Ben Needham is the campaign manager for Parker Wiseman. Ben is a graduate of Mississippi State University and currently works in the political field. This appears as originally sent and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the website.
The Case for Parker Wiseman
In less than two weeks, citizens of Starkville will go to the polls to choose the next city leaders. Vying to lead the city over the next four years are Mayor Dan Camp, Alderman Matt Cox, and Parker Wiseman. Today, I present my case for electing Parker Wiseman as the next Mayor of Starkville.
Parker Wiseman is a Starkville native who was educated in the Starkville Public Schools from kindergarten through the 12th grade. After graduating from Starkville High School, Parker continued his education at Mississippi State University where he received the John C. Stennis scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. While at Mississippi State, Parker held leadership rolls in several organizations including being a student senator, Student Association Vice President and President, and was elected Mr. MSU. After graduating from Mississippi State, Parker continued his education at the University of North Carolina where he received a Master’s of Public Administration from one of the best schools that offers training in city management. Parker then returned to Mississippi to complete a Juris Doctorate at the University of Mississippi Law School. Once Parker completed his educational work, he moved back to Starkville with his wife Lindsey Smith Wiseman and practices law with Knight, Mozingo, and Quarles.
Parker is running for mayor to see Starkville achieve everything it is capable of being. Currently, Starkville is not utilizing all of her resources. Parker Wiseman will change that as the next Mayor of Starkville. Parker has focused on four very important issues throughout this election—economic development, land-use and development, governing better, cleaner and more efficiently, and finally moving forward on the municipal complex. No other candidate in this race has talked more openly about moving Starkville forward than Parker. Parker is very detailed with his platform and trying to communicate what Starkville can be with the right leadership.
Parker believes we can grow the Starkville economy if we take a regional approach to economic development rather than fighting with West Point and Columbus for companies looking to locate in the area. This is important because Oktibbeha County is just as impoverished as our neighbor Noxubee County. We have 31.4 percent of our citizens living below the poverty line. That figure is staggering considering that Starkville has the most educated labor force in the state of Mississippi. What it says is that outside of education fields and medical fields there is a serious lack of jobs that pay a living wage in Starkville/ Oktibbeha County.
Stated simply, we are vastly underachieving in the field of job creation, and as a result, many of our citizens are struggling. Parker understands that while Starkville is resource rich, the city is not doing its part to promote local economic development. The job of the mayor is to set the stage for public and quasi-private entities with a stake in economic development to bring growth opportunities to Starkville. That means the mayor must constantly coordinate with the Greater Starkville Development Authority, the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, and the Mississippi Development Authority to sell this community as a great place for outside business and industry to locate. Parker understands the task and is ready to take it on!
He also understands that it is a chief responsibility of the city to ensure that land is developed in a way that is attractive and economically sound. There has not been an election in decades that is as vital to shaping the future land-use policy of this city as the current election. Right now, 65% of Starkville’s land is undeveloped, and we have a comprehensive plan that the taxpayers of this city paid good money for that has remained on the shelf gathering dust for the last four years. The time has come for the people of Starkville to say “enough” and demand better.
The choice in the May 5th Democratic Primary is clear. Starkville voters may choose Parker with his plan to lead Starkville forward or one of the two most outspoken community leaders over the last four years. The records of Mayor Camp and Alderman Cox paint a picture of largely ignoring economic development and land-use issues that should be dominating the city agenda. Voters can make a choice to continue the path of indifference or accept Parker’s call for us to begin down the road of realizing our potential as a community. That road is long and tough, but it leads us to a place tomorrow that is better than where we are today. Make the right choice on Tuesday, May 5th. Choose progress. Choose Parker Wiseman!
Parker may well be the smartest candidate in the bunch but the fact remains he does not have one day of real public service experience as an elected official. Anyone who has worked in that sector knows that no textbook in the world can prepare you for what happens in the real world.
If I were a 50-year-old CEO looking to spend 20 million dollars locating in Starkville I’d have a tough time putting my faith in a 20-something mayor still cutting his teeth.
I’d also much rather go to a doctor with years of experience as opposed to the guy who just graduated from med school, albeit at the top of his class.
If Parker wins I’ll certainly support him but at this point he, and the writer, seem a bit naive about all they’ll do for us Starkville folks. There are quite a few glittering generalities in the above endorsement. Really…does the author honestly believe that being Mr. MSU should be listed on a resume for someone wanting to be the CEO of our city? I’m not convinced, wish Parker would have cut his teeth as a councilman first then combined all that book knowledge with on the job experience.
Good luck to all the candidates and may the best man, or woman win!
