Guests enjoy the buffet table at the 2008 AHDC Lifetime Achievements Awards

The highlight of the Arts and Heritage Development Council’s annual membership drive was the Lifetime Achievement Awards presentations at Emerald Hill Pace Alumni Center. The festive atmosphere of the gala event was well suited to the occasion. Splendid appetizers and refreshment accompanied by the soft chamber music played by APSU Music Dept. students graced the warm and cordial atmosphere of the evening as family, friends, co-workers and AHDC members greeted one another and mingled freely.

Friday evening, November 8th, the Arts and Heritage Development Council of Clarksville and Montgomery County bestowed its Arts and Heritage Lifetime Achievement Awards during the Annual Membership Drive at Emerald Hill Pace Alumni Center. This event is held to raise money through memberships and to honor outstanding citizen’s who have made enormous contributions in the Arts and in Heritage.

Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Johnson and Mrs. Emma Canard

This year’s Arts Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Sharon and George Mabry. The Mabrys have excelled in individual music careers and endeavors that have earned each of them success and renown in the higher echelons of professional music performance circles. The Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Riley Darnell, Tennessee Secretary of State.

Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Johnson gave the biography of each Arts Lifetime Achievement honoree. Montgomery County Mayor Carolyn Bowers gave the biography for Heritage Lifetime Achievement honoree Riley Darnell. Howard Winn was especially expressive of appreciation for the support Secretary Darnell has shown in support of the Fort Defiance Historical Park initiative. AHDC Executive Director Dianne Batson-Smith presented each honoree with their award. The Emerald Hill Pace Alumni Center proved the perfect setting for the enthusiastic and jovial gathering of honorees and an appreciative audience.

Reginald Lowe, Mary Nell Wooten and Howard Winn

Riley C. Darnell has been a central catalyst in preserving the heritage of Clarksville and Montgomery County. In his distinguished career, Secretary of State Darnell graduated from APSU (1962) with a degree in History. he holds a JD Degree from Vanderbilt University’s School of Law in 1965, and served in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain and Judge Advocate General between 1966-1969.

After military service, Riley returned to Clarksville to practice law. In 1970, Darnell was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 67th District and served there for five two year terms. While in that position he worked hard to promote APSU, Clarksville and Montgomery County.

Riley was elected to the State Senate in 1980, where he rose to be Majority Leader of that legislative body. During his service in the Senate, he exerted tremendous influence in two heritage projects in Clarksville. The first was the campaign to prevent the demolition of Harned Hall, the most historic site on the APSU campus. As Majority Leader, he lent his considerable support and worked to obtain funds for adaptive reuse of the historic building as a high tech classroom and office building. This support was crucial in the preservation of Harned Hall.

Between 1980-1984 an effort was launched to establish a Clarksville-Montgomery County Historical Museum. Initiated during the administration of Mayor Ted Crozier, the project was to be supported by money generated by a tourist hotel tax. The tax gave 25 cents of each dollar collected by the City and County to finance the project. Additional financial support was to come from private fund raising and a major donation from the estate of Donald and Finley Gracey.

Darnell was a robust supporter of the Museum Project. When it was evident that success of the Museum warranted expansion, Darnell, as majority leader of the State Senate, was instrumental in obtaining funding.

A major blot on Clarksville’s political history occurred in 1992. Riley Darnell was defeated for re-election to the State Senate. Fortunately, his former colleagues in the House and Senate selected Darnell to the position of Secretary of State. A move greatly lauded by his many friends and the Darnell family in particular.

This post was most suited to Riley’s experience and abilities. It included the office of keeper of the state’s records, registry of corporate charters, and other state commercial records. Darnell is in charge of the State Election Commission and Election Finance. Further, the Secretary of State is the Chairman of the State Library and Archive Management Board. He is currently planning a new and expanded State Library and Archives which will undoubtedly be a major legacy of his service.

Secretary Darnell most recently was a major contributor to our communities efforts to obtain a $2.2 million TDOT Grant to finance the establishment of the Fort Defiance Historical Park. Thanks to the work of Secretary of State Riley Darnell and House Majority Leader Kim Mc Millan, Governor Phil Bredesen awarded the grant to the City of Clarksville. Construction of the Interpretive Center will begin at the end of October, 2008.

Riley Darnell has been instrumental in preserving the heritage of our community. He has done so quietly, and effectively. Riley has been a great public servant in the best sense of that concept. AHDC is honored to present the 2008 Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award to Riley C. Darnell.

Sharon Mabry, mezzo-soprano, began her teaching career at Austin Peay State University in 1970. She holds the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida State University, the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from George Peabody College (Vanderbilt University), and a Performance Certificate from the Franz-Schubert-Institut in Austria. Though she has taught a variety of courses within the music curriculum, her primary responsibilities have been to teach private voice and vocal pedagogy. She has been Director of Graduate Programs in Music since 1991. As Artistic Coordinator of the Dimensions New Music Series since its inception in 1980, she has brought more than 60 composers to the campus for lectures, performances, and master classes benefiting students and the community at large.

Mabry’s awards include a National Defense Education Act Fellowship for graduate study, the Richard M. Hawkins Award in Scholarship and Creative Activity and the 2003 Distinguished Professor Award at Austin Peay State University, and two major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts: a Solo Recitalist Fellowship and a Recording Grant. Her seven LP and CD recordings have received outstanding critical acclaim and have been aired on FM stations internationally.

