Word Marketing Blog

June 2008 Power Lunch

This past Monday, June 9th, Word Marketing in conjunction with The Columbia Business Times presented the second in a series of Power Lunches designed to open dialogue on local issues. Here's the story from the business times and the link to the article.

Stakeholders agree: city must reform land-use policies

by David Reed

June 13,2008

From left, City Council member Jerry Wade, city Planning and Development Director Tim Teddy, former council member and neighborhood association president Bob Hutton, and developer Rob Wolverton.

Representatives of the development community, a neighborhood association and city officials found common ground during a forum on how to build consensus among neighbors and developers.

Everyone sitting around a table at the top of The Tiger Hotel on June 9 agreed that the city's planning and development system is broken and that the ambiguities compound the current atmosphere of mistrust.

"What this issue really comes down to is a matter of trust," said Rob Wolverton, president of R. Anthony Development. "From the developers' standpoint, I believe a formalized system that allows that level of trust – not necessarily with individuals but a level of trust in the system – would be a giant step in the right direction."

Bob Hutton, a former city council member and president of the Country Club Estates Neighborhood Association, criticized the system during a recent City Council meeting in which members approved construction of an acute care hospital in his neighborhood. At the forum, he said, "As Rob said, trust is a huge part of this."

City Planning and Development Director Tim Teddy told the participants that his staff is preparing proposed rule changes that would clarify the role of neighborhood organizations in the zoning decision-making process and the communication process.

Craig Van Matre, a local attorney who served on a diverse committee that studied land-use processes and procedures in 2006, said the forum Monday "was about changing the system so that those who want to participate in the process are heard in a constructive forum instead of a needlessly adversarial one."

Van Matre said after the forum that "everything is always on the table for discussion, and every discussion takes place in numerous venues and multiple times as different pressure groups present the appearance of having influence over the City Council. In short, the present system rewards large scale and wealthy developers who have the resources to fight the process through, but discourages any small developer who wants to do something other than a single family subdivision."

Council member Laura Nauser talks with Jay Linder of Forum Development Group

Wade said the effort to include more neighborhood participation in the planning and zoning process began a decade ago when he and other Planning and Zoning commissioners "created a new expectation that developers and neighbors talk."

But Wade added, "We didn't define what that meant. We didn't define any guidelines. We didn't define any expectations. We didn't provide any resources or capability to ensure it could be done right. The outcome was that it didn't work very well."

The mistrust led to confrontational public hearings on development projects that often lasted past midnight and hit a fever pitch earlier this year during a Council debate on the Crosscreek Center project at U.S. 63 and Stadium Boulevard.

Columbia Chamber of Commerce Vice President Kristi Ray said the Council must find a way to ensure that meetings end by 10 p.m. to get more people involved in the process. Other forum participants agreed that there are many residents who are too busy to participate in the current system of deciding land-use issues.

But Wolverton said there always seems to be a faction of project opponents who perceive conversations with developers in advance of public hearings before Council as a waste of time because they believe developers will ignore them and just "cut a back-room deal with City Council."

"We are enmeshed in stereotypes," Wade said. "Developers are viewed as people who only care about themselves, only want to get their way and don't listen. Neighborhood activists are viewed as people who only care about themselves, only want to get their way and don't listen."

In 2006, the Stakeholders Work Group, which included representatives of all sides of the issue, including adversaries, came out with a report recommending reforms similar to those Teddy's staff is now working on.

The group advised the City Council during a public hearing that "the system is broken and the problem starts with the City Council," Wade said. "It was a profound conversation." But the effort stalled, and Wade said that was one of the reasons he decided to run for a seat on the council.

Chamber of Commerce Vice President Kristi Ray, right, and Word Marketing Vice President Michelle Mountjoy.

"The really good news is that major moves are taking place," Wade said. "Those who want to work in the old model will be marginalized."

The Council has given itself an informal deadline of Aug, 1 to implement expanded notification requirements and gave Teddy a July 1 deadline to issue a report on neighborhood participation guidelines along with a Sept. 1 deadline for a report on ways other communities are eliminating duplicate hearings. The Council intends to come up with proposals for eliminating duplicate hearings and finish a study of mediation as an option by Oct. 1.

"I think we can foster a climate of greater trust," Teddy said during the forum. "On the majority of projects, developers and neighbors are closer than they think they are."

However, Jay Gephardt, owner of The Civil Group, said for reforms such as the elimination of duplicate hearings to work, the City Council itself is going to have to trust the members of the city staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission and not trump their decisions.

Power Lunch Participants
Presenters:

• Jerry Wade, 4th Ward City Council Representative
• Rob Wolverton, President, R. Anthony Development
• Bob Hutton, Former 3rd Ward City Council Representative and.President, Country Club Estates Neighborhood Association
• Tim Teddy, City Planning & Development Director
• Sarah Reed, President, The Communications Center

Guests:

• Jeff Barrow, Chairman, City Planning & Zoning Commission
• Tim Crockett, Partner, Crocket Engineering Consultants
• Jay Gephardt, Owner, The Civil Group
• Jay Lindner, Executive Vice President, Forum Development Group
• Laura Nauser, 5th Ward City Council Representative
• Kristi Ray, Vice President, Columbia Chamber of Commerce
• Craig Van Matre, Van Matre, Harrison,Volkert & Hollis PC

Cool Kat

There are some people in the world that you just love being around.

For me, Kat Cunningham is one of those people. Kat is fun for me to be around because she's an opportunity oriented person. An opportunity oriented person typically starts every other conversation with  "you know what we ought to do?"

