[Publisher’s Note] Jackson’s PR Problem, Part Two

by Todd Stauffer
August 9, 2006

As I read Clarion-Ledger Executive Editor Ronnie Agnew's recent opinion piece, "Law Firm, CPA Move Just Plain Business," it occurred to me that his column seemed to be missing a word.

Agnew wrote about the announcement by law firm Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada that it will be moving its approximately 250 employees out of the AmSouth building and into a to-be-constructed office building on Highland Colony Parkway in Madison once the building is built in 2009. CPA firm Horne Group will leave AmSouth Plaza to join Butler-Snow in the 'burbs.

City leaders and others have responded emotionally to the announcement, a response that Agnew calls "whining" on the part of Jackson supporters such as Council President Ben Allen, who has condemned the move because of the loss in property tax revenue it could represent for Jackson Public Schools.

I had to wade through sparkling prose such as: "Although I understand the city's reaction, it is aimed at the wrong target. In fact, the impending moves have grown beyond token opposition and turned nasty, with tough talk from city officials who speak out of some sense of entitlement."

Any thoughts on what Editor Agnew is trying to say here?

It seems like the "call to action" in his column is a proclamation that the city needs to plan for dealing with the retention of important businesses in the downtown Jackson area, just as it needs a similar plan to address how we're going to attract new businesses and get them to pay taxes that benefit the city core.

But remember I mentioned that word that never appears in Agnew's column? The word was this one: "Melton."

On the same day that I sat down to read Agnew's column on The Clarion-Ledger's design-challenged Web site (I opted to forgo a session with "CareerBuilder TV," tempted as I was), Donna posted a link to a Christian Science Monitor story about Frank Melton's "police" tactics as mayor and the claims against him that he's engaging in racial profiling—even though he's black himself.

Plus, you know, he carries a gun on planes and wears a fake badge.

The article represents still another opportunity for Jackson to be defined by its crazy mayor doing crazy things. Remember Mayor Marion Barry? Remember Gov. Jesse Ventura? Remember how you thought those people must be crazy to elect someone like that.

That's what they're thinking about us.

It's that image to which some of these businesses may be reacting when they decide to pull out of Jackson—or when they choose not to locate in Jackson in the first place. From the executive editor of the same newspaper that brought weekly condemnations of Harvey Johnson for his reputed mismanagement of his administration's public image—the criticism of which was often based on the C-L's own shoddy reporting and mishandling of quotes—comes nothing about what Melton's role should be in helping us create this environment that will attract and retain businesses.

We need to get serious about downtown development, attracting businesses that offer good jobs and increasing the tax base. I agree with Mr. Agnew if, in fact, those are the points he was trying to make.

Here's how that usually happens:

1. The mayor and his department heads formulate a plan, perhaps with the help of other city and business leaders, including the city council. They could even hire a consultant or talk to people who make a living thinking about such things at our local universities.

2. The mayor takes that plan and pitches it to the public, other officials and business leaders. (He can do some of this on TV, or standing in front of crowds, which is the sort of thing he already likes to do.) If he needs council or the Mississippi Legislature or the U.S. Congress to approve portions of the plan, he lobbies for such, or asks professional lobbyist-types to help him. (Oops. Fired them.)

3. His PR team develops a scheme that touts the plan that he's formulated (might have to take time off from denying open-records requests), while his development people work directly with the businesses that are considering relocation to or new digs in Jackson.

Now, certainly, Ben Allen or any council member could put forth a nine-point plan and try to get it passed—but without the mayor and the executive branch, it won't be implemented. Mr. Agnew should know that as, after all, he's the "executive" editor. You'd think he'd know where the blame for our rudderless policy of business development and retention should lie—it's with the candidate his paper enthusiastically endorsed, our city's "chief executive"—Mayor Frank Melton.

And, yes, Mr. Agnew is right in saying that we need to spend some time getting at the heart of the problem. But he's wrong in his analysis of why these firms are relocating.

"These businesses are leaving because they've reached the conclusion that they could sell and market their product more efficiently elsewhere, not to mention provide better working conditions for employees," wrote Agnew.

The notion that these firms will now be selling their "product" (a careful editor might have suggested "services" when talking about a law firm and a CPA house) "more efficiently" by moving to Highland Colony Parkway is absurd. They may be moving closer to some of the partners' or associates' homes, and because they're presented with the opportunity to own their own building or land, which could be a wise investment—but unless they intend to start making parts for Nissan, moving halfway to Canton doesn't seem like it would add much to their efficiencies.

I've been to Butler-Snow's offices on numerous occasions, and I wouldn't exactly assume that the employees are pining for "better working conditions." There might be some modern amenities that a new building could offer, and who knows if they're cramped in some of the support offices—but Agnew makes it sound a little like the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. It's a pretty flippin' nice office there in AmSouth Plaza.

Mayor Melton needs to get serious about his job and The Clarion-Ledger needs to get serious about taking him to task for not doing his job. This was one of those opportunities, and Agnew blew it. Again.

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