Work continues on Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker's Outdoor Initiative.
At the end of an intensive public planning session on January 15, Mayor Corker said in 90 days he would announce how the city plans to turn the vision into a reality.
Todd Womack, the Mayor's spokesman, says since that time there have been additional meetings by interested individuals to provide input into how they felt an organization should be set up.
Womack says those involved in the additional meetings included:
- Bob Doak, Chattanooga Convention & Visitor's Bureau
- Allison Bullock, National Park Service
- Bobby Davenport, The Trust for Public Land
- Jeff Duncan, National Park Service
- Dr. Chris Moore, Unum Provident
- Jim Kennedy, private Public relations Firm
- Pride Evans
- Rick Wood, The Trust for Public Land
- Ron Nelson, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Steve O'Neal, Chattanooga Nature Center
- A representative with the Tennessee Aquarium
- Jeff Phitzer, Chattanooga Public Works
- Karen Hunt, Chattanooga City Planning Office
- Kelly Lyles, Chattanooga Parks & Recreation
- Matt McClelland
- Jeff Moore
- Elizabeth Ervin
From the input of these individuals, Womack says that the city's hired consultant, Burt Woolf, will draw up a document outlining such specifics as how many should be included on a Board of Directors and the duties of the group's executive director. Womack said a draft of that plan has been prepared but won't be made public until it is finalized.
Womack reemphasized the Mayor's plan that the Executive Director of the Outdoor Initiative will be a paid position. However Womack said once again that "funding is still an issue that's got to be determined. That's something I don't know the answer too."
Womack also wasn't sure if the Mayor would make an announcement regarding the Executive Director by the self-imposed April 15th deadline, or not?
"We got some incredible feedback from the public process," said Womack. "It became clear that a group of volunteers wouldn't work. You need a concrete board with an Executive Director... that's what we're working on."