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SE MO Redi pursuing strategy for economic growth, job creation in region (7/16/24)The Cape Area Magnet organization was established in 1992 as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to foster a strong economic environment resulting in the retention, expansion, creation and attraction of jobs and new investment in the area. ...
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A look at the 2024 budget for the City of Jackson (12/30/23)As part of the December Jackson Board of Aldermen regular meeting, a public hearing was held on the 2024 City of Jackson budget. After the hearing, the board approved next year's budget. The 2024 budget is a solid budget built on realistic revenue projections and a balanced expense budget. Major projects are being funded by 2024 revenues, from surplus accounts built over the last few years, or from bonds or loans raised for the purpose of paying for multi-year major utility upgrades...
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Uptown Jackson plays key role in promotion of city (11/14/23)Jackson is unique in that our historic business district is referred to as "Uptown". Most cities have a downtown or Main Street area but not too many have the designation of "Uptown". As its centerpiece, our historic uptown area has the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, which is surrounded by historic buildings on the Square, High and Main streets...
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A 2023 Jackson priorities progress update (7/25/23)As we reach the halfway point of 2023, it is important to review the City of Jackson's progress toward annual goals. These goals were initially compiled by the Board of Aldermen last fall and have since been refined, included and approved in the 2023 budget...
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Jackson will host music in the park all summer (5/16/23)Many events in a small city are organized by citizens who have a passion to serve the community. This especially happens when those involved are enthusiastic about an event or organization. In many cases, the event starts small and grows over several years...
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State of the City of Jackson — 2023 (4/20/23)Many mayors give a state of the city address at the beginning of their new terms. I would like to provide a few state of Jackson comments. During the last eight years I have been mayor, the Board of Aldermen and city staff have accomplished a lot, continuing our history of growth and expansion in the city...
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Priorities for Jackson in 2023 (1/3/23)As we begin 2023, it is important that we set priority goals for the City of Jackson for the upcoming year. These goals were initially compiled by the Board of Aldermen last fall and have since been refined, included and approved in the 2023 budget...
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Jackson bridge projects will have several benefits (9/1/22)A few week ago the City of Jackson held a ribbon cutting for our newest bridge in Jackson. I wanted to provide a few thoughts on this park project. First, I was pleased the Park Board decided the name would stay the same as the previous low water bridge, “Hubble Ford.” ...
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Census results reflect well on Jackson (8/24/21)The initial results of the U.S. Census have been released. Jackson's population grew 12.5% to 15,451 since 2010. Cape Girardeau County and Cape Girardeau grew as well. I am very pleased with the population growth Jackson has experienced. These results show Jackson is a vibrant community where people desire to live, work and play...
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Several events in Jackson to support this month (4/1/21)Spring has arrived in Jackson and there are a lot of activities around town during April. So pull out your calendars and make note of the dates and times. On April 10, Cruisin' Uptown Jackson sponsored by the Jackson Community Outreach Board begins at 5 p.m. ...
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2021 priorities (2/11/21)As we begin 2021, it is important that we set priority goals for the City of Jackson for the upcoming year. These goals were initially compiled by the Board of Aldermen last fall and have since been refined and included in the 2021 budget. Overall, the objective of the city's infrastructure strategy is to prepare our community of more than 15,000 people for the continued growth of both population and commercial business over the next 20 years. ...
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2020 accomplishments in Jackson (1/5/21)The year 2020 has come to a close. As I have done in past years, I would like to review the major annual accomplishments of the City of Jackson. It is important for the city to set goals on an annual basis and, more importantly, to review its performance against its goals at the end of each year...
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Jackson priorities 2021-23 (11/17/20)Normally, every October, the City of Jackson holds a retreat at the Jackson Civic Center; attending are the Board of Aldermen, key city staff members and myself. These meetings are very important to assure the Board of Aldermen has an opportunity to assess the progress of the city and to set the priorities going forward...
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Broadband expansion begins in Jackson (9/29/20)For many years there has been much discussion about broadband internet service to areas of the United States. This year, it has come to the forefront because of the COVID-19 crisis. The need for school students to have internet service for remote access to school resources has become paramount...
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Jackson: Prepare, don't panic as we respond to COVID-19 (3/31/20)A few week ago as I was planning topics for future columns I was going to write. Topics such as the Center Junction Diverging Diamond Interchange Project, the opening of the Consolidated Dispatch Center, the progress on both the new Cape Girardeau County Courthouse and Jackson Police Station and the census. In addition, I have some exciting news about new businesses expanding in Jackson. These will be columns I will write about in the future...
