After three years of watching the Starkville Board of Aldermen, I should be immune to surprises.
But, when I saw Alderman Lisa Wynn exit the board room recently and then noticed that she was hiding in the hall with the door slightly ajar so she could watch and hear what was going on in the board room, I have to confess, it was a novel experience.
I actually took a picture. It was about an hour and 50 minutes into what turned out to be the halfway point of a very long meeting. The Board was to decide on appointing two people to a GTR LINK committee. It was at this point Alderman Wynn left the room. No explanation, no recusal, nothing. I thought perhaps she had to take a personal comfort break.
But there was something about the way she left.
I don’t know what drew my attention to the door, but there she was. The exit door was clearly cracked and being held open. I fumbled around to take a picture but couldn’t get the camera to zoom. A helpful tech-savvy guy in the row behind me took pity and showed me how to get the close up. Got it.
About four minutes later Wynn came back into the chamber. Who knows why, perhaps she thought better of being absent for the vote or maybe she saw me getting the picture. Whatever the reason she returned and cast her “nay” vote.
Wynn has made it perfectly clear she doesn’t favor Joe Max (not that she is alone in that sentiment), and she will take it out on any program associated with the LINK. Case in point, at this same meeting she voted against paying the contract amount for the economic development services the LINK provides Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
She made her point with a motion to pull the invoice to the LINK out of the normal payment cycle so she could vote against paying it. This was a first time event and when asked, she suggested that it wouldn’t be the last.
That doesn’t bode well for any future support for economic development from Alderman Wynn. Despite all protestations to the contrary about being an advocate, she seems to have abandoned the LINK-driven efforts to bring new industry to the city and county in favor of pursuing a different, unarticulated agenda.
She is joined by Alderman Perkins who has likewise made clear his lack of support for the LINK.
The vote she almost skipped was on a plan to appoint members to a special committee. That committee is charged with making recommendations from what appears to be a very well researched and responsible set of options for pursuing industry development. Our own version of “build it and they will come.”
It is becoming clear that Oktibbeha County and Starkville are unique to the Golden Triangle in our marketable assets. Joe Max was candid in outlining our challenges to industrial recruitment.
Because we don’t have an active railroad line, a large, established electric or gas power grid and our land prices are higher, we’re not going to entice the type industries we see in our neighboring communities, at least not in the near term. The three options identified by the LINK to be studied by the ad hoc committee would appear to currently be the only viable ones for luring some industrial-related activity.
It is a sophisticated analysis aimed at identifying our marketable assets and how best to position ourselves for the industries or businesses that fit with who we are and want to be.
Some of our brightest minds have differing views on how or even if we should be pursuing what appears to be an avenue that doesn’t easily fit our complement of assets. The dilemma deserves thoughtful consideration.
The three options suggested by the LINK should be given careful consideration as they may offer the last hope in the near future for industrial jobs.
Setting volatile personalities aside, it appears the LINK has done its due diligence and now it is time for the aldermen and supervisors to deliberate and then act.
That includes investing in the discussion and then voting. Hiding accomplishes nothing.
Lynn Spruill, a former commercial airline pilot, elected official and city administrator owns and manages Spruill Property Management in Starkville. Her email address is [email protected].
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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