Susan Perkins…..

I have a multitude of irons in the fire this week so here is my short version of the down and dirty on the most recent DMR departures and count on the community to fill in the rest of the blanks. Susan Perkins is a respected communications professional. A $50,000 communications contract was just let on new DMR executive director Jamie Miller’s 60 day review of operations. There had to be some sort of internal conflict for Miller to make an example out of Perkins, and make an example of her is exactly what he did. Heuristics would indicate the two events are related but we really do not know enough to make that conclusion.

I do not know enough at this point to make speculate beyond that. Remember it was Miller the state GOP rolled out to reign in our fluffer Congressman’s out of control staff. As such I think we can reasonably infer he has a hatchet in his bag of tricks.

71 thoughts on “Susan Perkins…..”

    1. The deal with Horne also includes a communications element, which will be handled by Frontier Gulf Coast, a Mississippi company that does political consulting, public relations and advertising, among other jobs.

      Frontier Gulf Coast (LLC) filed it’s certificate of formation with the Mississippi Secretary of State on January 9, 2013. Perhaps they had been already feeding under a different name. Otherwise, they must have hit the ground running to get all this done in time to reserve their spot at the trough by April 19, 2013 (as reported by Michael Newsom on that date).

      1. The Horne group ,The Frontier group are both pones for Bryant,Barbour and the Puppet Miller.It is a scam to control info and Money

  2. The community needs to fill in the rest of the blanks to purge the political slime from the building. Its sad that the truth has to come out in the comment sections of SH and Slabbed articles–and then it’s to late. This is a classic example of waste, fraud and abuse by the state government–along with other devious insider deals. Will someone please explain to me how a contracting agency can collect mega bucks from political campaigns and then turn around and nail numerous communications contracts with the state government?

    Susan Perkins was put in that position to help fix the PR department and its unfortunate she did not get the chance to do that. The former director Lauren Thompson was clueless since she was hired years ago and she did nothing to help the DMR image. Over the years, she continuously destroyed relationships with the people in the DMR offices, the media, and had groves of employees quit because they couldn’t stand her. Of course she was never moved because Ol’ Bill Walker was in charge and it seems he was caught up with higher priorities. Her finally being demoted from a government position should tell everyone how bad her performance was. So, the question is why didn’t the former director get the boot? Or, is that coming in the near future when Frontier renews another contract to take over all communications?

    The selection of Jamie Miller was a complete joke and should have caused more uproar but for some “odd” reason, the Sun Herald stopped their witch hunt and the momentum of the public opinion died quickly. Dr. Lucas and others should have easily earned that position with their credentials alone but they were not a part of the “clique” so they were screwed from the beginning. I know Dr. Lucas was recently hired after the dust settled. Could it be that the job offering as a “chief scientist” was payback to avoid a gender discrimination suit? She would have had that that one in the bag if it would have been pushed and brought to trial.

    Fortunately for me, I have a couple of guys I know that work in the building so I have the privilege of getting first hand information. From what I have also been told, Jamie is quite a sight in the office. Very conservative and very “white”, always sporting a high dollar suit and limiting interaction with employees because he has zero people skills. Oh, I cant forget, he has created a very secretive image so I bet the CMR has very little knowledge of what he is doing. Big surprise huh?

    If the CMR wants to regain credibility then they need to oversee and handle this monster at the helm and do whats right for the people of the gulf coast

  3. One more from the magic bag. Tagged with: Google is not their friend, If there is a palooza…, Jamie’s former boss,

    Ocean Springs cottages a ‘disaster urbanism’ example for tornado-ravaged Alabama

    In a competition for grants, Adam Dial, a partner in the Cottages at Oak Park, was among the winners.

    He was able to leverage the funding into a loan to purchase 21/2 acres at the heart of Ocean Springs. The property was, at the time, home to a trailer park.

    Money channeled

    The grant money couldn’t be directly transferred to a private entity, so it was channeled through Mercy Housing and Human Development, an aid agency.

    Oh, hello there.

