[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86,98,110],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6207606,"mediaKeyId","3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593","parentId",3754230,"title","City finance: auditors still awaiting Jackson Water and convention-center records; GASB-75 contract ratified","audioSeconds",219,"startMs",3293000,"endMs",3512000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593&start=3293&end=3512","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593/thumbnail_3293000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6207606/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/City-finance-auditors-still-awaiting-Jackson-Water-and-convention-center-records-GASB-75-contract-ratified","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207606-b9e7f243986c08c976a7a9c162ff7353/orig.mp4?Expires=1769650464&Signature=LPHrilcvMAoaleNXmd79duwl0H48RypLh85DXylEtX02NDJ98K5uEqL9XCYNqo-GJ1UwV49OgahAYzZdnOHqwqO2EsTNuSAAaGFkt09nk4qFifwcoTLvxpYj2LM7cZrZ95RiHlsajF5T1GMb70mLGHIF83KMVkCwifpCv2fBIfi1lAVCDGL1blfecvnyC01aGH4ugiwVNPmNY8Z~rF75XbDYgwyIT5rFniVGP4O3wQzUZ0JYYNmEUsMv~ch3fzkXZKxV~X5JjJZX-5cBzvGJkdAJ9CK7G11YvCYZhZJwUj7OzxxbHinyeQprTb61yvrLYUJySHkx~W~I2UdU5hXyqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Jackson ","date","2025-06-05T00:00:00Z","article","The Jackson City Council ratified a payment to an actuarial firm for completion of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 75 report and discussed outstanding items that the administration said remain barriers to completing the city’s fiscal‑year 2023 audit.

Fidelis Malenbeca, the chief financial officer, presented two amendments to the municipal docket of claims and explained a $65,000 payment to a law firm as part of a settlement, and the ratification of a contract payment to Southern Actuarial Services to finish GASB 75 valuations for the specified fiscal years.

Council members pressed for a firm timeline to finish the audits. Finance staff said the auditor’s work is contingent on receipt of records from Jackson Water and outstanding convention-center materials. “Once they receive all the information, it goes through the management review,” finance staff said; the auditor had expected to complete the audit earlier but was delayed by missing documentation, including several months’ worth of records from Jackson Water.

Councilman Banks urged a formal letter, coordinated with the city attorney, to the convention center and other agencies urging prompt submission of outstanding items. Council members said they want the auditor to commit to a timeline once the remaining data are received and asked the administration to hold outside parties accountable for delays.

The council approved the claim amendments and the GASB‑75 payment by voice vote and asked CFO and legal to provide a written update on outstanding audit blockers and the expected timeline for completion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular City Council Meeting June 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council ratified payment to complete GASB 75 actuarial work and discussed remaining items delaying completion of the fiscal-year 2023 audit, including documentation from Jackson Water and outstanding convention-center records.","taxTitle","Jackson City, Hinds County, Mississippi","taxId",3823,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6207612,"Jackson proclaims National Gun Violence Awareness Day; council highlights regranted community violence-intervention groups",104,796000,900000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593&start=796&end=900","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593/thumbnail_796000.jpg","/articles/6207612/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Jackson-proclaims-National-Gun-Violence-Awareness-Day-council-highlights-regranted-community-violence-intervention-groups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207612-03ed72cd1441090274def7f23fefa9e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1769650464&Signature=aekFGLj0T87AkvlgneLAW~NZm328iUP5K-LQ-fyEDXqcELnRXO9MDtiZktaHOFBxrSq96sxJ2VSr65lNcQ8Lh96nk208zeFLH-vd494zofdll-J6ro-Wn9xFBGM1FOBVtL7WRCeaFIUOOMLN8NCALJ6zbPds2YUwxS13OMEhMAFft-oG2V1BOhrcr6CSsbM3ldDZo69tD2rjxqsOR3eM-m09aaEWh6cUFXJu3ylOSSIoIrWa8rJWt-RiY378sUwXULxWyiJVRjZruHYuEvlPyYhy-oWOjoSV1I5W3jaD1~wwL2--nKuYKLk6hjblUe96BapzW-ngMGgMrVLqxWs8PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jackson City Council read and adopted a proclamation recognizing June 6, 2025, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and highlighted local community partners the city has worked with on violence intervention efforts.

Kwesi Omari, Office of Violence Prevention Trauma Recovery community outreach specialist, introduced representatives from Strong Arms of Mississippi, Living With Purpose, and Operation Good and thanked them for their work. “We just wanted to show them some appreciation and let them know that we see them, and we’re gonna continue this work moving forward,” Omari said.

Benny Ivey, co-founder and co-director of Strong Arms of Mississippi, described outreach and the organization’s community centers in South Jackson and Pearl and urged continued city support for programs that connect young men to work and life skills. Credible messenger John Knight also described street outreach and services the groups provide to youth, including food, clothing and transportation assistance.

Council members and the mayor’s office noted those groups were regranted city-managed funds distributed through a National League of Cities grant and thanked them publicly. Sharon Brown was introduced as the new director of the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery; council members said the office will continue coordinating with community partners.

