Jackson Board of Aldermen approves land sale to Rubbermaid for employee parking

Jackson Board of Aldermen members discussed several topics during its lengthy meeting Monday, March 18.

One ordinance it passed involved approving a land sale to Newell Rubbermaid Development, the largest manufacturer and second-largest employer in the city. The 5.59-acre tract of land at 868 W. Jackson Trail was sold for a total purchase price of $190,000.

The land had previously been a parking lot leased to the company for employee and truck parking. It was later converted by the city to a public commuter lot. Rubbermaid officials approached the city about purchasing the land in 2023, citing the need for expanded equipment parking and securing said equipment from public access.

The lot will be permanently closed to all public parking; city administration plans to give those who use it a minimum 30-day notice to relocate their vehicles.

Other ordinances included approving a special-use permit for a temporary mobile office unit and sleeping quarters at Fire Station No. 1 at 525 S. Hope St. because of ongoing construction.

The city also approved ordinances of $25,000 to provide city administrator executive search services to GovHR of Tampa, Florida; $49,925 to Putz Construction of Millersville for municipal courtroom interior renovations; and $74,677.15 to Banner Fire Equipment of Roxana, Illinois, for fire/rescue breathing air station equipment.

Public comments

Monday’s meeting featured a few public comments on non-agenda items.

Jackson School District assistant superintendent Matt Lacy provided a debriefing on the high school Interact Club’s Purple Paw 5K run to the aldermen.

“We were told from our community ... several years ago that we want strong academics, but we want students to be givers and not just takers. We want fine young people that know how to give back to the community and, because of your cooperation, we’re able to do that.”

This year’s Purple Paw run took place in February. The school district is holding a Team Jackson 5K race Saturday, March 23.

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Additionally, a few residents expressed a desire for stop signs to be installed at the driveway of Connection Point Church and Greensferry Road.

Resident Ron McKiddy had come to the board about a speeding problem on the road several times over the past 18 months. The City of Jackson installed rumble strips there in October, but McKiddy said they have proven ineffective.

“It hasn’t worked,” he said. “The only thing that’s happened is it’s turned a speeding problem into a noisy speeding problem.”

McKiddy said police radar data conducted over a six-month span showed fully half of all drivers on the road going above its 30 mph speed limit.

He requested the city remove the rumble strips and install a three-way stop at the driveway of Connection Point Church.

Kevin Mann, the church’s pastor, echoed McKiddy’s sentiments for something to be done. He said he has witnessed some rear-end collisions at the intersection.