Here are highlights of what happened at the Jackson City Council meeting on Sept. 14:
-The City Council voted down the first reading of an Aggressive Solicitation Ordinance in a 5 to 2 vote. The proposed ordinance intended to curb panhandling in Jackson by setting parameters for solicitation and making aggressive panhandling a civil infraction. The council intends to look at solutions to address concerns about panhandling at a future meeting.
-The first step to getting a Police Oversight Commission for Jackson was approved by the City Council. A second reading of an ordinance to officially create the commission will be considered at a future meeting. The commission would be comprised of residents who will review police department policies, procedures and resident complaints about police interactions.
-A new affordable apartment building could be on its way to Downtown Jackson. The Jackson City Council approved an ordinance that reduced the tax liability for The Blackstone Apartments, a 45 unit low-to-moderate income apartment development that will take shape on N. Blackstone Street and Louis Glick Highway. Passing the ordinance, also known as a PILOT program, is a necessary first step for developers to make affordable housing projects happen and to seek additional government funding.
-Funding has been provided from the City Council to reshape Randolph Street through Cascades Park. Later this fall, half of the boulevard and speed bumps on Randolph between Brown and High streets will be removed, and the remaining one-way street will be turned into a two-way street. The street will be resurfaced, and intersections with High and Brown will be realigned. This project will be happening to set vehicle traffic further back from the park and to reduce the amount of streets the City has to maintain. There is no official start date for the project.
-A revised Urban Farming Ordinance was proposed at the meeting. A first reading of the ordinance was passed at the meeting, and will need future consideration before being officially adopted. The Urban Farming Ordinance allows residents to have bees, pigs and chickens on their properties.
-The sale of six City-owned properties were approved by the City Council. Nearly $1 million in revenue has been generated through the sale of City-owned properties and vacant lots since the start of 2021.
A recording of the meeting is available on this page.