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How does annexation work? (3/3/20)Annexation is the procedure for bringing unincorporated areas of a county into the territory of an adjacent city. The process also allows a city to begin planning for the extension of services, enforcement of laws and ordinances, and the provision of voting privileges to meet the needs of the residents living in the annexed area...
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Infrastructure, retail development among goals for Jackson (1/14/20)It's hard for me to realize we are into a new decade and already 20 years into this century. In October, the board of aldermen met at the annual retreat to set priorities for 2020. The first priority for 2020 is the completion of the Jackson Police Department headquarters and its relocation to the new facility in May or June...
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2019 accomplishments (12/24/19)The year 2019 is quickly coming to a close. As I have done in past years, I would like to review the accomplishments of the City of Jackson for this past year. I am pleased that most of the priorities for 2019 were accomplished as I review my article for "2019 Priorities" from last January...
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Jackson's annual police report shows service increase, crime decrease (10/15/19)The Jackson Police Department's Annual Report for 2018 has been published and is available in hard copy or online on the department's website, jacksonpd.org. I encourage everyone to review the report as it has valuable information about JPD's accomplishments, the makeup of the department and statistics for the past year...
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Uptown Jackson plays important role in city's culture (9/24/19)The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization (UJRO) presented its annual report to the board of aldermen this month. They reported on their progress from the last year and goals for the coming year. The first area in the report was organization. The UJRO has contracted with Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) as an affiliate member and was awarded affiliate membership status with the National Main Street America...
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Update on the diverging diamond interchange (8/6/19)The planned reconstruction of the interchange between Jackson and Cape on Route 61 and Interstate 55 will be a significant improvement. Presently, the interchange known as Center Junction, or Exit 99, can be both confusing and dangerous. Because of the separated lanes, the need to cross one set of lanes and then come to a stoplight before turning on to the next set of lanes is confusing especially to those not familiar with the interchange...
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Thanks to city employees, volunteers for storm response (7/2/19)The City of Jackson has done a great job of recovering from the June 21 disaster event. The quick recovery was the result of a strong effort from a large group of people. I was traveling to Houston for my nephew's wedding on the afternoon of the storm. By the time we landed in Texas at 5 p.m., my phone was blowing up with text messages and calls. City Administrator Jim Roach called and gave me a status update. It was all hands on deck and city crews were responding quickly...
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Jackson use tax critical to funding city services (2/12/19)Last month I began the 2019 goals review, discussing the infrastructure, public safety improvements, retail expansion and regional partnership goals. The balance of the City of Jackson's annual goals center around the financial strategy for the coming years...
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2019 goals for Jackson -- Part 1 (1/8/19)As we begin 2019 I believe it is important to set the goals for the City of Jackson for the upcoming year. These goals were initially formulated at the board of aldermen's offsite retreat in October. They have since been refined and included in the 2019 city's financial budget...
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Thanks to those involved in new police station (12/11/18)On Dec. 3, the Jackson Board of Aldermen received a recommendation from the design-build selection committee to enter into a contractual agreement with Penzel Construction Company, Inc. to design and build a new Jackson Police Station Building. The artist rendering was provided to and recently published in the newspaper...
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State should consider trail as part of interchange project (10/30/18)The planned reconstruction of the interchange between Jackson and Cape Girardeau on Highway 61/E. Jackson Blvd./N. Kingshighway and Interstate 55 will be a tremendous improvement. Presently, the interchange known as Center Junction or Exit 99 can be confusing and dangerous. ...
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Opportunity (9/18/18)The United States economy is running strong. Unemployment is at historic lows. The local economic picture is as strong or stronger. The regional unemployment rate is presently 3.5 percent. This is good news for businesses, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and the service industry. But the low unemployment is a two-edged sword. The number of open positions for employment has risen dramatically the last few years...
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Jackson city and schools partnership plays important role (8/14/18)Normally, this week would be the first day of school for the Jackson R-2 School District and I would be reminding everyone to drive extra carefully in the Jackson area as traffic increases with buses, parents, and students traveling to and from classes. ...
