A special called City Council meeting will be held today at Jasper City Hall, Monday, September 29, at 12:00 PM. Here’s what’s on the agenda and why it matters.
The fiscal year is turning, and with it, the pressure to approve budgets and shape the future of our city. But before we rush forward, we must pause. Not out of fear but out of reverence. Reverence for process, for transparency, and for the people who call Jasper home.
This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about trust. It’s about rhythm. It’s about whether the decisions being made reflect the will of the people or the will of a few. Let’s look at it line by line.
Line item one: JEDCO’s budget approval.
As Jasper approaches the fiscal threshold of October 1st, the urgency to approve JEDCO’s 2025 -2026 budget isn’t just procedural, it’s a test of stewardship. A new board has been seated, but the question remains: are we rushing to approve a financial blueprint before the foundation has been ethically rebuilt? Before any budget is approved, we must ask: What happened to the forensic audit? What happened to the bylaw changes that were meant to restore order and transparency? A new board deserves more than a handoff they deserve clarity, clean records, and a system that no longer protects dysfunction.
Line item two: JEDCO bylaw change to 18 members.
I understand the decision to expand the JEDCO board to 18 members though I personally believed a smaller, more agile board would better serve the city. The increase was intended to retain senior members. If you recall, when advocating for their continued presence, Councilman Hilderbrand stated they only wished to remain for a few months to assist with the transition. But within days, those very members realized they no longer held authority or a voting majority chose to resign.
But what happened to the other bylaw changes? The ones recommended in the outside legal opinion the same opinion that Councilman Hilderbrand, also a JEDCO board member, held up in comparison with none other than the Holy Bible. If that opinion was so sacred, so valuable, shouldn’t JEDCO be rushing to adopt the very recommendations it contains?
Line item three: HOT funds and the Chamber of Commerce.
Less than a month ago, three council members Councilwoman Mamie Horne, Councilwoman Angel McCroskey, and Councilman Demarcus Holmes listened to the very folks they represent and voted to remove $61,500 from the Chamber of Commerce budget. Not because they dislike the Chamber but because actions have consequences. For months, the Chamber refused to provide public records requested by citizens. I personally submitted a request in October 2024 and was ignored. I’m not the only one. One request even came from council itself and still, nothing. This isn’t personal. It’s procedural. When public funds are involved, transparency isn’t optional.
Now, less than a month later, the Chamber’s funding is back on the agenda — framed for reinstatement as something “presented by city administration in each of the two recommended budget proposals” when the city budget was adopted on September 3. But let’s be clear: presentation is not approval, recommendation is not consensus, and repetition doesn’t make something right.
Just because you don’t like the vote doesn’t mean you put it back on the agenda for a do-over. When the majority has already spoken, why vote again?
I find it hard to believe that the council members who voted in the majority would be the ones to reintroduce this line item. So who did? Could it be the very councilmen entrenched in the Chamber itself? Councilman Bob Mayhar serves as the city’s community liaison to the Chamber. Councilman Lequin Hilderbrand has held an office in the past and although he is not a council member, city manager Greg Kelley is listed as an ex officio member and likely has some level of input on what is discussed. Who knows. But when lines blur between governance and affiliation, the people deserve clarity.
In Jasper, are the people merely observers — or are they the decision-makers? Does your voice matter? Do our officials remember that public service begins with public trust?
The people are watching, listening, and prepared to hold the line. Transparency is no longer a request — it’s a requirement. Will our elected officials rise to meet it, or fall silent when accountability calls?