News Flash

Jackson City Council March 31, 2020 Meeting

Regularly scheduled City Council meetings continue amid COVID-19 emergency

The Jackson City Council is continuing its regular meeting schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic using an altered format. 

The next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m.  Only the Mayor and a small number of employ...

City of Jackson and Summit Township firefighters join forces to fight Coronavirus

Local firefighters are now fighting a different common enemy: Coronavirus. On March 25, the Summit/Jackson Professional Firefighters Union entered into a special operating agreement with the City of Jackson to respond to the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-1...

City responds to Governor's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" Executive Order

The City of Jackson continues to respond to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impacts on the community. Following Gov. Whitmer’s Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order on Monday, March 23, City leaders have been taking leadership and making decisions...

City Council votes to extend Local State of Emergency

All playgrounds closed in City of Jackson due to combat spread of Coronavirus

The City of Jackson’s Parks and Recreation Department is closing all of its 16 playgrounds in the City of Jackson until further notice. This decision was made Monday, March 23 to help limit the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Play structures, s...

City of Jackson launches Coronavirus section of City website

With a flurry of information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) going around the community, it’s important for City government to connect residents to accurate information. On March 19, the City of Jackson launched a special Coronavirus section of cit...

Hand washing and sanitizing stations placed all over Jackson

The City of Jackson has placed 10 hand washing and hand sanitizing stations in various locations across the community. This effort is to stop the spread of coronavirus and provide hand washing opportunities to everyone in the community. 

A list of...

Mayor Derek Dobies declares Local State of Emergency due to coronavirus

Mayor Derek Dobies has declared a Local State of Emergency in the City of Jackson due to threats to public health caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Under this state of emergency, the City will make choices to protect the health of all residents...

City Council meeting cancelled, City Hall & Police Dept. closed to public due to coronavirus crisis

CITY HALL CLOSURE 

The City of Jackson is announcing further steps to stop the potential spread of coronavirus in the Jackson area. The following steps have been decided by City leaders:

• The Jackson City Council meeting planned for Tuesday, March 1...

City of Jackson taking action to stop spread of coronavirus

The City of Jackson is responding to the serious threat of COVID-19 coronavirus and how it could impact the community. City leaders have been coming together to plan emergency response plans and precautionary measures. To stop the spread of the illness, C...

Loose leaf collection update

UPDATE: 

Crews from the Department of Public Works have completed leaf collection in Sections 1 through 10. Another full scale leaf collection in the City of Jackson is planned for spring 2020. No official start date has been selected. The City wi...

Recreation programs canceled & community center closed for two weeks due to coronavirus concerns

Due to ongoing concerns over spreading coronavirus, the City of Jackson is making the difficult decision to cancel recreation activities and close a community center for two weeks. The cancellations and closure will begin Sunday, March 15 and last through...

Watch the 2020 State of the City Address

The 2020 State of the City Address was held Feb. 26, 2020 at the Michigan Theatre of Jackson. A full recording of the event is available to watch if you missed the event. 

MLK Center closing for construction Saturday, Feb. 29

A long-awaited project that will invest nearly two million dollars into a Jackson neighborhood is about to get started. The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center will close to the public on Saturday, Feb. 29 so staff can prepare the facility for a full ...

Jackson City Council Feb. 25, 2020 meeting

Here are some highlights from the Feb. 25, 2020 meeting of the Jackson City Council:

-The council voted unanimously to appoint Jonathan Greene as the Interim City Manager. He was previously made Acting City Manager by outgoing manager Patrick Burtch. The c...

What you should know about lead service line replacements in Jackson

The City of Jackson has put together a presentation with the latest information about the efforts to replace lead service lines in Jackson.  Please go through the slides on this page to learn the latest information available. This slideshow is al...

New sculptures installed in Ella Sharp Park roundabout

A family of giant steel sandhill cranes have found a new home in the Ella Sharp Park roundabout. The sculptures, which are a work of local artist Rusty Rochefort, were installed in the center of the roundabout the morning of Friday, Feb. 7.

Sandhill cranes...

Jackson City Council Feb. 11, 2020 meeting

Here are some highlights from the Feb. 11, 2020 meeting of the Jackson City Council:

-Increased water rates to pay for lead service line replacements dominated the meeting. A presentation was given during the meeting by the City Manager about the latest co...

City of Jackson refutes claims made by corporate group about water rates

The City of Jackson takes issue with claims about proposed water rate increases that are being propagated by a group of corporations lead by Consumers Energy. It’s a group that was recently formed after Consumers filed a lawsuit against the City...

City of Jackson warns of email scam

The City of Jackson is warning residents and contractors about an email scam. A contractor that works with the City recently reported an email they received from someone claiming to be from the “City of Jackson Business License Management Divisi...

City of Jackson celebrating Black History Month by recognizing important places

February is Black History Month! The City of Jackson is recognizing this annual celebration by sharing the history of places important to the African American experience in Jackson.

In 2019, the City honored the month by sharing stories of local African Am...

Jackson City Council Jan. 28, 2020 meeting

Preparing for wicked winter weather: How to help DPW crews keep roads safe this winter season

When harsh snow and ice strike, crews from the City of Jackson Department of Public Works (DPW) are out in salt and plow trucks helping to make sure streets are safe to use. 

