The Jackson mayor and one of his chief critics on the city council were at odds during a Tuesday meeting. A discussion between Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes got heated over who’s accountable for how public and private grant dollars received by the city of Jackson are spent. “People are telling us about grant money gong here, grant money going there. Now, we’re fixing to put some more people dealing with grants,” Stokes said.The dispute between the councilman and the mayor erupted during a discussion on a proposal to hire two people to better manage all grant money that city departments receive.Former constituent services manager Keyshia Sanders pleaded guilty earlier this year in a wire fraud scheme. She allegedly fraudulently obtained tens of thousands of dollars in grant money that was intended to provide project funding for art projects benefitting art organizations of color. “’Who did what? Who knew what? She didn’t do it by herself,’ and that’s what everybody keeps saying,” Stokes said. The mayor pushed back on Stokes’ claim that $1 million in COVID-19 funds from constituent services is missing.“I just want to state for the record that there is no $1 million missing, and that is misinformation,” said Chief of Staff Safiya R. Omari.“They say that the $1 million that’s missing is not missing. It’s not money,” Stokes said. “Well, we’ve got proof positive, council members approved and paid for COVID relief to companies that did not exist or got paid (and) didn’t do the work.”The council did approve the mayor’s plan to hire a compliance officer and specialist to handle grants. Stokes said he still wants an investigation to find the $1 million that the mayor’s office contends is not missing.
The Jackson mayor and one of his chief critics on the city council were at odds during a Tuesday meeting.
A discussion between Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes got heated over who’s accountable for how public and private grant dollars received by the city of Jackson are spent.
“People are telling us about grant money gong here, grant money going there. Now, we’re fixing to put some more people dealing with grants,” Stokes said.
The dispute between the councilman and the mayor erupted during a discussion on a proposal to hire two people to better manage all grant money that city departments receive.
Former constituent services manager Keyshia Sanders pleaded guilty earlier this year in a wire fraud scheme. She allegedly fraudulently obtained tens of thousands of dollars in grant money that was intended to provide project funding for art projects benefitting art organizations of color.
“’Who did what? Who knew what? She didn’t do it by herself,’ and that’s what everybody keeps saying,” Stokes said.
The mayor pushed back on Stokes’ claim that $1 million in COVID-19 funds from constituent services is missing.
“I just want to state for the record that there is no $1 million missing, and that is misinformation,” said Chief of Staff Safiya R. Omari.
“They say that the $1 million that’s missing is not missing. It’s not money,” Stokes said. “Well, we’ve got proof positive, council members approved and paid for COVID relief to companies that did not exist or got paid (and) didn’t do the work.”
The council did approve the mayor’s plan to hire a compliance officer and specialist to handle grants.
Stokes said he still wants an investigation to find the $1 million that the mayor’s office contends is not missing.