    Rather than build on the outskirts of Ocean Springs where land is cheaper, Dial and partner Joe Cloyd looked to the center of town,

  4. I would first remind everyone that no one that I can find thinks Jamie Miller was one of the final 3 candidates submitted by the CMR to Phil Bryant for consideration. We all know his name was floated from Jackson 30 days prior to resumes being taken by the CMR for consideration. Why was he the person picked by Bryant? We know it was not because of his underwhelming resume. What we do not know for sure is who was pushing him in Bryant’s direction? I bet before it is over we will find out Joe Cloyd and Josh Gregory along with others were driving this bus. We know they have the connections to do so. We know they are closely aligned an all are active members of the Republican brotherhood. We know they have opened an office in Ocean Springs and Miller has worked out of this location on occaision prior to moving over to the Bolton Building. So who are these guys? What do we on the coast really know about them? Based on available public records Cloyd was involved in two cottage type developments that were funded in most part with FEMA/MEMA grants. Cloyd has purchased and moved into a home on Million Dollar Row, East Beach Drive in Ocean Springs right down the street from another very financially successful consultant, Scott Walker, husband of Trinity Walker. This is all coincidental I guess?. Surely there is no connection between neighbors in that upscale neighborhood,right? And what qualifications do these two repuppys have for such a contract? Or is this the new way to provide benefit to family and friends? Lots of questions to be answered about this new LLC and its members. Do they have other KKKonsultants(sorry for the studdder) working with them? I am hearing they do. Be on the lookout for more about this one. I will be awaiting Fontier Gulf Coast’s first press release from the directors office in the Bolton Building.Maybe it will explain in laymans verbage for the employees and taxpayers how in the hell they got this contact.

    1. I am quite sure the Frontier group is going to be as illusive as possible to minimize contact. I am still wondering where the savings are. 50,000 dollars is far more than most people make at the DMR in one year–let alone 60 days. I tried to locate Frontier Gulf Coast on the internet and cannot find a website. If someone has it I would like to see it. However, I have looked at Frontier Strategies from the Jackson area and it seems like the same group or its very “closely related.” Hmmm…..go figure

      I cannot speak of their credentials (yet) but I browsed the Frontier (Jackson) website and I must say that I am really not to impressed. For being in the communications business the website looks rather cheap and amateur. After browsing the website for a minute or two you will definitely get the impression that they are very proud of their “contacts” and love to let everyone know about their personal lives. Just like one big happy family.

    1. Hey….Joe Cloyd looks like Scott Walker!!! They have the same crappy smile!!!! Reckon they are kin? Maybe that is why they bought houses close to each other????

    2. Damn, I’ve been checking out Tom King’s campaign funding at the SOS website. I’m guessing that’s legal for MDOT contractors to donate to Transportation Commissioners. It shouldn’t be. If you took away contractor money it might have been a close race.

  6. This is hot off the press. This information may have been mentioned at some other time but its new to me and my information flow stream. Inside word has it that the website “Slabbed” is off limits to the DMR employees–it has been blocked. This was noticed right after Mr. Miller assumed his duties and many employees have noticed it. It certainly sounds like he is doing everything he can to plug the leaks because he know’s he is being watched like a hawk and anything he screws up will be reported on the dark side by personnel performing secret operations. 🙂

    I wonder if that was his decision or it was political advice from Frontier which drove the site to be blocked? They may be scanning Slabbed and the Sun Herald but every employee in that agency is watching him…..and he knows it.

    1. The address is the home of Joe Cloyd. He is Walker’s neighbor.I drove by the address this afternoon and noticed of all things a John McKay for Mayor sign in his front yard. Now that did not surprised me. He has a very nice home with a Million Dollar view. Whatever he does must pay well.

  8. The good DMR employees are all nervous now. If they would can Susan, who is the real deal, who else will go that is innocent? I can’t wait to see Frontier or who ever they are, put out the advertising for the coastal cleanup this fall. So need consultants for that one.

      1. The remaining employees from Shumate’s old office have been moved to a different floor now in a much smaller space.

  9. I guess they are not allowed to read the Sunherald or view it on line either. This will only make employees go to places like the International Hotel or home to read or provide a insiders view of what is going on. Next they will black out all of the windows or maybe even sequester the employees. I feel certain Frontier will be conducting hypnosis as part of getting everyone on the same team.

    1. Surely the Sun Herald has not been blocked but you never know. Your correct about the employees revelations being revealed else-ware. This kind of organizational behavior among management generally provokes employee’s to become more destructive and deviant. This is the same kind of mentality that has led this state to have such a high rate of knocked up teenagers. When you start suppressing freedom, information, and privileges it most always backfires in a negative way.

