Lon McNeil Archive

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The Answer Is; No!

– April 18, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil

 

 

My last column got more than a little attention, by laying a good portion of blame for Albany’s decline, at the feet of former white residents of Albany, now residing in Lee County. It was by design, a broad brush, naive generalization that reflected the long-standing black/white issue here. It was my attempt to convey what many still in Albany, feel about those that leave, yet still complain about the state of things here.  Do I believe that all people living in Lee County are white racists? Of course not, but some are.  Some blacks here are just as racist against whites. Ignorance does not play favorites. That was the point, and the reaction of so many, calling me all sorts of things for simply putting in ink, what is said in many private homes all over the area, only served to prove my point. The perception is that both races feel stuck with each other, and have a hard time living together. It’s a culture clash that we’ve reluctantly grown accustomed to.

By the comments that I have received both in person and online, it appears that my little dramatization and exploration of the local mindset, revealed that we are as polarized as ever, if not more so in these hard times.  As in all things, there was an element of truth in my article. It is very frustrating to hear my white friends in Lee County, complain about the state of things in Albany. My friendly response to them as always has been something to the effect of; ‘move back and I’ll take your input a little more seriously’. That changes the subject real fast. It is hard to hear someone complain about something they’ve opted out of, while you’ve  stayed to work within the broken system as best as you can.

Those few that agreed with the point of the piece without any hesitation or reservation were for the most part, very young and politically liberal or “progressives “as they prefer to be called these days. That mindset is eager to climb on board anything that seems to attack conservative, white established systems, highlighting the polarization that the article was designed to reveal. The older the person, the less likely they were to agree with the concept of “white flight” being a problem. They saw it as an only option in a desperate situation. All of those were of course, white. Many of those came to the defense of leaving Albany, while still making a living here, because of the poor school system in Dougherty County; can’t argue with that.

A few called the piece or even me, “stupid”.  Some said I was “race-baiting”. I knew that by using simple terms like “white people” and “black people” over and over, would stir up the passions on both sides, and it did. I hate to break it to you, but we are black people and white people. Saying so is just a descriptive observation, not race-baiting. I’m not real fond of the terms Caucasian and African-American. They seem a bit formal and removed.

Perhaps my approach was a bit extreme, but I think it served its purpose. After decades of work from all quarters, and all sorts of programs and dollars thrown at the problem, all of us in one way or another are still very sensitive about the subject of race in our Albany. We can easily talk about it in private, usually quite viscerally, but public discussion of Albany’s biggest single issue is not something we have learned how to do yet, without calling people names and becoming very polarized.

Sit race down for a second. Anyone should feel free to say that Albany is held back by ignorance and apathy. We are. Our systems today support this industry of poverty and dependence that is slowly killing us. Out of this is born all the social ills that generate the “white flight” in the first place. It’s also true that by leaving Albany, you are taking away the individual capabilities and revenues that Albany needs. I had people on both sides of this argument say in effect, “good riddance”, to the other. I’m not trying to start a fight. I’m just sharing what we all know is being said. Today there is even talk by some of breaking the Northwest corner of Dougherty County away from Albany, and forming a third governing entity. That is the exact opposite direction we need to go.

There are those, white and black, that have entrenched beliefs that cannot be changed, and will always serve to divide us. However, it is not true that Albany today can blame its problems on Lee County, nor can Lee County blame Albany. Those that have left, and those that have stayed each have a responsibility to the other. I guess what I’m trying to say, that I attempted to point out with my draconian social experiment, is that we are not two communities, but one. The line on the map only separates us symbolically. It does divide some of our governing institutions and taxable revenues, but those can be dealt with if both sides understand that to have real sustainable growth in the area, we must find a way to work in unison. Can we?

And For those that seemed so certain of my own political leanings based on my comments, good luck trying to nail those down. I think both the democrats and republicans have more wrong with their messages than they have right. Albany and Lee County do not have the kind of time, money, or energy to be divided along political lines; at least not at the local level. Common sense and problem resolution are the only mantras we should follow. So, to everyone I stirred up or even upset last week, I can only say I did so for what I felt was a valid reason. I wanted to get us talking about it. If my email inbox is any indicator, it worked.

 

Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany.

