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May 9, 2016: Jackson Free Press: UPDATE: 'Very Serious': Council Accuses Mayor of Dodging Whether Budget Reserves Depleted
"This is just basic information," Priester said at a special council meeting this morning to discuss the budget and the City's sludge contract. "The administration has the data. They are purposefully refusing to give basic information to the council that portrays them in a bad light, that portrays hem in the light that they do not have the ability to control their budgets and have basic management oversight." Apr 21, 2016: Clarion Ledger: Capitol Complex District bill is dead
City Council President Melvin Priester Jr. said in a Facebook post the final version of the bill was completely different from what the council had approved. Apr 20, 2016: Clarion Ledger: Mayor addresses unpaid workers, calls for policy change
Councilman Melvin Priester called the city's Early Childhood Development Program one of the most important in the city, indicating his commitment to finding the money the department needs. Mar 23, 2016: Jackson Free Press: Transparency in the City
"In light of recent hiccups with open-records requests ... this is something that is important. ... (We must) reach out to the public and administration and say, look, let's get better at this," Council President Melvin Priester Jr. said of the resolution. "When I say that we have had some recent hiccups, I think that is an example of one where we didn't get documents to the requesting party in a timely manner." Mar 23, 2016: Jackson Free Press: Post-Uber, Jackson’s Taxicab Drivers Want Fewer Regs, More Freedom
An ordinance is working its way through the potentially contentious road to passage before the Jackson City Council, authored by Council President Melvin Priester Jr., of Ward 2. He wants to re-evaluate the industry in light of policies Uber forced the city to address head-on. |
Mar 22, 2016: Clarion ledger: Jackson City Council pushes public records compliance
“It’s important to us, that’s plain and simple. I wanted to make sure we have a resolution in light of the recent lumps we have rightfully taken about compliance with open records requests," said Councilman Melvin Priester Jr., who co-authored the bill. "We need the public to have faith in the city leadership and when they feel that we are stonewalling them on information or not forthcoming, rightfully or wrongfully — look, I know how much work you all have. This is just one of those things like many other things, where it's just an obligation that we have, and one we must not let fall through the cracks. That is the spirit of the resolution from my end."
“It’s important to us, that’s plain and simple. I wanted to make sure we have a resolution in light of the recent lumps we have rightfully taken about compliance with open records requests," said Councilman Melvin Priester Jr., who co-authored the bill. "We need the public to have faith in the city leadership and when they feel that we are stonewalling them on information or not forthcoming, rightfully or wrongfully — look, I know how much work you all have. This is just one of those things like many other things, where it's just an obligation that we have, and one we must not let fall through the cracks. That is the spirit of the resolution from my end."
Feb 24, 2016: WAPT: Shouting match breaks out at council meeting
President Melvin Priester and Councilman Kenny Stokes went back and forth over who had the floor to speak.
President Melvin Priester and Councilman Kenny Stokes went back and forth over who had the floor to speak.
Jan 13, 2016: Your City Council: Recap of the Regular City Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 2016
The City Council wants to find an economical resolution to protect our community. Council President Melvin Priester, Jr. suggests developing dog parks for animal lovers. Revenue generated from the parks can help fund additional Animal Control equipment.
The City Council wants to find an economical resolution to protect our community. Council President Melvin Priester, Jr. suggests developing dog parks for animal lovers. Revenue generated from the parks can help fund additional Animal Control equipment.
Dec 22, 2015: Jackson Free Press: 1 Percent Tax: A Test for Contractor Reform
The ordinances went to the council's Rules Committee last week, but City Council President Melvin Priester Jr. took the opportunity to ask IMS about its subcontractors.
The ordinances went to the council's Rules Committee last week, but City Council President Melvin Priester Jr. took the opportunity to ask IMS about its subcontractors.
Oct 20, 2015: jackson Free Press: Yarber Downtown 'Resort' Plan Draws Council Scrutiny
"The future is now, brother," Stamps said. Council President Melvin Priester Jr., of Ward 2, echoed Stamps' concerns, agreeing that the plan should also help downtown businesses that are already up and running.
"The future is now, brother," Stamps said. Council President Melvin Priester Jr., of Ward 2, echoed Stamps' concerns, agreeing that the plan should also help downtown businesses that are already up and running.
Aug 10, 2015: WJTV: Jackson mayor, council members discuss furloughs for city workers
“The mayor has made a bold proposal to increase taxes by 8% and still furlough city employees. Right now we’re giving the mayor a chance to make his case. Let’s be patient and give them a chance to explain why he has proposed what he is proposing,” added Melvin Priester.
“The mayor has made a bold proposal to increase taxes by 8% and still furlough city employees. Right now we’re giving the mayor a chance to make his case. Let’s be patient and give them a chance to explain why he has proposed what he is proposing,” added Melvin Priester.
