Jackson Public Works Committee Meeting – October 5, 2026

The Public Works Committee convened on October 5, 2026 to receive a detailed briefing on the 1% sales tax street program, review public works vacancies and hiring efforts, and discuss the launch of the blight team's operational plan.

1% Sales Tax Program Updates and Phase Status

• Director Lorenzo Anderson reported that Phase 1A (approximately $11 million) is complete, Phase 1B is roughly 60% complete, and Phase 1C is about 90% complete. All Phase 1 work is expected to finish by the end of 2026, pending weather.
• Phase 2 has received $550,000 in commission-approved design funding. The city is contracting with EJES for design and is exploring term bids with AdCamp (the Phase 1 contractor) to accelerate paving and avoid mobilization costs.
• Councilman Parkinson expressed strong support for term bids, stating they are an efficient way to pave streets and should be utilized for Phase 2.
• Councilman Foote requested clarification on funding for Old Canton Road (item 22). Anderson explained the project includes dedicated 1% funds (used for initial engineering) and CMPD money from the county (~$3.5 million). The city is pursuing a hybrid project with the county to create a comprehensive corridor improvement, avoiding separate partial projects. Foote also noted approximately $96,000 in county funds that must be used by year-end.
• Councilman Foote raised concerns over the lack of modernization tax projects in the project list and questioned bond fund availability. Terry Williamson (City Attorney) clarified that the sales tax commission has obligated $16 million for Phase 2 construction and $550,000 for engineering. Mr. Perry (1% commission member) added that the original 2020 bond issue ($35 million) is largely depleted due to previous administration accounting issues; remaining bond funds are being used to complete Phase 1B and 1C.
• Councilwoman Brown asked about delays on the Elton Road project (now pushed to January). Anderson cited a slower-than-expected legal review and design process, but noted MDOT may waive the normal lengthy LPA process due to the funding being earmarked for the city.

Bridge Inspections, Detours, and Funding Needs

• Responding to citizen complaints about lengthy detours, Anderson stated most city detours are 15–20 minutes long. He cited a Dixon Road detour as approximately 20 minutes.
• Regarding multiple bridge closures on a single commute (e.g., Officer Catching Bridge and Forest), Anderson explained the city has no advance notice because the state inspects and immediately closes bridges deemed impassable. He noted that the city has over 200 bridges, and proactive assessments are not currently possible without significant funding (e.g., May Street bridge is estimated at $6–7 million).
• Councilman Parkinson questioned why the city cannot conduct proactive condition assessments rather than waiting for state inspections. He urged exploring a proactive bridge maintenance program.

Public Works Personnel, Vacancies, and Recruitment

• Tory Martin (HR Director) stated that Public Works has 24 funded vacancies. Seven of those positions are actively being recruited. She listed specific vacancies including an Environmental Program Coordinator, Sanitation Inspector, Heavy Equipment Operators, Mechanics, Custodians, a Fleet Manager (interim), a Purchasing Supervisor, and Equipment Operators.
• Councilman Foote stressed the urgent need for professional engineers and support staff in Public Works, noting a severe loss of institutional knowledge over the past eight years. He said it is unfair for Director Anderson to manage alone and called for more engineering staff to sign off on plans and improve departmental effectiveness.
• Councilman Parkinson supported reclassifying unfilled or unnecessary positions (e.g., a painter vacancy) to create critical new roles (e.g., an engineer). He confirmed these positions are funded and ready to hire.
• Councilwoman Clay requested adding road striping personnel, calling it a high priority due to safety concerns on unstriped roads, especially at night. Anderson confirmed only one staff member currently handles striping.
• Council President asked HR to provide an updated chart of critical vacancies for the next meeting and to work with IT to better organize job listings by department on the city website to simplify the application process for the public.

Blight Team Operational Plan Launch

• Council President noted the blight team's "week one" began on the morning of October 5.
• Anderson reported that the team is currently focusing on right-of-way clearing, line-of-sight visibility, safety issues, and cutting overgrown private lots. Full demolition operations are delayed until the city landfill is fully operational with a new dozer, expected around December 1 at a cost of approximately $400,000.
• Council President shared that the Lieutenant Governor approached him with a potential state reimbursement plan offering $1,000 per cleaned-up or demolished property. The President expressed support and stressed the need to maintain momentum to encourage state assistance.

Key Outcomes

• Public Works Director Anderson was directed to present a formal street prioritization formula (rating system) to the committee at the next meeting to explain ranking decisions to residents.
• HR Director Martin agreed to coordinate with IT to reorganize job vacancy listings by department on the city website and provide a prioritized list of critical vacancies.
• Council members voiced support for reclassifying existing vacancies to hire professional engineers and road striping staff.
• The blight team launched operations with a focus on lot clearing and safety; full demolition capabilities await landfill equipment expected in December.
• Next meeting agenda will include: street prioritization methodology, critical vacancy updates, and potential Phase 2 execution strategies (including term bids with AdCamp).