 

Tags: Albany, lee county, Lon McNeil
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Is Albany’s Problem, Leesburg?

– April 9, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil

 

By Lon McNeil

 

If you’ve lived in Albany most of your life, or even for just a few years, then you know the reality of Lee County’s growth; it’s in direct proportion to the growing problems in Albany. “White flight”, as it’s been called, has been going on for decades. Money, mostly white money, has opted to take the easy way out of addressing the problems of crime and poverty here. They don’t. Instead, they have left, taking with them the tax revenue that would have provided the much needed funds for Albany to fight those same problems. In effect, the rapid growth of Lee County has only expedited the decline of Albany.

Yet, these same folks that fled to their creek homes and country roads, depend on the jobs and businesses that Albany still offers, even under the massive social pressures such a decline brings.  I have heard many whites say that Albany is overrun with poor blacks because so many black women have so many children they cannot support. That is a genuine problem that needs to be faced, mostly by the black community itself. But the other factor in the racial percentage shift of Albany is that so many whites have moved away to Lee County. Simply put, these white people want all the benefits of living near a larger city; they just don’t want to live among so many black people. Truth hurts.

Who it hurts, is everyone. If you really have that kind of bigotry driving your social and geographical leanings, then really move where there are no black people, and not just across a county line so that you are not technically responsible for Albany anymore. If that’s the issue, there are plenty of places to live in this country where there are hardly any black people at all. But, they cannot do that, because many of these same white folks that fled from the growing black majority of here, run businesses in Albany that depend on blacks for cheap labor and customers. It’s a real pickle.

The battle for economic development between these fighting sister cities is silly. It’s not like we have massive amounts of opportunities to squander between us. Just like the in-fighting that goes on within the two communities themselves, Albany and Leesburg only hurt each other with this ‘separate and unequal’ policy. Lee County has been doing everything in its power to develop the infrastructure to support this Albany exodus and attract new industry for a long time. What’s ironic is that their efforts will one day make them large enough to have some of the same crime and poverty concerns Albany now lives with. Then where will they go?

The other side-effect of Lee County’s growth and Albany’s decline is that some of the new residents north of the Good Life City, are black. Professionals that have moved to the area, and others that have managed to move up in the economic strata, are opting for that same quiet, crime-free dream of Lee County as well; proof, that blacks prefer safe streets just as much as whites. Go figure.

 

Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany.

 

Tags: Albany, bigotry, crime-free, Economic Development, exodus, lee county, Lon McNeil, White flight
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Sabrina’s Joyful Dinner

– March 27, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil

 

 

If you belong to a Sunday school class, I hope it’s like mine. I can comfortably say it’s an imperfect but sincere group of men and women; very real. What’s makes it work is that we take that as a given, and move on from there. I’m a member of the ‘Journey’ class at Porterfield United Methodist Church. I was confirmed and baptized there when I was twelve by Rev. Jack Key. Many of my peers back then are there today, including our class leader, Scott Sperry. He and his better half, Vicki, lead our casual but serious bunch on all sorts of spiritual journeys and we are always better for it. There is one journey however, the class has embarked on that it did not seek. It found us. For the last three years we’ve put on an annual, Relay for Life fundraiser dinner called, “Spaghetti for Sabrina”. Sabrina Powell was one of us. She passed from cancer in 2009.

Sabrina had been bravely fighting her illness for years. Her husband, Bobby Powell, also a member of the Journey class, and a good friend of mine, was right there with her in the struggle. “When the class approached me about naming the dinner for her, I was honored”, Powell said. “Sabrina would have loved it.” Bobby pointed out that just about all of us could name someone from our own lives that has been touched by what Sperry calls, ‘the dreaded C word’.

At her memorial service, Bobby spoke of her passion, her honesty, and her zest for living. The sanctuary was packed that day. Powell has worked in media and advertising for years in Albany, and has also done a little DJ work on the side for parties and special events. When he got up to speak and saw the packed house, the first thing he said was that Sabrina would have wanted him to crank up the music machine for such a large group, and not waste the opportunity to spread some smiles. That’s the spirit that is carried over into the class fund raiser.

