Critical leadership decisions will determine Shelby County landscape for years to come | Opinion

It matters who governs, it matters how we decide, and it matters who gets to decide.

All three aspects are in play as voters approach the Nov. 8 election and local leaders consider making important selections of their own.

Sweeping, substantial reforms are pending at two of the largest and most consequential organizations serving Memphis and Shelby County, and right now both have leadership vacancies at the top.

No formal process is yet underway to find the next superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS), and there is a standoff over the process for naming the next president and CEO of Memphis Light Gas & Water (MLGW).

The chairmen of both governing boards would like these positions to be filled using a national candidate search.

What the candidate search looks like

MSCS Chair Althea Greene has said a national search would commence after the board’s three newest members are settled in and consulted, the last of these being appointed this week by the Shelby County Commission. This would be a reversal of the board’s previous action, in which a national search was forgone to promote an internal candidate to lead the district.

And Memphis City Council Chair Martavius Jones is also calling for a national search to fill the highest leadership role at MLGW. If instead a majority approves Mayor Jim Strickland’s chosen appointee, that too would be a reversal of the city’s previous selection process, in which a national search had resulted in the selection of J.T. Young, who last week returned to his native Florida.

But vastly more important than the scope of any search process is the identification of an excellent candidate with a proven record, someone who operates with a high degree of professionalism and skill. This describes both COO Doug McGowen and Interim Superintendent Toni Williams. We are fortunate to have individuals of such high quality ready to step in.

There’s no time to lose

Both MSCS and MLGW need leaders of the highest caliber to make critical decisions, that will have a sweeping impact on our community and will be felt for many years to come.

Meanwhile, the City Council is also considering a measure that would prevent county customers from having representation on the MLGW board. The initiative, sponsored by Councilman Jeff Warren, is intended to defeat state legislation that would extend representation to areas served by a utility outside the municipality’s jurisdiction.

I wish Councilman Warren would reconsider. Such actions would further exacerbate the urban-suburban divide in Shelby County, which is already stressed by other infrastructure constraints and the prospect of Memphis choosing a new power supplier without the advice and consent of its neighbors.

But suburban MLGW customers also have a vested interest in the utility’s operations. We deserve representation.

February’s severe weather provided a vivid demonstration of this principle. The MLGW service area most affected by power outages in the immediate wake of “Winter Storm Landon” was Bartlett, where 90% of customers were affected, with Lakeland just behind at 84%. More than 25,000 homes lost power in just these two cities alone, which is of special importance to me since they comprise District 3 on the Shelby County Commission, which I represent.

When regular channels fail to produce resolution, these residents have nobody to turn to except me. On those previous occasions I’ve had to reach out, MLGW has not seemed very eager to work with me on behalf of my constituents. It’s not hard to imagine why; they don’t report to county government.  But they ought to report to their customers, all of them.

Mick Wright is a Shelby County Commissioner.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Critical Memphis leadership decisions will determine city's future