Jackson Free Press

Last week's "Chamber Confidential" e-newsletter from the MetroJackson Chamber of Commerce popped into my inbox, and the headline of Chamber President Duane O'Neill's note caught my eye: "Doing Business Under a 'State of Emergency.'" In as polite a way as he could, O'Neill made a very basic point:

Mayor Melton's declaration of a "State of Emergency" is a bad idea.

Amen. It's bad for Jackson, it's bad for the Metro, it's bad for business, it's bad for those affected by his mindless and ongoing curfews—it's bad for everybody. He needs to put that tool back in his Bat-Belt and wait until we have a real emergency on our hands.

O'Neill wrote: "This declaration in the City of Jackson has fallout in all the surrounding communities. A prospective business considering locating or relocating in Mississippi considers us all the same market area—especially Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties. The negative phrase has a connotation that implies chaos and disorder. It brings mental images of the pandemonium we viewed on television of New Orleans after the levees failed. That scene is not particularly enticing for prospective residents or businesses."

In other words, it's more than bad press or bad publicity. It's bad public relations.

Now, if anyone knows the role that public relations (and investor relations) take in the business world, it should be a former CEO such as Frank Melton. If Jackson is going to attract business—and, I mean, if we're going to be honest and serious about the issues that attract businesses and how to address them—then a "state of emergency" is a bad move, particularly when you stop to consider that the net effect of Melton's "state of emergency" is a one-hour-earlier curfew on minors. It's meaningless, except in the ways that it hurts Jackson's image and strains our credibility more than it could possibly help solve crime and other problems.

Indeed, since he's taken on the job of mayor, Frank Melton can hardly keep himself out of the news—that's something we already knew about him. The problem is, he can't seem to get good press for the city of Jackson.

That PR problem is coming home to roost. The L.A. Times plans a story about Melton this week; Tom Brokaw has hosted a "Tom Brokaw Presents" piece about Jackson, schools and poverty that is airing this Sunday on NBC; The New York Times is rumored to have a story in the works. The Memphis Flyer has bought rights to stories we've written in past weeks and is putting together a cover package on our "crazy" mayor this week to show that theirs isn't all that crazy in comparison. Business Week already riffed on our mayor during the Katrina aftermath.

Those of you who have watched TV and laughed at the antics of someone else's mayor or someone else's governor—well, that's the sort of reputation we're in for if Mr. Melton's "leadership" keeps us on this same path.

If this bad press continues, businesses will not take us seriously. Not only because of what they see and hear in the media, but because businesses have a fiduciary responsibility to make good choices about where they locate their employees, where they buy or sell real estate and where they make recommendations for customers or suppliers. If the Jackson Metro isn't going to present itself as a serious option for business, then all of the Lefleur's Lake and Harborwalk projects in the world aren't going to help.

It's time Mayor Melton put Jackson's image ahead of his own, starting with cleaning a little house in order to make it clear to his stakeholders—Jackson citizens—as well as to the business community and the rest of the world, that he's finally ready to get down to business and get serious about his job as mayor. Here are a few recommended steps:

The most important is for Frank Melton to begin to put someone other than Frank Melton in front of the cameras and notepads. His "because I said so" approach to government isn't hacking it—it's making things worse. If he wants to be the "CEO" mayor, then he needs a Chief Operating Officer—a city manager—who can communicate with the people and let us know what the plan is. And I don't mean Robert Walker trying to clean up messes behind the scenes. It's time to get both the city manager and the department heads front and center with the stakeholders.

Along those same lines, it's time for the police chief to speak up about crime. She needs to lay out a plan and report regularly to the citizens of Jackson and surrounding communities. If she isn't up to that task, then she should come up with a deputy who can stand at the podium and take real questions.

The city and JPD need to hire good public information officers and make them available to the press for questions and consultation. A public information office does not equal a gatekeeper or a celebrity wrangler. (We recommend that the mayor send his sister-in-law back home to Texas if she can't figure that out.) The "news" should be more than sound bites from the mayor; public information officers facilitate the public's right (and need) to know about the city, its progress and its plans.

Finally, the mayor needs to make it clear that his administration understands that we have a City Council and that he's willing to work with them without bringing the force of his personality to bear on each issue. If he can't sit still long enough to deal with council meetings, then he needs to send someone who can—perhaps the city manager or a similarly empowered deputy who is truly accountable.

The Melton administration needs new ideas—about crime, housing, poverty, business, education and city life—and new faces. It needs competent, educated, innovative managers and professionals who have experience in city government and who know how to move a city in the right direction. And it needs the mayor to realize he doesn't have all the answers, so that he can sit back and listen to smart people who can make a difference. It's time for Melton to put his ego and micro-managing aside, give some other folks a little spotlight and see if we can't work on building a reputation as a city run by folks with level heads and good ideas.