It’s a very strong spirit, and Bobby shared with me a little proof. About one month after Sabrina’s death, he and their son, Andrew, made a trip down to Shell Island to spread her ashes at sea. When they returned, Bobby tossed out a beverage that had been in the car. The liquid hit the pavement of the parking lot right in the middle of a singular sunbeam, forming a perfect heart. He showed me the picture he took with his cell phone. “That told me that she was there with us”.

A lot of planning and work goes into making Sabrina’s dinner successful. Everyone already has a full plate with their routines, and responsibilities, not to mention more serious matters that can come along unexpectedly. Yet somehow, every year, the Journey class makes it happen. On the Saturday before, the guys get in the Porterfield kitchen to make the best spaghetti they know how to make. It’s serious business, but there’s no way this class can spend time together and not laugh… a lot. We simply enjoy being together. To know that we are there for Sabrina rightly gives you pause and it always does, but you can almost hear her telling you to snap out of it, keep that sauce stirred, get those noodles boiled, and for God’s sake, have a good time! So we do.

On Sunday we gather again to add the finishing touches to the meal, decorate tables, and prepare dinners to go. We always manage to make a good donation to the American Cancer Society for the effort, but that’s just one of the benefits, and certainly not the most valuable thing we cook up in that kitchen. The best way I can describe it, is that it’s a tangible expression of God’s love. It provides us with a totally selfless project. Everyone there is looking for a task, some way to contribute, even if it’s just to get out of the way and wait for one of the ladies to tell you what needs doing; and they will. “Pierce, keep the bread warm!”

What we serve up that weekend is joy, and without really being aware of it at the time, or knowing the end results, we share it with folks coming by. Scott said it as we were standing around Sunday afternoon, watching the last of the plates go out, “This gives us a reason to be together”.  I can think of no better real life expression of the verse; “Where ever two or more of you are gathered in my name, there I am also”, than our little fundraiser for Sabrina.

Now, I’m not bragging on my Sunday school class. There are many classes and groups all across Albany that do the same kind of things for the same kind of reasons. Decent people just need an outlet to express their better selves. There is no way that Sabrina and Bobby could have imagined what “Spaghetti for Sabrina” would come to symbolize for this group, when they were dealing with the most difficult matters a couple can face. The class certainly did not.

This project bonds Journey. It reminds us of many things; the precious gift of life, the joy of living, the value of good fellowship, our responsibility to each other, and most importantly, our shared belief that all things are in God’s trusted hands. If you need to see His spirit in action, make sure you order a plate of spaghetti from us next year.  Find me, please. Vicki gets real serious about ticket sales.

                                                       Sabrina Powell, an avid runner, in the 2006 Peachtree Road Race. That same year her cancer relapsed.

Journey Class leader, Scott Sperry, and Bobby Powell at this year’s ‘Spaghetti For Sabrina” fundraiser.
Tags: 'Spaghetti For Sabrina", 2006 Peachtree Road Race, American Cancer Society, Bobby Powell, cancer, Fundraiser, Lon McNeil, Porterfield, Porterfield United Methodist Church, runner, Sabrina Powell, Scott Sperry
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Ellis Morgan’s Artistic Symbols

– March 20, 2012Posted in: Lon McNeil

 

 

If it wasn’t for the countertop and back wall of sample frames in Morgan Picture Framing & Art, you would think you had stepped into a cozy art gallery, and not a place of business. But that’s the point. Artist and owner, Ellis Morgan has followed his passion since childhood, and it has led him to his new shop in Albany’s Summit Northwest plaza. Morgan says, “It’s been an adventure”.

His adventure got underway in earnest when Morgan was in the third grade and lived in Fort Riley, Kansas. That year he entered a local art contest sponsored by The Kiwanis Club. He took first place with a work he called, ‘Running Indian’. He still has it today. Morgan solidified his talent in the 11th grade by taking Governors’ Honors. Talk with him a little bit about his art, and you will come to see that everything he does carries its own unique meaning. Morgan is a big believer in using symbols to convey the message in his artwork.

Morgan’s first inspirations came from the pages of comic books. “Superman, Batman, and the rest had me wanting to come up with my own characters, so I really focused on drawing the human body.”  He spent much of his youth in Europe, visiting family. “My mother’s German, so we got the chance to see a lot of things; museums, churches, and it got me into the Renaissance period”, said Morgan. “I began to study and practice, a lot. I’m a big believer in ‘practice makes perfect, really in everything in life.”

