In August, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba signed agreements allowing Hinds County to repave 133 streets in the capital city.
However, interlocal agreements for around 25 Northeast Jackson streets remained unsigned at press time.
Hinds County board attorney Pieter Teeuwissen was expected to meet with city officials this week to find out why.
He suspects the streets likely got lost in the shuffle and hopes that the agreements will be signed soon.
“The county has sent over several dozen interlocal agreements over the last few years that had not been returned,” he said. “Recently, the city decided to take some of those agreements and reformat them into what they call a ‘consolidated agreement.’ The agreement did not appear to include any of the streets (chosen by District One Supervisor Robert Graham).
“The city was probably trying to simplify the process and some streets were lost in the shuffle.”
Because Hinds County is a separate entity, it must obtain permission to pave streets within the city. It does that through seeking an “interlocal agreement.” Under state law, before one governmental agency can work with another, an agreement must be signed by both parties and submitted to the Mississippi attorney general for approval.
The interlocals can take weeks or months to sign off on, depending on various factors.
Graham has been one of the most outspoken critics of the city, openly asking why Jackson would turn down millions of dollars in help when its streets are falling apart.
“It’s like me trying to come over there and make you put $20 in your own pocket and you don’t want to (do it),” he said. “
In recent years, the county has allocated $11 million to pave roadways, including $4.5 million in Graham’s district.
City leaders, though, say before the interlocal agreements are signed, they must go through a “rigorous review process.”
“It all comes down to a number of factors,” said Jackson spokeswoman Candice Cole. “I can assure you no one is cherry picking streets.”
As part of the review, public works checks in to whether there are any water or sewer main issues underneath the road and whether there are compliance issues that must be met under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Jackson leaders don’t want the county to pave a street that will have to be dug up shortly after to repair a broken water or sewer main.
As for ADA rules, city leaders state that when streets are repaved, any sidewalks and other pedestrian features must also be brought up to federal code.
In 2016, former Mayor Tony Yarber initially would not sign off on allowing Hinds County repaving Watkins Drive because the city would have to spend around $400,000 to repair the sidewalks. The city did not have the funds budgeted, but eventually agreed to pave the roads after pressure from the public.
Graham said he’s learned his lesson since the Watkins Drive incident. Streets chosen since then are neighborhood streets with no sidewalks. Additionally, Graham said the roadways shouldn’t have any underlying water or sewer issues.
Teeuwissen hoped Monday’s meeting would bring to light any road issues that still exist.
Said Teeuwissen, “I’m sure it will be a positive meeting.”
Northside Streets approved by supervisors:
• Sedgwick Drive;
• Edgewood Terrace/McWillie Drive;
• Westbrook Road;
• Meadow Lane;
• Sandlewood Drive;
• Riverwood Drive;
• Foxboro Drive;
• Cedars of Lebanon;
• Keele Street;
• Lawrence Road;
• Manhattan Road;
• Beasley Road;
• Kaywood Drive;
• Parkway Drive;
• Westbrook Road;
• Presto Lane;
• Robinwood Drive;
• Northpointe Drive;
• Northpointe Circle;
• Waterford Drive;
• Robert Drive;
• Roxbury Road;
• Autumn Hill Drive;
• Village Green Drive.
