6 days ago
Civil Service Commission returns in Jackson to bring accountability to city employment
Jackson Mayor John Horhn has revived the city's long-dormant Civil Service Commission, a body tasked with ensuring fair hiring, promotion and discipline practices for city employees.
What is civil service?
"The Civil Service Commission safeguards an orderly, merit-driven system for city employees, providing every qualified citizen with a fair chance at public service and strengthening the quality of municipal departments," the press release states. "The Commission oversees recruiting, evaluating, and promoting employees strictly on the basis of performance and qualifications, while upholding a comprehensive Code of Rules and Regulations in line with the Civil Service Acts."
Under state law — specifically, Miss. Code Ann. § 21-31-1 — a city's Civil Service Commission helps oversee personnel policies and employment-related disputes for municipal workers.
The commission will meet on the second Thursday each month at the Andrew Jackson conference room in the Hood Building on 200 South President Street. All meetings are open to the public.
It's unclear when the commission stopped meeting. Jackson's communications director Nic Lott said the commission stopped meeting under former Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba's administration, and he was unsure why. More members also might be added to the commission in the future.
'This is another example of our commitment to improving governance,' Horhn said in the release. 'These commissioners bring integrity, knowledge, and experience to the job.'
The press release states that the commission has one current member, Onetta Starling Whitley. She works in the general counsel division for Jackson State University and "serves as the University's lead in‐house attorney," according to her biography on JSU's website.
'Our main goal is to ensure all hiring and promotions in Jackson's city government are based solely on merit and ability. We stand ready to help increase the effectiveness and morale of our entire city workforce," Whitley said in the press release.
Who is on the civil service board?
Additionally, Horhn has nominated Peyton Prospere and Ronald K. Moore to serve on the board. Both will need to be confirmed by the Jackson City Council, which is expected to be voted on at their next meeting on Aug. 12, according to Lott.
Prospere is an attorney with local Jackson firm Watkins and Eager and has practiced public law and finance for 45 years, according to the firm's website. Prospere was chief counsel for former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and later director of Jackson's Administration Department under Mayor Frank Melton. He also served as interim state treasurer in 2003, before current Republican Gov. Tate Reeves took over the role in 2004.
'We're committed to listening to employees and residents alike as the commission moves forward,' Prospere said in the press release. 'Our focus will be on creating lasting positive change that benefits both city workers and the people of Jackson.'
Moore is the founder and serves as the senior pastor of Stronger Hope Church, which is located off Beasley Road in North Jackson. The church was established in 1993, according to its website. An Army veteran, Moore transitioned from the military to ministry and studied at various schools across the South before opening his church.
'Being nominated to serve on the Civil Service Commission is both an honor and a responsibility. The work we will do shapes a culture of excellence and fairness that every city employee and resident deserves," Moore said in the press release.
Horhn's administration said reactivating the board will bring Jackson back into compliance with civil service standards and provide a check on hiring decisions.
Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. You can contact him at cdrape@
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS Mayor Horhn announces return of Civil Service Commission
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