Social justice committee preparing to make announcement about septic tank program

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A group in Jacksonville, whose sole purpose is to eradicate racial and social inequalities in the neighborhood, prepares for an announcement of the septic tank program.

Earlier this month, the city guides informed the News4Jax I-TEAM that they no longer had enough money in the city budget to close hundreds of septic tanks in the Christobel district. Now they swear to do things right.

Jacksonville City Councilor Brenda Priestly Jackson, Chair of the Social Justice and Community Investment Committee, expressed her passion for completing the project promised for underserved neighborhoods in 1968 during the city’s consolidation.

“I will tell the public to be patient with the process,” she said. “I’m determined to make sure we fund some inequalities in the city of Jacksonville to instantly improve the quality of life for our neighbors, especially since we have had them.” Financing available. “

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The boroughs of Biltmore and Beverly Hills are both well on their way to closing septic tanks in a JEA and city-funded program. Funds for the Christobel Committee were running low, however, causing trouble in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods – especially while Talks about the development of an entertainment district in Lot J.

“What is more valuable? Which is more important: the health of the community or Lot J? Said Yah Ya Kariem, who lives in Northside. “Again, I understand the economic benefit, but what about the health problems this can cause in this area? What about the stench we have to endure because Lot J has to be done before you bring sewage into this area? “

During a committee meeting on Monday on Zoom, Priestly Jackson hinted to fellow city council members that their committee had found a source of funding but the details are still being worked out.

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“I’m not ready to introduce what’s to come from this committee just yet, but I will tell you it should be something essential based on the presentation by Mr. (John) Papas (director of the city’s public works department) and the work others have done to prioritize those septic tanks that need to be removed for our neighbors as well as those that affect the aquifer and other things in Jacksonville, “said Priestly Jackson.

The committee chair would not go so far as to disclose how much additional money would be needed to complete the Christobel project, or where the money was coming from. She said the answers to these questions would be made public at the November 9 meeting of the committee.

“I just wanted to thank you for considering only information that you will bring about for the septic tanks, especially because one of them is in the neighborhood of Cristobel,” said councilor Ju’Coby Pittman, for a long, long time, waited long. “

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“I’m so glad we’re looking at the Christobel problem because we’ve been promising this neighborhood for over two years, and it’s not your fault because the city is running out of money,” said councilor Sam Newby. “So I’m glad we’re going to tackle this.”

While residents of the Cristobel neighborhood told I-TEAM this was encouraging news, they have also waited decades for the city of Jacksonville to deliver on its promise.

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