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Old McKendree Chapel (7/31/18)In June, the City of Jackson Board of Aldermen designated Jackson's first local historic landmark. McKendree Chapel Memorial Foundation applied to have Old McKendree Chapel and Cemetery designated as the first landmark under the city's Historic Preservation Ordinance. The application was reviewed and recommended by the Historic Preservation Commission, a five-member citizen board established in 2017...
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Discussions, debates a central role in good government (6/13/18)"Government of the people" is a challenge. There are differences of opinions on many, if not most subjects. This is why we discuss, debate, deliberate, hold public hearings, and the public votes directly on some issues. During my time as mayor, the board of aldermen has made many decisions in which there were different opinions and views. ...
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Update on Jackson police station, alderman resignation (5/29/18)The Jackson Board of Aldermen at its last meeting approved a motion authorizing city staff to issue a Request for Qualifications under the design-build method for the police station building project, as required under Section 67.5060 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. ...
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Thank you for supporting public safety tax (4/17/18)As you may expect, I was very pleased with the results of the April 3rd election. For me, this ballot question of adding the half-cent sales tax for the public safety departments of the city of Jackson was about showing support for the police and fire departments and the work they do to keep us safe...
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Thanks, Harry (3/20/18)The City of Cape Girardeau has term limits for its mayor and city council members. This April, Harry Rediger will term out as mayor of Cape Girardeau after serving eight years. The City of Cape Girardeau will honor Rediger for his service and dedication. But I would like to offer a special "Thank You" for myself and the City of Jackson...
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15,000 in Jackson is a milestone for the city (2/13/18)The U. S. Census Bureau updates city populations between the official federal censuses which are conducted every 10 years. The U. S. Census Bureau now lists the city of Jackson' population at 15,036. This is a 9.3 percent growth since the 2010 Census...
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Jackson's 2018 goals: public safety and traffic plans (1/16/18)As we move into 2018 I believe it is appropriate to review my key goals as mayor for the coming year for the City of Jackson. This month I will cover the first two goals that have special emphasis at the beginning of the year. The first goal is Keeping Jackson Safe. ...
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Cooperation between Jackson, others good for community (12/5/17)The last few board of aldermen meetings have included agenda items that show the value of "cooperation" between the City of Jackson and other entities. I would like to highlight a few of these and explain what I see as the importance of these agreements...
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Reviewing present priorities, looking ahead (11/21/17)This fall the city of Jackson held a retreat at the Jackson Civic Center. Attending were the board of aldermen, key city staff members and myself. This is the third retreat I have held as mayor. I envision these meetings as very important to assure the Board of Aldermen have an opportunity to assess the progress of the city and to set the priorities going forward...
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Jackson community survey provided helpful information (7/18/17)The board of aldermen was presented the final report of the community survey by ETC Institute at a recent meeting. The ETC Institute conducted the scientific survey of Jackson residents during the month of May. I would like to thank all citizens who took their time to fill out this survey. ...
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Park bathrooms in Jackson are priority (6/13/17)The Board of Aldermen and city staff have spent a considerable amount of time this past year discussing and working on plans for a new bathroom in the park. The addition of a new bathroom was picked as the top priority by the park board. In discussions with the girls' softball league they expressed a need for additional bathroom facilities for the area of the softball fields. ...
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New term begins with several projects (4/18/17)This week I start my second term as mayor. The first two years have flown by, and I am sure the next two years will as well. I would like to reflect on what the board of aldermen, city employees, businesses, and citizens have accomplished over the last two years. In addition, I will share a few words on our key goals for the future...
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Happy Birthday Jackson Civic Center (2/7/17)A couple of weeks ago, the Jackson Civic Center turned 1 year old. It does not seem like it has been a year since the grand opening and ribbon cutting on Jan. 24, 2016. On that day we had an overflowing crowd participate in the ribbon cutting and a performance by the St. Paul Lutheran School fourth and fifth grade choir...
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Priorities for the City of Jackson in 2017 (1/3/17)Happy New Year -- As we begin 2017 I would like to review Jackson's key goals for the year. These priorities were initially developed at the Board of Aldermen Retreat in October. They were then reconfirmed during the 2017 Budget Process. The last few years have been a time of planning for a new Public Safety Building to house the Police Department. ...
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Welcome to our new businesses (12/6/16)The City of Jackson has about 400 licensed merchants of retail-type businesses. These businesses are of all shapes and sizes; some have bricks and mortar, and some operate out of the owner's home. The city has issued 15 new licenses since July for new businesses...
