[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"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","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_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,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6129153,"mediaKeyId","5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a","parentId",5748215,"title","Public works seeks flat $16.56M budget while pledging internal reorganization, more in-house engineering and equipment fixes","audioSeconds",722,"startMs",2438000,"endMs",3160000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a&start=2438&end=3160","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a/thumbnail_2438000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6129153/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Public-works-seeks-flat-1656M-budget-while-pledging-internal-reorganization-more-in-house-engineering-and-equipment-fixes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6129153-6c1e9c9ac72347550a746e8610ac63e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440034&Signature=epu578JwaV5F7UcVOBz5jpJjiYCHD6lNnpStdwoclZFiq2qa62kCAF7lM49~VqpYnyhDkDHOqNeXudFc9phDui4WDBtQAnHKt2YB~Z7c6v9yMb9XFHPahAYdmlj35sRxnuaaH0ANL4ndzmTBPl~zLe6SOksp~k5NbDS4m6WRZNxsA0gm887EJPs~deluOYtkE1adxStgvi84QAeCdeDZMxVjVzy7Ls-f5dTSZHRfCqFTYPgpGfC5M5J5VEA9AAXlGAm~nTdIb4fqYQPtLJBG3e5C~T0DG-N~rJvw3oqJ7sM4BU9H3-lTTLOPiZlOp8rtkGYBFjYnZFf~D8chAybVTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Jackson, MI","date","2025-08-29T00:00:00Z","article","Acting Deputy Director James Caldwell and Deputy Director Anita Wells presented a proposed public-works budget of $16,557,043 and told the City Council that the department is seeking internal reorganization and operational improvements rather than a large immediate budget increase.

Why it matters: Council members said potholes, storm drains, lawn maintenance, and stalled equipment drive most constituent complaints. Officials said addressing recurring service failures will require both additional equipment and organizational changes to deploy existing staff more efficiently.

Budget and staffing: Caldwell said the department’s authorized headcount is 177 positions and that 174 were filled at the time of the presentation. He and Wells said the department previously had far more staff—historic peak staffing was cited in discussion as roughly 490—and that the administration plans to reorganize crews (for example, moving park grass-cutting crews into public works) to increase efficiency.

In-house engineering and contracts: The proposed budget includes $531,360 to fund in-house engineering positions; Caldwell said the administration intends to allow an expired outside engineering contract to lapse and to repurpose those funds to hire city engineers to perform signatory and project management duties.

Equipment, garage and dead-vehicle lot: Council members raised concerns about a city “dead vehicle” lot and a city garage where vehicles awaiting repair sit for extended periods. Caldwell and Wells said the garage requires better management and accountability; they described plans to accelerate auctions of derelict vehicles and to reinvest proceeds in new public-works vehicles and equipment. On large equipment, the department said the city owns six jet trucks but only two are working, staff are trying to get a third operational and several may need to be decommissioned; the department also reported two existing street sweepers that are not in operation and one sweep ordered for delivery.

Seasonal work, potholes and stormwater: Council members pressed the department for a faster response to potholes and storm drains. Caldwell and Wells said pothole repair can be a 12-month effort in the city’s climate, that crews are filling potholes and that scheduling and equipment availability limit throughput. They said jet-truck downtime is a principal constraint on storm-drain cleaning and that they are working to return additional jet trucks to service.

Care and maintenance, custodial pay and performance contracts: The budget includes a care-and-maintenance category discussed at length; council questioning noted approximately $2,445,000 in “care and maintenance” and about $983,000 for custodial services (as presented). Wells said a long-standing performance contract with Siemens is part of that spending and that the administration is reviewing staffing levels; Caldwell said the administration plans to raise minimum pay for custodians to $12.46 an hour and to retain prior one-time raises given to public-works employees.