His fascination with the human form and the realism of the early masters like Michelangelo and Chagall, soon merged with his interest in the surreal works of Picasso and Dali. Morgan’s own sense of style began to take hold, and in the early 90’s his works started selling. His use of color and form drew people’s attention, but it was more than technique that made it happen. “You can do a vase of flowers, and it’s just that, a vase of flowers,” Morgan shared. “But a painting can be so much more. I believe in using symbols to tell a story”.

Hanging in his gallery is one of Morgan’s favorite pieces he calls ‘Two Jews’. He did it about ten years ago, and the oil painting is a good example of his approach. “It’s actually a love story”, Morgan revealed. The work shows what seems to be a single male figure sitting, perhaps in prayer. But a closer look and you can see the man’s love, the spirit of a woman holding him close. Then the surroundings come into play, and you see that this symbol of devotion and commitment is taking place in a concentration camp. It’s a powerful way to say, love conquers all.

The gallery at Morgan Picture Framing & Art is an interesting venue for local artists. Morgan says he gets a “good vibe”, from people that stop by. “I have had folks tell me that it’s good to see a store like this in Albany”, Morgan said. The collection reflects his attitude that art should force us to take a look at what’s going on around us, and learn from that awareness.

Years ago, Morgan took a job at a local framing shop, in an effort to combine his art with his work. It was the decision that turned the corner, and led him to open up his own place about a year and a half ago. He does work for businesses and private homes, with a focus on treating his customers right on price and quality. Morgan says many are surprised at how expensive framing can be; “but it doesn’t have to be”.

Morgan Picture Framing & Art is located at 2818 Old Dawson Road, in Albany. You can also find it on Facebook. To have started his business right in the middle of the economic slowdown was a challenge, but Morgan believes his shop, like his art, is a symbol of his direction forward. Stop by and see if you can sense that as well.

 

The gallery of local art at Morgan Picture Framing & Art.

Tags: Ellis Morgan, Lon McNeil, Morgan Picture Framing & Art
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Knight’s Appliance; a Commitment to Change and Continuity

– March 11, 2012Posted in: Lon McNeil

 

 

Everything has a beginning. For Albany’s Knight’s Appliance and Electronics, it was 1965, on Oglethorpe Boulevard, in a small storefront next to what is now Bank of America. Clarence Knight opened the doors with his focus solely on televisions. In 1968 he moved the operation to its current location on Slappey Boulevard, where it has become a fixture in the Albany business community.

Today, Knight’s is owned and operated by his son, Chuck Knight, making this local business one of Albany’s longest running, family owned operations. Survival in this age of the “big box store” has required a mixture of change and continuity. The first major change was to add appliances to what was exclusively a television store. That proved to be a very wise move, with the onslaught of television and electronics outlets springing up everywhere. Knight said that his business today is built primarily around his appliance sales.

Knight’s has not always been exclusively an Albany business. In the 70s, they also had a location in the Tifton Mall, but after a fire in an adjoining storefront, that location closed. “Dad decided not to reopen there, but in 1991 built a new location in downtown Tifton.” That stayed open until Halloween of 2009, when Chuck opted to shut it down because of the hard economic times and other circumstances. “When Wal-Mart and Lowes opened up in Tifton on the west side of I-75, it drew a lot of the shopping to that area. Up until then, downtown Tifton was the retail hub,” Knight said.

But the Albany location has weathered all sorts of changes in the technology, the economy, and the community. Knight attributes that to a lot of things, but mostly the long-standing focus on serving the local customer base. There is also the price factor. A lot of people think that smaller, locally owned stores cannot compete against the larger chains. But Knight says that’s not always true. “Our buying group did more than thirteen billion dollars in business in last year”. That gives Knight’s and other businesses in the group the opportunity to stay competitive. “But a lot of our customers also come in looking for a little bit of an upgrade to the cheapest thing out there.”  Knight said that on several occasions he has sold appliances to some of the larger chain managers when they moved into town, because his price beat what they could do in their own store.

