Jackson City Council approves $9 million loan for streets, other upgrades

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a $9 million loan.

The loan is for next fiscal year starting July 1. The city is currently paying off a $9 million debt from this fiscal year.

“[This] will not increase our debt because we’re paying off nine million this year,” Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist said.

As of 2016, the City of Jackson was $84 million in debt.

To be clear, they aren’t adding anything to the debt, and they also aren’t taking anything away.

They have several ideas for how the money will be used.

“About $4 million of it will be used for resurfacing our streets,” Mayor Gist said. “Some will be used for equipment for the city, and part of it will be for a new city court building.”

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News also asked if any of the money will be used to buy additional snow plows in case of another winter storm.

“We can do nothing with ice on our city street,” Mayor Gist said. “We have manhole covers. The blades will knock those manhole covers off and send them into other vehicles, other people, then people run into the area.”

Mayor Gist says they won’t take the money out all at once but only as they need it.