Jackson State University students got the opportunity to air local government concerns at a special meeting of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors on the main campus Monday.
LaTonya Curley, a fourth year graduate student in the Department of Public Policy Administration, led the public comments session at the beginning of the meeting at the Student Center.
Citing “dangerous conditions” at the Hinds County Detention Center at Raymond, Curley listed safety measure that could be taken, including:
— Removing metal around mirrors that can be used to fashion weapons;
— Hiring more experienced employees;
— Holding more training exercises for employees;
— Hiring a compliance officer to monitor and improve efficiency and quality.
The Board declared an emergency after a March 31 riot at the center left one inmate dead and five others injured. The Jackson Hinds Swat team had to intervene to quell the disturbance. No jail employees were injured, authorities reported.
At Monday’s meeting, Board President Peggy Hobson Calhoun said all of the suggestions by Curley were either implemented or in the process of being implemented.
In fact, later in the meeting, the Board approved several motions, including:
— Adding two staff members to the Center to monitor, repair and maintain locks on cell doors;
— Approving $1.3 million for upgrades at the Center, including fire alarms, smoke detectors, repairing damaged pipes and securing recreation yards;
— Ratifying previous action of $100,000 in emergency repairs at the Center, and expanding the emergency declaration to include the Jackson Detention Center.
In addition, Hobson reported to the Board that a criminal justice meeting March 26 with other officials discussed more action that has or would be taken, including a liaison to speed inmate cases to adjudication.
In response to Curley’s concerns, 4th District Supervisor Tony Greer said “We’ve already spent about $5 million to address these issues.” In addition, a task force is looking at building a new detention center at a projected cost of around $45 million, he said.
Other students also expressed local community concerns, including Christina Spann, a second year masters student in the Department of Public Policy and Administration, who suggested that the Board impose smoke-free restrictions on public housing.
Citing health statistics that show the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, Spann said that smoke “creeps in” from one apartment to another in multi-unit housing and that making them smoke-free would reduce chronic illnesses and improve the quality of life.
Hobson said that trying to impose such restrictions could raise jurisdictional issues, such as action by the Mississippi Legislature, and questioned whether the Board had the legal authority to impose such a ban.
Reginald S. Davis, a second year masters student in the Department of Urban Planning, urged the Board to require greater “victim identification” in handling child sex traffic.
Citing statistics of the number of young males recruiting into the sex trade, Davis said the county should partner with LGBT organizations to help young gay men who were forced into “survival sex” on the streets.
In other issues, several supervisors boasted of their connections with JSU, including District 5 Supervisor George Smith, who noted that JSU is in his district. Hobson said she was proud to be a part of JSU and to be in partnership with JSU’s State and Local Government program in hosting the board meeting.
“I love my dear old college home,” said Hobson, a 1970 JSU grad.
The Board was welcomed to the campus by Dr. James C. Renick, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs.
The Board voted unanimously for a resolution honoring Angela Stewart, archivist for JSU’s Margaret Walker Center for the Study of the African-American Experience. The resolution regards Stewart recently receiving the highest award given by the Mississippi Historical Records Advisory Board.
Interim University Communications Executive Director Rob Jay was recognized by the supervisors, as well.
The Board asked all county employees who had attended JSU to stand, and about a dozen stood up.
Johnnie McDaniel, the new executive director of the Henley Young Juvenile Justice Center, was introduced to the Board and he turned to audience and said that he also was a JSU alum and, like Hobson, was grateful to be appearing “at my dear old college home.”