Columnist James Ingram
After hearing the latest goofy idea from East St. Louis Mayor Alvin Parks Jr., I almost laughed myself into cardiac arrest, especially after hearing the uncreative answers that he attempted to give to KTVI reporter Elliot Davis.
For those who missed it, Parks wants to erect a $1.3 million monument in downtown ESL. The monument, referred to as “The Rebirth,” would look like a budding flower, from which a mile high beam of light would shine skyward.
Now, the proposed monument would be funded with $1,048,00 in federal dollars and $296,500 in ESL funds. Parks, in his interview, amusingly attempted to compare the “monument” to the Gateway Arch or Busch Stadium and told Elliot Davis (of “You Paid for It”) that the monument would attract tourists to East Boogie and that they, in turn, would spend money in the city.
Therein lies the joke. It takes a vivid imagination (which Parks has) to think that a monument is going to lure tourists to visit ESL. The first question that Parks and his minions should have asked themselves is WHERE (other than the Casino Queen) will tourists spend their money?
Downtown ESL looks like an underdeveloped, bombed-out segment of Beirut. There is no convenient place (restaurants, gift shops, movie theaters or entertainment venues) for visitors to spend their money. Wouldn’t it be more intelligent to rebuild the downtown area BEFORE you build a monument, Mayor Parks? That’s called urban planning and development.
Last week, eight people were shot or stabbed in unrelated incidents on one particular night alone in ESL. That brings me to my second question. WHO, Mayor Parks, is going to jeopardize their personal safety in order to come and view this so-called monument?
Also, wouldn’t the nearly $300,000 be better spent on more police, sidewalks or pothole repair? After all, we wouldn’t want all of those tourists (that you hallucinate about) to sprain their ankles because of the broken sidewalks or tear their cars up after running over one of the many potholes that have become an obstacle course throughout East Boogie!
Wouldn’t it be better to just admit that you didn’t think this idea through and go back to the drawing board? That’s assuming that you went to the drawing board the first time (which, evidently, you didn’t).
Even better than that, why not build, as the lyrics of the old David Ruffin song describes, a “Statue of a Fool” and dedicate it to Mayor Parks? For if he thinks that this ill-conceived idea will work, then he is indeed a foolish man.
And, if Parks hadn’t sufficiently embarrassed himself (and the city) enough with this monument business, then he certainly topped himself during the last ESL City Council meeting by dropping (in what some have referred to as “political payback”) city towing contractor Crockett’s Towing, in favor of Satisfied Towing, a company run by (don’t say it, James) a convicted felon, Clint McCorkle.
McCorkle was convicted, back in 2004, on federal wire fraud and an alleged sexual assault charge (which was later dropped).
Parks’ rationale? “It’s our way of providing greater towing services to the city of East St. Louis and affording another the opportunity to prosper further.” Parks even admitted (to Belleville News-Democrat reporter Carolyn Smith) that he knew that McCorkle was a felon.
But, rather than looking at this as the further erosion of the credibility of ESL city government and his administration, Parks (and City Manager Robert Betts) are hiding behind a city policy which allows felons to have contracts with the City of East St. Louis. The fact that there is unwillingness by Parks (and others) to change that policy speaks volumes to their lack of integrity as public officials.
Larry Crockett, of Crockett Towing, says that he wasn’t even notified (by Parks) prior to the termination of his contract and feels that Parks is simply playing politics. Parks’ rambling, unethical and political non-answer pretty much verifies Crockett’s suspicions.
One of Parks’ former supporters said it best (to me) after reading about Park’s latest escapades: “Alvin has turned out to be just as bad as the other snakes at City Hall. He won’t have my vote next time.”
That seems to be a growing sentiment expressed by one-time Parks supporters. Unfortunately “poli-tricks” have, seemingly, blinded and deafened Parks’ ability to make rational and ethical decisions; even to the disappointment of those who once thought him credible.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com.