Bob Stolarz is a DPW worker who’s been battling winter weather...

Message from the Mayor: Residents needed to make an impact on City boards and commissions

Happy New Year to everyone in the City of Jackson! 

With 2020 here, many of us are making plans for the year ahead and looking for ways to make an impact in the community. 

Now that a new city council is seated, I look forward to working w...

New Softball League Coordinator comes to City

Welcome to the City of Jackson! 

James Wagner is the Parks & Recreation Department’s new Softball League Coordinator.

He’s been playing softball in the community for the past 30 years. 

James says he’s loo...

Making houses into homes: Jackson non-profit helps those in need with free furniture and home goods

Stacks of dishes, appliances, home decor, and towels have taken over the front of Patricia Gougeon’s house on Jackson’s east side. 

All of these items are ready to go at a moment’s notice for anyone in need. ...

Loose leaf collection update

Loose leaf collection will continue in the City of Jackson throughout the winter and into the spring when the weather permits.

To help speed up the process, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will be using other collection methods in addition to the leaf...

From food cart to new restaurant: Pryor's BBQ House opens on City's south side

After working out of a food cart for the last 30 years, Larry Pryor says he’s excited to have more elbow room in his new restaurant.

“This feels really good to have a legitimate kitchen and to move around freely,” Pryor said.

T...

Jackson City Council Jan. 14, 2020 meeting

Here are some highlights from the Jackson City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14:

-The council unanimously approved a resolution that supports proposed state legislation that creates a process for expunging misdemeanors and select felonies from criminal...

Winter 2020 City of Jackson Newsletter now available!

The Winter 2020 edition of the City of Jackson Newsletter is now available! 

For our new edition, the City is bringing residents a wide range of stories, including the latest on a new restaurant on Jackson’s south side and a non-profit m...

New fire pit warming up Downtown Jackson

A new fire pit is warming up visitors and creating a cozy atmosphere in Downtown Jackson. The City of Jackson recently completed its installation of fire pit in Bucky Harris Park, which is located in the heart of downtown at the corner of W. Michigan Aven...

New Senior Citizen Activity & Aquatics Coordinator comes to City

Alexa Markham is now on the job as the Parks and Recreation Department's new Senior Citizen Activity Coordinator and Nixon Pool Supervisor. 

She comes to the City of Jackson from the Jackson YMCA where she was Aquatic Director. 

Alexa says...

Jackson firefighters donate winter coats to local kids in need

Firefighters from the City of Jackson and Summit Township went on a special call to Frost/Cascades Elementary School on Thursday, Dec. 19 to deliver a warm surprise. Just in time for freezing cold temperatures, the firefighters gave out winter coats to 11...

Jackson City Council Dec. 17, 2019 Meeting

Here’s what happened at the Jackson City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 17th, 2019.

This was the last council meeting of 2019, and it was a short one, lasting around 30 minutes.

A topic of discussion was a proposal to change the special asse...

Happy Holidays from the City of Jackson!

The City of Jackson wishes all of our neighbors a wonderful holiday season. Please enjoy this video of holiday lights all over Jackson and a greeting from the City Council.

New City Attorney hired for City of Jackson

There will soon be a new City Attorney on the job at Jackson City Hall. At their meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 26, the Jackson City Council approved a contract for Matthew Hagerty to serve as the new City Attorney. Hagerty was the council’s top choic...

City of Jackson welcomes new Executive Director of Jackson Downtown Development Authority

The City of Jackson is welcoming a new leader to Downtown Jackson! Cory Mays recently came on board as the Executive Director of the Jackson Downtown Development Authority.

Mays, a long-time Jackson resident, comes to the DDA after working in education and...

City of Jackson launches redesigned website and new resident communication system!

The City of Jackson is unveiling its redesigned website and new resident communication system! The redesign brings a fresh and modern look to the City’s website, cityofjackson.org. The City, which hasn’t undergone a large-scale website...

Neighborhood watch group working to improve Jackson community

It started in 2008 with six neighbors with a drive to make a difference in their community. 

“We just wanted to have our neighborhood safer and build better relationships with the police department,” said Carie Meadows, founder of the B2 Watchers ...

Investing in Jackson: Where's the money going?

The skyline of Downtown Jackson is undergoing massive changes as several new developments and building renovations take shape. 

While some worry this means all of the City’s resources are going to the downtown area, new data from the City of Jacks...

Group turning vacant Jackson lots into gardens for youth programs

They were once just empty lots on the city’s south side where houses used to stand.

While some may have seen urban emptiness, Diane Washington saw opportunity.

“We’ve had so many people stop by and tell us that it really looks nice and they appreciate us be...

Fall edition of City Newsletter now available!

The Fall 2019 edition of the City of Jackson Newsletter is now available! 

The newsletter keeps residents up to date about what's happening in City government and all over the community.

It is mailed to residents all over the City. 

You can...

City of Jackson receives financial reporting award

The City of Jackson has received the Government Finance Officers Association award for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Reporting or CAFR, for fiscal year ending in 2018.  The GFOA represents federal, state/provincial and local finance official...

"Evicted" named Mayor's 2019 Book of the Year

Mayor Derek Dobies has selected the Pulitzer Prize winning book "Evicted" by Matthew Desmond as the 2019 Mayor's Book of the Year.  

Watch this video learn more about this year's selection.