment to try to do as best we can.

Now, that's what I'm saying, it's limited on what you can do with the backhoe.

So uh we won't be able to go down into the pipe just like the jet truck, but as uh I guess preemptive but before we get the the jet truck operational.

Okay.

Yeah, do you have crews that are dedicated to storm drains?

Okay, no, sir.

I've I that's part of my restructuring that I want someone dedicated to drain uh storm drains.

I want them dedicated to uh drainage channels because we have the same crew that fix bridges, storm drains, uh drainage channels, curb and gutter, all of them doing the same thing.

So can you uh present uh to this committee next next meeting, a list of these cruise uh uh councilman foot is interested, and I have down here cruise and put his name beside it, and I'm interested too, especially in Louis getting this equipment.

How do we plan on and uh uh you know uh deploying these?

Okay, how are we gonna set up?

We got more skids here, dump trucks, etc.

How are we gonna deploy it?

So can you make us a little handout on the crews?

Yes, sir.

And the the activities.

Was there anything else that needed to be?

Yeah, that's because there's obviously there's a lot of work that public works.

A lot of work public works is responsible for.

So the um the extent that you can have dedicated crews for you know, potholes and one for storm grains, I think that would be good.

I mean, it's you got but you want to maximize the utility of your people and the equipment you've got.

When your equipment's supposed to be a combat multiplier, you know, make them you know more productive.

And and uh so you know the it matters to us how if you can come up with a here's here's what our plan is to maximize the productivity of a you know of our 10 crews or how many crews you got.

Yes, sir.

Uh councilwoman.

Okay, do we have the cameras that go down in the um drainage?

We don't have that equipment.

No, ma'am.

We contract out that work kind of work.

Um at first we were using Jackson Water because they have a camera, but um I think we were talking about ordering one.

Um I think it was like 15,000, something like that, but um as of right now, we don't have it.

But we we contract it out, that's what I would say.

Okay.

And with the old um equipment that we had, have we auctioned it or what is we doing with that?

I may have missed the question if you asked.

I'll say it again, ma'am.

The old equipment that you say is it's broken or not working, is we fixing it.

What are we doing with that?

Um there's part of of the I would say auctioning off the deadline uh equipment.

We've we've in that process, but far as like the jet truck, when I was saying uh old equipment, we have to use what we have.

You know, it may be down this week, work three, four weeks and then be down another week.

So uh I think that's a budget discussion.

Once I start looking at you know the age, we'll have to have a continuous I believe during the lease purchase, you know.

I think that's a way that we can help on our budget as far as uh don't have to purchase it, you know, 400,000 truck.

Uh you know, always a general fund.

We may do a lease purchase and it have the option to buy at the end of the lease purchase.

So okay.

That's it.

Uh councilman Parkinson, Councilman uh President uh Grizel, do you have any comments?

We're gonna get ready to move on to the next item, but let's go ahead.

No, thanks.

Okay.

Councilman.

Okay.

Then uh keep at it.

We're gonna keep coming and asking these questions until we we see something out on the streets, man.

That's just our reality as we get called all the time about these issues.

Spring is there.

Uh this is what we can do.

Yes, sir.

Uh the next item up is the uh Jackson Metro Water Authority.

And I wanted our attorney to come here and perhaps uh answer some questions.

I have three questions lined up, but I uh I implore my my colleagues to ask questions uh as well.

Uh the first question is the status of it.

Uh and then the second question is um how do we change our process to make sure the council gets a head start on these kind of issues coming up and for instance coordinate with the executive branch, coordinate with the uh with the uh Jackson delegation.

We don't need to be three days out and hey, something's gonna happen and we just finding out about it.

So we want that process.

I want you to comment on that.

And the last thing is uh maybe this could go back to Mr.

Anderson, but I'm I'm I'm wondering about our ability to get information from Jackson Water.

If there has to be any kind of transfer or anything like that, we need to know what's going on over there.

So status first.

Sure.

Let me let me try to take this one at a time.

Um in terms of the state legislation, uh the House bill that was that was uh that we had a meeting here about public hearing and so forth.

Um that bill went over to the Senate.

Uh the Senate did what they call a strike all, which is essentially uh taking out the entire bill and and substituting a whole new bill in its place.

Uh they're substantially the same.

Uh the biggest difference relevant to the city is they changed the board constitution.

So it would be a nine-member board, and only three of those board members would be appointed and confirmed by the city.

Um the other six members would be uh one from Ridgeland that we had no that the city had no voice in, one from Byrum that the city would have no voice in.

