Jackson 2026: A Fresh Look at City Council Goals

Big Changes on the Horizon

Jackson's city council members are setting their sights on significant changes for 2026. They're focusing on three main areas:

• Keeping people safe
• Tackling neglected properties
• Fixing up the city's roads and buildings

Each council member has their own priorities based on the area they represent.

Ward 1: Councilman Ashby Foote

• Primary Concern: Residents leaving Jackson
• Focus Areas:
• Protecting homes and businesses from squatters
• Cleaning up abandoned properties
• Task Force Involvement: Part of a new task force aimed at cleaning up abandoned properties (meeting status unclear)

Ward 2: Councilwoman Tina Clay

• Primary Concern: Steady income and neighborhood benefits
• Focus Areas:
• Commercial growth along key roads
• Attracting more shops and businesses
• Involving all residents in neighborhood improvements
• Beliefs:
• Jackson needs to focus on its strengths and market itself better to attract investment

Ward 3: Councilman Kenneth Stokes

• Primary Concern: Public safety and accountability
• Focus Areas:
• Tougher enforcement
• Impact of abandoned homes on neighborhood decline
• Addressing drug dealers operating in the city

Ward 4: Council President Brian Grizzell

• Primary Concern: City operations and infrastructure
• Focus Areas:
• Improving public safety with better technology
• Redirecting resources to basics like infrastructure and cleaning up blight
• Condition of roads and bridges in his ward
• Spread of neglect in certain neighborhoods

Ward 5: Councilman Vernon Hartley

• Primary Concern: Basic infrastructure
• Focus Areas:
• Blighted properties
• Fixing up roads and drainage systems
• Task Force Involvement: Part of the Abandoned Property Task Force
• Acknowledgement: His ward has some of the most persistent blight challenges

Ward 6: Councilwoman Lashia Brown-Thomas

• Primary Concern: Safety and neighborhood revitalization
• Focus Areas:
• Reducing crime
• Addressing abandoned properties
• Helping South Jackson "flourish" again after years of decline

Ward 7: Councilman Kevin Parkinson

• Primary Concern: Functional city services and transparency
• Focus Areas:
• Hiring a new police chief
• Addressing the lack of grocery stores in the city

The Big Question for 2026

• Can leaders turn their priorities into real action?
• The city's problems are well-known, and residents are waiting to see if this year brings real progress or just more talk.