A Plan for a Thriving Ward Seven:
My goals, priorities, and commitments as your Ward Seven Councilperson
These are the goals I am committing to pursue - in part based on feedback from committed Jacksonians like you. But none of them can be accomplished by one councilperson, or by City Hall alone. They will require partnership among residents, neighborhood leaders, city employees, businesses, nonprofits, and others who believe in Ward Seven’s future.
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Additional commitments
City Council does not have direct oversight of Jackson’s school system, so I am not including specific goals and plans for schools here. Nevertheless, I remain committed to working closely with Jackson Public Schools and the other schools serving Ward Seven to help ensure all students have access to a rigorous, inspiring, and safe learning environment.
Crime and Safety
GOAL: One full year with zero homicides in Ward Seven
INFORMATION: Every homicide is a tragedy. While my ultimate hope is a city with no homicides, my immediate responsibility is Ward Seven. The most recent homicide in Ward Seven occurred on June 13, 2026. Our immediate objective is to prevent another. Of course, safety and well-being involve far more than homicide numbers alone. But preventing homicides should be among our highest public-safety priorities because no crime has a more devastating consequence: the loss of human life. Additionally, strategies that successfully reduce homicides may also help reduce other forms of crime.
PLAN: [1] Increase sworn officer staffing in the Jackson Police Department to at least 255 by the end of 2027; [2] Improve our analysis of homicide data to better understand the who, where, how, and why behind homicides, and use that information to develop targeted prevention and enforcement strategies. [3] Promote collaboration between local law enforcement agencies
Roads
GOAL: By 2036, achieve an average PASER street rating of seven across Ward Seven, with no street rated below 5.
INFORMATION: The most cost-effective way to improve our streets isn’t simply to resurface the worst roads first. Good pavement management requires maintaining streets while they are still in good condition, using lower-cost treatments to extend their useful lives, and strategically investing in the streets that need more substantial rehabilitation. By regularly assessing every Ward Seven street and matching each one with the appropriate treatment, we can make limited infrastructure dollars go much further.
PLAN: [1] Resurface Woodrow Wilson by the completion of the next MPO grant cycle, or secure funding for its resurfacing through that cycle. [2] Ensure the Elton Road Corridor Project remains on track for completion by mid-2028. [3] Bring in Cody Burnett, an expert in pavement management, to present to Ward Seven neighborhood leaders, key officials, and strategic partners during the first quarter of 2027. [4] Complete a comprehensive audit of Ward Seven streets by the end of the second quarter of 2027. [5] Using that audit and lessons learned from Cody Burnett’s presentation, develop and implement a strategic maintenance approach that preserves streets in good condition while improving those in poor condition.
Blight
GOAL: By 2030, remove more blighted properties each year than are added to the backlog.
INFORMATION: For years, Jackson has accumulated more blighted properties than it has been able to eliminate. As a result, the backlog continues to grow. Our goal should be to reach a tipping point where, each year, we remove more blight than is added to the backlog. More information about Jackson’s current code enforcement process and its challenges is available here.
PLAN: [1] Aggressively pursue grants and demolition funding. [2] Develop and advocate for stronger incentives for property owners to comply and a more effective strategy for collecting amounts owed to the City. [3] Streamline the code enforcement process, working with state and/or federal legislators as applicable to reduce unnecessary redundancies and inefficiencies. [4] Support the City’s Planning Department in implementing and evaluating the Volunteer Code Enforcement Program authorized by the ordinance we passed. [5] Explore creative opportunities for neighborhoods, nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropic partners to voluntarily support blight elimination efforts.
Homelessness
GOAL: [1] Help 100 individuals and families experiencing homelessness obtain stable housing; [2] Close every homeless encampment in our city by connecting residents to safer, more stable alternatives
INFORMATION: Homelessness affects everyone. Individuals experiencing homelessness deserve dignity, safety, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. At the same time, residents deserve clean, safe public spaces. The goal is not simply to move homelessness from one neighborhood to another, but to help people achieve stable housing while ensuring parks, sidewalks, and other public spaces remain accessible to everyone.
PLAN: [1] Promote and support the implementation of Homeward Jackson to identify individuals experiencing homelessness, coordinate outreach, and track progress toward permanent housing. More information about Homeward Jackson is available here. [2] Close encampments responsibly by prioritizing outreach and connections to housing and other appropriate alternatives, while maintaining public health and safety.
Financial stewardship
GOAL: Catch up on Jackson’s past-due audits and submit all future audits on time.
INFORMATION: When I took office, the most recent audit the City had completed was for FY22. Falling behind on audits limits our access to grants and other funding opportunities and makes it more difficult to accurately understand the City’s financial position. We have since completed the FY23 audit and are currently under contract for the FY24 and FY25 audits. Completing these audits requires not only the work of our outside auditors, but also timely and accurate financial records, schedules, and supporting documentation from the City and its partners.
PLAN: [1] Push for completion of the FY24 audit by October 31, 2026, and the FY25 audit by January 31, 2027. [2] Quickly enter into a contract for our FY26 audit. [3] Identify and address the internal processes that have contributed to audit delays so that Jackson can establish a sustainable annual process and never fall behind again.
Building an animal welfare system
GOAL: Rebuild Jackson’s animal welfare system so that stray and abandoned animals can be safely and humanely cared for.
