From the Roundtable: Power Lunch: a productive forum for leaders public and private

Something we are increasingly proud of at the Columbia Business Times is our Power Lunch programs conducted periodically in that “room with a view” on the ninth floor of the Tiger Hotel.

Word Marketing sponsored a series of programs last year, and that baton was passed to The Callaway Bank this year. Topics have ranged from Jeff MacLellan’s annual review of the local economy to Columbia’s energy supply needs overall and, specifically, the proposed construction of a second nuclear plant in Callaway County.

The topic of the April 23 Power Lunch was: “What is Smart Growth? – A Forum on Finding Common Ground During the City’s Development Planning Process.” The real story behind the forum was how powerful people aligned on various sides of this controversy sat at the same table, broke bread and spoke their minds.

These were folks who often are seen as opponents in newspaper articles, heard as combatants in broadcast reports and rarely talk face-to-face.

Two points of the Power Lunch stood out for me.

The first was former County Commissioner Don Stamper’s rather bold cry for everyone interested in growth, planning and development issues to set aside their personal differences and work together. Rather than arguing via the media, the result of which may be false perceptions of how others may feel, Stamper lauded the Power Lunch as the opening salvo for all hands to become better acquainted and ultimately find common ground through compromise.

The second was the informal and cordial chats afterward. One sensed real rapprochement in the air as discussion ensued among members of the Columbia City Council and Public Service Commission, along with leaders of the Columbia Home Builders Association, the Columbia Board of Realtors, the Boone County Smart Growth Coalition, the Historic Preservation Commission and several commercial and residential developers.

Then there’s the other story, the one you may have read in the Columbia Daily Tribune. Did the attendance by five of the seven members of City Council violate the state’s open meetings law? Physically separated around the room, Barbara Hoppe was clearly set apart at the head table because she was one of the three featured speakers. From my vantage point, I saw nothing untoward going on during the 90 minutes everyone was together, and the city’s chief counselor apparently didn’t think so either.

The media – and this includes the Columbia Business Times – must champion openness and transparency in government and how its affairs are conducted. Of course we celebrate the Tribune’s Fourth Estate zeal for transparency in how government conducts business. Yet the times and circumstances are changing. A recent disclosure by blogger Mike Martin shows how official business flies over the Internet and how the Tribune co-owner injected himself and his newspaper into the recent controversy over where to move the State Historical Society of Missouri.

While it is often dangerous to enter the glass house of media criticism, a stone should be cast toward the Tribune for an incomplete reporting job. The fault was a major transgression of accepted journalistic practice: the reporter did not contact the CBT – its editor, publisher or principals – to get our side of the story.

A generally accepted canon of journalistic practice is to seek out and report all sides of the story. It’s somewhat startling that this 108-year old newspaper of considerable stature and respect lodged in a community of journalistic prominence could commit the sin of failing to contact our own little humble business journal, which I should remind them is produced in their printing plant.

Others will have to sort out whether or not it was sinful having too many city council people gathered together at the latest CBT Power Lunch. It was a great gathering that we believe was most productive. Participants laud these gatherings as opportunities for thoughtful exchange, and the proceedings are thoroughly reported in this publication.

I know the CBT and The Callaway Bank look forward to sponsoring more lunch forums with elected and non-elected leaders for many months to come.