Um the governor had two, Lieutenant Governor had one, and they took away the chamber of commerce seat and replaced it with another governor's seat, essentially, if I remember this right, and they they worded it in a way that implied the mayor would recommend someone to the governor who would then uh nominate that person to be confirmed by the Senate, I think is the way they put that.

So we would have little if any say um in that seat.

So I think at best we'd have three seats, the city would have three seats and have some say in a fourth seat out of the nine.

Um that bill, the sit the house did not adopt, uh, so it then went to conference.

Uh this is where my knowledge starts to fade, but essentially you've got a conference that I believe is made up of three members each from the House and the Senate um who will debate various things.

The last I heard that it was reliable at all was they were debating the board makeup still, but there was no I've seen nothing that indicates the city would get more than those three seats.

They were arguing about well, shouldn't the chamber of commerce still get one, or how should we do Ridgeland?

Um, or how many more should the governor get?

It wasn't a discussion of the city.

Um I suspect, but I'm just speculating at this point that no bill is gonna come out of the legislature.

I think it's gonna end up dying.

Um I think I think that because what I think is gonna happen is if they reach an agreement, the House and the Senate, and if that bill comes forward with the city only having three out of nine seats, then I think that the various democrats that voted for the previous bill in the House will not vote for it at this point.

I don't think they'll get enough votes across the two bodies uh to pass something at that point.

Uh I may be wrong about that.

If they do pass something, I think you're looking at a best case scenario of the city having three out of nine seats.

Three out of the city.

Today is sign die, so I don't know.

I don't think anything is coming.

So what I said again, I couldn't hear you, I'm sorry.

Today is sign die.

Okay, okay.

Well, that's the there's the update then.

It died today.

Uh that's what I expected to happen.

I'm saying today is sign die.

So unless they can push something out today.

I don't see it happening.

I don't see it happening either.

I think it's highly unlikely.

So with it dying, what happens next?

We're right back where we started um a few months ago, which is uh Jackson Water is the only entity that has control over the system, um, and there is not a successor legal entity available for the system to transition to um which transitions to the part of your next question.

Right.

Uh let's let's finish this up.

Okay.

Okay.

Any other questions, colleague, on just the present status?

Well, I would think that that um if I if I'm reading the mayor correctly, he would he would prefer it to die.

Correct.

So we can go at this next year.

Well, certainly he has been he has been adamant uh that he will not support any bill that has that where the city has less than a majority say on the board.

And so I yes, my understanding is he will he would rather see it die than this version come out.

So I guess based on what we know, it seems like this favorable outcome that that nothing's getting done.

That's probably right.

So we get to get to fight this battle again next year, and and um which leads into our next item, right?

But before we leave there, there's just I'm just gonna share my opinion, and that is right now we have folks 80-year-old lady came out here last week crying in the four years, uh talking about a water bill, and they turn the water off, so forth.

Um, when we have that outside control, whether it's federal or state, they're looking at the bottom line.

They're not looking at the people that we live by and we have to interact with every day.

They're looking at the bottom line and getting it done.

So that's why I agree we need to have a majority.

We need to have be able to regulate because we have the largest number of folks in the system.

And they're coming to us, and for us to say, well, can't do nothing, it's under the judge, it's under Jackson Water.

That doesn't work for folks.

They want to take me behind the building, okay.

And I and if if I may I I think that's why it's important for the government authority of the city of Jackson to be on the same page before it gets up to the state capitol.

We speak through our minutes to resolution, and so um it's important for the administration to bring things to uh the council before actually taking things up to the state capitol.

Um we were asked for a resolution after the fact, and that showed a lot of unreadiness on the municipalities uh side.

And I think that you know, in order for us to stand strong with a solid voice, we need to iron this out in the legislative committee meetings so that we can get on the same page with whatever lobbyists we'll have next year, and then make sure that what we want, you know, our wishes are actually communicated beforehand and not uh you know as later on after things start shaking up there.

Thank you.

I agree, and that's what leads us into the next question.

Let me let me pause for one uh go ahead because your second issue is really the process and what President Grazell was talking about.

But before we get to that, let me mention one other thing.

Um to your question of what comes next.

Um there are some uh there are some current statutes that would allow a municipality to create a uh utility board essentially.

Um we looked at this idea internally before.

I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves on what that might look like today, but I suspect uh well I'm I more than suspect.

What we're gonna take a look at that hard and see if there's something we can create as a city uh that would accomplish what we need.

It may not exactly um, but we're hoping we can get close and provide the court with something that looks like a transition.

And and even if it doesn't get all the way there, it might be something that we can then take to the legislature to ask for the additional help we might need.

I don't know if they'll listen or not, but it's worth thinking about.

Um yeah, I was just gonna uh ask Anderson if he had any thoughts on it.

