Here are highlights of what happened at the Jackson City Council meeting on Nov. 9:
-Jackson’s efforts to replace lead service lines is getting a big boost. The City Council approved a plan to use $2.3 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to replace nearly 400 lead service lines in the City. The replacements along four streets will happen in 2022.
-The City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance that will create an Affordable Housing Development Authority and a Housing Trust Fund for the City to address housing instability and affordability. If this plan is given final approval at the next meeting, $3.5 million in ARP funds would be used to power the programs.
-$700,000 in ARP funds are going toward a new fire truck for the Jackson Fire Department. The City Council approved the purchase. The new rig will replace an aging fire truck.
-The City of Jackson has a new official City Seal. The City Council voted 6 to 1 to change the seal, which is used for display purposes at City facilities and on official documents. The new seal, which shows the Jackson skyline and Grand River, was created to represent imagery more specific to the City of Jackson, Michigan. The former seal, which depicted Andrew Jackson on a horse, was replaced due to its negative associations of Andrew Jackson’s notoriety as a slaveholder and someone who was instrumental in the forced removal of Native Americans. The new seal will be phased-in over the next year.
The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 16. A recording of the meeting available on this page.