Lobbyist lashes out at supervisor

A lobbyist for the Board of Supervisors publicly berated District 3 Supervisor D.I. Smith on Monday over Madison County's lobbying strategy.

The lobbyist, C. Stevens Seale, had given the Board of Supervisors a year-end update, touting $4.5 million in federal funds earmarked for three Madison County projects, when he began berating Smith as he tried to comment.

The projects Seale mentioned in his report included $1.5 million each for the Reunion interchange, Gluckstadt interchange and the Lake Harbour Drive extension.

Following a nearly 15 minute report, Smith tried to make a comment about Lake Harbour Drive, but was interrupted and harsly scolded by Seale.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do Supervisor Smith," Seale said. "And I'll say publicly I'm offended by the fact you did that."

Seale said he felt Smith was questioning his role in obtaining the funds when other county agencies like the Madison County Foundation and municipalities like the city of Ridgeland had also worked to lobby for the same projects.

Seale said Smith should have come to him privately instead of waiting to question him during an open meeting.

"I work for Madison County and that requires communication," Seale said. "I have a great working relationship with four of the five supervisors and would like to have the same with you. I'm not going to get into the personal politics of this board."

Smith never got a chance to explain himself, but following the meeting insisted he was not questioning Seale's lobbying.

Instead, Smith said he was trying to point out that the $1.5 million earmarked for Lake Harbour Drive was for its eventual extension over Interstate 55 and not for the widening of the road scheduled to begin this year.

Madison County recently reneged on a $1.9 million commitment to help Ridgeland widen Lake Harbour Drive, saying those funds have been reallocated due to increased costs for other projects and the sagging economy.

"Some are making the argument that the county didn't need to pay the $1.9 million because they got $1.5 million coming from the federal government," Smith explained. "The county is putting a lot of stuff at risk when they won't deliver on their promises."

In the past Smith has questioned Seale's contract with the county that calls for a fixed fee of $75,000 plus expenses such as airfare, meals and entertainment.

Smith has complained that the contract does not specify goals or performance measures that could be monitored by the board.

Earlier Seale told supervisors that politics and a lack of unification can hamper his ability to lobby for the county.

Smith's firm, Wise Carter Child & Caraway, is one of two representing the Board of Supervisors alone.

The other is former state Sen. and Canton attorney Barbara Blackmon who works alongside another former state senator, Gloria Williamson.

The county pays Blackmon and Williamson $75,000 a year as well, plus expenses such as airfare, meals and entertainment.

For several years most governmental entities in the county had agreed to let the Madison County Foundation, a private more independent organization made up of influential business leaders, take the lead on lobbying, but gradually that coalition has unraveled as individual elected officials began jockeying for power and influence.

"It really hurts our efforts to have potential opposition for specific projects based on politics or other reasons," Seale said during the meeting, noting that the Reunion interchange in particular had received some negative publicity and suffered from a lack of support.

All in all he said it had been a successful year, however.

"Not a lot of counties get $4.5 million in earmark federal funding in one year," Seale said.

Source:onlinemadison.com/