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Holiday Extravaganza and displays in the park (11/1/16)Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is our next holiday and Christmas is right around the corner. The Jackson Community Outreach Board will again be organizing the Holiday Extravaganza with an amazing light display in our Jackson City Park. The display begins at the park entrance by the swimming pool (North High and Independence Streets) and has been extended all the way to the Union Street exit. ...
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Catalyst Commercial and our retail initiative (8/30/16)This summer the City of Jackson, the City of Cape Girardeau, and the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape Girardeau and Jackson Area contracted with Catalyst Commercial. Through this agreement Catalyst will provide each city with a specific merchandising plan to be used by Catalyst, the cities, and Chamber of Commerce to promote our area to retailers. The final goal is to recruit new retail business to the area...
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Jackson heroes (8/2/16)During the last couple of months, I have been very impressed by two young people of Jackson who have gone beyond their everyday lives to excel in their endeavors. Their stories have been written in the press and shown on TV, but I wanted to say a few additional words of how proud I am of these Jackson citizens...
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Uptown (7/6/16)Jackson is unique in that our historical business district is referred to as "uptown." Most cities have a downtown or Main Street area, but not too many have the designation of "uptown." Our historical uptown area has as its centerpiece the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, and surrounded by historical buildings on the Square, High and Main Streets...
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One year (5/10/16)This month marks the one-year anniversary of my taking office as mayor. I am often asked how I am finding the experience of being mayor. My response consistently is that I am enjoying the opportunity to serve Jackson and its citizens. I believe the key to any job is that you feel you are making a positive contribution and you enjoy those with whom you work...
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Leadership Jackson 2016 (3/1/16)I was pleased to host the 2016 Leadership Jackson class during February. Leadership Jackson is an annual class sponsored and organized by the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce. Leadership Jackson began in 2008 and has graduated over 250 participants...
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Training reduces accidents, helps serve public (2/2/16)Since becoming Jackson's mayor, I have been impressed by the ongoing training programs that the city conducts in all departments. Even though training can be expensive for any organization or business, the additional productivity from well-trained employees can more than cover the cost of the programs. Safety training pays for cost of the programs by reducing the amount and severity of accidents...
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Jackson's goals for 2016 (1/5/16)As we begin 2016, I would like to review some of the key goals of the City of Jackson. The goals center around three areas: road projects, infrastructure improvement plans and financial planning. The Missouri Department of Transportation's major project will be the improvements to the Main and Hope intersection with the building of a roundabout. ...
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Touting the success of Jackson's police (11/3/15)This week I would like to highlight our Jackson Police Department and some of its statistics from the last full year. Under the leadership of chief James Humphreys, the police force of 23 officers supported by the communications division of seven, and their administrative assistant, keep our City of Jackson safe...
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Community outreach board plans events (10/6/15)The City of Jackson has four governing boards whose members are appointed by the mayor and approved by the board of aldermen. The purpose of the boards is outlined in the Jackson city code. The four boards are the planning and zoning commission, park board, zoning board of adjustment and the community outreach board. The board members are citizens of Jackson and each has assigned representatives from the board of aldermen and the city staff...
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Proud of Jackson's youth sports programs (9/1/15)Jackson is known as the city of beautiful homes, parks, schools and churches. This month, I would like to highlight one of the greatest aspects of Jackson's parks, the youth sports programs. Our parks are home to several recreational youth leagues. Included are the Jackson Youth Baseball League, which has a summer and fall season with 600 players; Jackson Youth Softball League, which has a summer season with 500 players; the JAOSA spring and summer soccer league, which has 600 players; and the JAYF fall football league with 200 players. ...
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Support our future: Vote 'yes,' today, Aug. 4 (8/4/15)Today, Jackson voters will face an important decision that will affect our city's future. The vote is for the upgrade of one of our city's most important infrastructures, our water system. The proposed $11.5 million water bond issue will bring improvements to Jackson's water infrastructure, replacing aging, inadequate pipes while increasing and improving water supply...
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Mayor's Corner: Getting started as Jackson's mayor (7/7/15)This week I finished my second month as Mayor of Jackson. It has been a busy month with council meetings, the finalization of the plans for the water system improvements and bond issue and contact with many Jackson businesses and citizens. I have completed visits and tours with all the city departments and employees. These visits were very helpful to get a feel for our operations, the challenges our 120 employees face and their suggestions of how to improve our city services...