Everyone is now very familiar with Chuck and his staff having a lot of fun in their TV commercials, and he says it’s always fun to do. “I’m a little bit if a free spirit”, Knight admitted. “When we are shooting the commercials we get to cutting the fool, forgetting lines, and just laughing a lot.” The fun has been very effective for Knight’s, keeping the store on the top of folks minds. Lately he has been running some radio spots that are more serious and they’ve worked well also, so Knight is going to see if that will translate over to the TV side.

So how does Knight see the local economy today? “It’s seems to be steadily improving.” He said that 2011 was historically an average year for him, but compared to 2010 to was much better. “2010 was horrible”, Knight said. One good indicator of things is how well washers and dryers sell. It was difficult to keep up with the demand in his supply chain in 2011, but that’s a difficulty he doesn’t mind dealing with. “At one point last year, I had more units in the store than I did in the warehouse.”

But while business seems to be turning a corner, Knight says he sees some real issues still facing Albany, in particular the racial tensions we still wrestle with, and our education system. “I think we are still in trouble in this city. We have not done justice by a lot of our students, particularly in the African-American community”, Knight said. “We have just not done what was necessary to break the cycle, to educate our people so they can be productive. I have people come in that cannot fill out a job application. That’s just sad. That hurts this community.”

The solutions will take a lot of work and patience. He thinks programs like ‘Strive To Thrive’ have the right approach. “That’s an excellent program, and it’s going to take that kind of incremental, steady commitment over the long haul.”

After almost fifty years in business, there’s no doubting Knight’s commitment to making a positive difference. To learn more about Knight’s Appliance and Electronics you can visit them online at www.knightsappliance.com, or better yet, just stop in and say hello.

Chuck Knight in his Slappey Boulevard showroom. Knight’s Appliance has been at that location since 1968.

 

 


Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.

Tags: Chuck Knight, Knight’s Appliance and Electronics, local business, Lon McNeil
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Mandated Surveillance; Good Intention, Bad Idea

– March 3, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil

 

 

Respectfully, I must take a differing opinion from Jim Wilcox in last week’s Albany Journal. In his column, “Good Surveillance”, Wilcox referred to comments made by Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards that if more businesses had good video security systems, there would be fewer robberies in Albany. Wilcox suggested that perhaps our city leaders should mandate these systems to more local businesses.

While I agree with both Edwards and Wilcox that video surveillance systems certainly deter crime, to mandate that a private businessman have one installed, at his or her own expense, is in effect saying that someone else knows how to run that business better than the owner. Even if they do know better, it’s not their place to say. It’s called freedom.

We already have a file cabinet full of regulations and ordinances on the books that make doing business in Albany more difficult than it should be. If a business person does not feel the need for that level of security that should be the end of the discussion. Sadly, the crime rate here and the frustration we all feel over the safety and well-being of our community, will most likely keep this issue brewing.

If I had a retail storefront, I’m sure I would have a video surveillance system. I think it’s the smart way to go. But being smart about our choices is just that; our choice. As I’ve said many times, quoting my father; “In this country, you have the right to be dead wrong.” That core principle of freedom can come with a high price tag. Those of us that think we know better sometimes find ourselves watching in dismay as others move off in wrong directions by their own choosing, and there is nothing we can do about it. It’s called freedom.

If it is the role of our government to step in and stop us when they believe we are making a mistake, why stop at mandating video surveillance systems? What about teen age drivers? Don’t they know the odds of them being hurt or killed in an accident as a teen is much higher than older drivers? They should not be allowed to buy that souped-up motorcycle, even though dad said it was okay. We know better, and they should be mandated to purchase a vehicle that has a high safety rating. It’s the smart thing to do, and would probably lower all of our insurance premiums, but it would be one more attack on our freedom to live life as we decide.

If we mandate video surveillance to the business community, how long before we mandate it in our homes to keep us safe? And if it is deemed appropriate for politicians to make this business decision for businesses, why not mandate that stores keep certain hours when statistics show those are the smart times to do business, or that they be required to set up shop in areas deemed to be the safest? These desires to control the foolish decisions of others may be well-intentioned, but I will always trust a business owner to do what is best for business, long before I trust a non-business person to do what is best for business.

If we are really worried about somebody behaving in a way that is not in our city’s interest because there are no cameras to record their actions, perhaps we should install cameras in all governmental offices and corporate board rooms, particularly closed door meetings. Talk about good television. There are plenty of ways the taxpayers of Albany can be robbed, and their security put at risk, that do not require a gun and get-away car.

