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City manager: TA Wilson sale hasn’t closed; residents in action using annex and pallets in storage
Summary
City Manager Jonathan Green told council the sale of TA Wilson to Residents in Action had not closed; the group is housing people in the annex, pallet shelters remain in storage, and the city paid a $25,100 insurance deductible after a vehicle damaged the property’s fencing.
The City of Jackson’s planned sale of the former TA Wilson School to the nonprofit Residents in Action had not closed as of the Jan. 14 meeting, City Manager Jonathan Green said, though the group is occupying the annex and some pallets are stored inside the building.
In an update requested by council, Green said Residents in Action is still awaiting community-center grants and reimbursement grants that the organization expects will fund the purchase and programming. “The sale hasn't happened yet,” Green said. “The entity, Residents in Action, is still waiting on their community center grants and other grants to come through. I'm confident they're gonna come through.” He added city staff had not seen a reason to change course and that the group “has done everything they said they were gonna do.”
Council members and several speakers during citizen comment raised questions about operations and finances at TA Wilson after media reports and community concern. Council member comments and members of the public asked for clarity on whether people were being housed in the annex and on the status of pallets and other improvements.
Staff provided specifics: pallets formerly placed on the grounds are now stored inside the school's main building, removed from public view after an ordinance enforcement action, and the annex is currently housing residents. The city manager reported that when he and others visited, they saw about 10 people in the annex — roughly eight adults and two children — and described the pallets as “in storage in the main part of the school building.”
On property damage earlier in 2024, Green said a vehicle drove through the TA Wilson lot, hitting a fence and retaining wall. The city paid a $25,100 insurance deductible to repair the damage and is seeking restitution through criminal prosecution of the driver.
Council members asked whether the city is subsidizing services at TA Wilson. According to staff, utilities and other ongoing costs are covered under the terms of the purchase agreement and lease; the city is not paying ongoing utilities or program costs and the lease terms require the buyer/lessee to cover those expenses. The manager said, “At this point, it's a real estate transaction...we are not paying anything,” and that, on net, the arrangement appears nominally revenue-neutral or slightly positive for the city under current terms.
Public commenters urged accountability and transparency. John Light and others asked that the city require reports showing how grant and program funds were spent and asked for an accounting of the site’s operations. Several callers said they want a clear timeline for closure and final disposition.
City answers and next steps: staff said they will continue to monitor the transaction and asked for patience while Residents in Action secures reimbursement grants; city staff also confirmed they will seek restitution related to the vehicle damage and will return to council with updates if the status of the sale changes.
Ending: The council did not take formal action on TA Wilson at the meeting; instead members received the update and asked staff to continue reporting developments to the council.
