Councilmen OK deal to move city workers into Metrocenter

JACKSON — The Jackson City Council has approved a deal that will allow 300 employees to relocate to the Metrocenter mall within 45 days.

The Clarion-Ledger reports the new terms proposed by Councilman Quentin Whitwell passed 3-2 yesterday, ending a stalemate over a wiring issue.

The city now will pay $50,000 up front for wiring needs that were overlooked at the project’s outset, then pay out another $200,000 plus interest over five years.

The city had expected to relocate several offices to Metrocenter as early as Oct. 1, with developer Retro Metro, LLC converting an old Belk’s department store into offices using its own money. The work is around 90 percent complete, but stalled because neither the city nor the developer accounted for computer and phone wiring needs.