 


Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.

Tags: Lon McNeil, Mandated Surveillance, surveillance system
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NCLB or Not NCLB; It Just Doesn’t Matter

– February 21, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil

 

 

If we had a better long-term memory, we might remember that many of those now applauding Georgia’s exemption from the Federal “No Child Left Behind” act, were some of the most vocal supporters of the idea ten years ago. This reversal can be explained in their deep-rooted belief that government, even when it messes up, has the fix. In order to move forward as individuals, there must first be a big plan, with all sorts of processes and tag lines. That is the mindset of the noble cause, mushrooming into a dependent way of life.

Ten years ago, President Bush, with help from both sides of the political fence, brought NCLB to life. People had every reason to support. This was a plan to make sure every child received a quality education and met national standards which would serve our country well in the future. Who could be against that?

Well, some, like yours truly, thought at the time, it was not a good idea. Being the libertarian I am, I’m never a big fan of one size fits all anything. But my position was not rooted in my politics or my strong understanding of the complex issues surrounding the education system. I had no far-reaching view that saw this day coming. Not hardly. (I thought for sure the Falcons had shot this year.) I was against it because it was simply another attempt by the collective to paper over the real problem at the individual level. You cannot educate someone that doesn’t value an education.

I am willing to bet that for most of us, when we did poorly on tests, it was a measure of our preparation and attitude, not our capability to learn. Apathy was my single biggest hurdle in school, but I somehow managed to make a go of it. I was fortunate to come from a stable home, with hard-working parents that did everything they could to see I got the best education possible. Yet, even under those circumstances, I know I could have done much better than I did. I can only imagine what it would be like to grow up in a home where it just didn’t matter.

Today, it is a much different world. Too many parents would rather be doing something else with their life. Too many parents do not want to grow up. They say they’ve had it rough, and they deserve some happiness of their own, whatever the cost. My oldest daughter works for the Department of Family and Children Services. She sees first-hand, the kind of damage done to a child, when the home is severely dysfunctional, if it even exists at all.

It’s ironic that this massive, bureaucratic attempt to replace lost standards of excellence in the home, with the broad standards of NCLB, was born as an attempt to deal with the unseen issues of a growing dependent culture. If the big government program has the answer to all my problems, why do I need an education? Just dumb me down to a manageable level and move me forward…if you can.

So where do I stand today on No Child Left Behind, or the repeal thereof? The same place I stood before; it just doesn’t matter. The final responsibility for the education of our young people is in the home. Our schools struggle in proportion to how stable families are. There is no big fix out there waiting to be legislated into our lives. The education of our children will be dealt with one home at a time, one parent at a time, and one student at a time. In our light speed world, I sometimes wonder if that will be fast enough, but there really is no other answer. If parents do not care about their child’s education, for whatever the reason, it is highly probable that the child won’t care either. No program; NCLB or some new program to “exempt” us from NCLB, will make any real difference. The only way we ever learn anything, is by seeing the value in learning, not because we know how to play the system for points. As comedian Ron White says, “There’s no fixing stupid.”

 

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil. Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.

Tags: NCLB, No Child Left Behind
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Our Bridge To The Future; Which One Will It Be?

– February 13, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil

 

 

I’m always amazed at how events can take on symbolism beyond their immediate importance. Our Broad Avenue Bridge is a wonderful example. A couple of years ago, the mighty Flint River had eroded the structure to the point of closure to all traffic; vehicle and pedestrian. A plan was formulated to demolish the bridge and replace it with a safer model. That sounds reasonable. Nobody wants to see an active bridge collapse right before our eyes.

Years before, as people and money moved away from the downtown area, many of our long-standing buildings were demolished or reworked beyond repair, and rarely in a way that improved their dignity. So it’s no surprise that a group of citizens have united to save the Broad Avenue Bridge. They want to see it made safe for pedestrian traffic, and make it a part of our reemergence in Downtown Albany.

I have to agree that if restored as such, it would be an interesting use of our history to our own benefit, economically. I can see tourists taking a stroll over the Flint at sundown, enjoying the view of our lovely natural surroundings and the revitalized downtown district. That is, I can see it until they get to the other side. Then, sadly, I see them looking around, not knowing where to go next,  then coming back a bit faster over the bridge, with a very personal understanding of the two Albany’s; west and east. As things are today, that is not a tourist draw; it is a repellant, but, a bit more on that later.

