Councilman Alleges City Grant Money Went to Former Mayor's Relative
Councilman Alleges City Grant Money Went to Former Mayor's Relative
A Jackson council member says the city has been steering grant funds to a relative of a former mayor and is demanding officials disclose who is receiving the money.
The allegation came during the Sept. 10 Jackson City Council meeting, in discussion following a failed vote on a grants consultant contract.
Councilman Kenneth Stokes told colleagues, “They have said over and over the former Mayor Lamumba sister getting this grant money for everybody who playing dumb. I said and we need to know so everybody looking shocked now. Everybody know where they send that grant money going. And I want somebody to show me who getting what money so we'll know who receiving it. That way we not caught with our hand in the cookie jar.”
City officials said a full accounting of legacy grants is still being compiled, according to the meeting record.
The claim surfaced as council members were already weighing changes to how the city handles grant administration, after the consultant contract vote failed. The name referenced in the meeting record is unclear, and no evidence supporting the allegation has been produced publicly. The council's push for a full list of grant recipients remains unresolved.