Let's Get To Work.
God's Word tells us, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
- II Chronicles 7:14
Pray. Plan. Proceed.
The Platform
1. Safe City
- Establish partnerships between law enforcement, the faith community, community leaders, social services, and residents. This collaboration will enhance trust and reinforce the message that violence is unacceptable to the entire community.
- Implement strategies which employ a focused approached to identify the small number of individuals and groups most responsible for gun violence and address through direct intervention.
- Authorities and community partners meet directly with offenders to convey consequences of continued violence and offer assistance for those who want to change.
2. Restore Infrastructure
- Establish a close working relationship with Jxn Water to help ensure we have a voice in the direction of and future management of these vital systems.
- Manage street improvements through a comprehensive pavement management program shared with government partners to maximize benefits received from city and county tax dollars, One Percent Sales Tax Commission resources, State Aid Road funds, and Capital Complex Improvement District investment.
- Develop a traffic control device strategy which will determine appropriate traffic control devices needed based on traffic volume, crash history, and pedestrian activity to prioritize repair, replacement or removal based on these criteria.
3. Job Creation & Training
- Equip residents with skills aligned with the needs of local industry by partnering with local business, non-profits, and education institutions to offer work skill mentoring, apprenticeships, and career readiness programs.
- Encourage public-private partnerships for collaboration between private investors, nonprofits, and education institutions to pool resources and incentivize investment in underserved areas.
- Work with state and federal partners to evaluate and implement programs successfully utilized in other states providing residents opportunities to transition into the workforce without experiencing the benefit cliff.
4. Beautification & Blight Elimination
- Encourage and support grassroot efforts to identify blight and organize neighborhood cleanup or beautification projects through neighborhood associations and residents.
- Collaborate with developers and nonprofit organizations to fund and manage blight removal and redevelopment efforts such as incremental infill development strategies successfully implemented in other cities.
- Work with our Legislative delegation to streamline processes that currently hinder cleanup of distressed and tax foreclosed properties providing avenues to repurpose and redevelop properties.
5. Home Ownership Opportunities
- Work with local financial institutions and non-profits to offer workshops and other resources on budgeting, mortgage options, and maintaining good credit to prepare individuals for successful homeownership.
- Establish programs to sell vacant, tax foreclosed or blighted properties at low cost to first time home buyers or residents currently renting and require the property be renovated and owner occupied.
- Provide incentives for first time home buyers to acquire and rehabilitate tax foreclosed properties. This approach makes homeownership more accessible, improves vacant properties, and returns properties to the tax rolls.
About Rodney
In Brief
- Jackson resident from 1966 – 1976 and 2004 – current
- Education: B.S. in Business Administration – Accounting
- Public Office: Elected to Clinton Board of Alderman in 1993, served from 1993 – 2001
- Career: Owned and operated DePriest Construction for 20+ years; Senior Management, Trustmark National Bank from 2012 – 2021
- Community Service: Founded REJXN in 2023 with an emphasis on violence intervention; Young Life Inner City Jackson Volunteer
- Served on the Board of Directors for Downtown Jackson Partners, 2020-21
- Member and Deacon at First Baptist Church Jackson
