The Greater Starkville Development Partnership is primed to take a more hands-on approach to public policy as the organization will develop a taskforce to compile local issues and lobby pro-business ideals that the organization will promote and advocate to city, county and state lawmakers.
That goal was one of six unveiled Wednesday by the Partnership as part of its strategic planning efforts.
Active lobbying was a large part of recent GSDP strategic planning efforts. Members were asked if the Partnership should be an informational group or an advocacy-based organization, and GSDP CEO Jennifer Gregory said the response was almost evenly split. The Partnerships’ six strategic goals, she said, creates a platform to share information internally between the group and externally to the community, while also catering to those who wish for the organization to take a more active role in policy making.
The Partnership will utilize member surveys to assist with issue and agenda compilation, and distribute its findings to local and state lawmakers early in the calendar year. In addition, the GSDP will utilize large forums, small meetings and digital publications to query the community.
The GSDP Legislative Affairs Taskforce would then be tasked to lobby city, county and state officials for the proposed legislative items.
“It’s very difficult to read the minds of over 430 members, so we are recruiting a diverse mix of Partnership members to help us formulate our legislative agenda. We are looking for members of varying political parties, varying business sizes and folks that are politically plugged in to assist us. We want this to be inclusive. This is a great opportunity for those that might not be particularly involved to make a real difference in the community,” Gregory said. “We think that if we can get member support and input to formulate a legislative agenda, we have a better chance of mobilizing member support and having an organized focus.”
Throughout 2013, the Partnership actively promoted Starkville-Oktibbeha County school consolidation efforts and the potential impact a successful merger will have on the community. Officials are also poised to lobby state lawmakers for the city’s 2 percent food and beverage tax renewal, which is expected to be filed this term.
Tension emerged last year after the GSDP Executive Committee authorized Gregory to support Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker’s failed resolution that would have created a seven-person committee, comprised of aldermen, developers and community advocates, to review the city’s sidewalk and landscaping ordinances. Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn publically criticized Gregory’s letter of support during a board meeting, accusing her of using the Partnership to promote her personal opinions.
Wynn took Gregory, who was absent from the meeting at that time, to task because her letter did not feature signatures from executive council members, saying Partnership overseers did not support her overture.
The GSDP Executive Committee, in fact, authorized Gregory to write the letter in a prior board meeting.
Wynn and Ward 3 Alderman David Little brought the ordinance review before the board last year. The rules, they said, place unfair burdens upon the shoulders of developers. The board tasked former Community Developer William Snowden with overseeing the review without clear goals or scope.
Snowden would later resign from his post.
Other GSDP strategic planning goals include: improving communication and coordination with internal stakeholders; facilitating information sharing within the public; strengthen and expand the Partnership’s membership; increase business promotions for those located outside of the downtown district; and continuing quality-of-life promotions.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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