What’s next: Council members asked for an organization chart, inventories of vehicles and equipment, and cost estimates for adding a second pothole crew or upgrading equipment. Council members requested a follow-up work session to review proposed equipment purchases and reorganization plans before finalizing budget amendments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance Committee Budget Meeting Aug 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public works officials presented a $16,557,043 budget and outlined plans to reorganize crews, hire in-house engineers and repair or replace key equipment while requesting time to return with detailed implementation plans.","taxTitle","Jackson City, Hinds County, Mississippi","taxId",3823,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6129160,"Fire chief outlines $25.9M budget, urges increased funding for station repairs and fleet needs",348,1566000,1914000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a&start=1566&end=1914","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a/thumbnail_1566000.jpg","/articles/6129160/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Fire-chief-outlines-259M-budget-urges-increased-funding-for-station-repairs-and-fleet-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6129160-80bb939f45e0a95587655df6ecfc60d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440034&Signature=PyQJ7EVFY5pjtFWrdLUMfVE3sSgmyOGrbb0wadKAXqeXtkryUBwBgBQlVYoc4E0hYA8fB5JDHEjgM8g97qQq9l-y4iwx~IlI6FusdNdP21F-V3FR7Tb-7XnPYNlzYTa8PdBH5OETGUOj4c6qVbwJNnLp6-TAXhILRiMj9famfg-6-ULSP-W8p7mwLpL0suscyLVNddSyxcXkePUzAfoLunV0H4tXjyHFBdrsN1l3qPYpuZX3CFTY4sM2N8lf54j-6Pw-VM-GEvguyelaEbaNkeLVvYTqVtuVQq52Xo7BnzLLFYUHx5E0yIURX7-jHRUlgHBjcB6c7PvcZBfJxXNI5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Thomas Jackson presented the Jackson Fire Department’s budget to the City Council and said the department’s current budget level is $25,935,321, with roughly 93 percent of that amount earmarked for personnel costs and 7 percent for operational needs. The chief told the council the department operates 21 stations, 12 engines, six ladder trucks, five rescue units and one mini unit and covers roughly 111.72 square miles.

Why it matters: Council members said facility and fleet maintenance affect firefighter safety, response reliability and morale. Several members called the maintenance allocations in the presented budget inadequate and asked the administration to identify additional funding sources.

Incident volume and operations: Chief Jackson reported 11,316 incident calls from Oct. 1, 2024, through the recent reporting period, including 3,100 medical calls, 501 “smoke scares,” 292 structure fires and 151 vehicle fires. He said medical responses vary by call type, typically send one unit for most medical incidents and sometimes two units for bariatric or higher-acuity responses. He explained that a fire apparatus unit may carry two personnel for a pumper and three personnel for an engine or rescue.

Facility maintenance and modernization tax: Council members asked where station-repair funding is located. A line-item discussion referenced a facilities-maintenance figure that the council read as about $73,238 for station repairs; several council members said that amount is insufficient to maintain 21 stations. An administration representative told the council the mayor intends to set aside modernization-tax funds for facilities and said that work will be tracked within the modernization fund rather than directly under the fire-department budget. Council members said the council should also reflect that commitment in its budget deliberations.

Fleet and apparatus: Council members and the chief acknowledged an ongoing need to maintain and, where necessary, replace apparatus. The chief said the current apparatus remain in serviceable condition but that the administration is seeking additional funding sources to address longer-term needs.

What’s next: Council members asked the fire department to provide more detailed breakdowns of facility-maintenance needs and equipment procurement options. The council discussed coordination between the mayor’s modernization-fund plan and the line items available to the fire department during budget adoption.","The fire department presented a $25,935,321 budget, described 11,316 incident calls since Oct. 1, 2024, and urged more funding for maintenance of 21 stations, fleet repairs and long-term facility upgrades funded through the city's modernization tax.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6129165,"Council reviews Jackson Police Department budget as members debate vehicle leasing, grants, cameras and staffing",328,92000,420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a&start=92&end=420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5748215-c8244d6ce483a8de91de1e80e9932a9a/thumbnail_92000.jpg","/articles/6129165/Jackson-City/Hinds-County/Mississippi/Council-reviews-Jackson-Police-Department-budget-as-members-debate-vehicle-leasing-grants-cameras-and-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6129165-379060153b25bed05dcf1eb0774ff051/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440034&Signature=XLi8Z2BSnJU0l4tekd90Z35azNet5mR4-8vYBnxnPff7I448VpSkftAfsJgh1EjOmKNUgTQFjQFR3hzONXso4Q1ToDPOvol-fGir7kzCNIxAWsAFmQUNfX2k54xyFNroUgJ-5QWGyOrqq9MkYnlegzIRL7xP7yNFpdzNnTo97DvvnMXrzCXDaBAshPBVDhZSyYlDr1B2Xs1lIvKZ977WEAgm~HsWGzM0EHhDrFwtuvc4RlZ5C9FPkdBuJk6Wr1-S3Fn0OHlhdEN7Sscdwhvl~3r9MOdQiVz-kKhNj1hsR3myhLzc5Hevmt0z21MhMTKJuey3zGhnpj6~CYfeIVKS~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jackson Police Department presented a proposed general-fund budget of $37,806,283 to the City Council that allocates $30,876,452 for personnel services and includes proposals for vehicles, grants and technology. The department’s budget book shows $736,028 was allocated for 15 patrol vehicles for 2024–25 and the department proposed $437,820 to upfit eight vehicles for 2025–26.