Bill,
I am supportive of Parker Wiseman and I do think he is the best person for the job. What Starkville needs is some new energy to move this city forward. The problem with Starkville is people like you Bill who don’t believe we deserve better. You are satisfied with Starkville being stagnant. You are satisfied with the promise of someone answering the phone at City Hall rather than someone actually following a comprehensive city plan. Well, I want something better for Starkville and Parker Wiseman is the only one offering that.
Bill you talk about experience, but I have to ask you what have the experience of Dan Camp and Matt Cox gained the city of Starkville. Starkville really isn’t much better off than it was four years ago. Both Dan Camp and Matt Cox promised a better Starkville and I haven’t seen that happen yet. Dan Camp and Matt Cox both talk about more economic development and governing the city better, but where has that been over the last four years. Matt more so than Dan have had the power to work on these things, but have failed to do so. Do they really deserve four more years to do nothing?
Matt Cox, as an alderman, have had the power to introduce legislation that Dan Camp haven’t had to move this city forward. Instead, Matt Cox and Dan Camp have fought each other rather than working together to move Starkville forward. So now Matt Cox wants to be Mayor to get all these things done. If Matt Cox couldn’t achieve some economic development or use a comprehensive plan to govern the city so we can save money as a powerful alderman; what does he expect to do with less power as the mayor? Most of the current members of the board don’t even like Matt Cox. I have heard people the people who serve with Matt call him a liar to saying he uses way to much profanity in executive meetings. What that tells us is he lacks the respect of his colleagues. How can Matt be a leader when the board members don’t like or respect him.
And Bill, look what years of experience have gotten General Motors. A company that needs recovery funds from the government. Now look at the companies with young energetic CEOs like google. They are the companies that are actually doing well and growing.
Funny you should mention Google’s CEO. The young co-founders of that company brought in an EXPERIENCED CEO. Eric Schmidt is 54almost twice Parker’s age. Again, I think Parker may be the smartest man in the race but please use better examples when making your case.
I admire your passion but you don’t help your candidate when your argument makes my point.
“P” designates paragraph and “S” designates sentence.
In reference to Ben Needham’s letter.
P7, S4: False dichotomy, i.e. vote for Parker or prove your “indifference” to Starkville’s future.
In reference to Jamal’s email.
P1, S3-4: Unsubstantiated and irrelevant personal attacks.
P2, S2: “Starkville really isn’t much better off than it was four years ago”? Really? I can think of three examples, directly related to City government: the smoking ban in city restaurants, green initiatives including the directive to make new city buildings LEED silver, and the university drive bike lanes.
P3, S5: Funny, Matt received an endorsement in today’s Starkville Daily News from one of his colleagues…
P3, S6: Hearsay, in this case attributed to unnamed sources…
P4: Irrelevant comparison. One can always find an anecdote that supposedly discredits an otherwise positive attribute (in this case experience).
The logical weaknesses of Ben Needham’s endorsement letter and Jamal’s follow-up expose the weakness of Parker Wiseman’s campaign – the lack of evidence that Wiseman can actually do a better job. Without evidence, the authors have to resort to broad promises and (in Jamal’s case) personal attacks on the other candidates and those who support them.
I support Matt Cox because I believe he is the best equipped to move this town forward – he has vision AND experience. Having worked with Matt in the early days of Starkville in Motion, I know that he truly wants to improve this community (vision). Having watched him deal with real budgets as an alderman, I know he can handle the real-world limitations of a finite budget (experience).
As Matt’s friend, I am disappointed to see the personal attacks begin. Matt is a good man, and he will do a good job for all the citizens of our city.
In response to “Starkville really isn’t much better off than it was four years ago.” Don’t forget, Starkville only sold HOT beer 4 years ago. But then again, maybe my priorities are in the wrong place. I love the smoking ban and the fact that Starkville was a leader in MS, too.
Why is that the Matt Cox supporters get there feeling hurt so easy when people disagree with them?
Using Chris’s symbols. “P” designates paragraph and “S” designates sentence.
Chris,
P1, S3-4: Saying that Stakville is stagnant is not a personal attack. It is making an observation about the city. Also, pointing out how stupid Matt’s platform issue of having someone answer the phone at City Hall is not a personal attack. That is an attack on the issues that he supports. I personally think Starkville needs more than someone answering the phone at City Hall to govern this city better than it has been under Dan Camp and Matt Cox.
P2, S2: Yes, Starkville has moved forward on some issues, but over the last four years and under the watchful eye of Dan Camp and Matt Cox Starkville’s railroads are not up and running. Also, how have those three issues you mentioned made life better for the average citizen in Starkville? I can tell you that in my community we have greater issues than a city being smoke-free community, a bike lane, and green initiatives. In Ward 7 where I live, people want to know about one thing and that is jobs. What has Matt Cox done to help people out that are concerned about making a living.
