The newly elected Winslow City Councilmembers and mayor were sworn in last night. Among them was Councilman Rickey Jackson, a 14-year resident of Winslow. Regarding his reasons for running for office he noted, “It was time. I have always served in various capacities and I’ve been asked often to run for council and I just feel like it was time.”
Jackson was recently named the Interim Vice President of Learning and Student Services at Northland Pioneer College (NPC), where he previously served as Dean of Arts and Sciences. He has been with NPC for 14 years as an instructor as well as an administrator. “I never really had a teacher that was worth a plug nickel,” he said, “and that motivated me to get involved in education. That and being able to represent those students that didn’t fit in; that has been my whole motivation to do anything, quite honestly.”
Jackson said he plans to use that motivation as a councilman as well. “It’s about serving and bringing a different perspective. I feel like I represent people that don’t have a voice.”
On the topic of development in Winslow, Jackson said, “We can attract industry, especially light industry and still maintain the integrity of our small businesses. We need to set up a ‘future of Winslow foundation’ of business owners and other citizens and figure out step by step what we need to attract business.
“Bringing industry into Winslow is my number one goal. It has to be more than just the council, it has to be people in the city, and we need to do more collaborations with the Navajo and Hopi Nations.”
“The levee is the first step. We have to get our levee certified, we have to work with the (Army) Corps of Engineers and get this done because it is inhibiting growth in Winslow. The flood insurance is keeping business from coming here.
“We can do tax breaks to attract industry, but there is an end to that. We will give the breaks, for a period of time, but once a business is on its feet, they have to contribute to the infrastructure and we need to be upfront with that. Look at what areas we can put more money into and what areas we can scale back on. I would like to concentrate on being more efficient.”
Jackson believes that another issue faced when working toward development is affordable housing. “The levee keeps us from having affordable housing for people that want to live and work here. That is the elephant in the room. If there is one thing we have to get moving on, it’s that. I do see an end to it, it has to be a priority and when you place business as the priority then it will get done.
Jackson is hopeful and excited about his term on the council. “We may have to have some tough discussions, but at the end of the day, we are still neighbors, we are still friends. I see positive things with the city, I see positive things with people in town, I see this new hope that exists in town and I want to be a part of that.”
