A request to honor a family member turned into a contentious issue during Tuesday’s Columbus City Council meeting.
Family members of Sally Mae Jones, former owner of Jones Cafe in Catfish Alley, appeared before the Columbus City Council to request that the city rename a portion 4th Street from Main Street to College Street as “Sally Mae Jones Catfish Alley Street.”
The board voted 3-3 on a motion to table the Jones’ family request until its next meeting on Aug. 21. Mayor Robert Smith broke the tie and voted in favor of the motion to delay the decision. Smith said he would bring the request before the council at its next meeting. The late Jones is the grandmother of Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem. Karriem did not recuse himself from the discussion on the request, however. He voted against tabling the motion with Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens and Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart. The motion to table was made by Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box.
Jones’ grandson and former councilman Kamal Karriem told the council the issue had been discussed for at least 12 years.
“When I had the pleasure of serving on this council, we had a discussion about renaming the street,” he said. “But we decided the timing wasn’t right.”
Laura Jones Chalmers, daughter of Sally Mae Jones and sister of Helen Karriem, owner of Helen’s Kitchen restaurant, portrayed her grandmother as a pioneer business woman.
“Catfish Alley lends its name to the catfish that was cooked in the alley,” Jones said. “It was a place for black businesses and offices. Sally Mae Jones was a well-known black business woman. Jones Restaurant is the only business left from the era and it is still owned by the Jones family. African Americans have done a great job in shaping this city into what it has become today. We are asking that you vote tonight to rename this street.”
Smith said he felt the issue needed further discussion.
“I think it would be wise for us to notify the other business owners on the street and get their input,” Smith said.
Chalmers said the issue had been going for “eight months” and was adamant that the change happen immediately. Kabir Karriem also pushed for a vote to approve the motion.
“If it is not voted on tonight, when it will be voted on?” he asked.
Box said he would not support the name change and would vote against it. Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin agreed with Box.
“If we start changing street names for deserving people in this town, where will we stop?” asked Box. “I would not be in favor of doing this.”
As the discussion continued for more than 30 minutes, members of the audience began to grow vocal. Columbus resident Dempsy Faulkner approached the council and seemed to suggest a boycott of Jones Restaurant if the street were renamed.
“What you are talking about means nothing,” Faulkner said. “Catfish Alley was the name we gave to that street. I have eaten in your mom’s restaurant many, many times. Don’t make it so that no one eats there anymore.”
Faulkner’s statement was met with derision from both the audience and the council.
“You don’t need to go there,” Smith said to Faulkner as the mayor tried to restore order to the meeting.
A visibly angered Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor told the Jones family he would not be pressured into making a decision.
“I don’t have a problem with what you want done, but I think it can wait until the next meeting,” Taylor said. “The 911 services, the police department — they will all have to deal with a name change. Anyone that knows me knows I will stand on my word, but I will not be pressured into making a decision tonight.”
In other board action Tuesday, an ordinance laying out the upcoming redistricting was passed 4-2. Mickens and Karriem opposed the motion. The redistricting plan will be sent to the U.S. Department of Justice for final approval within the next two weeks, according to Chris Watson of the Bridge and Watson consulting firm in Oxford.
Columbus Properties, LLC had a Tax Increment Financing agreement amended by the council. At the request of Columbus-Lowndes Development Link CEO Joe Max Higgins, Mark Castleberry and Columbus Properties LLC will be allowed to build two additional hotels adjacent to the Fairfield Inn. Castleberry’s current deal called for two hotels and a set amount of square footage of restaurants. He will now be allowed to build a third hotel and reduce the amount of restaurant space. He will have until Dec. 31, 2014 to complete the projects.
The project is a joint effort between the city and the county. The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors approved the same change on Monday.
Other action by the council included:
n Approval of the hiring of four entry-level firefighters
n Approval of the hiring of six laborers and one operator in the Public Works Department.
n Formation of a committee will be formed to examine the Brownfield Assessment grant proposals. Councilmen Mickens and Box will represent the council on the committee.
n Federal Programs Director Travis Jones will apply for a $450,000 HOME Investment Partnership Grant.
n Application for a Mississippi Development Authority for BRAC Grant. The request was made by Higgins as a way to show continued support for the Columbus Air Force Base as the next round of BRAC nears.
The city council will begin budget meetings next week.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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