The Jackson City Council on Monday adopted an ordinance temporarily reducing to zero the salary and compensation for vacant positions in the executive branch, then amended the ordinance to allow immediate hiring for specified seasonal and urgent roles.

The move, brought up for expedited adoption by Councilman Banks, responded to imminent operational needs — notably lifeguards and summer workers due to start with the parks department, zookeepers and educational specialists at the zoo, dispatchers for the Jackson Police Department and a limited number of CDL drivers for solid waste.

The council debated whether to expedite the ordinance and how narrowly to limit exceptions. Council members said delays would disrupt services that start with the summer season. “Instead of pushing this back another two weeks… the summer workers and the lifeguards are supposed to start tomorrow,” Councilman Banks said during debate.

After discussion and a series of amendments from council members, the council approved a package of carve-outs. The final, adopted motion allowed the city to hire for parks and recreation seasonal roles (including two lifeguards, three zookeepers and one educational specialist), summer youth workers in Human and Cultural Services, necessary CDL drivers citywide (with attention to solid waste), certain Jackson Police Department positions including dispatchers, and specific finance roles the CFO identified as time-sensitive.

Louis Wright, the city chief administrative officer, said administration staff had not yet sent a full list of all positions but confirmed parks and public safety needs were covered by the amendment. Drew Martin, city attorney, cautioned members about order and process when voting on expedited items and on subsequent amendments.

The council recorded its votes for the amendments and the final adoption as carried; council members agreed to bring any further needed positions back quickly if more urgent hires were required. The ordinance as amended is intended as a temporary budget control while allowing operational flexibility for seasonal and critical functions.

The council also directed city staff to provide details on remaining open positions and to coordinate with departments on hiring timelines so the body could track which vacancies will remain frozen and which will be filled under the carve-outs.

Council members emphasized the distinction between discussion and formal decisions: amendments were voted on and recorded as formal actions, while members’ questions and suggestions were treated as direction to staff.