Look, you're our you're our number one, okay, public works.

Uh in most cities, that treatment plants, the water purification, all of that is under you.

Okay, so that's why I think it's the last item I put, how do we get that information out?

But uh any thoughts on this water uh district uh run by the city of Jackson.

Any of any thoughts on the city of Jackson handle it, period?

Um I would go at the direction of administration, certainly, but um it would be more of an any board or coming all 100% on the public works.

We still, like you said, have to be um information shared in the transition plan, and with that, you know, we have to know what we're getting, the status of the infrastructure that we're getting uh right now.

I don't think it's open for as I think they're doing the forensic on the financials, but I think once that is open up for the financials, uh looking at the staff, looking at the operations.

Uh I've all seen lump songs.

So when you start doing, I'm sorry, when you start doing a deep dive, and that way we can make a uh determination, you know, what it's going to take to operate the wastewater treatment plan, the water and sewer facilities, um, to best serve Jackson.

Okay, if you don't mind uh uh um attorney, if we could just go on to that third question while we're there, and that is sure what it's gonna take.

Um we have folks over there at the water plant that's on the city payroll, correct?

There, yes, but that they're they're uh ultimately that's paid by Jackson Water, they are still on Jackson payroll.

That was done in order to make sure they didn't lose any of their city benefits and purpose and so forth.

But they're not uh that is a that is a in terms of a pure expense, it's reimbursed.

Okay, so we could use them as a resource.

Not not really.

That they're not controlled by the city at this point.

Okay, and do we have any uh any professionals that could be placed there and used to gain that knowledge and or in our in order to help us facilitate a smooth transition to get to know what the current status?

Um yes, we could go periodically, but you know, we need everyone we we have.

Um we have our engineering manager here, uh Dr.

Chia, and uh we have other staff we could go periodically and well we meet every Tuesday with uh Mr.

Ted of a Jackson Water, and he give us update, but it's limited, you know.

It's not more like like you, I think we're gonna find it hands-on, see what the day-to-day operations uh is.

So um I would encourage for us to do that because you know, but it just can't be too much, it has to be over a long period of time.

Can we make that as a resolution or something?

We we can let me let me speak to that a little more in a little more detail on where we are legally.

Uh the state legislation would have required that.

It would have been uh a board would have been named, the board would hire uh a president, I think they called it, I don't know if they call it executive director, president, whatever, but but somebody that'll be in charge.

Uh and that person who was who was uh hired would then be uh embedded, so to speak, with Jackson Water uh throughout whatever the transition period was to learn the operations.

For right now, that means really learning the contracts because all of the work done by Jackson Water on both the water and the sewer side is essentially contracted out.

So it would be learning how to manage those contracts.

I don't'm not trying to minimize what Mr.

Hennevin does, but he's not going out and making many priority decisions these days.

He's contracted all that out.

Jacobs tells him what needs to be done, and he approves things.

We need somebody in that position as well.

We also need to be able to look at uh how efficient those contracts are, what we might need to do, or whoever I say we uh the ultimate controlling entity, whether that's us or a future board or whatever.

Um so something like that needs to be done regardless.

Legally where we're headed very soon, although maybe not as soon as we hoped because of this legislation issue, is we have to create a transition plan.

The court has to create a transition plan.

The city needs a voice in that transition plan.

Uh the city's going to have a voice in that transition plan.

Uh ideally we would already have a vehicle, and the in an ideal world we would have had a legislative creation that would have accomplished this for us, that we could immediately now go to the court and say it's time for a transition, let's create it, let's look at a six-month plan to get this out of Jackson Water and move it on.

And during that six months, it would have done exactly what you're asking about.

Somebody uh who would be reporting to the board uh would would be learning the system in and out and getting a little more acquainted every day until they were ready to take over the job.

And there'd be a time frame for that.

Yeah, we by the way, that's what the federal government is requiring as well before they'll get totally on board with whatever comes next.

Can you go ahead and prepare some kind of resolution for consideration by this board?

Sure.

Uh and uh Mr.

Anderson, um, you know, when I first came here, the city ran it.

And historically, we haven't been running it very well.

So my question is with our number one player here.

Could in fact we take it over and run it in better conditions?

They've already raised our rates six times with merging in the convenience fee.

Uh so we're getting more money in.

The Feds has come in and taken uh and done a wonderful job of improving the system itself.

So could we, in fact, in any kind of circumstances, and I'm not trying to hold you to anything, but could we in fact get back our own utility and run it?

Uh to answer the question, yes.

Um like uh attorney Martin said that this managing the contracts, managing the contracts, you know, is any other uh duty.

