Jackson, MS Cleanup Continues
The city of Jackson has resumed paying Community Improvement contractors and is expected to lift a moratorium on property cleanups soon. An internal investigation following allegations of favoritism for some contractors and mistreatment of others has concluded. Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. last week gave the council a final report outlining the administration’s plan to prevent problems in the future. But it did not address what, specifically, occurred. The most significant change being made is the hiring of a compliance officer to oversee the bid process in all city departments where contracts are under $50,000. The plan also calls for organizational changes within Community Improvement to provide better separation of duties. Inspection officers, for instance, will no longer have a say in who gets awarded a contract.
