Of chamber coincidences and mayoral musings

Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day we should celebrate Roger Meek day.

Roger and other members of the Meek family own and operate the Coca-Cola distribution business in the Fort Smith area. And while operating a good-sized and prominent business like they do is certainly a noteworthy feat, it’s not why Roger should have a special day.

This special day should come with a proclamation from Mayor Ray Baker. The Mayor could sprinkle rose petals over Roger’s head and get all excited about Roger being a reason why this place is where life is worth living, and then go back to his regular job of berating incessantly the cable company for changing the location and pricing of religious channels.

If you think multimillion dollar needs to the city’s water and sewer system, the lobbying for potentially millions of federal dollars for local infrastructure projects, the city’s role in the upcoming Arkansas legislative session or the city’s role in regional economic development are important, then you, like me, are not wise to the world of The Mayor.

In Mayor Baker’s world, the change by Cox Communications — an evil corporate entity whose only goal is to “make money,” according to The Mayor — to its religious channel lineup is creating a horrific financial and mental burden on tens of thousands of area residents and could result in the downfall of Western Arkansas Civilization as we know it. Not only are thousands of area souls at risk of not having their path to heaven ensured by the opportunity to worship with Dale Thompson or Don Hutchings or Bennie Hinn, but The Mayor has discovered that federal laws give local governments little or no say in how cable companies run their business.

Cox, a large national cable company, wouldn’t be in business very long if it operated at the mercy of every rose-petal-sprinkling mayor in its coverage area. Which is why we have a federal law that allows telecoms to build systems using economies of scale that are then subject to rough and tumble market forces — competition, pricing, service, etc. — instead of ceremonial heads of municipalities.

And before The Mayor again publicly accuses Cox Communications of not caring about the people of the Fort Smith area, someone should provide him a history lesson on how Cox has historically been generous to Fort Smith area charities and non-profits.

Also, you’ll probably never hear The Mayor complain about the more than $600,000 Cox pays the city annually in franchise fees.

But I have digressed well off the intended path of this essay.

Roger Meek in October became the chairman of the board of directors of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce. In less than 60 days, Chamber President Tom Manskey announced he would resign effective Jan. 30, 2009.

We’d all be less than honest with ourselves if we didn’t acknowledge that Manskey’s departure has been much anticipated, much requested and much hoped for. We’ll discuss in a future The City Wire story the broad, deep and damaging ineptness of Tom Manskey’s un-leadership in his 5-year stint as chamber president.

What we can’t and won’t say now is that Roger Meek had anything to do with Manskey’s resignation (wink, wink). Manskey is leaving to “pursue other opportunities” and Roger wishes him the best (wink, wink), according to the press release from the chamber. It’s merely coincidence (big wink, followed by a roll of the eyes) that Manskey saw other opportunities to pursue so soon into Roger’s term as board chairman.

It’s that coincidence under which this essay recommends a special day to say, “Hey, thanks Roger for being there when Manskey decided to resign. We appreciate you for being in the right place at the right time. This truly is a great day to have a Coke and a smile.”

After all, it’s only fitting that the Meek shall inherit the mirth of such wonderful coincidences.