Is he in hiding?
Is he ill?
Is he working at this “real job” 24/7?
Or is he just sulking?
Whatever the reason(s), Caddo Commissioner Steven Jackson has been MIA—as in missing in action-at Commission meeting for the last 2 months. These include work sessions and regular meetings.
Since the September 6 regular Commission meeting, Jackson has missed 10 of the 11 meetings.
He last appeared at 500 Travis Street for a Commission gathering on October 4. He had missed 3 consecutive meetings before that. And since that date, he is 0 for 7.
Who knows if he will show for a special meeting today on the Commission budget. Or on Thursday for the regular meeting.
And yes, Virginia he is still drawing his monthly paycheck of $1600 plus bucks a month.
As they say, not a bad gig if you can get it. Be paid while skipping work.
Jackson was on the mayoral ballot on November 6.
He finished a dismal fifth. He only garnered 11% of the vote.
Maybe that’s the reason for his disappearing act—both before and after the election.
Jackson’s mayoral campaign never really gained any traction. It was obvious that his ship was sinking by mid September.
Seemingly he could put on his big boy pants and come back to work as a highly paid Commissioner.
If he needs a role model he need look no further than to Shreveport council member Stephanie Lynch.
Lynch lost to James Green in her effort to serve a second term on November 6.
She attended the next Council meeting on November 13 and congratulated Green. She also had him address the Council.
She also acknowledged Green’s presence at the next Council meeting on November 27. She again encouraged him to actively represent the district.
Jackson has always been critical of fellow Commission members who did not vote with him.
He also was an autocrat as Commission president during the second half of his 2017 presidential term, removing members from committees.
Jackson has also been hyper critical of any media coverage not to his liking.
His petulant childish attitude on this elected body has earned him, and rightly so, the disrespect of an overwhelming number of fellow commissioners.
The Commission does not lose with Jackson’s absence. In fact, the meetings are shorter without his long standing practice of attempting to have more “talk time” than any other commissioner, and often more than all the commissioners combined.
Now as far as his council district having an absentee representative, that is a totally different issue.
But most politicos are not surprised.
Jackson’s three years on the Commission have always appeared to be more about him than “them”—those that elected him.