Does the allegations raised about architect Mark Issacs disqualify him from serving on the city’s Comprehensive Planning Committee?
From the SDN:
“He is not on the comprehensive planning committee to provide financial expertise,” Wiseman said. “He is on the committee because has a background in planning in both the public and private sector, and it’s that background that hopefully provides the comprehensive planning committee with something useful.”
But is someone who seems to have participated in bad business dealings like these really who we want to take advice from?
If any of the allegations are true, Issacs should be asked to resign from his position. Starkville doesn’t need that type of advice or guidance.
Kudos to the SDN for bringing this issue to the forefront.
I suppose it’s nice to give a guy the benefit of the doubt. But, I’d sure like to hear the BOA’s justification for taking counsel from from someone that does shoddy work.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100605/NEWS01/6060317/Leaky-condos-fuel-tenants-anger-over-Mark-Isaacs-developments
Maybe that one was a fluke. Maybe not.
Everyone should have the opportunity for a second chance…in the private sector. If he wants to work hard and rebuild a business he should have the opportunity to do that. Being an adviser to the city of Starkville should not be included, until he has reestablished his reputation. If that takes years, so be it.
Regardless of Mr. Isaacs education and experience, he has a cloud of dishonesty and corruption hovering over him at the moment and should not be advising our city’s “leaders” until such a time as he can put to rest the claims against him.
The comments made by Mayor Unwiseman and Alderman Dumbas are par for the course. Their comments further demonstrate their lack of experience and inability to make rational decisions. They are both nothing more than political nuts who every day prove that we, the people, were mistaken in our decision to give young, naive, foolish and inexperienced kids the opportunity to lead our city. Starkville took one step forward and ten steps back with our choices last election cycle. We have a long 3 years to endure with these kids running the candy shop.
I don’t know Mr. Isaacs but I am wondering if he has represented himself to the city as an architect or if the SDN just decided to call him by that title? According to the Mississippi State Board of Architecture there is no one by that name licensed as an architect. It is a violation of law for anyone to represent themselves or use the title without licensure by the state.
Does anyone know?
Mark Isaacs is a registered architect in Kentucky.
I am guessing he is not registered in Mississippi becasue: 1) he will have to undergo an administrative review from the MSBA; and 2) he does not want to list his physical address, and have known where he is.
Did no one from City Hall check on this? Who is running City Hall?
Can someone please help us in Louisville. We are trying to get a physical address for Mark Isaacs so we can serve him papers to appear in Louisville. Is he staying with relatives? He says he is not coming back to Louisville, but no one at city hall will give me an address for him in Starkville. How can city officials put someone on a board without providing an address? Why are they trying to protect this person.? He or his wife Sally must know some important people in town. He was connected to politicians in Louisville, but they had to distance themselves because he is toxic. Please someone post his address. Thanks you.
Mr. Lusardo,
Looks like on July 30, 2010, between 12:00 and 4:30, Mr. Isaacs will be at the Bost Conference Center at Misssissippi State University, giving a presentation on “Sustainable Community Planning.” It looks like “Sustainability and Green Infrastructure Concepts and Principles” is the focus of this conference.
I am wondering if the city considered our own MSU College of Architecture before they tapped Mr. Isaacs to consult on the comprehensive planning of Starkville. We have quite a few registered, reputable architects who reside here in Starkville and will have a vested interest in this matter. Who better to offer expertise then someone who not only lives here but educates future architects as well? I can’t tell you if Mr. Isaacs is the best choice but I can tell you that there are several other people out there who can bring the same knowledge to the table without the blight of bad business dealings.
Great question about why City Government did not utilize someone local, i.e., an actual Starkville resident who is also Mississippi Licensed Architect.
What relationship does Mayor Wiseman have with Mr. Isaacs?
Just how did Mr. Isaacs get on this Board?
Why is Mayor Wiseman so insistent Mr. Isaacs is the right/best person for the job?
Are they related?
Is Mr. Isaacs also trying to teach at MSU?
In regards to why they’re not using someone local, I think the response is they want people they can tell what to do. Maybe Mr. Isaacs, given his past business dealings, is in a postiion he will do what he is told to a greater degree than someone else.
The use of Mr. Isaacs could have been “Pro from Dover” syndrome. This is a condition where we get someone from some other place who seems awesome at first, so they are just accepted as such. I would guess that nobody looked too closely at Mr. Isaacs’ credentials.