A landmark event for the Jackson Police Department unfolded as the council introduced its first K9 unit. The swearing-in ceremony for new Class 2 officers and the K9 unit was a focal point, with the council president expressing gratitude towards the Ventura family and the Canterman Foundation for their generous donation, which made the K9 initiative possible. Officer Minal and K9 Bricks, along with Officer Jameson and K9 Robbie, were introduced during the ceremony. These K9 officers are expected to play critical roles in narcotics detection and search and rescue operations.

The Ventura family was honored with a plaque in memory of Robbie Ventura, acknowledging his legacy and contributions to public safety. The Canterman Foundation’s role in establishing the unit was also highlighted, with special thanks extended to Captain Nelson for his efforts in fostering this collaboration. The event underscored the importance of community support in enhancing local law enforcement capabilities.

Transitioning from public safety to fiscal matters, the council addressed the recent property tax revaluation process, which has been a source of concern for many residents. The tax assessor, Peter Maher, provided a detailed breakdown of revaluation impacts across different property categories. Notably, 42% of commercial properties and 48% of vacant lands experienced tax levy increases. In the residential sector, assessments showed that 34% of properties had increased levies. On average, residential assessments rose by 92%, prompting numerous questions from property owners about the fairness and accuracy of their new assessments.

Residents were advised to reach out to the PPA for assistance, with a hotline available for inquiries. Although the hotline experienced high call volumes, property owners could set up informal hearings to discuss and potentially contest their assessments. The discussion revealed that while state programs offer relief for certain groups, such as senior citizens and disabled veterans, no specific local programs exist to mitigate financial impacts from the revaluation.

The meeting also addressed street lighting issues, with the council confirming that a reporting link was established by the Jackson Police for residents to notify authorities about non-functioning lights. Efforts by engineers to resolve these issues were ongoing, with residents assured that reporting an outage once was sufficient.

Further discussions touched upon the shortage of manpower in the traffic safety department, affecting the availability of traffic safety reports. The council president mentioned that efforts were being made to hire more officers, though a recent civil service test attracted only 90 applicants, highlighting a decrease in interest compared to previous years.

A new initiative introduced at the meeting was a camera registry program aimed at boosting neighborhood safety. Residents could voluntarily register their home surveillance systems with the police department, allowing law enforcement to be aware of camera locations in the event of a crime, without accessing the footage directly.

Community engagement was encouraged, with residents urged to support local food banks during the holiday season. Information about food bank hours and operations was shared, emphasizing community support and involvement.

In the public comment segment, concerns about public property responsibilities, traffic issues near schools, and road safety were raised by residents. One individual pointed out the proximity of travel lanes to curbs on New Prospect Road, urging the council to advocate for improvements with the county. The council acknowledged these concerns and committed to addressing them with county officials.