Jackson’s Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport sits on land owned by Jackson. Under the new agreement, each city will be able to incorporate parcels of land, adding to their own municipalities.
In a statement, Jackson mayor John Horhn says the new terms will be used for “planning and taxation.
“I've lived here my entire life and airports are huge economic drivers,” said State Senator Josh Harkins, who represents Rankin County. “There's just not been a lot of economic activity surrounding the airport like you see in other states and other areas. It sits in the middle of my county that I represent. For too long, I think people felt like the airport could do better.”
Jackson’s city council approved the agreement through a majority (5-2) vote and the airport’s authority board unanimously seconded the settlement.
“I think it's good for everybody involved because it allows them to be able to put water, sewer and to recoup the cost of it over time,” Harkins said. “It allows them expand their cities to kind of feed into that area. We invest a lot of money in infrastructure there. So it's just part of growth.”
“Once the public understands that the city of Jackson hasn't lost anything in what we call this annexation lawsuit and has actually gained in the annexation lawsuit, the question now becomes, what becomes of the takeover litigation?” asks Pieter Teeuwissen, the city of Jackson’s chief administrative officer.
The land annexation settlement is not related to a lawsuit that Harkins is named in. That case will determine the future make up of the Jackson Airport Authority Board and is headed to a bench trial next year.
Teeuwissen says he's hopeful the land negotiations can provide guidance for that litigation.
“I would hope that the fact that parties could reach an agreement on income streams and development around the airport would also behoove the parties in the take over litigation to perhaps sit down with a fresh set of eyes and see if there was a way to resolve that litigation as well,” he said.
Two members of Jackson’s city council, Ward 2 Councilwoman Tina Clay and Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, voted against the land settlement due to border and tax revenue concerns.
The Rankin County Chancery Court must now approve of the new land agreement.
