Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke’s Transperancy on EPB and The Chattanooga Not-So-Public Library: As Clear as “Tennessee Mud”

While the Mayor Andy Berke Administration, EPB, and The Chattanooga Public Library push their “Chattanooga Forward/Gig City” agenda serving Chattanooga’s Elite, and Attempting to Cast the Media Spotlight Off Themselves, Chattanooga’s Public is left behind…

CitizenWatchHCD asks the questions the people want answers to…

While we live in a state where our students in Grades 3 — 8 have a 43.8 percent proficiency in reading, Chattanooga Public Library Director and her staff have spent over $40,000 traveling the world and attending paid speaking engagements while working on city time.

And in light of the recent attempt by the Mayor Andy Berke Administration to smear retired Police Chief Bobby Dodd over keeping iPads for depositions and other official proceedings, approved by Berke’s appointee former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Cannon, CitizenWatchHCD has come across some new questions that linger on the trail of the Chattanooga Public Library’s “Travelogue Scandal.”

Even if the trip to Detroit was paid for and the library staff only received an $18 reimbursement for per diem or incidentals, they’re gone… and it seems like they’re up and out of here at any chance they get. Here’s the point: They’re not here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, working at the library, where they get paid to work.

And as mentioned in a previous CitizenWatchHCD article, while public entities like EPB and The Public Library have been trumpeting their technology and innovations for all the world to see, delegations like “New City Vanguard” have pointed out during their recent visits to Chattanooga that there is a distinct inequity surrounding the “Gig City’s” technology, education, and employment being made available to residents living in neighborhoods like the Westside, or other economically challenged communities.

Chattanooga Times Free Press’s Pam Sohn raised some very good points in her editorial asking how many books or e-tablets might $40,000 purchase for inner-city kids who are currently struggling with reading?

Chattanooga Times Free Press: “Pam’s Points: Moccasin Bend and library need citizens’ attention now”

“It is likely that almost $40,000 would buy a lot of books…

Or better still for the “library of the future,” it would probably buy discounted e-tablets for about 150 inner-city youngsters.”

And we might add, how about exploring Skype conferences and Live Streaming with that Gig technology, Corinne Hill and Staff? Now that’s a high tech solution. You are cultural tourists flying around the world, while we’re stuck here.

It is an unfortunate turn of events as the Mayor Andy Berke Administration and their self-serving agenda and fear and intimidation tactics are spotlighted for all to see in the recent audit findings of EPB and the Chattanooga Public Library and the Bessie Smith Cultural Center… And now the Berke Administration’s most recent smear attempt against retired Police Chief Bobby Dodd to take the spotlight off of themselves really brings the public trust to an all-time low.

Speaking of accountability and transparency, here’s something interesting we noticed as the story broke about the retired Police Chief Bobby Dodd and the “Police iPads” — there was a paragraph hidden in the middle of the story that begs another question about The Chattanooga Public Library audit findings:

Exhibit A: (Chattanooga Times Free Press: “Dodd, top staff kept city of Chattanooga iPads, audit shows”

State law says no city employee or official can purchase surplus property except at public auction. It also states that employees can’t receive any money or compensation in addition to their salaries without City Council approval.

Did you read it: “Employees can’t receive any money or compensation in addition to their salaries without City Council approval.” Now, read this carefully:

Exhibit B: (Chattanooga Times Free Press: “Trips taken by Chattanooga Public Library director, top aides took them across U.S., globe”)

This year, Mayor Andy Berke’s office gave the library more money for Nate Hill to work with leaders to set up an open data portal for the public to get easier access to city statistics.

So we already know that the Chattanooga Public Library’s Nate Hill was recently reported to the State Comptroller’s Office for alleged fraud, being paid for speaking engagements while on the city’s time and taxpayer dollars, but here’s another question that needs to be answered: Was Nate Hill’s additional city earnings to build an “open data portal” for the Berke Administration officially approved by City Council as required by the State?

We’re just asking questions here… Anyone have a real answer?

*Note: Nate Hill also happens to be on Mayor Andy Berke’s Technology, Gig, and Entrepreneurship Task Force along with a number of EPB staffers and Ken Hays (partner at Kinsey, Probasco, and Hays) as Chair and newly appointed by Mayors Andy Berke and Jim Coppinger as the Executive Director of The Enterprise Center.

While the Mayor Andy Berke Administration, EPB, and Chattanooga Public Library hope the people of Chattanooga will forget all about these things… and move on… “The People” will not forget… “The People” will no longer tolerate the power-mongering, greed, deception, fear, intimidation, or bullying. The people are “Speaking Truth to Power.”

#SpeakTruthtoPower