Without commenting specifically on either the trolleys or the High School art renovation, there may be another way to look at this.  I think, in all fairness, Ken Malone has 3 jobs (Economic Development Chair, Coast COO, and Director of Technology Transfer/Business Development or some title similar to that).  From most reports, he appears unqualified for the first two but was actually hired to do the third.  His industry background seems to support the latter.  Revitalizing downtown Hattiesburg is a laudable goal.  Doing it in conjunction with the University in a college town makes sense.  Filling the industrial park with technology business, especially technology businesses spun out of research conducted at USM, is not an unworthy endeavor.  These sort of projects might fall under his third (and original) job description.  If he focused on them on a full time basis, he might be able to make them successful.  Technology transfer/Business Development is a reasonable staff job for someone in the Office of the VP of R&D.  It seems that many of the university's problems stemming from that office are related to non-academics becoming involved with the academic mission and operation of the university. 

The nursing building was/is wanted by nursing and needed...or was until faculty started leaving. MANY hours were spent with a space consultant on the renovation of Albertsons and a plan was finalized. The current nursing building is classified as one of I believe three "sick" buildings on campus.

I think it means buildings that they think are linked to faculty/staff illnesses.

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Originally posted by:
""Sick" buildings?  Please tell me what that means.  Thanks."

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Doesn't this have to do with asbestos?

A "sick" building generally means one that lacks adequate ventilation.

We have a couple at Clemson that are pretty bad.

There were many many many people involved in work with the old high school LONG before Ken Malone ever came to town.  There have been discussions for a long time about a university presence downtown.  If anyone deserves any credit for the positive things happening downtown, especially persuading the university to FINALLY establish a presence downtown it's Bernice Linton.  Kudos to Bernice.

You give Malone too much credit.  From what I hear he might have business experience but having experience in an area doesn't mean your good at it (as evidenced from posters on this board in regards to the way he treats people). 

I agree that he must have some personal gain.  I was told recently by a reliable source that he was recently overheard bragging about how many people he recently fired.  He gets off on the power, not doing good work.