So, I was thrilled to be asked to do an hour or so at her company retreat this past Friday.

Moresource is not only a client of mine, but I am a client of theirs.

I'm constantly asked by people how a company as small as ours can afford the benefits that we have, and it's because of the services that Moresource provides.

Kat....thanks for giving me the privledge of speaking to your group Friday, I have wonderful warm feelings for you, Jaime, Becky and employees.

Keep going higher!!

I love the word "Development"

I had such a great time last Thursday on the University of Missouri campus!

I held a two hour seminar for the Development Directors for most of the University's major branches. We covered Employee Motivation, Self-Motivation, Strengths & Weaknesses, and some Strategic Planning tools.

I received a call from Jenea Oliver on Friday telling me that a great experience was had by all.

I know I had fun and can't wait to do it again!

If your team or business needs a seminar, email me from this page or go to www.wordmarketing.biz and shoot me an email.

I'd love to work with you.

Go Tigers!

I'm excited!

I've been invited to do a two hour strategy session for the University of Missouri Fund raising Managers.

Thanks so much for the invitation, I can't wait to work with you guys!

Hopefully, Word and Horizon will be in our new Strategy Center digs downstairs by early October and we'll get our first seminar sessions scheduled. I'm really excited to share some of the new material.

Have a great weekend!

November Executive Briefing

I have a great time at our Executive Briefings.

Today's was no exception.

We had some great small business owners in today's session. Not only do we present some great information concerning how to successfully market businesses, but the discussion afterward is golden.

Interestingly, today we had purely craftsmen. Business owners who make their product from scratch. Businesses which have their own unique set of challenges. The discussion after our presentation was worth a lot of dollars in future sales. Not only do we enjoy what we do from the marketing end, we enjoy our rapport with business owners and the seeing the rapport they build with each other.

My session lasted about 45 minutes and I presented some new information on how to formulate a winning strategy in your business and some of our greatest prior hits. Paul Boomer of Web Interways presented some exciting next-level Internet web information. We had a blast!

Our next Executive Briefing will be taking place in January. It's free and it's here at our Strategy Center. If you'd like us to fax you an RSVP, click here.

November Executive Briefing Next Tuesday

Our November Word Marketing Executive Briefing at our Strategy Center is next Tuesday morning, the 14th, from 8:15 until 10.

We're discussing 5 critical areas that need to be looked at in marketing efforts to enjoy greater success in business today.

It's filling up, but we have a couple of seats left.

If you are interested in coming, we'd love to have you over. Three easy steps will get you signed up.

1. Click here and fill out this form or call us at 442-9673 and ask for Anna Quast.

2. Anna will contact you and fax you a sign up sheet.

3. Fax back the sheet as your RSVP.

You're in! Two great things for you about this seminar.

1. It's free

2. You get to meet other business owners with the same challenges as yourself.

Hope to see you Tuesday morning!

The Gambler

Last night I was fortunate enough to be asked to be one of the celebrity dealers for Casino Night at the EPIC event for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Along with Ann Marie and I were Marty Siddall of KOMU-TV8, Chuck Everett of Award Pet Supply, Shelley Simon of Simon Oswald Associates and several others.

There were a lot of blackjack winners at our table, plenty of food and drink plus great conversation. EPIC stands for Emerging Professionals In Columbia. Anna Quast and Kelli Smith in our office are very active in the group as well as many young businesspeople in town. It's great to see so many young folks getting involved. If you are interested in EPIC, contact Julie Swope at the Chamber.

Meeting at the Tavern

Between the decades of the 1930's and 1950's, several noted authors met at a pub called "The Eagle and Child" in Oxford, England, which was the location for the University of Oxford.

The group was called the Inklings and was comprised of such writers as J.R.R. Tolkien ("Lord of the Rings") and C.S. Lewis ("The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe") among others. They would come and share their latest writings and ideas with each other highly regarding the ideas and reviews.

In another university town, here in Columbia, MO, a group of business owners meet and discuss ideas and share information at a Tavern called Boone. This group is part of the Women's Network of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. I've been invited to speak this Wednesday to them and I'm honored by the request. Many thanks and I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

October Executive Briefing

Tuesday morning we had our Executive Briefing for October at the Word Marketing Strategy Center in Columbia. We had some new entrepreneurs and managers of businesses over for some breakfast and sharing. They are all dreamers just like us. They talk about their businesses with a gleam in their eye and a conviction in their voice.

Hopefully, we'll be adding them all as our cool friends soon and you can read all about their dreams and adventures too. Check out the group photo.

(We just had a bunch of coffee, bagels, fruit and fun!)

Word Marketing Executive Briefings are held once per month at the Word Marketing Strategy Center and they are free. We share the latest information about marketing, trends, strategy, advertising, internet, design and any other intriguing little tidbits we've uncovered. Seating is limited and the next one is scheduled for November 7th. If you are interested, drop us an email or call, we'd love to have you over to our place.

Executive Connections

Back in July, I was invited to do a seminar for "Executive Connections" a group of business owners and managers that meet as part of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. After the seminar, I was invited to join, and I did.

It's a fantastic way to meet new people that are facing business challenges and also people who want to make a difference in the community. The only stipulation for membership is you have to be a member of the Chamber, contact my cool friend Andrea Quiroz, and I'm sure she would be happy to sign up, tell her I sent you.

Executive Connections meets the first Friday of the month at Country Kitchen on Providence in Columbia. This morning, we met and discussed ways to improve the group and what relevant needs we could fulfill for those looking to join such a group of people. We were asked to invite a guest or two to the next meeting, if you're interested in being my guest, just email me and we'll go!