Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 13 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
Rift opens up at Adams County EDA
Published Thursday, April 24, 2008
NATCHEZ — When Vidal Davis resigned from the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority Board Monday, his departure left more than an open seat.
It revealed what appears to be a split between some members of the EDA board and the EDA’s Executive Director Jeff Rowell.
Davis said his main reason for resignation was an inability to change the inefficient manner in which he felt the EDA was being run.
“I don’t think (Rowell) is the right man for the job,” he said.
Davis, who has served on the board for a little more than two years, was quick to point out that his thoughts about Rowell were not personally motivated.
“I think Jeff’s a good guy,” he said.
And Rowell said even he felt the EDA was not being efficiently run, but that’s where the agreement ends.
Both men have different ideas as to why the EDA’s not functioning at full capacity.
In addition to saying he thought Rowell was unfit for his position, Davis said Rowell’s salary, approximately $80,000 a year, was excessive and the fulltime office of the EDA was overstaffed.
Davis said the office is run by three people including Rowell, at a cost of approximately $250,000 per year.
Rowell said he has encountered resistance from some board members when presenting ideas on economic development projects.
“Certain strategies I presented for achieving particular goals and objectives that would assist our efforts for achieving economic potentials may have been a bit too modern, outside the box (or) risky for some board members,” he said.
Rowell would not specify any instances, or projects, that were ignored or dismissed by the board.
And within the board a division also seems to exist on the matter.
Leon Crawford, an EDA board member for six years, said he was pleased with Rowell’s work.
“If he’s not doing something I must be missing it,” he said.
Crawford said he was simply unaware of what Davis was talking about in Rowell’s critique.
However board Vice Chairman James West said the board was working on some “issues,” and would not discuss them further or specify the nature of the issues.
“There are things on the board we need to work out,” he said.
But others on the board do agree with Davis’ opinion.
But others on the board do agree with Davis’ opinion.
The Rev. LeRoy White, on the board for approximately three years, said Rowell has failed to take control of the EDA and the board.
“We’re not getting the bang for the buck,” he said he said of Rowell’s performance.
White said he felt the EDA’s board chairman, Woody Allen, had taken too much work on as chairman and was doing work Rowell should be doing.
“When people think of the EDA they call Woody not Jeff,” he said. “They should be calling Jeff.”
Allen said he was unaware of any projects that Rowell presented to the board that he was prohibited from moving forward on.
While there’s no clear solution to the board’s problems, or even a clear idea of what exactly the problems are, Rowell said the board is in need of change.
“If those changes don’t occur, it wouldn’t make sense for me to attempt to renew my contract here and it wouldn’t make sense for the board to squander the taxpayers’ money on another executive director hire.”
The EDA acts a liaison between incoming businesses to the area local government.
Two board members are appointed by the city and three are appointed by the county. Both the city and the county fund the EDA. The city pays $100,000 a year, and the county pays $175,000 a year.
They are appointed to five-year terms and can be reappointed.
Comments
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 4:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
$275,000 a year minus the $80,000 for the director. Already the article says $25,000 is missing or the director is clueless as to the amount received. Back to the numbers $275,000 - $80,000 = $195,000. I would like to know how much of that goes to pay this board. Talk about welfare, so many public officials feeding from the trough they sound like starving pigs.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 4:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah, a handful of aldermen and supervisors and they need a separate board so business can liason with them. Caviar dreams.
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 5:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the eda is a waste of taxpayers money and should do away with it.woody allen and the board doesnt have anything to show for the money the taxpayers have spent.elected officials should be the ones doing this job...if they dont show any progress dont reelect them....but the way it is its just another gov give away
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 5:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Do away with the EDA and use the budgeted money to hire unemployed high school teens for weekends and summer work. Having the Aldermen and Supervisors do the work will justify their incomes, put money in teens hands for a having a job and keep them form getting so board that they have to go around town shooting out windows.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 5:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Natchez has more boards, committies and government do nothing employees than New York City! If all we had were a police force, fire department, water and sanitation, and a street department everything would be fine for the citizens. The rest of the people are doing made up jobs to benefit a few at the expense of the many.
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 6:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, sounds like yall have already said it all. Another form of welfare but they get to wear suits and ties.
Posted by deltoids (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rowell has done an excellent job for Natchez. It is the stuck in the mud board members, VD and WA who have resisted all forward thinking changes.
Natchez has been changing with the times under J Rowell's leadership. Now it is time for his board to change.
Please don't leave us in the lurch, Mr. Rowell. The good news is VD is gone, now Natchez can go on ahead
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well I am glad the board no longer has VD. Now if we can cure the other diseases they are suffering with there might be hope.
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Uh Oh! I smell a rat!
Posted by observer (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to know what marketing strategies Mr. Rowell is referring to which were "too modern, outside the box or risky" to try. If that's what he was hired to come up with, why were they nixed?
Marketing is a proven science, and professionals are worth paying if they know how to do it. Since whatever the board has approved hasn't produced anything, I would think trying something innovative would be worth while. If this is not the case, then Mr. Davis has a good point. Get someone who has the necessary skills and listen to him.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lol beammeupscotty, my side is a hurtin!
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't normally like to dis anyone. I don't like to put down my home town. I don't really know what Vidal's or anyone else's problems are with the EDA and/or Mr. Rowell...what I can say is from experience (the sum of all the mistakes I've learned from)...Natchez is notoriously averse to anything or any idea that is new...it is where I got my throat cut...for me thinking outside-the-box is my profession...Natchez could use some.
Posted by hitormiss (anonymous) on April 24, 2008 at 11:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sam,
I agree, it's a Natchez thing.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)