Billy Parker said he quit going to board meetings of the Chattanooga History Center after it was decided to hire a New York firm to design a planned history museum by the Aquarium at a world class price.
Mr. Parker said, "I thought it was too much money so I did not go to any more meetings."
He said it appeared to him that the executive director at the time, Daryl Black, was the main one pushing for the contract with the Appelbaum firm.
Over $10 million was raised for the planned history museum near the riverfront - mainly from Chattanoogans - but it was still not enough and the project has folded.
Mr. Parker said he got a call later from Marlene Payne of the History Center telling him he should resign from the board due to non-attendance.
He said afterward he noticed that his name was not on a list of board members.
However, he said on the History Center website he is still shown as being a board member. He said, "It also shows Mai Bell Hurley on the board, and she died."
Mr. Parker said he had planned to work hard to help raise money for the museum, but he said he never heard from executive director Black so he did not make the effort..
He said, "I am on boards of the Hunter Museum and the Forest Hills Cemetery Association, and I work hard for them."
He said while he was on the History Center board he did not receive much information about the operation of the center and the status of the fund drive.
Mr. Parker, who long headed the Mountain Mirror monthly news magazine, said he was asked to donate $5,000 to the museum drive and he did.
He said he was asked for another $5,000 recently, and he declined.