  12. hmmm! ms. perkins has been dr. walkers’ mouthpiece for years, and now that she has been ‘let go’ , she has become the sacrificial lamb mortar ? pleezzzz!

    joe cloyd and adam dial are both decent, family and hard working men. it may be that joe has political savvy, so what. was cloyd’s judgement about those whom he chose to do business with questionable? well that remains to be revealed.

    the cottages (Ocean Springs and Pass Christian) are the best example of how to utilize non-profit monies. both an investment in the inner city of both communities. both a benefit to middle class retirees who paid for these non-profit monies in the first place. to infer a con-profit motive is unacceptable and without any reasonable basis.

    back on point would be the Walker family et al’s abusive criminal waste of taxpayers’ monies.

    1. You are nuts, Joe and Adam or clones of Walker. They are only there because they are personally connected to Phil Bryant and Jamie Miller
      As for as the cottages that’s questionable for now

      1. why am i not surprised at your personal insult. what is questionable is your doubt in the success in the obvious success of both cottages’ developments.

        take your hard on for bryant, miller and walker and jerk off on them !!!

        1. Well pissablanca I have already seen what they look like a few years after being built if not maintained properly. As for as your other comment that sounds like something you are more qualified for so have at it.

          1. I agree. The establishment looks like a deluxe FEMA cottage city. This is a glimpse into the future of what communism could look like in the United States. They should have come up with a color theme for the tenants based on their social position in life. Blue for blue collar workers, white for management, and if you are connected politically, you have the option of solid brass hardware on all doors and windows.

    2. Walker has associated with high caliber environmental professionals from across the ciuntry for years so what is your point about Perkins? She left around the same general time a numbers of others got out and came back after Walker was gone to fix the mess.

      I understand understand a neighbor shot video of Baby Walker’s house being seached. Reckon it went to Gov Phil?

        1. Perkins was not the mouthpiece of DMR. Lauren Thompson was. Do your homework passablanca.

          1. You are correct. Lauren Thompson was the lead in that department for a long time. And a big barrier too.

        2. Idiots never know the facts,so I chose not to answer you. I knew other’s would handle that.Thanks folks i think it should be clear now

          1. Sorry Doug,The above comment goes to Passablanca’s comment on Susan Perkins ealier. My Apologies.

      2. From what has been told by several reliable sources she should have been the head of H.R.years ago.

        Also it is true that access to S.H. and Slabbed have been blocked. The DMR is doing it’s best to contol info.I don’t know what they think they can gain from that move.People go home and read and comment.

        1. But I doubt the FBI circulated their video with the State GOP power structure.

          And it absolutely does explain it Pass but I’ll explain it to you like you were an 8 year old. High caliber environmental professionals from across the country have associated with Walker.

          Are they dirty too? BY your reckoning anyone who ever worked for Walker is dirty and that is no more true than saying that everyone in the Jefferson Parish Attorney’s office under Wilkinson was dirty. Since you live in JP surely you can relate.

          The push for looting the agency began at a time certain. Those that did not leave and were in the way were pushed out. Don’t know for sure about Susan Perkins but she left in the right time frame to get the benefit of the doubt with me.

          The secrecy and all the bullshit will not stop the truth from bubbling up. The whole deal with Frontier Gulf Coast reeks as the fix appears to be in as far back as January 2013.

          1. I beg to differ … any 8th grader in JP would know that everyone of Wilkinson’s subordinates was his lackey … and unfortunately some of these political hacks have remained in the Parish Attorney’s office to this day.

    3. Hey passablanca, if you read my earlier post Lauren Thompson was Walker’s “mouthpiece” for the past 12 years. She was the director of PR….not Ms Perkins. Susan was her underling until she had enough sense to leave the department. She was only put back in PR this past January to fix the mess and keep the public better informed. Joe Cloyd built some cottages….what does that have to do with public relations? That guy is a joke and would never be hired on his credentials alone.

      2. Cottages matter in that they were built with “funny Money” from and through the State where the funds had to be routed around thru various agencies and channels to complete funding.
        Do you think Cloyd, et. al. did it for fun??

