You can learn a lot from a movie or a television show. For instance, “All The President’s Men” taught us to “follow the money” to get to the bottom of political corruption. HBO’s cult classic, “The Wire,” added “all the pieces matter” to the previous maxim. In recent weeks, Pine Bluff has witnessed several seemingly unrelated events: the conclusion of the Rodrick Morris trial, an ethics violation finding from the Arkansas State Ethics Commission, and the tabling of a resolution for the Simmons Bank Foundation to donate $2 million to the Sixth Avenue and Main Street Project. However, upon closer examination, these events are interconnected and reveal a concerning pattern of questionable dealings and a lack of accountability.
The trial of Rodrick Morris resulted in a surprising 35-year sentence for Morris, despite the jury’s recommendation of a 5-year sentence. What does this really mean? It appears that the jury weighed the evidence, found liability and recommended a sentence they felt was consistent with his culpability. Morris was the bagman in a scheme to defraud the public allegedly cooked up by Urban Renewal senior staff and/or others. After all, every illegal check was also signed by the treasurer. Where was the board of directors when the Urban Renewal staff was sending our tax money to Texas?
Worse, after the disclosure of nearly $700,000 of public fraud, not one member of the Urban Renewal board resigned, was forced to resign, or was terminated, including the treasurer who was reappointed AFTER the embezzlement. By sentencing Morris to 35 years rather than five, the judge made him the mastermind instead of a bagman. The star witness is deceased. Morris is the culprit, and the case is now closed. Everyone else can rest easy at night because Morris is doing their time–instead of other local folks.
Who are they?
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
In November, I filed a state ethics complaint on behalf of the Pine Bluff NAACP against Go Forward Pine Bluff for attempting to influence college student voters with seafood dinners during a special election. The state Ethics Commission found a violation related to Go Forward’s failure to disclose necessary information after spending more than $10,000 on the local ballot initiative campaign. The required disclosures revealed a significant amount of money being funneled through prominent Pine Bluff figures and bank insiders — the same people or type of Urban Renewal people who “negotiated” the Sixth and Main giveaway.
The Sixth and Main Project, which has received over $6 million in taxpayer dollars, has been marred by questionable terms in the agreement between Urban Renewal and the Simmons Bank Foundation. These terms include a permanent easement for an ATM and a revisionary clause allowing the Simmons Foundation to take back the property and public improvements if the project fails. To top it off, the terms include perpetual naming rights. When the Verizon arena searched for a new sponsor, Simmons Bank acquired the naming rights to the 18,000-seat venue. The Pine Bluff-based bank acquired the naming rights in November 2018 in a reported $10.5 million transaction. Simmons Bank will hold the rights for 15 years. Which means they know this is a bad deal for the city.
There is over $6 million in taxpayer dollars in this project when you count the previous federal investment in a park with a retaining wall and the reinforced foundation for future statues that were destroyed (in violation of federal regulations), plus the additional dollars from Urban Renewal. However, the Sixth and Main Project purports to support three or four local small-business owners to develop restaurants. Since these are not established chains, these businesses cannot afford rents over $1,000 (doubtful).
The project’s financial viability is dubious because the proposed rent from three or four small-business owners is unlikely to service the debt on such a large investment. Clearly, $3,000 per month is not enough revenue to service the debt on a $6 million project. Therefore, the project will default, and the Simmons Foundation will take back the property, regain its $2 million “donation,” and extract over $6 million in “public improvements.”
Why would anyone agree to terms like this?
We should not ratify this deal without addressing these concerns. Naming rights should be limited to a reasonable timeframe; the bank should not be allowed to simultaneously donate property and retain exclusive revenue rights; and the revisionary clause should be contingent upon the repayment of public funds. Furthermore, Go Forward should be required to provide market studies, business plans and feasibility studies to demonstrate the project’s viability, just as Delta Rhythm & Bayous did for their cultural and entertainment district proposal.
In conclusion, it is crucial for the people of Pine Bluff and their elected officials to closely examine these interconnected events and demand transparency and accountability from the organizations and individuals involved. Regarding Go Forward and Urban Renewal, you must always follow the money because all the pieces matter.
Albert King Jr. is the political action chairman for the Pine Bluff branch of the NAACP.