Aug 5, 2015: Jackson Free Press: State of the City Precedes Budget Talks
Council President Melvin Priester Jr., of Ward 2, voted to support the clinic but only after going on record with his grievances that members of the medical community were not involved in the decision-making process.
Council President Melvin Priester Jr., of Ward 2, voted to support the clinic but only after going on record with his grievances that members of the medical community were not involved in the decision-making process.
June 17, 2015: Jackson Free Press: City Council Recap: Uber, Bongs and Food Trucks
Ward 2 Council Melvin Priester Jr., an attorney, said it would be hard for the council to regulate Uber because the company is a web service. "We don't regulate the Internet as the city council," Priester told the taxi drivers present at the meeting. May 14, 2015: Clarion Ledger: City Council hires retired federal agents to lead probe
Council Vice President Melvin Priester Jr. said Thursday there is no timetable on when the investigation will be concluded. "We don't want this to be a witch hunt," Priester said. "We want to take the time needed. We have a lot of information to dig through." |
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Mar 30, 2015: Jackson Free Press: JPD, Public Works Overtime Budgets Up
"We're paying more because we're not staffed up," explained Budget Committee Chairman and Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. at this morning's meeting.
"We're paying more because we're not staffed up," explained Budget Committee Chairman and Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. at this morning's meeting.
Mar 26, 2015: Jackson Free Press: Yarber Pulls A HOC-Style Trick From His Sleeve, Declares State of Emergency
Council Vice-President Melvin Priester Jr., who presides over the council's Budget Committee, said Yarber's declaration put the city in unchartered territory and he wants to see the details of the plan. "If you can declare an emergency about aging infrastructure when there hasn’t been a tornado or hurricane or breakdown at the water-treatment plant, and magically be able to draw from a big pool of money with no strings attached, every municipality in Mississippi would have done it," Priester said.
Council Vice-President Melvin Priester Jr., who presides over the council's Budget Committee, said Yarber's declaration put the city in unchartered territory and he wants to see the details of the plan. "If you can declare an emergency about aging infrastructure when there hasn’t been a tornado or hurricane or breakdown at the water-treatment plant, and magically be able to draw from a big pool of money with no strings attached, every municipality in Mississippi would have done it," Priester said.
Mar 17, 2015: Jackson Free Press: Country Club Plan Lands in the Hazard, Arts Lofts Get New Life
Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. suggested that the matter be tabled for further consideration, but Barrett-Simon said it would be better to excise the provision from any further consideration.
Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. suggested that the matter be tabled for further consideration, but Barrett-Simon said it would be better to excise the provision from any further consideration.
Mar 15, 2015: Jackson Free Press: Tyrone Hendrix
"The city can be a unifying force," given all Jackson's health-care organizations, including the hospitals, clinics and the Jackson Medical Mall, said Jackson Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr.
"The city can be a unifying force," given all Jackson's health-care organizations, including the hospitals, clinics and the Jackson Medical Mall, said Jackson Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr.
Mar 4, 2015: Jackson Free Press: City Roundup: Health Care Zones, Land Trusts
After a three-hour meeting last week, just when the council was set to discuss a proposal from Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, tension emerged between the members of the council over whether to go into a closed-door executive session to discuss litigation related to the Siemens contract. "The public has a right to know we've been hoodwinked," Stokes said at the meeting. "Now is the time to send a message to Siemens that we've been hoodwinked and we want our money back."
After a three-hour meeting last week, just when the council was set to discuss a proposal from Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, tension emerged between the members of the council over whether to go into a closed-door executive session to discuss litigation related to the Siemens contract. "The public has a right to know we've been hoodwinked," Stokes said at the meeting. "Now is the time to send a message to Siemens that we've been hoodwinked and we want our money back."
Jan 20, 2015: WAPT: Students, neighbors honor Martin Luther King & promote message 'Black Lives Matter'
But Ward 2 Jackson City Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. says, right now, that message is important for Jackson’s youth. "We've had so much trouble in Jackson the last couple weeks," Priester said. "We all know about the span of shootings from south Jackson to north Jackson that have happened in the last week. We, as a city, have got to do better by our teen, and events like this help us do better by our teens."
But Ward 2 Jackson City Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. says, right now, that message is important for Jackson’s youth. "We've had so much trouble in Jackson the last couple weeks," Priester said. "We all know about the span of shootings from south Jackson to north Jackson that have happened in the last week. We, as a city, have got to do better by our teen, and events like this help us do better by our teens."
Aug 22, 2014: WLBT: Lee Vance named Jackson's new Chief of Police
He and Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. said they're very optimistic about the road ahead for Jackson's next police chief. "We're very pleased with the nomination of Chief Vance, that Mr. Vance is someone who's very well-known in the community, and we expect it to be a very quick confirmation process," Priester said.
He and Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. said they're very optimistic about the road ahead for Jackson's next police chief. "We're very pleased with the nomination of Chief Vance, that Mr. Vance is someone who's very well-known in the community, and we expect it to be a very quick confirmation process," Priester said.