        1. They did it because the monies were available to those with the connections to access it. I can assure you he had no realestate development backround. Katrina and the State of Ms. provided this opportunity to them,not their experience to perform. Sort of like the DMR contract. No experience necessary,One call that’s all!!!!

          1. There you go. These kinds of supposed “developments” could never be done, financed, or profitable with money from the private sector. Its a charade for politicos like Cloyd to syphon money in fees and guess who is paying for it.
            I would still like to know if Baby Walker was a hired consultant for any of these projects, or if Cloyd paid Walker any “consulting fees”.

          2. Walker was involved in all aspects of the flow of state/federal monies to the Coast since 2006.This was his franchised area and having the DMR under his thumb was extra gravy. Then Cloyd, his next door neighbor started getting in on the action first with Joe Spraggins and Andover then on to his own “Work Force Housing Plan.” I would think he and Walker were competition for each other but that was dispelled when they moved next door to each other on MILLION DOLLAR ROW. That confirmed to all they work in concert with each other.

  13. So Miller gets a salary of 6 figures and gives some political lackeys a $50,000 contact to help him do his job. Here on the coast that sounds about right.

    1. here in jefferson parish that’s peanuts, so what’s your point ? how about filing a prr to learn about the particulars of what the $50,000 is being paid for and what period of time is capped ?

  14. I have been thinking all night about this situation with this Frontier Gulf Coast. If they are associated with the Jackson Frontier company why is Cloyd and Gregory listed as the pricipals on the SOS paperwork? Does anyone know of any past link these two have had with the Jackson company? Seems to me there would have been some type of press release to let the world know of there expansion to the Gulf Coast.After all they are a PR firm. All of this considered I do not think there is an association between the two. That brings me to this question, what experience do these two have to complete this $50,000. contract. We all know this is just the first of more to come from Miller/DMR to his buds.

  15. Answered my own question.Josh Gregory is the Managing Member of the Jackson Frontier.It appears they are related with common members.

  16. It’s trivia time!

    Which lawmaker lives with Gregory in Jackson when the legislature is in session?

  23. I would tend to agree Joe Cloyd would never be hired on his raw talent and studly good looks. I guess the hundred grand plus will help him pay his mortgage on Millionaire’s Row next to Scotty and ex DMR staffer Trinity.

    So let me get this straight, Josh Gregory who works for the Governor and Joe start a business then Jamie Miller hires them to do an “audit?” Wait,Who’s paying for this?

    1. The way I understand it is the audit/review was performed by the CPA firm and Frontier was going to handle communications regarding the audit/review. That’s the way it was printed in the paper. I am having a hard time seeing how a 60 day audit would need 50,000 dollars worth of communications support. What have they produced so far? At the end of the “contract” it will be very interesting to see what this Frontier group did that is worth 50K. This should be requested by the public.

      According to my inside sources, it looks like Miller has messed up again this week. We should be seeing some fresh leaks anytime within the next few days. He has still failed to realize that virtually every employee in that office building is recording every move he makes. That alone should make him want to throw in the towel because if he has political ambitions for the future–he’s screwed.

  24. If you know the right people in the proper places you get a bone thrown to you sometimes as a pay back for something.$25,000.per month to explain in simple terms to the employees @ DMR what Horne has found is just absurd. How can this even be possible? On top of that they happen to be big buds with the new Boss at DMR. What a coincidence. Somebody needs to call Hoppy@ The First Bank and tell them to get the damn commercials with Joe Cloyd in them off the air. They are ridiculous and would cause me to close my account there.

  25. McKay reports on meeting with state auditor.

    McKay digs in, calls out Sun Herald.

    McKay told the Sun Herald he is friends with Walker and feels Walker has been mistreated by the Sun Herald, which has reported on spending practices of the agency.

    Be sure to read his entire statement carefully. The commenters at the Sun Herald are apparently not yet ready to board the
    SS McKayWalkerMaxwellWalkerJanusWalkerSolangi.

