Multi-Purpose Event Center, Boon or Boondoggle

By Charles Cook | August 10, 2006 |

As you may know the Economic Development Council (EDC) is trying to convince the County and City taxpayers to fund a Multi-Purpose Event Center.  Visit the website to view the presentation and maybe even take the time to participate in their survey.  Mr. James Chavez, president of the EDC, has been the front man on this project and has given numerous presentations throughout the City and County.  One such presentation was at a town hall meeting sponsored by Councilman Ken Takasaki.

A number of City Council members both past and present and a few County Commissioners were present at the meeting.  Mr. Chavez was asked some very specific questions concerning the profitability of an event center, who must pay the mortgage, how much annual revenue will the MPEC generate, what will be the debt service, who pays the debt service if the MPEC operates at a loss, how did the EDC calculate the debt service, etc.  Many of us left that meeting that night without answers.  Mr. Chavez promised Councilman Takasaki that he would supply those answers in a few days.  That meeting was over two months ago.  Mr. Chavez still has not provided the answers. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

TN Title VI Compliance Commission Meeting Fails

By Charles Cook | August 10, 2006 |

The Tennessee Title VI Compliance Commission was scheduled to meet in Nashville at the Legislative Plaza on August 7, 2006.  No official business could be conducted because the Commission did not have a quorum of members in attendance.  The Commission was scheduled to meet in Clarksville in September of 2005.  That meeting failed also due to the lack of a quorum.

There were a number of individuals from Clarksville that attended the meeting with high hopes of being able to present issues related to Title VI and hear some possible solutions.  Sadly their hopes were dashed because the official meeting had to be canceled. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | 1 Comment »