MACC board at work
photo by Jackie Benkert
Long-smoldering disagreements over what is to become of Signal Mountain’s historic but dilapidated former grammar school, current home to the Mountain Arts Community Center (MACC), flared into open hostility this weekend on a blog moderated by former Mayor Paul Hendricks.
Mayor Chris Howley – angered by the decision of Cheryl Graham, a member of the volunteer MACC board, to go public with her reaction to comments he made during a town council work session on Friday afternoon – reacted by sending her an email.
“If you want to keep making this public,” the mayor’s email to Mrs.
Graham threatened, “We can do so as my next call is to the paper where I will include this email, your face book post, Dan’s statement . . . We can let tha public sort that out and drag your name threw the mud. So just step off, remove your Facebook post and be transparent.”
Former Mayor Hendricks, after reading Mayor Howley’s email once it had been posted on FOSMV, took strong exception.
“A group of citizens have formed a non-profit organization to take over management of the MACC,” he wrote. “The original idea was that the town would subsidize that non-profit based on the current budget, with the subsidy gradually diminishing until it is self sustaining . . . Our response should be ‘thank you, how can we help?’, not ‘we’re afraid you’re going to rip off the town.’ I say let the new MACC Foundation have a chance to preserve the MACC and save the town money.”
Mayor Hendricks’ reaction was echoed by other FOSMV readers, some more politely than others.
By Saturday evening, Mayor Howley had had enough. Going to his own Facebook site, Friends of Chris Howley, he strongly defended his actions and lambasted his opponents.
“I can no longer stand by and listen to the ultra liberal ultra left LOSMV and their contant attacks,” the current mayor wrote there. “I was 100% supportive of a groups efforts to create a non-profit and take over the management of the MACC. For citing the obvious, I have once again been attacked. Then I find out not only is one of our Council Members involved in the board so is the Chairmain of the Town’s Planning Commission.
“These folks are now asking for the Town to pay them more than $100,000 a year and are failing to understand the potential conflict or interest,” he continued. “This terrifies me and reeks of impropriety. The Town does not need to turn over this asset to folks who cannot even see the potential for conflict. We need to preserve the MACC but not by enriching our Elected Town Officials. Such as Councilman Landrum and Chairman of the Planning Commission Cheryl Graham.”
That post, too, soon wound up on FOSMV, where the response was swift and strong.
“‘Ultra liberal and ultra left,’” Tommy Duff commented. “Next this group will be accused of communism.”
“How does wanting to restore the MACC fall into an ‘ultra liberal ultra left’ agenda?” Marco Perez wondered. “I honesty don’t understand the association.”
“I’m not at a sure how I feel about the current MACC situation, but our mayor is a snowflake,” wrote Leslie Chapman Bell. “Anyone who wants to be in government needs a much thicker skin, so he can decide issues on their merits and not on whether or not somebody has hurt his feelings.”
Town council member Dan Landrum, whose marriage to board president Angie Landrum is one of the potential conflicts of interest cited by Mayor Howley, said he has taken a hands-off approach to the proposed agreement between the town and the board.
If it does go through, he said, “I suspect it would do what it has already done: consumed a lot of time and money, which we’re happy to do for a good cause as long as we can afford it.”
The dispute on LOSMV began Friday evening, when Mrs. Graham went on the League of Signal Mountain Voters blog site to defend the group.