  26. After reading McKay’s statement about the meeting with someone at the state auditors office and the accompanying comments I came to this conclusion. He purposely is using the Marine Resource Foundation that is controlled by Bill Walker as the entity that he thought was paying for the fishing trips because it can operate without the oversight of Pickering’s office. If you read what he says you will agree. This does not remove him from the ongoing federal investigation. I have a friend who works in the Bolton Building for another agency and they say the Federal investigators are in the DMR in numbers every day. It appears Mckay hopes his carefully worded statement will get him thru the election. I say not. His continued allegiance to Walker is baffling. I can only assume Walker is helping him with the DMR fishing trip problem by concurring that he led McKay to believe his foundation was paying for the birthday party trip for his grandson and 10 of his friends. Walker is providing cover for him. Problem is neither are believable at this point. Another funny thing is on WLOX 13 they keep saying “foundation boats” and even show the boats leased from Walker as the boats McKay and his entourage went fishing on when in reality both trips were on the private charter boat the Silverdollar. It is almost as if they are also playing the foundation shell game with McKay and Walker.I also heard Walker was at the meeting with McKay.

  27. Why did Stacey get the Foundation boats? Is this some attempt to let Foundation board members escape prosecution?

    In other news, it’s such a small world here in the Slabbed Nation. Seems Sen. Watson of the DMR scandal was over rubbing elbows in the LA Senate yesterday with Sen. Martiny of the the JP Performing Arts debacle.

    1. hehehehehehe.

      Sen Martiny authored article 971. Despite that fact his nickname here is “da boob”. A GOB (from the city).

  28. The shell game with the boats is right on. Your mammal from the water view here does not see proof that any boats have been turned over to the state. Just a lot of air out the blowhole, apparently. McKay, like all the FOBs, apparently got access to the fleet of, let’s see, the Harris/YMCA boat (Californian?)and the other Foundation boat (Topaz?) and there were a couple more, it is rumored, more donated or purchased from FOB’s like Harris and McKay, none of them work boats for taking samples, but his grandson’s private party required a bigger boat, more fuel, more food, and he thinks it’s fine, all he has to do is ask? And one of the finest charter yachts in Biloxi is there for him, free? And Billy wanted nothing back from him? Politics and boating; it’s gas, grass or ass…nobody rides for free and certainly not Mr McKay. He should pay back the value of his trip if he learned it was state money that paid for it. And all those boats should be returned for use by the public. Maybe there are more. McKay has some more questions to answer, like did he get campaign contributions from this Foundation and did he declare the value of the trip on his ethics report for 2012, and how many boats does he know about? Did he keep or use any boats at Harbor Landing after the state bought it but the Harrises were still running it and keeping all the money for themselves? He should not stand for office until he can answer, and he should not be supervisor and accept $3000 free trips on yachts.

      2. Where will they get the money to deepen and widen the channel?

        PUBLIC NOTICE
        U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
        MODIFICATION OF PERMIT APPLICATION AND INTENT FOR ADDITIONAL SCOPING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE PORT OF GULFPORT EXPANSION PROJECT

        http://portofgulfporteis.com/

        The originally proposed project, as described in the application filed on March 17, 2010, was modified by the MSPA to reduce the overall potential impact from 700 acres of open-water benthic habitat in the Mississippi Sound to 200 acres and to not include any impacts to the Gulfport Harbor Federal Navigation Channel (FNC) or Turning Basin. However, the project, as currently described in the permit application modification received April 16, 2013 includes modifications to the authorized FNC and other navigation features, as necessary for efficient port operations. These modifications will include the navigation channel from the Gulf to the port facilities to support a navigable channel depth of up to 47 feet in the Mississippi Sound and 49 feet in the Bar Channel plus advance maintenance and allowable over depth requirements. Widening the channel may be requested based on results of planned ship simulations. Modification to navigation features adjacent to the port facilities include deepening the existing federal turning basin area and port berthing areas, a turning basin expansion, and new berthing areas. The depth of these features will be appropriate to the deeper navigation channel. Final channel design and associated environmental impacts will be addressed during the permitting and EIS process.

        A public scoping meeting will be held on May 21, 2013, at the Marriott Courtyard Gulfport Beachfront Hotel, 1600 East Beach Boulevard… The USACE invites comments on the proposed scope and content of the EIS from all interested parties. The scoping meeting will begin with an informal open house from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. followed by a formal presentation of the proposed permit action and modifications. Verbal and written comments will be taken at the scoping meeting following the formal presentation until 8 p.m.

  30. The Feds are looking for ways to take money back. If they are not careful over there they will give them a reason. Cotton Fore has hauled dump truck loads of money out of there.

    1. It appears they may have an easy time of it too judging from those job numbers.

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