Arkansas Blog: Let's play Powerball UPDATE

The state Lottery Commission meets at 2:30 p.m. today to begin winnowing the list of 55 or so applicants to direct the new state agency. I understand another candidate with lottery experience has surfaced, the current director of the Colorado lottery.

Sounds like another good candidate to run the thing, joining several others with major lottery experience. (Running the lottery is not the same as being director of the lottery, be advised, however.) The director should be a good ol' boy who'll be a reliable go-between. Conway residency preferred. Adequate pay has been approved to hire a quality No. 2 to do the heavy lifting.

A report to come from Gerard Matthews.

UPDATE: I've just received an e-mail from Tom Courtway, a former legislator and current interim president of UCA, who was one of the applicants for the lottery job. It says he's sent a letter to Lottery Commission Chairman Ray Thornton saying he was withdrawing his application for the job.

Here's his letter to Thornton and his statement saying he'd decided on reflection to stay at UCA.

He says he wants to stay at UCA, that he's tired and not sure his energy is up to the startup work ahead and:

Finally, the work of the commission and the scholarships it will provide to the students of this state will be extraordinary for many years. Neither the director, nor any applicant for a position, should be an issue or detract from the Commission’s work or mission. To the extent that my candidacy was a distraction at any level, I also believe that withdrawing is the appropriate step.

Good decision.

Gerard Matthews reports that no winnowing occurred today. There was discussion about how to rate the candidates. Ray Thornton favored use of a matrix in which applicants would be scored in several categories. Others, including Beebe appointee Ben Pickard, resisted being tied to a "matrix" evaluation saying there would inevitably be some subjective factors to consider. Thornton said he'd still use a matrix himself and release his ratings to the public.

The commissioners were given all 55 applications. They will review them and return in 7 to 10 days with six to 10 applicants to recommend. The application period has not ended. Thornton said he was surprised more weren't received. The widely held view that Courtway was the front-runner might mean more will apply now that he's withdrawn.

Comments

Someone please tell me why the blog feels obligated to go out of its way to smear Tom Courtway.

He was a former legislator with a voting record that this publication probably fawned over while he was in office.

For a significant amount of Lu's tenure at UCA, he was General Council at HENDRIX College. This hasn't come up in one of the many posts portraying TC as either having his head in the sand or as a waterboy for the legislative powers that be. Both are gross mischaracterizations.

By the way, while the Colorado candidate was getting an MPA (WITH HONORS!!!!) from Western Michigan, Tom Courtway was using his Georgetown law degree helping rewrite the federal tax code.

While the supremely qualified Colorado candidate was "supervising 400 IT professionals." Tom Courtway was holding together Arkansas' public education system during consolidation.

Oh, and your new flavor of the week (sorry Bill Halter) also used to work for one of the prospective lottery vendors. Nowhere near the conflict of interest that comes from having once held office. Gimme a break.

If only Courtway had managed a call center. Damn.

Posted by: Robt. Leffingwell | June 1, 2009 02:46 PM

He "smeared" himself, HELLO!!! Good decision and role-model material here from TC. Too bad Bush, Cheney, et al don't follow the Japanese/South Korean model!!!
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Posted by: Larry | June 1, 2009 03:09 PM

It's funny to see all these Courtway apologists tearing into the lottery folks with ties to lottery vendors when the governor's Chief of Staff is a chicken lobbyist.

Posted by: Prouster | June 1, 2009 03:29 PM

Question is who is the vendor for the CO lottery? If chosen, would that company have an inside track to landing a contract? Guy from CO seems to have a strong resume. No bashing Courtway here, he would have done an excellent job for the people of AR. Timing got him.

Posted by: mouthinfreely | June 1, 2009 06:11 PM

Why on earth does anyone think that lottery vendors are going to be chosen by the lottery director alone? I'm fairly sure there's a competitive bidding process, and that any major contracts about scratch-tickets or multi-state games would be subject to full review and approval of the Lottery Commission. Otherwise, why even have one? It isn't possible to have a Bush/Halliburton outright no-bid contract in the state of Arkansas.

There are so many people on here whining about how it's fine for Beebe to pick a crony because they'd like to see an Arkansan get it. I think the voters and taxpayers would prefer that someone with experience get it.

Posted by: Prouster | June 1, 2009 06:53 PM

"There are so many people on here whining about how it's fine for Beebe to pick a crony..."

For REAL?!! I admit to not reading ALL the lottery "news," but I find that pretty hard to believe. Regulars: educate me here, please.
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Posted by: Larry | June 1, 2009 07:26 PM

Arkansas Blog

Let's play Powerball UPDATE

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