Mayor Harvey Johnson showed gratitude to his Transition Team at a 5:30 p.m. reception this past Tuesday at Roberts Walthall Hotel (225 E. Capitol St.) in downtown Jackson.
“I can’t thank you enough for the important work you have done,” said Mayor Johnson. “Your dedication to this process and your service to the city of Jackson are appreciated.”
Eleven Transition Team Committees selected by the mayor were charged with evaluating and assessing the various departments that comprise the City of Jackson. Specifically, their task was to evaluate the operations, policies, and effectiveness of the administrative departments, quasi-public agencies and offices, and to make recommendations to improve their service to the people of Jackson.
The administrative departments are (1) Constituent Services, (2) Economic Development and Planning, (3) Finance and Administration, (4) Fire, (5) Human and Cultural Services, (6) Legal, (7) Media and Public Relations, (8) Parks and Recreation, (9) Personnel Management, (10) Police, and (11) Public Works.
Additionally, a Steering Committee composed of five members worked closely with the Transition Team staff in the facilitation, distribution and collection of data; addressing committee inquiries; and ensuring that tasks were completed timely.
What were the committees’ compositions? They were community, educational, business, labor, legislative, and faith-based leaders throughout the city of Jackson.
The Mayor Harvey Johnson Transition Team Report is the culmination of interviews, inquiries, research, and analyses conducted by the Transition Team Commit-tees.
To further Johnson’s vision for the City of Jackson, The Transition Team recommended the following: (1) Make Jackson safe for all citizens; (2) Create a more transparent and accountable city government; (3) Create cleaner neighborhoods and new and better housing opportunities; (4) Enhance local revenue, but not on the backs of taxpayers; (5) Create jobs for Jacksonians; and (6) Improve programs and services for senior citizens and youth development.
In response to the committees’ recommendations, Johnson stated, “First of all, I commend the members of the Transition Team for taking their job so seriously. Some recommendations we’re able to incorporate in the budget this year.”
Christopher D. Mims, director of Communications in the Office of the Mayor, opined that the Transition Team’s opinions and assessments will go a long way to identify areas for a closer look and control of the City and administrative departments. Of immediacy, a planning director has been put in place for a “real structure.”
Transition Team’s co-director Tyrone Hendrix and John Maxey, Steering Committee co-chair, spoke similarly of the Transition Team and its efforts “for transparency and accountability and citizen participation.” Both concurred that since the city is composed of citizens of the community and their government, having an active voice would enable them to move forward over the next four years. As Maxey put it, “The grander scheme is economic development. [Things are needed] to help our children, our grandchildren.”
How has Johnson’s vision impacted others? “In terms of my vision: transparency and accountability, we have citizens now looking at you by giving in and talking to the government. That’s consistent [with] my vision- to use all the resources we have to make a difference,” he said pointedly.
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