Funeral time for former Columbus Councilor Jack Basset has changed
Jack Basset, a Columbus leader who helped create Georgia’s first consolidation of city and county governments, has died.
Basset died Christmas morning after a massive stroke, according to an anonymous announcement posted Monday night on his Facebook page. McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory confirmed his death to the Ledger-Enquirer. He was 82.
His funeral service will be 2 p.m.., Jan. 3, in the McMullen chapel, 3874 Gentian Blvd., three hours later than originally announced. Visitation in the funeral home will follow the service.
Basset served on Columbus Council from 1972-80. Before that, he was among a group of rising community leaders who got involved in local politics through the Junior Chamber of Commerce, known as the Jaycees. Consolidation of the Columbus and Muscogee County governments was one of the reforms they pushed. That effort came to fruition in 1971.
Beyond his own political career, Basset was considered one of the best campaign strategists for local politicians. He helped fellow Jaycee members J.R. Allen (1969-73) and Bob Hydrick (1973-75) get elected as Columbus mayor.
Basset also was a successful advertising executive in Columbus. Along with Bill Becker, they founded Basset & Becker Advertising in 1989.
Basset was among the founders of the Metro Columbus Urban League in 1971 and served on its advisory committee. He served on the Columbus Charter Review Commission in 2001-02.
Long after he left Columbus Council, Basset continued being involved in local politics behind the scenes as a campaign strategist and as an influencer through letters to the Ledger-Enquirer editor and social media posts.
“He was a puppet master, if you will,” Columbus Councilor Gary Allen, the late mayor’s son, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “… I don’t recall him losing too many races, if any.”
Allen credits Basset for helping him first get elected to the council in 1992.
“He knew how to package the individual to sell them to the public,” Allen said.
For example, Basset put a campaign ad for Allen on the telephone line that folks used to call to synchronize their clocks and watches. So when they dialed in, they not only heard the correct time, they heard a voice tell them, “It’s time to vote for Gary Allen.”
As he laughed at that memory, Allen said Basset “just had a quick wit and a quick mind. … He had a great sense of humor too.”
Allen also appreciated Basset for building bridges among disagreeing factions.
Although he was among the vanguard of Republicans who made Georgia a two-party state after decades of Democratic dominance, Basset sought common ground for the common good.
“It was a time when my dad ran that there was a good-ole-boy network,” Allen said. “That was what they were trying to break up, but they wanted good government, a government citizens could be proud of.”
In 2003, Basset was one of the community leaders who forged an agreement to delay from September to November a controversial vote that renewed the 1% sales tax in Columbus to fund Muscogee County School District capital projects. The delay enabled the referendum to gather more public support.
“He was called in to help move things along, to talk about the best way to present it to the public so they could have more confidence in the system,” Allen said.
Basset took such a mediation approach in his personal life as well. Allen recalled Basset telling him he had a falling out with someone, but he ensured they talked about their differences instead of letting their hurt feelings fester.
“He knew how to read situations,” Allen said. “Just a phenomenal individual.”
This story was originally published December 26, 2023 at 5:26 PM.