P3, S5 and S6: Where are Matt’s other colleagues? They aren’t voting for him. They don’t like him and they all think he would be a bad leader for the city. They also think Roy Perkins is supporting Matt for one reason and that is to have someone he can control in the Mayor’s office.
P4: As I stated, give me new leadership over the experience the past 4 years have gained us. Matt wants to lead this city, but didn’t do a great job at passing legislation that would move this city forward over the last 4 years. Matt has had the power to put forth economic development issues before the council, to use the comprehensive plan he said is collecting dust at City Hall, and work with his colleagues to get things done. Instead, his experience has lead to an economy that is slowing down in Starkville, a comprehensive plan paid for by the tax payers collecting dust, and the lost of respect from his colleagues. Do we really want four more years of a Mayor who can’t work with the Board of Aldermen? That is what we would get with either Matt Cox or Dan Camp.
Everything I said relates to the experience Matt is using to say he is qualified to be Mayor.
And Jean, please check your facts. The town of Matcalfe, MS was the first community to pass a comprehensive smoke-free workplace law in 2003. While I love going to out to a smoke-free place in Starkville, Matt Cox can’t claim to be a leader on this issue in the State of Mississippi when someone else was first.
If you don’t believe me, visit http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-mississippi/4088210-1.html
Jamal, even though I am supporting a different candidate, I agree that the Matt Cox supporters do nothing but whine when someone points out the failures of Matt Cox.
I want to encourage everyone to reelect Mayor Camp. Through Dan’s leadership, the city of Starkville has saved over $1 million just by changing the accounting systems. Dan also brought a drainage system to an area of town that had never had it before. And Dan is the reason we are finally trying to repair our roads over the long term. Dan Camp has been good for the city.
Vote Dan Camp as our next mayor.
Jean, I think Starkville started selling cold beer about 2 years before Matt was on the Board of Alderman. Do his supporters not care about telling the truth and do they all just sit around and get drunk?
Cold beer and no smoking were two of the hallmarks of this board, so Cox and Camp get credit for both.
Carol – it’s generally a good idea to have your facts right before accusing someone else of the same thing
While smoking did in fact better our community, the cold beer may not have bettered our community in the eyes of many. It did in mine, but there is a large contingency that would reverse that if they could. You see the same lines being drawn in the Sunday Sales argument, supporters argue the benefit economically, while opponents cite moral and religious reasons which they believe would harm the community.
While improvements have been made in the last four years, several things have gone largely unnoticed and addressed by the board. Our streets are in horrible condition, not only the pot holes, but the lack of striping and directions. City Leaders have been unable to sit in the same room with county leaders, partnership leaders and university leaders to attract new businesses to our community, outside of what the university attracts. The Starkville Police Department is still one of the lowest paying agencies in the state. I don’t know if I would point to the bike lanes as a success, because they are very dangerous and confusing for motorists and bikers alike. The idea is commendable, but if not done right, should not be bragged about. And where is that municipal complex?
While improvements have occurred, I think it is improper to say that this current makeup of leaders (Mayor and Board) have reached their full potential. The development and growth that we have seen is not the cause of any policies or actions taken by City Hall, but the growth in student population and private investors making that realization and setting up shop. This election is a crossroads for Starkville, is it going to stay the same (which some want, and more power to them) or is it going to capitalize off the positives that it has going for it but has failed to reach out too.
it should read “have not reached their full potential” in the first sentence of the third paragraph.
Carol – The ordinance passed Aug 2, 2005 and went into effect Sept 2, 2005. Like many other board meetings, I was present. Just because someone enjoys drinking a beer does not mean they “just sit around and get drunk” I do not appreciate your or anyone else’s baseless (and wrong) accusations that I am a liar and a drunk.
Jamal – To clarify, I did not say that Starkville was first; I said Starkville is a leader in the no smoking realm. I also did not say Matt Cox was a leader; I said Starkville is a leader. In fact, come to think about it, I never said who I support – just that I think Starkville is indeed better than 4 years ago. admin is right; Cox and Camp get credit. (As far as Matt Cox being a leader, he was awarded Governor Barbour’s GIVE award in 2007 for Volunteer Excellence by a Public Official in part due to his efforts with the smoking ban.)
Yes, Metcalfe, population 1,244 (in July 2007; 1,109 in 2000 census, incorporated 1977), was the first town; Starkville was merely the first city, population 23,647 (estimate 2008; 21,869 in 2000 census, incorporated 1884). However, you do not have to be first to be a leader. Please don’t belittle the significance of what the City of Starkville, the entire Board of Alderman, the Mayor, and many local citizens accomplished.
Gah! I hit the wrong key. Before anybody slams me…. ordinance passed Aug 2, 2005 and went into effect Sept 5, 2005.
Jean <- still not a liar nor a drunk