RFP Staff
♦ How does City Hall and their friends engineer the illusion of public consensus in the city whose motto is “To Seem Rather than to Be”? We’ve witnessed this illusion of consensus building more recently at the county commission public comments. We’ve seen this illusion building many times when City Hall wants something done. Today, we will look back in time at the failed push for 329 S. Main. Last year, “mutually terminated” City Manager Doug Paris wrote and choreographed the awkward Central Office script performed by Mark Lewis, during the City Council public hearing on the now dead 329 S. Main project last July. 
Doug Paris sent Elaney Hasselmann a script for Lewis to read along with complete stage directions. (See the script and stage directions below) Lewis is well-versed in the art of ballyhoo, being integral in promoting Fibrant on City Hall and in convincing DSI to take on the Empire Hotel, a derelict flophouse unopened to the public since 1963. The 329 S. Main script was easy reading during the performance at the City Council meeting. Mark, the city’s pre-eminent promoter, yearly convinces the local paper that new interest is being shown by swarms of developers wanting a piece of the hot Empire action. Mark has done yeoman service in the city of “To Seem Rather Than to Be” as a former bank loan officer and City Councilman. His stage presence got an A+ rating from the RFP Staff.
After the performance, City Council posed with Paris’s Taj Mahal brick stack and smiled brightly that day. Almost 24 hours after his performance, Lewis sent a self-congratulatory note via email. Notice the large numbers of school office personnel mustered out of work to attend the meeting. Many with opposing voices said they didn’t attend because they had a hunch it would be a staged event. Some who did arrive, left when offered a brick.
MTCM Paris also penned Mr. Fred Stanback Jr.’s letter that Myra Heard read at the end of the hearing. See how that unfolded here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2E5Ew6OLdElclJNcjhQMzE5UjA/edit?usp=sharing
See all the scripted and staged production (Video) at https://vimeo.com/101208823
Pick a review of the show in our poll, below, and don’t forget to read the correspondences of the director and lead player of this episode of the “To Seem Rather Than to Be” performance series in the email chain below.
MTCM Paris’s script, followed by Lewis’s review.
From: Doug Paris [mailto:dpari@salisburync.gov] Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 10:40 AM To: Elaney Hasselmann Subject: Fwd: First Draft
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: <dpari@salisburync.gov> Date: July 11, 2013, 3:15:48 PM EDT To: Mark Lewis <mark.lewis@fidelitybanknc.com> Subject: First Draft
(Walk up. Place brick on podium in front of you)
I’m Mark Lewis (address) and I am President of Downtown Salisbury Inc.
(Pause three full seconds and give serious look – for effect)
I believe in Salisbury. I believe in our downtown. And I believe in education.
(Pause two full seconds, then turn your head around to the left then right looking at those behind you)
Today, we have many supporters in attendance who support progressive leadership, who support making our community a greater more vibrant place, who support our downtown, and who support our school system. Would those supporters please stand. (Pause, wait for everyone to stand up and then wait for them to be seated – once finished smile really big for the council)
You may ask why I have a brick. Why those behind me have a brick. It is because we want to build something with you, we want to build something together. Build something that benefits our downtown, build something that benefits our school system, build something that benefits our community, build something that says (add emphasis) we are for progress.
This community and our school system needs your leadership. It’s time to step out and lead. It’s time we build something together (end on this)
(Stand up, step to right, place brick on table facing lengthways toward Kennedy – supporters will place their bricks with yours to build a wall – Mollie will facilitate)
Sent from my iPhone
_____________________AND A DAY LATER_______________________________
From: Doug Paris [mailto:dpari@salisburync.gov] Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 9:07 AM To: Myra Heard; Elaney Hasselmann; Janet Gapen Subject: Fwd: Great Job! #dne
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: “Lewis, Mark” <mark.lewis@fidelitybanknc.com> Date: July 17, 2013, 9:03:35 AM EDT To: ” (rdparker@novanthealth.org)” <rdparker@novanthealth.org>, “bill.f.greene@wellsfargo.com” <bill.f.greene@wellsfargo.com>, “Brian Davis (director@historicsalisbury.org)” <director@historicsalisbury.org>, “Brian Miller (brian.miller@bbandt.com)” <brian.miller@bbandt.com>, “Craig Pierce (craig.pierce@rowancountync.gov)” <craig.pierce@rowancountync.gov>, Doug Paris <dpari@salisburync.gov>, “Glenda Dyson (just_the_thing@bellsouth.net)” <just_the_thing@bellsouth.net>, “Greg Anderson (ganderson@salisburypost.com)” <ganderson@salisburypost.com>, “Herman Felton (hfelton@livingstone.edu)” <hfelton@livingstone.edu>, “James Meacham (meacham@visitsalisburync.com)” <meacham@visitsalisburync.com>, “John Ketner (john.ketner@rowaninvestment.com)” <john.ketner@rowaninvestment.com>, “Justin Dionne (justindionne84@gmail.com)” <justindionne84@gmail.com>, “Lewis, Mark” <mark.lewis@fidelitybanknc.com>, “Mike Fuller (mfuller50@fibrant.com)” <mfuller50@fibrant.com>, “Pam Hylton Coffield (pam@spgifts.com)” <pam@spgifts.com>, Pastor Rhodes Woolly <rhodes@stjohns-salisbury.org>, “Paul Fisher (pfisher@fmbnc.com)” <pfisher@fmbnc.com>, “Pete Bogle (pete.bogle@rowancountync.gov)” <pete.bogle@rowancountync.gov>, “twyoung@foodlion.com” <twyoung@foodlion.com> Cc: “mollie@visitsalisburync.com” <mollie@visitsalisburync.com> Subject: Great Job! #dne
Ladies and gentlemen, Downtown Salisbury has had a very good week!
On Monday, I attended the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce Board meeting along with Mayor Woodson and City Manager Doug Paris to seek their endorsement of the Central School Office. The Chamber Board voted unanimously to support the request and Chamber Chairwoman Cindy Hart was on-hand yesterday at the City Council Public Hearing to show their support.
Speaking of the hearing, what a resounding success this was. Attendance was such that there was standing room only and many weren’t able to get into the room. There were 80 speakers in favor, one opposed. In addition, there were 24 letters or e-mails sent in support. Letters read by the clerk were from Ralph Ketner, Ed Norvell, Fred Stanback, and our very own Greg Anderson. Then Mayor Pro Tem Maggie Blackwell read a list of the authors of the 24 pieces and that included DSI Board Members and several of our downtown merchants.
The visual demonstration I had previously discussed was one of “Building Community”. Mollie brought two wheelbarrows in which we put 200 bricks. As each supporter spoke, they brought a brick to me where we symbolically built the foundation of the proposed office building together as a community. It was a rousing success and when Judy Grissom brought her brick over (second to last), she received a standing ovation and the whole room was very emotional. That, in and of itself, was “worth the price of admission”.
So I want to say thanks to those of you who secured commitments for folk to attend in support. Thank you for the letters/e-mails etc. as well. Our City leaders are very grateful for our leadership on this issue.
Finally, as I exited the City Council meeting later that night, I was able to capture this Sunset Picture of the crane laying the steel for the Integro project. It is exciting to see a crane in our downtown as this is another symbol of the progress we are making as a community.
Thanks again for your support and I pray that we have many more successes as we all seek to move our community forward.
Mark N. Lewis
Market Senior Vice President
Fidelity Bank
2085 Statesville Blvd.
Salisbury, NC 28147
