Memphis for Morris

The Commercial Appeal has made it's Mayoral Endorsement. Was there any doubt?

A majority of Memphis voters will go to the polls, from the start of early voting today to the election on Oct. 4, and cast ballots reflecting a desire for change in this city's top leadership. As we reported Thursday, Mayor Willie Herenton's effectiveness is waning after four terms.

Among 13 candidates who have offered to replace him, The Commercial Appeal recommends HERMAN MORRIS, who is best prepared to put the city on a progressive path.

Morris' dignified, low-key presentation and integrity would be a welcome change from Herenton's blustering theatrics and flawed moral compass, which have been a drag in recent years on the city's national image. Morris could help restore pride among Memphians in their city.

Morris' cross-cultural appeal puts him in the best position to lead the cooperative enterprises -- business and labor, black and white, urban and suburban and the like -- that are needed to move the community forward.

City Councilwoman Carol Chumney, another well-prepared mayoral candidate, is an effective legislator and a successful attorney who brings a wealth of ideas to the table and would potentially be a strong mayor, as well.

But Morris' executive background and his experience working with community organizations give him an advantage over Chumney and the others. He has the credibility and leadership skills needed to serve as the City of Memphis' chief executive officer.

The 56-year-old Lester High School, Rhodes College and Vanderbilt Law School graduate has been a leader in the NAACP, the Memphis Regional Chamber, Community Foundation, National Civil Rights Museum, United Way and other important civic endeavors.

He has been a successful lawyer for many years, but is best known for his tenure as president and chief executive officer of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division from 1997 to 2003, when he was removed because of philosophical differences with the mayor.

While he was at MLGW he provided solid leadership and demonstrated considerable crisis management skills during the wind storm of July 22, 2003, that cut power to 339,000 homes and businesses and forced the utility to rebuild more than two-thirds of its electrical system.

Morris' term at MLGW also is marked by the investment of rate payer dollars into the Networx fiber optics firm, a public-private venture that is being sold at a loss.

But it is important to note that some of Memphis' most successful investors were optimistic about the future of Networx at its founding in 1999. Morris believes that the investment eventually would have produced a return and its sale was a mistake.

It's also important to note that Morris acknowledges his mistakes, learns from them and grows in the jobs he undertakes. He listens to the opinions of others and can lead consensus building efforts. Unlike Herenton, he does not presume to know the answers to the questions he asks.

As mayor, he would have the reputation, the gravitas, the ability to listen and the persuasive powers to bring talented people into city government. His credibility in the utility industry would serve the city well in the search for a new CEO at MLGW to replace the ousted Joseph Lee.

Morris supports using tax incentives to encourage private investment in the city's riverfront and other areas Downtown. He also thinks the city could do a better job of removing abandoned buildings in blighted areas.

With his skills at consensus building, Morris also may be the best person to start a constructive conversation about the consolidation of Memphis and Shelby County governments, perhaps even put this long-awaited civic goal within reach.

There is no question it would be a new day under Morris at City Hall, where we expect his strong personality to command the respect and loyalty of a city workforce that has not had the most inspiring and engaged leadership in recent years. It would not be surprising to see improvements in the level of service taxpayers can expect.

And therein may lie the key to one of the most important questions voters are asking themselves in this election season: Who is best prepared to lead the fight against big-city crime that has created a climate of fear among long-time Memphians and helped drive too many citizens into a suburban retreat? Morris believes, unlike Herenton, that a mayor can make a difference.

The Commercial Appeal editorial board also believes that Herman Morris can make a difference on the crime-fighting front, on economic development, on sound management of the city's resources, in the community's morale, in many areas. He is the candidate best prepared to turn Memphis in a positive direction.