The top concern should be safety. Right behind that are the costs. We have to have a good understanding of our ROI, if we are going to save a bridge to beautify our city that for so long, none of us has thought twice about. We do not have the money to spend on dreams and memories alone. Our future requires smart, practical decisions. The state has extended the timeline on taking bids for the gargantuan deconstruction/rebuilding project, but it’s hard to see how a little more time will change the facts that a new bridge would last three times as long as a restored bridge. I wish I still drove my 1969 Plymouth Satellite, but that’s not the practical thing to drive today.

Back to that tourist walk; If we are going to pay about the same to keep our old bridge a little longer, instead of a newer, albeit boring bridge, then we have to ask ourselves the obvious question; what are we willing to spend to make the east side of the Flint at Broad, an attractive place to walk to? To put it in line with downtown, so that the stroll is a seamless billboard for our Albany would take even more millions. I’m all for the concept, but again, do we have the money? No.

The Flint has drawn our attention to our most glaring problem. We must find a way to bridge the downtown development mantra across both sides of the waterway. Make as serious a push to get East Albany more on par with West Albany, and the Broad Avenue Walking Bridge will not only appeal to our nostalgic heart, but  our economic heartbeat as well.

 


Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.

 

Tags: Broad Avenue Bridge, Downtown Albany, Lon McNeil
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I’m From Albany

– February 6, 2012Posted in: Columns, Lon McNeil


Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.

 

 

If you think the struggles we face in Albany are something of recent history, and the past was somehow better, you would have a very rose-colored view of our yesteryears. Albany has been a struggle from the beginning. Any boom periods we have enjoyed have been hard fought. A lot of us ‘boomers’ were shielded from those battles, and grew up thinking that life here was good and easy. It never has been easy, but it has been good. It can be again, if we understand who we are, and where we are going.

Founded by New York bankers, led by Nelson Tift, Albany was a risky venture that many in the group soon lost faith in. Tift and a handful of others continued on, but their plans changed in the face of challenges. The original idea was to make Albany a river port for the agricultural goods of the area. But the river was not the reliable connection to the rest of the world they had hoped for. Were it not for the coming of the railroad, Albany could have easily slipped into obscurity.

As a practical matter of the times, albeit a sad chapter, Albany also found itself right in the middle of the slave trade. Life in Albany has always been hard, and the lessons of our history are hard ones to learn. With our educational challenges today and community relations as a whole being a top priority for our growth, we must make an effort to learn those lessons and move forward. Knowing our shared history can be a source of strength, or strife. It can bring us closer or keep us apart. Looking back with hatred, division, and resentment will only keep us chained to our failings. At some point we have to move on together if we are going to move on at all.

My own story is tied to the railroads. Both my parents came from railroad families. The two sides of my family tree could not be more different. Mother’s family was more rural. Her family was, and is, large and close. My grandmother is still with us at 102. My maternal grandfather was a foreman for a track repair crew.

My father’s family was a big one as well, but more “city-fied”. His father was a clerk at the station house. They were for the most part, a high energy, outgoing bunch and dealt with a lot of serious familial issues, but they were a blast to be around at Christmas. Both sides instilled in me a sense of who I was and a pride in knowing the struggles they faced. A city can do the same thing.

There are many communities all across this country that deal with the same economic and racial struggles we do, that stand in their way of progress, just as ours do. The difference is they do not have our history. We should understand the value of our starting point, how hard it was from the beginning, and how for so long, we were starkly divided as a community, when we measure how far we have come in Albany and Southwest Georgia. This is not an attempt to justify anything other than who we are. There is certainly a lot of work still to do for ourselves and our children. But Albany can hold its head high when it comes to dealing with the serious issues of the times. We may not have always gotten things right, we’re not perfect, but efforts were made by good people, and hopefully the lessons have been learned.

