It’s So Obvious: Chair a Chattanooga Forward Task Force, Get a New Job
Berke’s Perks: New jobs for Ken Hays & Virginia Anne Sharber… Is Adam Kinsey next?
It’s so obvious. Chair one of Mayor Andy Berke’s Chattanooga Forward Task Forces, and get a new job. Current employees out, friends in…
Chattanooga Forward: “Technology, Gig & Entrepreneurship” Task Force & The Enterprise Center
Take a look at the sequence of events that took place with the release of the Chattanooga Forward Technology, Gig & Entrepreneurship” Task Force this Spring…
Chattanooga Times Free Press: “Chattanooga’s Enterprise Center shifts focus to gig”
Chattanooga Forward “Technology, Gig & Entrepreneurship” Task Force was the first to release their report in March 2014.
The focus was on restructuring the Enterprise Center, managed and operated by Wayne Cropp, who resigned from his position as director shortly after the report was released.
Who was the Chair of the “Technology, Gig & Entertainment” Task Force? Ken Hays, Developer along with Former Mayor and Developer Jon Kinsey.
(***On another note, Kinsey and Hays seem to jump through any hoop that Mayor Andy Berke desires them to in order to achieve their grand plans for redeveloping their run-down Chattanooga Choo Choo property and becoming the epicenter of the City’s new “Entertainment District.”)
After Wayne Cropp resigned, who did Mayors Andy Berke and Jim Coppinger name as new Executive Dirctor of The Enterprise Center? Ken Hays.
Chattanooga Times Free Press: “Chattanooga developer Ken Hays to head Enterprise Center”
In this past Sunday’s Chattanooga Times Free Press, mention was made of the five remaining Chattanooga Forward Task Forces and their reports released to the public just short of a year after the “Technology, Gig & Entrepreneurship” Report was released. Interesting new developments are emerging, exposing another interesting sequence of events…
Chattanooga Forward: “Arts” Task Force & The Hunter Museum
Chattanooga Times Free Press: “Hunter Museum director Daniel Stetson resigns”
All of a sudden, Hunter Museum Executive Director Daniel Stetson resigns. He said in an interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the decision was mutual, after several days of discussions.
The Chattanooga Forward “Arts” Task Force Report was released publicly with the other reports on Sunday. Who was the Co-Chair of the “Arts” Task Force? Virginia Anne Sharber.
After Daniel Stetson resigned, who was named the new Interim Executive Dirctor of The Hunter Museum? Virginia Anne Sharber.
So, are we beginning to follow the trend here? It’s so obvious. With that said…
Chattanooga Forward: “Entertainment and Attractions” Task Force & Adam Kinsey’s New Job?
Former Mayor Jon Kinsey’s son Adam and wife Monica have been campaigning for the last few years to take down Tivoli Theatre and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium as the civic gathering spaces of Chattanooga’s citizens, and lift up their Track 29 venue as the new model for “entertainment” and “making money.”
Unfortunately, like many of the Young, White Professionals “YWPs” in Chattanooga who are just focused on “having fun and partying,” and not really thinking about anyone but themselves and their own small worlds, Adam and Monica have no clue what “civic life” or “democracy” or “freedom and justice for all” is really about, nor do they realize that civic gathering spaces are not built with the intention to “make money,” these spaces are built to enhance quality of life.
Does Coolidge Park or its carousel make enough money to cover its costs?
Does the Walnut Street Bridge make enough money to cover its costs?
Does the River Park make enough money to cover its costs?
No…
Is anyone campaigning to take down these civic gathering spaces?
No…
Adam and Monica Kinsey took the opportunity to rudely snicker and whisper to each other on the sidelines of a Community Visioning Meeting for Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditoirum in February 2013 headed by the highly respected Rear Admiral Vance Fry who served as the Steering Committee Chair for the Auditorium, along with members from the Chattanooga Music Club. Following that meeting signed and un-signed articles appeared in the Chattanooga Pulse newsweekly seeming to poke fun at senior community leaders like Admiral Fry, Carlos Smith, and Evelyn Gibbs who single-handedly headed the campaign to raise $1 million to save the Auditorium’s historic Austin Pipe Organ, one of five left in the country… It seems that as far as Chattanooga’s Young, White Professional “Fight for Your Right to Party” crowd are concerned, these highly respected individuals (many senior citizens and veterans) committed to protecting Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium’s future are just living in the past.
Since Adam and Monica got a taste of success with Track 29 (thanks in most part to their booking agency AC Entertainment), they have had their eyes on the Tivoli Theatre seeing it as their next money-making venture, with no consideration for what’s good for all The People of Chattanooga. Nonprofit organizations like the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, Chattanooga Ballet, Chattanooga Boys Choir and others have had a longstanding partnership with the City-owned Tivoli Theatre to bring fine cultural arts experiences to the Citizens of Chattanooga. Other local organizations have also partnered to provide free or low cost cultural arts experiences to students from Hamilton County schools and surrounding counties, many of these students have never stepped foot in the Tivoli Theatre, and they may not in the future, if Adam and Monica get their way as they did with the Chattanooga Sound Ordinance and the Chattanooga Entertainment District. And what will become of organizations like Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, Chattanooga Ballet, and Chattanooga Boys Choir?
Adam and Monica Kinsey have made it clear they could care less about Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, and can’t wait to help Mayor Andy Berke and his Administration find a way to take it down, let it stand empty or pass it off to some organization—which may have no interest or enough funds to keep the building up let alone honor its historic purpose—which the Citizens of Chattanooga chose to build as their veterans memorial, a living memorial dedicated on Veterans Day, November 11, 1922.
Profits Over People? Money-making Over Quality of Life?
The People are outraged by this self-centered thirst for profits over people and the cronyism that takes out current employees and fills their positions with Mayor Andy Berke’s friends and task force chairs.
Chattanooga Citizens need to consider the direction the City is taking with current leadership putting profits over people and money-making opportunities over quality of life for all.
As Citizens of Chattanooga — we have a job, and that job is to hold our leaders accountable and to be involved, engaged Citizens actively participating in Democracy.
Post to your Facebook and Twitter pages…
Call in on Talk Radio 102.3 and voice your concerns—423–267–1023.
Write Letters to the Editor and send to Chattanooga Times Free Press and Chattanoogan.com.
Don’t be afraid to speak out. Community activists have worked hard this last year to pave the way for you to speak freely and without fear of retaliation.
It’s time for change in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It’s time for The People to wake up. We cannot blindly wait and hope our leaders will do the right thing for all people, not just do what will get themselves and their friends ahead in business and politics.
Get involved!
#SpeakTruthToPower
