News and information about Starkville and Oktibbeha County
The deal should be closed for Comvest and company to purchase the Cooley building from MSU for $5.7 million by the end of the month according to the Reflector.
I love the quote about not building in the middle of a cornfield. Subtle jab at our neighbors to the east?
The Dispatch weighs in with their coverage of the dispute between the BOA and CVB.
IS teh BOA right?
The SDN runs with an update of the impasse between BOA and GSDP over the CVB.
Particularly interesting is Sumner Davis’ quote. Not only is he on the BOA, but he serves on the CVB board.
From the SDN article:
He explained his role in the organization’s budget Wednesday evening.
“I participated in the budget formulation process, which consisted of reviewing applications from event sponsorships from the community and allocating roughly $45,000 to various events and reviewing the advertising budget which had mainly been booked for the year with rest of the budget being already obligated in non-discretionary expenses with the vast majority of it being with the management contract with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership,” Davis said.“Then a very small percentage (was) allocated to dues in various regional and state tourism associations and then a smaller percentage for overhead for such things as office supplies and also we allocated our standard $10,000 toward the retirement program.”
Davis also provided an explanation on his position as an alderman regarding the budget.“My issues as an alderman with this budget are the 2 percent monies that flow through the CVB to the GSDP via the management contract and the overarching issues with some of the internal organization of the GSDP and having the ability to maintain accountability for the public 2 percent tax dollars which go to the GSDP via the management contract.”
The question now is, will it get built? The SDN discusses.
In the current business climate, can a condo development make it? Will the Belfry finally launch?
After a few days out of town on a project in Kansas, here a few notes, links and opinions.
Captain Columbus, Steve Rogers, opines on one of his favorite subjects as he takes on government- GSDP relationships in his latest magnum opus.
He does make some great points, but I do get kinda tired of him always whaling on us.
The way in which the BOA is going about trying to put el Mayor Camp on the Executive Committee is rather childish. Luckily, municipal elections are just around the corner and the “throw the bums out” feelings are running at an all-time high.
The mayor of Starkville probably does need a seat at the table, but I wouldn’t want this mayor to have any seat at any table. It’s pretty sad when the economic development officials at the state level are afraid to refer prospects up for fear of being exposed to Dan Camp.
The transition of power in the community continues as Dr. Mark Keenum takes over as the top Dawg at MSU. Good hire. He seems to have the desire and qualifications to lead the university for a long time. Is he our Khayat?
Over the past 12-18 months, we have seen changes in both education Supers, Board of Supes, MSU president and GSDP head. For the most part, the replacement has been a vast improvement over the predecessor (jury still our on the Supes). Will that trend continue in City Hall?
This just in from SSD Public Info:
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nicole Thomas
Public Information Officer
Starkville School District
Two school buses were involved in an accident at the intersection of
Louisville Street and Highway 12 this morning around 7:15. Bus 27 was
northbound on Louisville Street and Bus 63 was attempting to turn left
onto Highway 12 when the accident occurred.
There were students in grades k-3 and grades 9-12 on Bus 63 when the
accident occurred. Emergency officials were contacted immediately, and
one student was transported to Oktibbeha County Hospital where he was
treated and released for a minor cut. Another student was taken to the
hospital by her mother after she experienced pain along the right side
of her body. Superintendent Judy Couey visited her and her mother in
the emergency room this morning, and the student is expected to be
released later today.
“We are so thankful the students’ injuries were not of a serious
nature and that they will be back with us this week,” said Couey.
“I commend Ms. Wilson for contacting parents and Ms. Mosley and Mrs.
Shea for doing so as well. The students in grades k-2 have had further
assessments by the nurse and counselor and were reported to be coping
well,” Couey added.
“The quick response of the Starkville Police Department who gathered
information on the accident as well as the students involved along with
the actions of other emergency responders allowed the district to handle
the accident as efficiently and effectively as possible,” said Couey.
GSDP CEO Jon Maynard is the subject of a SDN article summing up his first month on the job. It appears that he has done more in the past month that had been done in the last 6 months prior to his hire.
With absentee ballots included, the totals are:
For 10908 (61.1%)
Against 6966 (38.9%)
OCH wins the Extreme Makeover- Hospital Edition lottery with a few votes to spare.
Has anyone investigated where the money came from for the campaign? Were tax dollars used to promote the bond issue?
Dispatch article on voting in Starkville.
Sid Salter is reporting that all indications point to Keenum.
From his blog entry:
Sources close to the College Board search committee meeting today to announce a preferred candidate for the vacant MSU presidency tell me that Dr. Mark Keenum under-secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and a former chief of staff to Sen. Thad Cochran, is expected to be named as that preferred candidate. While the College Board remains split, alumni support for Keenum has been substantial. MSU Faculty Senate members still have reservations, but it is believed that the board feels pressure to resolve the MSU presidency in a timely fashion after pressure from the Legislature on the board has intensified.
But there is no on-the-record confirmation.
The BOA, in their best impression yet of a spoiled child, has refused to pass the CVB budget a THIRD time. Ward 1 Alderman Sumner Davis, Ward 3 Alderman P.C. McLaurin Jr. and Ward 6 Alderman Roy Perkins voted against the budget with Mayor Dan Camp breaking the 3-3 tie.
It’s ironic that Davis voted “no” since he has been heavily involved with the CVB board for sometime. Why vote against the budget of the organization he serves as board chair of?
I have never been in favor of giving the GSDP a free pass, but the BOA should demonstrate goodwill toward new GSDP CEO Jon Maynard by passing his first CVB budget. Maynard appears to be reaching out to correct some of the issues with the Partnership.
Camp and McLaurin, both rumored to be interested in occupying the center seat at City Hall, are not striking the proper tone that our next mayor has to have.
SPEAKING OF EL MAYOR: When addressing a local Cub Scout troop Monday night, Camp confirmed what was suspected all along- he views the mayor’s job as a part-time gig. In response to a question from teh audience about what the mayor does, he acknowledged that he “had two jobs” with the first one causing him to arrive at City Hall between 9 and 10 AM each morning. Pretty good work if you can get it- keep your pre-election job and moonlight as the city’s mayor. Maybe the next mayor can keep their day job and run City Hall on lunch and smoke breaks and via email and Facebook updates.
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