Jackson State University will host the Hinds County Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting on Monday, April 20.
The 9 a.m. meeting will be held at JSU’s Student Center located at Dalton and Lynch streets in West Jackson, according to Jean C. Frazier, state and local government relations coordinator, JSU Division of Institutional Advancement.
Visitor parking will be available at the Student Center and adjacent facility lots, she said. The Board meeting will open with welcome remarks from JSU President Carolyn W. Meyers.
Supervision and management of the county jail has dominated recent news with reports of renovations and repairs topping $5 million over the past two years. Students from JSU’s Department of Political Science and the graduate Department of Public Policy and Administration will participate during the public comment portion, Frazier said, and jail issues are a likely topic.
Other issues likely to come up involve juvenile justice and the impact of county jail administration on our communities, she said.
The Jackson City Council met at JSU on March 24 and issues raised by JSU students about drinking water, roads and other city infrastructure were cited by Mayor Tony Yarber as the tipping point for his calling a state of emergency days later for the city to fix the issues.
“A young lady (Jordan Carter, a junior in Political Science) showed up …. She said that when a boil water notice is issued, that students in dorms cannot boil their water,” Yarber told WJTV-Channel 12.
As a parent with one child living in a dorm at JSU, Mayor Yarber said that’s when he knew it was time to take action. “It came home to me as clear as day that something had to be done,” Yarber said.
Gov. Phil Bryant said he supported the mayor’s effort. “I’d be certainly open to talking with the Mississippi Legislature about helping support in and around the Capitol complex. That should be part of our responsibility. The mayor’s doing a really good job. We’re going to help him in every way we can,” Bryant told WJTV.
As part of JSU’s State and Local Government program, the change in venue for the supervisors meeting is designed to bring government to the campus. The meeting holds much promise for student activism and for engagement among the administration, faculty and staff and the west Jackson community.
Board President Peggy Hobson Calhoun, a 1970 JSU grad, said she is proud to bring local government to the JSU campus as an opportunity to engage the electorate in community development and issues that affect families and communities.
Kiyadh Burt, a graduating honors Political Science major, views the meeting as an opportunity for students to witness the local government process and the impact of decisions made on communities.
“This will be a unique opportunity to see and hear firsthand how decisions are made regarding the supervision and management of our juvenile justice system,” said Burt. “Our families and communities are affected. We must be involved as activists.”
The overall mission of JSU’s State and Local Government program is to engage the University family, including students, with our local and statewide processes and electorates while promoting the JSU academy and enterprise, Frazier said.
For more information, contact Frazier at 601-979-4208 or jean.c.frazier@jsums.edu.