City council talks public safety complex, senior center and stormwater plan

JACKSON, Tenn. – A public safety complex, a senior activity center, and a stormwater master plan were just a few things discussed on Tuesday in Jackson.

The Jackson City Council’s monthly meeting had a full agenda on Tuesday morning. One of the main items was a consideration for a contract with an architectural firm, which was passed. 

“Our public safety complex, we did two things today. We approved our final budget amendment from our capital budget to fund the study and to fund the A&E design work. We also approved the contract with the A&E firm to provide the scope of work to design a new public safety complex,” Conger said.

Mayor Conger went on to explain how this firm is considered one of the leading experts on public safety complexes in the area, having designed around five or six complexes in the last few years.

Mayor Conger also mentioned the importance of the stormwater master plan and the contract with a firm to assess the conditions.

“So we’ve started in two sub-areas, east Jackson and Bemis, just assessing everything we have. I think that’s one of the problems that we have now. We’re reactive in our stormwater management system. So everything that’s public stormwater, we’re reacting to if there’s a collapse, if there’s a cave-in. We are not able to proactively plan for those things and budget for those things,” he said.

This will help the city know what they have and their capabilities.

Mayor Conger says that they will then be able to make upgrades, if needed, adequately.

A senior activity center may be coming to Jackson. You could hear some applause ring out after it was voted on.

Mayor Conger explained why this is important.

“In the City of Jackson, we do not have a senior activity center. Closest one is in the Denmark-Huntersville area. I can tell you from personal experience of my time at United Way, driving around 14 counties, those senior activity centers save people’s lives,” he said.

Mayor Conger went on to talk about the many benefits of having a place where local seniors can come together and socialize and do activities with one another.

This was the final monthly meeting for this calendar year. 

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