Previous Comments

ID

73181

Comment

Todd, I can appreciate your article, as it is exactly what I thought when I saw what business owners were saying about the "State of Emergency" last week on the news. I think this is one of those instances where there are good intentions in place but not the best execution. I am not going to say that I am fully knowledgable about the entire political process, but from what I do know it---like so many other things--- has a chain of command. And regardless how powerful one of more parties feel they are outside of their roles, we have to stay within the confines of that chain. I know from Donna's interviews with the Mayor that he admits that he doesn't know "how to be mayor." With that being said, then it seems that people around him who might be more in a position to help in carrying out his duties would be encouraged to step up to the plate and assist. Again, it is hard to say we are the best of the new South when we are falling victim to the very things that hold us back.

Author

c a webb

Date

2006-07-19T14:46:18-06:00

ID

73182

Comment

Excellent article, Todd. You hit the nail on the proverbial head.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-07-19T20:31:47-06:00

ID

73183

Comment

I agree with LW that Todd hit the nail on the head.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-07-20T09:18:41-06:00

ID

73184

Comment

Looks like Melton is finally getting the message: Jackson Mayor Frank Melton said Wednesday the city's state of emergency is nearly over. And while he cannot say the capital city's crime rate is any lower than it was a month ago, he has no regrets. "We have a crime problem," Melton said. "Admitting it to you is one thing. Doing something about it is something else." Melton on Wednesday renewed the state of emergency order another five days. He said he will let the order lapse next week and then work with the City Council to pass tougher ordinances to curb crime. The mayor did not elaborate on what ordinances he might push for. Link.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-07-20T12:58:51-06:00

ID

73185

Comment

I sure hope he is getting it. Todd does nail it on the head with the suggestion of Melton cleaning house and hiring competent people to help him administer the City's agenda and his image. We are about to take a beating nationally as more negative Melton news spreads to different media outlets.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-07-20T17:57:41-06:00

ID

73186

Comment

Superb commentary, Todd. As others have said, you nailed it!

Author

Kacy

Date

2006-07-20T18:15:52-06:00

ID

73187

Comment

For the CL article one front page announcing that Melton says he is 99% sure that he will veto Chief Anerson's letter of firing for the three officers charged with..... If melton on yesterday said that he would not take away the jobs of these policemen because of these "dam thugs," I don't know how anyone can say he is "getting it." This is just more of the same or worse. The 18 yer old who was beaten had not committed any crimes and even if all were guilty, if they were handcuffed and put into the police car for transport, there was no reason for any physical abuse. I continue to say that melton is a magnet for crime and that the City is in deep trouble with him in this position. By the way, those are Civil Service jobs so, what authority does melton have to veto? I thought that the next step would be a hearing if the men thought that they were terminated without probable cause. Is there some kind of a riff between milton and the chief?

Author

justjess

Date

2006-07-27T11:03:31-06:00

ID

73188

Comment

Please correct the spelling of "dam" and excuse the punctuation. Where is spell check? (smiles)

Author

justjess

Date

2006-07-27T11:06:18-06:00

ID

73189

Comment

actually just jess you are in the south. it is "dayum".

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-07-27T11:08:35-06:00

ID

73190

Comment

Well "dayum" kingfisk, I thought that I made a dayum mistake. Still (smiles)

Author

justjess

Date

2006-07-27T11:18:21-06:00

ID

73191

Comment

Anyone want to see how much good press Melton is bring to Jackson and himself today? Taipei Times Hmmm…. Why would Melton’s bad crime fighting skilz be in the Taipei Times? Could it be NISSAN! Some “Objective” Blog? Here’s a good one…seriously Same AP story from Taipei…this time on Yahoo Wired Look even dogs are not able to be out past curfew! Some kids teensplotation(??) blog He is all upset over the Hug thing! A bit dated…read down the side.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-07-27T14:02:05-06:00

ID

73192

Comment

sorry for the brutal grammar mistake... hasty post, bad edit of first thought

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-07-27T14:12:40-06:00

ID

73193

Comment

Well pikersam, I really don't think that the "Hug Thing" will ever be dated or will ever go away. IT will be with this community and remain as memorable as Mickey Mouse is to Disney Land. Melton will go down in history as the mayor who needed a hug and was willing to sacrifice the lives of hundreds of school children on a school bus as they were pulled to the side of an Interstate Highway. For some, this is old news; however, when read, it still makes you go, "HMMMMM." I'm still asking the question, "HOW DID HE GET AWAY WITH IT?" For an employee in anyother job, it would have been termination: I don't mean probation. It is so sad that we can't zap people out of office who do things that are harmful to the community-at-large, who do not learn from history and have absolutely no proble at all distorting the facts.

Author

justjess

Date

2006-07-27T15:00:36-06:00

ID

73194

Comment

justjess.......... my first thought was...............child molester. I was thinking real creepy.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-07-27T15:14:05-06:00