Albany has two first rate museums that tell our story; The Albany Civil Rights Institute, (www.albanycivilrightsinstitute.org), and Thronateeska Heritage Center (www.heritagecenter.org/). Every parent in Albany should make sure they get their children and themselves through the doors. You will be amazed at our story. True, we are no different than other cities. All have a story to tell, some more exciting and world renown than ours, but ours is just that; ours. You will know we’ve turned a corner in our collective comeback when we say, “I’m from Albany”, with an awareness of the past and a belief in our proven, historical ability to persevere tomorrow.

 

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Moving Dollars Around Isn’t Growth

– January 27, 2012Posted in: Columns, Headlines, Lon McNeil


Lon McNeil is an independent marketing consultant in Albany and can be reached at lonmcneil@gmail.com.
 

For as long as I can remember, Albany’s plan for economic development has always centered on building up, or rejuvenating specific geographical sections of our community. When I was a kid, the buzz was all about expansion efforts in Northwest Albany. The Albany Mall, Wal-Mart, and a host of mini-strip outlets, slowly drove the vast majority of shoppers and businesses away from our core, and out to the burbs and beyond. All was well.

The future seemed bright until we turned around to see the big empty spot where retail was once king; Downtown Albany. As businesses left there, government and professional offices moved in. Vital aspects of our city to be sure, but not the sort of development that one can get excited about. Then SPLOST money and other government funded programs gave us a “new” downtown. The multi-million dollar Flint Riverquarium, Ray Charles Park and the riverfront improvements, The Hilton Garden Inn, upgrades at Thronateeska Heritage Center, including a one-of-a kind planetarium, and a revitalized CVB Welcome Center at the Riverhouse, all played a role in our efforts to turn Downtown Albany back into the center of social and economic strength it once was.

Yet, we still struggle. True, this may not be the best time in the economy to take an honest look at how we are doing in Albany, but it’s not something we can put off. The offerings of both the Northwest retail districts, Lee County, and Downtown Albany, all have merit and play a key role in our future. The problem is not the ideas, or the geography. The problem is the people. We just don’t have enough people, with enough money to spend here, to keep all segments busy at the same time.

With large plant closings, a rising crime rate, and other concerns, our population has steadily dropped. This leaves businesses and our attractions fighting for those remaining pocket books. If Downtown takes off like everyone hopes it will, there will be a drop in business somewhere else. We desperately need to attract new people to Albany, either as visitors, shoppers, or residents. That is the only way we will have real growth.

It’s never a good sign when regional attractions such as Chehaw and Riverquarium spend so much of their time, money, and effort to get the local community through the doors, and even to become a “member” of their organization. They are failing to understand that their real value to the community is not what they can do for us, but what they can do to attract visitors, dare I say, tourists, to the Good Life City.

I’ve used this example before, but it’s a good one. Back in the mid-90s I lived in St. Augustine, Florida. I served on the marketing committee of the St. John’s County Chamber of Commerce. Not once, in all the many development meetings I participated in, was there any concern given to how best to get the locals into the Wax Museum, The Spanish Fort, The Old Jail, or Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. They understood the basic math. Getting that demographic to spend money at the attractions was simply moving the local dollars around. It would add no new growth to the local economy. Their focus was on regional and national marketing programs and ad campaigns. That can be expensive, but it’s a certainty that any revenue generated was new money, not recycled money. Now, I’m not saying that we are on par with such a tourist centered economy as St. Augustine, but we can learn something from them.

Instead of our attractions all competing for local attention and wallets, they should combine their limited marketing budgets with the major hotels, restaurants, and the local arts institutions to develop a single message about Albany, and how we can be a great “weekend get-away”. That message should be delivered to the major cities around us like Tallahassee, Columbus, Jacksonville, Macon, Savannah, and even Atlanta. We should never hear about it. Those of us that have lived here for a long time, may not easily see what a great offering we have, but to those living in larger metropolitan areas, we make a great mini-vacation location to get away from the fast pace they are accustom to.

But our attractions and institutions do not work together to that mission. They see each other as competition, not partners. Nobody wants to surrender any control of their own message, so instead of having one powerful story to tell the outside world, we have half a dozen short stories we keep telling ourselves over and over, wondering why things don’t change.

Albany’s historical, territorial attitude, that keeps us debating on which portion of our community we should support, leads to our collective loss in serious growth. Maybe these hard times will force us to speak with one voice that will put new dollars in our one pocket called Albany.

 

 

Tags: Lon McNeil
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