In the proclamation read aloud, the council cited national and state gun-violence statistics and urged residents to participate by wearing orange on the first Friday in June.

Council members emphasized local partnerships between law enforcement, community groups and city government as key to preventing gun violence, and they pledged continued support for violence-intervention programming.","The council read a proclamation recognizing June 6, 2025, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and thanked community violence-intervention groups that received regrant funds through the city’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6207616,"Council creates downtown entertainment and leisure districts, clearing path for historic tax and tourism incentives",349,2487000,2836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593&start=2487&end=2836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593/thumbnail_2487000.jpg","/articles/6207616/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Council-creates-downtown-entertainment-and-leisure-districts-clearing-path-for-historic-tax-and-tourism-incentives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207616-9f6447b1faa331e2e7f23d7138afffb9/orig.mp4?Expires=1769650464&Signature=OXyMmAV~bIvQgTl-3y5ar3j~KXp147ez8ewgrRrLP0zu5UMH9XiZQu1L9tCuRo1hUmDv8RrsVQj4ZZNotLntzuSaDsUl3r8EzVVa502kek7hkbupS7o3rS1aBSZHk4mqAJoJqUnhT--JxxQzO~ANtRtElaEZ2QUOGskIrwvrldDAqOV-jiIV~7DmdIWjC3OSAJLpqQhBFNyFWDCpKZ2KlI8zf1mV8u44Hi4rBMdUcOxdFEOqtuLwMfSaplkNeWSSfK87SqBkz0-zJAt8bERRypT~szKDFwazG8UhFdImx9EDX5SuImi43B0nkOVpgl~ja~XTHnqYWjxjAPFFTGJgyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jackson City Council voted 5–1 to adopt an ordinance establishing an entertainment district and separately approved a leisure and recreation district for downtown areas, a planning move city officials say will unlock state tourism rebates and historic-tax-credit opportunities for property owners.

Planners and council supporters said the districts will help developers secure incentives for rehabilitating older downtown buildings. “When you are rehabbing a very old property in the city of Jackson, you need all the incentives you can get,” Council President said while thanking Planning Department staff and the mayor’s office for coordination.

Council discussion highlighted Martin’s and Palace venues. Council members and city staff recognized the investors, property owners and legal representatives present for their commitments to downtown reinvestment. “We really appreciate the fact that you are willing to put this kind of investment into our downtown,” the president said as representatives stood in the chamber.

Councilman Banks praised the work and noted the districts may help connect hotels and event venues to downtown attractions. City planning staff said their fast timeline and coordination with the Mississippi tourism rebate program and the National Register process were central to capturing available incentives for owners who plan renovations.

The entertainment-district ordinance passed 5–1; the leisure-and-recreation district passed unanimously. Officials said those votes followed prior introduction and work-session discussions and that final geographic boundaries and administrative details would be published with the ordinances.","The City Council approved ordinances establishing an entertainment district and a leisure/recreation district covering parts of downtown, a step the mayor and planning staff say will let property owners pursue Mississippi tourism rebates and historic tax credits for renovations including work at Martin's and Palace venues.",{"_32":99,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":100,"_40":101,"_42":102,"_44":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6207621,"Jackson council approves emergency transfer from modernization tax to buy asphalt for pothole repairs",734,4737000,5471000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593&start=4737&end=5471","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593/thumbnail_4737000.jpg","/articles/6207621/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Jackson-council-approves-emergency-transfer-from-modernization-tax-to-buy-asphalt-for-pothole-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207621-bc0bfabc59ab039a953f5a2d4215449a/orig.mp4?Expires=1769650464&Signature=Mv9sEU8QfiBeuy82FO6CzY6yf8-sAbjN-cFYv9~pNmDIitY2Y5-qJ8mk~fb7odlM-2hbfO1LGzKrquJR5YeZw4kWRwIWv8OH~0Stq~T~YzmM3nBPGIYXjkvwTO7YyfP-J22lQWsibhgy1jf2D0RbOPdrF2eQHya1M46qiYzxVJPx9IjPbF9Li9hrnUvpOl-zXagBBGgwbhyhU4hMEp2T8B5wj9wHitaID5BLBFtlM-fLMNri-ya~4OwUd0nYrV-TKv-Qi6DfV5fLiRK7wCWMh0MYutK~8LfZv90wecL8xZMUBo4T5F-1V9jsSFzPsl3H8FDu~-T~P-Y3JJC2vbcrYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jackson City Council unanimously approved an emergency budget amendment moving funds from a ward-level modernization tax allotment into materials for asphalt purchases so the Public Works infrastructure crew can continue street repairs.

Terry Williamson of the city attorney's office explained the item as a transfer within Fund 372 (the modernization tax fund). City staff said the council had budgeted $100,000 per ward for resurfacing projects; the requested transfer moves roughly $28,970 from each ward’s allotment into a materials line so crews could buy truckloads of asphalt after a prior professional-services allocation was exhausted.

Council members pressed administration for clarity about remaining balances and how ward allotments were being spent. Louis Wright, CAO, and the chief administrative team said the remaining allotments could be spent after council direction; City Engineer and infrastructure staff said they respond primarily to 311 calls and council direction for specific streets. “What we’ve been doing… is working with council members as you send requests to us,” Wright said.

