It’s unfortunate--for many reasons.
Word on the street is that Adam Bailey and Cedric Glover are the two final candidates for the open Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Executive Director.
This news is unfortunate because of the news leak.
The names were leaked by a member of the Executive Director search committee who had sworn to secrecy. The committee had agreed that the release of the two final candidates would not be released. The committee hopes to make the selection at its Sept.25 meeting.
It’s also unfortunate because of the final two candidates.
The search committee had hired a headhunter firm to do a nationwide search to seek qualified candidates. In this writer's opinion these two individuals are not qualified for this position.
The committee spokesman/DDA president Mike Corbin has said on many occasions the goal was to find a person who had experience in dealing with the issues facing a declining downtown business population, empty downtown buildings, and economic development. With all due respect neither Bailey nor Glover fit that bill.
This news is also unfortunate because the job opening did not draw more candidates, and especially qualified ones at that.
Consider an executive thinking of transferring to Shreveport and what a google search of local news would reveal. Think of the declining city population, the number of persons living in poverty , the problems with public education and the constant racial political bickering. The current hassle over the next Caddo school superintendent is a good example of the last factor.
The news is additionally unfortunate because the stakeholders will probably not be happy with the final selection.
The downtown property owners pay an additional ad valorem tax that funds DDA. There has been discontent with the DDA by many for the last couple of years.
Neither Bailey nor Glover are equipped to quell this dissatisfaction and the renewal of the DDA in a couple of years will most likely be in jeopardy.
Yes, this news is very unfortunate for many reasons. Even more disturbing is the realization of who will most likely be selected. I will leave that for speculation of readers of this blog.