3 days ago
Looking deeper into Carter Malone Group's invoices to Memphis Shelby County Schools
SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — The Memphis Shelby County School board hired a public relations firm behind closed doors last fall. It sparked concerns among some taxpayers as they demanded to see how the board is spending their money.
'Who's paying the fees for outside legal and PR firms? Is it us taxpayers?' one taxpayer asked the board during a meeting in January.
The hire came just weeks before the board voted to fire the MSCS Superintendent, Dr. Marie Feagins.
How much is MSCS paying Carter Malone Group for public relations?
'I think people were more concerned about it being done at the time it was done,' said school board Chairwoman Joyce Dorse-Coleman.
This wasn't the first time the board hired the Carter Malone Group to help them with their PR.
Last summer, Feagins cancelled the previous contract. Dorse-Coleman said that soon after, the internal communications department fell apart.
Records WREG obtained show that at least four communications staffers resigned within months.
'When we were reaching out for communications support, we weren't receiving it,' said Dorse-Coleman. 'We had no support.'
The board entered into another contract with the Carter Malone Group in November. A move that wasn't discussed or voted on publicly, because the bill would 'not exceed $70,000.'
The policy states board approval is only necessary for professional service contracts above $75,000.
Because there was no vote, the contract wasn't posted for you to see, either.
WREG Investigators received a copy through someone connected within the district. It stated the firm would keep a detailed log of their work and then bill the board every month based on the hourly rates listed in the contract.
Deidre Malone opens up about why MSCS hired her PR firm
'A public relations agency is just like a law firm. We believe it is important for our clients to know everything that we do for them,' said the firm's president and CEO, Deidre Malone. 'If my director of public relations is writing the chair's report, then she's going to document that. What that time looks like and what that costs.'
In January, we asked for those invoices, and four months later, the district handed them over.
In December, the invoice totaled more than $23,000. A majority of it had to do with the board's efforts to fire Feagins.
The firm charged $900 for a communications strategy with the chair and another $1,200 to attend the meeting.
They also prepared videos, statements and press releases based on various outcomes and provided media training and scripts.
MSCS-Dec-2024-SubstantiationDownload
The line items are similar in January's invoice, but the bill was slightly cheaper at around $19,000.
The firm was again charged to prep for and attend the second special-called meeting where Feagins was terminated. They also charged $40 for a snow day social media post that month, $150 to meet with a lawmaker, and another $200 to tag along for an appearance on Your News Leader.
That's right, their bill grew with each media appearance as the media asked your questions.
'It shouldn't be awkward because our role is to work with the media to get you what you need, and if your interview is an interview with the chair or one of the board members, then it's our role to coordinate that,' Green stated.
The firm also charged $175 to help the chair draft a response in April when another board member threatened to deport a Hispanic woman who criticized her work.
Original story: School board member won't apologize for deportation threat
Followup story: School board member apologizes for deportation threat
MSCS-Apr-2025-SubstantiationDownload
There were more interview preps, press releases, and phone calls. Plus, another $1,700 for the new interim superintendent's media training.
Malone said they wanted to detail everything they did, so the public could understand what they were paying for.
'When you're dealing with clients that are government clients, it's so important for them to understand everything that an agency does for them, so that's the reason why we itemize,' she said.
The chair admits that information should be easier to obtain.
'We as a district have to do better at explaining why and the hows of certain things, like why do we have to feel like we needed an outside PR firm?' Dorse-Coleman said.
'Yes, the trust has been distorted. We know that,' Dorse-Coleman said. 'We have to do better, and our interim superintendent is committed and the board is committed to being more transparent.'
The chair said she wanted every contract published, but it's unclear when that will happen.
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The Carter Malone Group's contract ended last month. They reached the $70,000 limit before that, but continued to work through May without charging the district.
Dorse-Coleman said the board is now utilizing the internal communications team again, but stated if they do not provide the support they need, she's not opposed to entering into another contract with the Carter Malone Group.
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