Council members asked for a more proactive process: several said they expected crews to use 311 call data and ward lists to prioritize repairs and to spend their $100,000 allotments rather than deferring to regular maintenance budgets. The council voted to add the emergency item to the agenda and approved the transfer 7–0.

City staff committed to deliver a memo showing fund balances and a list of streets or priority potholes to be addressed in each ward. The administration said it would coordinate with council members to set priorities and expedite material purchases so street repairs proceed through the summer.

The action is intended to keep operations moving while the council and administration refine a longer-term plan for resurfacing and capital pavement projects.","Council approved an emergency amendment to the Public Works budget moving funds from ward modernization allotments into materials so infrastructure crews can purchase asphalt for ongoing pothole and street repairs.",{"_32":111,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":112,"_40":113,"_42":114,"_44":115,"_46":116,"_48":117,"_50":118,"_52":119,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":120,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":121,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6207626,"Jackson council fast-tracks temporary salary freeze, carves out exceptions for lifeguards, zookeepers, police dispatchers and summer workers",776,1831000,2607000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593&start=1831&end=2607","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3754230-96d6fac73e773db8737e41afa4da4593/thumbnail_1831000.jpg","/articles/6207626/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Jackson-council-fast-tracks-temporary-salary-freeze-carves-out-exceptions-for-lifeguards-zookeepers-police-dispatchers-and-summer-workers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207626-7bcd921ede0e9860cc0ea388c52d2d54/orig.mp4?Expires=1769650464&Signature=FdBtHjlp3EEVmi0NisvhUHKLXyo9olQIHL~M~C4zItcyibk9PqURSK60zbj1sAhoMhKQ2WNQbnYNj6iaKOO1RZdbKHHL5UzKipP2EWPh-NRhCvN6IUJ3dMGZ02q8siHBzvVsWL~DW1snwd2mjFl3p6UJp8kGiFuL4nSaYDG23eMOgPSTnAOPbMLeXybTCwtWTPuaFk0dcIey7SxYFu467vP2sJTLe-tKcEhddVcUHwMbeCZ~uW2GD4ihgxq1ToNokkRgXoql84OGIvfohD7VgFkySp7u-XQXi91a-xi86Ru~1dzwkxtREOMYlIuwn-X0Kbs4iuNJ5P75-rQoNvr44g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jackson City Council on Monday adopted an ordinance temporarily reducing to zero the salary and compensation for vacant positions in the executive branch, then amended the ordinance to allow immediate hiring for specified seasonal and urgent roles.

The move, brought up for expedited adoption by Councilman Banks, responded to imminent operational needs — notably lifeguards and summer workers due to start with the parks department, zookeepers and educational specialists at the zoo, dispatchers for the Jackson Police Department and a limited number of CDL drivers for solid waste.

The council debated whether to expedite the ordinance and how narrowly to limit exceptions. Council members said delays would disrupt services that start with the summer season. “Instead of pushing this back another two weeks… the summer workers and the lifeguards are supposed to start tomorrow,” Councilman Banks said during debate.

After discussion and a series of amendments from council members, the council approved a package of carve-outs. The final, adopted motion allowed the city to hire for parks and recreation seasonal roles (including two lifeguards, three zookeepers and one educational specialist), summer youth workers in Human and Cultural Services, necessary CDL drivers citywide (with attention to solid waste), certain Jackson Police Department positions including dispatchers, and specific finance roles the CFO identified as time-sensitive.

Louis Wright, the city chief administrative officer, said administration staff had not yet sent a full list of all positions but confirmed parks and public safety needs were covered by the amendment. Drew Martin, city attorney, cautioned members about order and process when voting on expedited items and on subsequent amendments.

The council recorded its votes for the amendments and the final adoption as carried; council members agreed to bring any further needed positions back quickly if more urgent hires were required. The ordinance as amended is intended as a temporary budget control while allowing operational flexibility for seasonal and critical functions.

The council also directed city staff to provide details on remaining open positions and to coordinate with departments on hiring timelines so the body could track which vacancies will remain frozen and which will be filled under the carve-outs.

Council members emphasized the distinction between discussion and formal decisions: amendments were voted on and recorded as formal actions, while members’ questions and suggestions were treated as direction to staff.","The Jackson City Council adopted an ordinance temporarily reducing pay for vacant executive-branch positions to $0 but amended the measure to allow immediate hires for seasonal and critical posts including parks staff, police dispatchers, CDL drivers and select finance positions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City finance: auditors still awaiting Jackson Water and convention-center records; GASB-75 contract ratified

Jackson proclaims National Gun Violence Awareness Day; council highlights regranted community violence-intervention groups

Council creates downtown entertainment and leisure districts, clearing path for historic tax and tourism incentives

Jackson council approves emergency transfer from modernization tax to buy asphalt for pothole repairs

Jackson council fast-tracks temporary salary freeze, carves out exceptions for lifeguards, zookeepers, police dispatchers and summer workers