There is such a thing as being too shrill.
We are referring to Convention Center Director Joseph McCorvey and his efforts to get an additional $30,000 to do some upgrades and make repairs at the center.
Things started going downhill on Monday when he went before a Advertising and Promotions Commission's committee, where he badgered the members about getting his request in front of the full commission.
"I got pushback last month, and I'd like to go ahead and put this on the agenda to expedite that money and get this stuff done," he said.
When asked about money in his budget that might be used for some of the expenses that McCorvey had listed and whether Go Forward Pine Bluff had told him not to use those monies that way, things got more tense.
"I am not going to say anything about Go Forward telling me to restrict anything," he said. "We've been through this discussion before, and frankly I'm getting a little tired of all this back and forth."
But of course there was additional back and forth. A&P Commission Director Sheri Storie referenced a conversation on the same subject from the previous month's meeting.
"It wasn't a complete, absolute no we won't fund this request," she said. "It was why don't you fund it now and let's see what our revenues, what A&P's revenues are a little later in the year and perhaps we can help offset some of those costs."
Said commission member Glen Brown Jr.: "That is the discussion we had at the last meeting."
"That you would fund those things and we'd get back with you later in the year. ... I don't think our intent was for you to come back the next month and make another request," Brown said.
"That's not my understanding," McCorvey said, "and I can't touch that money."
After McCorvey repeatedly asked for an up or down vote from the full commission, his request was, indeed, placed on the agenda. But things did not go well there either.
On Thursday, the conversation was somewhat of an instant replay. It was suggested that he could use money from other accounts and the commission would look at replenishing it at a later date. McCorvey wouldn't hear of it.
"Let's get down to the bottom line," he told the commission. "I just want to know if this commission will support providing $30,000 so that we can move forward and do what we need to do. ... I know I'm not touching that money because it's set aside."
It's hard not to get that "my way or the highway" feel from McCorvey's comments. And while we understand his concerns about needing the money to do work at the convention center, we also see very few events happening and a lot of belt-tightening going on in the world. But mainly we hear someone who has a hard time working with others, and not surprisingly, the first vote was a resounding thumbs down.
"I move we advance the question, and I vote no," said William Moss, who was joined by Brown in voting against the request. McCorvey eventually got three yes votes, but because of commission rules, that wasn't enough to approve the money request.
We were not surprised. There is a right way to work with people and a wrong way. McCorvey's tactics of getting exasperated and drawing lines in the sand and coming across as the only person in the room that cares about taking care of the convention center are nonstarters. In the end, he got what he sowed.