City of Jackson fights for ownership of Bemis Mill

BEMIS, Tenn. — Bemis resident Joel Jackson says he’s tired of looking at the unfinished demolition of the former Bemis textile mill and is ready for a change.

“It’s way past due, you know. I mean, sitting for two years, nothing going on, it’s no excuse,” Jackson said.

This change may come sooner than later, according to Mayor Jerry Gist, who says the city of Jackson took action Monday in environmental court to take possession of the mill.

“It was a good day for the city,” Mayor Gist said. “This is something we have sought a court order for — immediate possession — for several months.”

The mayor says the previous owner, Bemis Mill LLC, received a demolition permit from the city to deconstruct the buildings about two years ago, but he says their time is up.

“They have violated their contract, and really the people of Bemis have endured several years with the block that’s there and with the concerns we have for safety,” Gist said.

“It got down to the end, and they didn’t clean their mess up, so we just have a bunch of rubbish,” Jackson said.

The mayor says once the attractive nuisance lawsuit against the company is complete, he already has big plans for the space.

“We’re planning on a wall, a memorial wall, with a small park and a splash pad there to represent the great history of that mill and the history of Bemis,” Mayor Gist said.

The mayor says Bemis Mill LLC now has 11 days to respond to the city’s lawsuit. If they don’t, the mayor says he’ll start getting the buildings down and begin cleanup of the area as soon as possible.