Answering John
This morning’s Main Street column discussed the changes that have taken place with the Bricktown Association and how they might be considered by Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. as it looks for a new president.
The following question was posted at the end of the column at www.newsok.com:
This story makes no sense, Steve. Are you suggesting that Downtown OKC’s directors acted inappropriately in making these selections without advertising the vacancy? Which directors: Fred Hall, Larry Nichols, or Clay Bennett? Your article suggests that Downtown OKC’s presidents were hampered by not having participated in an interview process. Which president should have been more fully interviewed prior to hiring: Devery Youngblood, Dave Lopez, or Brett Hamm? Finally, is the Bricktown Association really the model organization that Downtown OKC should emulate? Jim Cowan’s served as Executive Director for less than two years. His success as a Bricktown restaurant owner was marginal. Did he even pay his Bricktown Association membership dues the last two years that he owned the Bricktown Brewery?) His success as the new Executive Director is questionable. (When is the last time the Board of Directors or Association Members have been provided updated financials?) You’re still one of the best reporters at the Oklahoman, Steve, but this article was not well thought out. The next time you’re searching for a story to write, how about revisiting the proposed parking lot agreement that you’ve very generously attributed to Jim Cowan. What’s the status of that agreement? Has Mr. Cowan convinced Bricktown’s largest parking lot operator, Jim Brewer, to sign it yet?
John, Oklahoma City - Sep 9, 2008 10:08 AM
I figured not everyone would like what I wrote. I also expected to hear from “John” (I’ll let him or others provide his full identity). I’ll try to answer this series of questions as best as I can (they’re asked as if they were crafted by a great legal mind). And be warned John, I’m not willing to get into an online flame war here, and my tolerance for anonymous personal attacks on this blog is very limited. That having been said, some of these are good questions, so let’s get into it.
Q: Are you suggesting that Downtown OKC’s directors acted inappropriately in making these selections without advertising the vacancy? Which directors: Fred Hall, Larry Nichols, or Clay Bennett?
A: No. “Inappropriately” is a pretty loaded word, and it’s not one I’ve used or would use. An organization is free ot hire people with or without advertising the opening or comparing qualified candidates. But from all that I heard and observed the past two years, the fact Hamm was hired without any apparent consideration of other potential applicants dogged him from the start with various parties downtown.
Q: Your article suggests that Downtown OKC’s presidents were hampered by not having participated in an interview process. Which president should have been more fully interviewed prior to hiring: Devery Youngblood, Dave Lopez, or Brett Hamm?
A: See above.
Q: Finally, is the Bricktown Association really the model organization that Downtown OKC should emulate?
A: If one is looking to see how to steady an organization and gain credibility with a commuity of various interests, why not?
Q: Jim Cowan’s served as Executive Director for less than two years. His success as a Bricktown restaurant owner was marginal. Did he even pay his Bricktown Association membership dues the last two years that he owned the Bricktown Brewery?
A: Jim Cowan was upfront when he took the job that he was selling the Brewery and that he was doing so because it needed a new direction and wasn’t doing as well as it once had. That having been said, former Bricktown Association director Frank Sims almost always had high praise for Cowan’s leadership among merchants. And the Bricktown Brewery was a major music venue and destination eatery during much of Cowan’s tenure until it began to fade several years ago. New owners have done what Cowan admitted he could no longer do – bring in a new menu, fix up the old place, and give it a fresh start. Cowan also did what dozens of restaurant owners could not do in Bricktown – maintain a business for more than a decade and ensure its survival through the sale to new owners. Yes, Cowan admits he did not pay dues the final two years because of business hardships. But can one deny he invested more time and energy in the association than many who did? And how many members were delinquent during the final year of Frank Sims’ tenure? Frank is widely regarded as having contributed greatly toward promoting Bricktown as a destination. But I’ve been told by past and current leaders of the association that dues always ebb and flow with the district’s overall success or failure.
Q: When is the last time the Board of Directors or Association Members have been provided updated financials?
A: I just called Jim Cowan – he reports June financials are available and July and August financials will be out this next month. It’s up to you and others to decide if this is the deciding factor on whether Cowan has been an effective leader.
Q: how about revisiting the proposed parking lot agreement that you’ve very generously attributed to Jim Cowan. What’s the status of that agreement? Has Mr. Cowan convinced Bricktown’s largest parking lot operator, Jim Brewer, to sign it yet?
A: I’m not sure I know what agreement is waiting to be signed. Brewer and a majority of parking operators agreed verbally and publicly to cap their rates at $10 for special events and $5 on non-event nights. So far, I’ve yet to catch him violating that promise (if I do, I’ll tell you the readers of this blog). Jim Brewer has complained plenty about my stories on his parking operations and some readers have complained I’ve spent too much time reporting on this matter. Not sure how else to answer this.
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