Why it matters: Council members said vehicle availability, grant eligibility and technology investments affect response capacity and public-safety operations across the city. Several council members signaled they will seek amendments to restore or expand certain line items.

Budget and vehicle details: The budget presenter told the council that the 2025–26 vehicle allocation ($437,820) would cover roughly eight upfitted patrol cars and that the overall vehicle count and dollars are lower than in the prior year. The presenter described a lease-purchase option through Enterprise that, he said, could yield more vehicles for similar or lower annual cost and allow regular trade-ins. He gave several illustrative figures: about 42 vehicles for roughly $587,000; 84 vehicles for about $1.2 million; and 100 vehicles for approximately $1.5 million. Those illustrations were attributed to the presenter as examples of the leasing program, not as finalized contracts.

Grants and matching funds: Vincent Grisell, assistant chief for the Jackson Police Department, told the council the department was awarded a COPS grant but must meet an internal $2.75 (as spoken in the presentation) threshold before it can move forward. Grisell also listed other grants the department manages, including the JAG grant; the presentation noted roughly $1,300,066 in grants and contributions in the police budget and that about $1,200,000 of grant-related funding goes to the Henry Young youth detention center.

Technology and cameras: Council members asked whether funds for additional cameras and license-plate readers were included. Grisell said license-plate readers and the department’s “intelligent team” have been monitoring carjackings and stolen vehicles and that, budget-wise, those systems were “good.” The budget presenter said camera purchases were not included in the presented police budget; Councilman Grisel (spoke during the meeting) said he would move to amend the budget to restore funding for cameras and mentioned a goal the council has discussed of acquiring roughly 25 cameras per year. The presenters also described a “real-time command center” that can accept IP-addressed feeds from privately owned cameras when owners register them in the portal.

Overtime, animal control and civilian positions: The presentation stated overtime is included in the personnel-services line; the budgeted overtime figure was given around $800,000, while one council member said overtime this year was approximately $1,200,000. On animal control, council members noted the prior-year outsourcing allocation of about $468,000 while the police budget line showed roughly $195,000; a council member said he would offer an amendment to restore the previous outsourcing allocation.

Staffing and recruitment: Grisell gave a sworn-staff count during questioning: about 258 sworn officers with two recruits on standby and a stated goal of 275 sworn officers. Grisell also said the department expected two lateral hires (one from Georgia and another from another agency) to start soon.

What’s next: Council members asked for additional line-item detail, including a breakdown of grants, overtime and the mechanics of the COPS grant match. Several council members signaled intent to offer budget amendments for cameras and animal control and asked staff to return with more information on leasing proposals and technology costs.","City officials heard a presentation on the Jackson Police Department proposed general-fund budget of $37,806,283, discussed a drop in vehicle purchases, a possible lease-purchase program to expand fleet capacity, COPS/JAG grants, license-plate readers and camera funding, and staffing goals.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public works seeks flat $16.56M budget while pledging internal reorganization, more in-house engineering and equipment fixes

Fire chief outlines $25.9M budget, urges increased funding for station repairs and fleet needs

Council reviews Jackson Police Department budget as members debate vehicle leasing, grants, cameras and staffing