And I think um especially if we had all the money, you know, uh invested in the system, I think it would be managed well, but you still have to keep that funding coming.

I think it would be managed well, but you still have to keep that funding coming.

Um I haven't looked deep into the operational uh budget right now, but I think it's pretty high, and we'll just look at that you know when it comes.

But I just on the outside looking in, yes, sir.

Thank you.

I appreciate that, sir.

Um, and back to the other thing of process, right?

So how does the city council get information uh from the executive branch and from our Hines County delegation, we get all that information.

Was there a deadline or who who invented that the way we got to do it here and now, and then we get settled with some of the so some of that I just don't know the answer to because I'm not uh my background isn't in legislation.

I'm learning on the job on that stuff as well.

Uh but I can say this from a couple years of experience.

Um, what I think could be there is a legislative committee within the council, and the council could either use that committee or use the council as a whole.

Uh I would I would go ahead and get on the calendar something Lynn's September or October, uh, where you are uh where you're meeting with uh whatever representative of the mayor's office wants, whether that's the mayor or whether that's our lobbyist or whether it's some combination of that uh or CAO, I don't know who it would be exactly, but but go ahead and and and have those conversations now and say, look, we want to start in either September or October.

Session starts in January, right?

So September, October, we need to be talking about what are our needs and what are we gonna do with it, and we need to be talking to our lobbyists about that as well because they're gonna be working the legislature in advance, uh, and then you'll know every bill that's going in front.

And you may have to meet more often.

That legislative committee probably doesn't have to meet for months at a time.

Um, but once you get to about August, September, October, that committee needs to really be meeting, calling in the state lobbyist.

I'm happy for our office to help as well.

Um and to have those conversations in advance.

What what are you planning on presenting?

Here are things we want presented.

Um are there any overlaps?

Are there any what are we doing federally?

Uh, but but you don't want to wait until December, even because between the holidays and it being right there with the session starting, things will start falling through the cracks.

I I my opinion only, uh, just looking at it this year.

I think a lot of this can be attributed to new administration, new council, uh, July to October, November, December, and some big issues all hitting all at the same time.

Um, I I don't think there was any intent to hide the ball, but it's clear that there was a lack of communication.

Uh so I think that can be fixed by the council taking that affirmative stance early.

Uh I I think September is the latest I would do it.

Maybe October, but probably September start saying, what are we doing?

What's our lobbying plan?

What's our legislative plan?

And not just asking the questions, but also saying these are what we want.

Appreciate it if you get any existing information to us.

Sure.

Whatever whenever you get it.

I will.

And I know we're Mr.

Putt.

Yeah, I I just got some thoughts on um this issue.

Uh and the challenges it confronts both the city and the state legislature with, and what concerns me is that because it's such a high profile issue with the federal judge involved and EPA involved and uh control involved, big sack of money out there involved too, that um it may drown out all the other things we want to try to accomplish.

And so I don't know how we did on all the other other things we were trying to get done at the state legislature this year.

I haven't been briefed on the status of the different bills, but it would be a shame for us with with we had some sort of honeymoon going there for a while with the new mayor and all, but it'd be shame if we didn't get anything else done because we were so everything got this took up all the oxygen at State House.

So we need to make do our resolution or whatever, but at the same time, um, we don't want it to consume all the legisl all the oxygen next year when we have a session and we may end up missing out on some other opportunities to get some resources from the state government and also the federal government as well.

Uh so I just say that in passing because we're gonna have this finance committee, I guess it's tomorrow.

Is that the finance committee?

Tomorrow.

And I read the the um the document that came uh prepped for that, and it was really sobering document.

And um, we've got to get resources, and we can't let Ford let you know, put all our you know, ammunition in the in the um in just the one water authority bill and end up missing out on other stuff.

Right.

By the way, whenever you sorry, whenever you start working on uh the legislative committee and those ass that we're talking about for next year or for this year, um uh I think it's worth inviting some of our delegation in as well.

If you want to know what they're doing, absolutely ask them.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, uh we're gonna close out.

We there's someone waiting for our our space here.

Mr.

Parkinson, Mr.

Grizzell.

Anything I'm good, thank you.

I'm good, thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

And you're good.

Okay.

Uh as much as possible, Mr.

Martin, please give us any and all information.

I understand that you know we're not starting up this thing, but we need to start doing our research and our homework so we are not caught going, what you know.

Uh I was just talking to it, but on the city ordinance that we're working on, uh, I will make sure to keep the council informed and we'll have drafts for you and your input as as we go along.

Real good.

Thank you, Mr.

Anderson.

Thank you, Mr.

Martin.

This meeting is adjourned.