INFORMATION: Jackson’s current animal shelter is closed to the public and in poor condition, leaving our city without the facilities needed to care for stray and abandoned animals. As a result, animal control officers, residents, rescuers, and potential adopters all face unnecessary challenges. A city the size of Jackson deserves an animal welfare system that is humane, functional, and accessible.
PLAN: [1] Restore the existing shelter so it can safely serve as an operations facility for animal intake, evaluation, and care. [2] Develop a welcoming, centrally located, public-facing adoption center that makes adoption and volunteering easier. [3] Launch a community fundraising campaign to help fund these facility improvements, bringing together residents, businesses, foundations, and other philanthropic partners. [4] Build the staffing, equipment, partnerships, policies, and sustainable operating funding necessary for long-term success.
Fire safety
GOAL: Restore Jackson’s fire protection system to a Class 3 ISO rating
INFORMATION: Jackson’s fire protection rating recently moved from Class 3 to Class 4. The Mississippi State Rating Bureau evaluates communities’ fire protection capabilities on a scale from 1 to 10, with a lower rating indicating stronger fire protection. While a Class 4 rating remains relatively strong, Class 3 is currently the highest rating achieved by any Mississippi community. Regaining our Class 3 rating would reflect improvements in Jackson’s fire protection capabilities and may also benefit residents and businesses through insurance rates. Jackson’s next reevaluation is expected in approximately five years.
PLAN: [1] Increase the firefighter workforce to at least 325. [2] Continue restoring and modernizing fire stations. [3] Support investments in equipment and technology that improve firefighter safety and emergency response. [4] Work with fire leadership to address the factors identified in Jackson’s most recent evaluation and regain a Class 3 rating.
Grocery stores
GOAL: No additional grocery store closures in Jackson, and at least two new grocery stores opened within city limits
INFORMATION: In 2026, I helped spearhead a City Council hearing on retaining and recruiting grocery stores. Now it is time to put what we learned from that hearing into action.
PLAN: [1] Retain the stores we have: Maintain relationships with existing grocery operators to better understand challenges and identify ways the City can help address barriers to their continued success. [2] Make Jackson investment-ready: Identify and market the strongest sites for future grocery development, streamline City processes where possible, and pursue state, federal, and private incentives that can help close financing gaps. [3] Recruit aggressively: Personally meet with regional and national grocery operators, independent grocers, and developers to make the case for investing in Jackson.
Parks
While I care passionately about parks throughout Ward Seven and across Jackson, I have identified the following immediate priorities:
Battlefield Park: [1] Fix the tennis court stadium lighting; [2] Clean the park of litter and debris, and ensure it remains clean; [3] Renovate the interior of the community center, acquire new appliances, and ensure the center is open and accessible to community groups, particularly the nearby neighborhood association
Jamie Fowler Boyll Park: Pursue an MOU with a partner that can provide necessary near-term improvements and ensure long-term park maintenance, while ensuring local residents have a voice in the park’s future
Midtown Art Park & Skate Garden: Assist Midtown Partners with the construction / redevelopment of a park in the Midtown neighborhood
Joy Spreaders Park: Assist the Joy Spreaders Foundation with the construction / redevelopment of a park in the Farish neighborhood
Riverfront Park: Support the Jackson River District Partnership in transforming City-owned property along the Pearl River into a public park with trails, gathering space, and free public river access.
Library system
GOAL: Open a library in Jackson’s Seventh Ward.
INFORMATION: Jackson received nearly $4 million in federal funding to replace the former Eudora Welty Library, but approximately three years later, a location for the new downtown branch has still not been finalized. Those funds will not remain available indefinitely. At the same time, the Jackson/Hinds Library System has raised concerns about securing the ongoing funding necessary to operate a new branch once it opens. We need a plan that addresses both challenges and moves this project from concept to reality.
PLAN: [1] Work with the Jackson/Hinds Library System and City administration to identify and remove the barriers preventing a downtown library from opening. [2] Help identify and evaluate potential locations within Ward Seven. [3] Build partnerships to address any remaining capital and operating funding gaps. [4] Support the Library System throughout site selection, planning, construction or renovation, and opening so the project moves from concept to reality.
Drainage projects
GOAL: Eliminate known areas of chronic flooding in Ward Seven.
PLAN: [1] Ensure bond projects related to Belhaven Creek, Eubanks Creek, and Cany Creek remain on track through completion; [2] Remove the Seminole Bridge and eventually replace it with a pedestrian and bicycle bridge; [3] Track and aggressively follow up on 311 requests related to drainage, creek clearing, and similar issues until they are resolved.
Neighborhoods are one of our most powerful tools for strengthening and revitalizing Jackson. They help residents organize around shared priorities, support one another, and work directly with City leaders to improve safety, beautification, infrastructure, and quality of life. Since being elected, I’ve begun bringing neighborhood leaders from across Ward Seven together quarterly. My goal is simple: every Ward Seven neighborhood should have at least one strong voice at the table.
Want to join these neighborhood leader meetings? Let us know by filling out a form available here.
In alignment with my values of transparency, communication, education, and partnership, I publish an electronic newsletter sharing the progress, challenges, and opportunities of our work. I commit to continuing that commitment throughout my time in office.
Not yet subscribed but would like to? You can receive future email updates by filling out a form available here.
During my first year in office, we launched the Ward Seven High School Council. I commit to continuing the program to teach students how city government works, give City leaders regular input from young people, and develop future civic leaders.