Another department head is resigning from the City of Jackson.
Chloe Dotson, Jackson’s director of the Department of Planning and Development, has submitted her resignation, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba announced at a Monday press conference.
Lumumba praised Dotson’s work during her time as director of planning and development, including the strides she made with code enforcement and starting numerous new initiatives. She took over as director of the department in November 2022.
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“She proved to be an invaluable resource, launching many new programs and joining what was a succession of what I believe to be very talented and hard-working planning directors,” Lumumba said, adding he has yet to find a replacement for Dotson.
Dotson’s leaving the city due to her receiving “a great promotion, one that the city just simply cannot meet,” Lumumba said, but he refrained from going into details of her new job, saying only that the organization is a “community partner.” Dotson’s last day with the city will be sometime in mid-March.
Dotson is the fourth department head to resign from their post with the city since September.
Khalid Woods, who was announced as director of the Department of Public Works, resigned for the second time in September, though he was never officially approved by the Jackson City Council.
At Monday’s press conference, Lumumba said the search for a new director was still ongoing.
Ison Harris, the former director of the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, announced his resignation after eight years in September as well.
City Attorney Catoria Martin announced her resignation in January.
Mayor starts new show “Ask Antar”
Also at the press conference, Lumumba announced the launching of his new show “Ask Antar.” Residents can send in questions to the city’s website or on social media and Lumumba will answer them, very similar to a new initiative the Clarion Ledger started in January called “Curious Mississippi.”
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“When those questions are sent in, we take them and we answer them,” Lumumba said. “We may not be able to cover everything that is asked within one particular show, but we try to cover as comprehensibly as possible.”
New episodes will be posted the first Wednesday of each month on the city’s Youtube channel.
In other action
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A panel within the city’s Solid Waste Division has scored and picked a bidder for garbage collection. However, Lumumba said the winning company has not been presented to him. He is expecting it to be presented sometime this week. Then he will take it to the council for final approval.
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The city is working with the Jackson/Hinds Library System’s board and executive director and have submitted proposals to make repairs at the Medgar Evers Library and Willie Morris Library. The city is also assessing damage caused by vandalism at the Richard Wright Library.
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The city has video footage of an arsonist who burned a traffic signal at Pascagoula and President Street, another threat to the city’s aging traffic signals, the mayor said. Lumumba asked residents to alert the city if other traffic signals aren’t working properly.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS director of Department of Planning and Development resigns
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