Mabry has established a distinguished career as a recitalist, master teacher of vocal techniques, soloist with symphony orchestras, and has performed at international music festivals, premiering the works of over thirty composers. She has presented major performances in venues such as the National Public Radio Art of Song series, Merkin Concert Hall (New York City), Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), the International Congress on Women in Music (University of Alaska), the International Music Analysis Conference (London, England), The National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), and three national conventions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

During the 2004-05 season, Mabry sang the leading role of George Sand in the premiere of a new opera, George Sand and Chopin, written for her by nationally known composer Persis Vehar. Performances took place in Tennessee and New York. This past season, she was a guest soloist with the Alias Chamber Ensemble in performances at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville and conducted master classes and/or performed recitals in several venues including the University of Minnesota.

Since 1985, Mabry has been a featured writer for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal of Singing, contributing over 100 articles with her column, New Directions, which discusses trends in contemporary music. Additionally, she has written articles about women composers for Pan Pipes, the International Association of Women in Music Journal and the New Grove Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press published her book, Exploring Twentieth Century Vocal Music: A Practical Guide to Performance and Repertoire in 2002. Reviewers have called the book “elegantly written, persuasive, eminently readable, and informative.” It will be published by Oxford in a paper back edition in 2008.

The greatest tribute to her teaching career is the large number of former and current voice students who have been awarded major fellowships at prestigious universities and have won regional and national vocal competitions. Many are now professional singers and/or teachers at universities such as Ohio State University, University of Nebraska, Belmont University, Elon College, and the State University of New York at Fredonia.

During her years in Clarksville, she has performed on numerous occasions in recital, as soloist for choral and orchestral concerts and other events such as the annual Madrigal Feaste, Cabaret Night, and Center for Creative Arts Galas that took place throughout the 1980’s and 90’s at Austin Peay. In addition, she has entertained at many community functions for Clarksville area civic clubs and arts organizations.

Senator-Elect and Mrs. Tim Barnes with a guest

Clarksville Mayor Johnny Piper (file photo by Bill Larson)

There are no pictures to illustrate the drama that was the city council’s meeting last night. Those who attended (expecting a fairly normal session) and stayed the long course, including the council members themselves, were exhausted at the end of this marathon session. It felt as if we all had been in the Boston marathon, our energies totally drained. The meeting finally adjourned at close to 11 p.m., with a surprise proposal that upped the price of the marina and related redevelopment plans to $32 million dollars.

In chronological order, this is how the evening played out:

Starting at 7:33 p.m., the meeting opened quietly enough with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Special recognitions went to Danny Powell and Matt Moore receiving Mayor’s Certificate for their achievements at the annual Public Workers Rodeo in Memphis.

Ken Spradlin, former CDE General Manager, was recognized for his forty year career with the utility, which culminated with his advancement to the general manager position and the expansion of the utility’s services to include fiber optics cable delivery. Spradlin said, “I’d like to accept this award on behalf of the CDE employees who do the work that makes me look this good.” Mayor Piper and Spradlin took this opportunity to introduce CDE’s new General Manager Rick Ingram and his wife.

The design and construction team for the Strawberry Alley project also received mayor’s certificates for the honors the city received for the project. Finally, Jim Durrett received a mayor’s certificate for being named Public Works Man of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Public Works.

The night’s fireworks began with the Zoning Change Requests portion of the agenda. Ordinance 27-2008-09 proved to be a highly volatile issue. A change of property at Memorial Drive Extension and Richaven Road from R-1 Single Family Residential District to C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District proved to be the sticking point, taking up fully the first eighty minutes of the deliberations of the meeting. Unfamiliarity with parliamentary law also proved to be major deterrent to progress during this matter. Having approved an amendment to the ordinance, concerned citizens from Rudolph Town and Memorial Drive Extension left the chambers only to have to be recalled by the police security force when the matter was unexpectedly brought back for reconsideration of the just approved amendment. The residents complaint centered on their contention that the zoning request was pure ’spot zoning’ and as such was a violation of city’s laws ad charter. The session was recessed to that lawyers, applicants and complainants could confer and seek compromise. Following further parliamentary law uncertainty, amendment being put forth and withdrawn, compromise positions being debated, then approved and then rejected, the original ordinance was approved but it was clear the matter was not settled, as this was only the first reading.

Ordinance 23-2008-09 was approved with no deliberation. It authorizes the city’s use of eminent domain to obtain rights-of-way and or easements for the marina/fairgrounds development project. This action is likely to include property along Riverside Drive and the condemnation of the Jaycees building. Ordinance 24-2008-09 seeks to cap the mayor’s salary at the current $125,000, eliminate the automatic annual pay increases that would bring it to $175,000 within ten years. Instead Mayor Piper proposed that starting in 2010, the mayor’s salary would see a single four percent increase over the course of the next eight to twelve years. The adjustment would apply at the end of each four-year term, so the first increase would not occur until 2014.

Mark Harris (file photo by Bill Larson)

The mayor also proposed to allow the mayor to reject a pay increase, a provision which is not allowed under current rules. Council member Deanna McLaughlin asked that council members also be allowed to reject pay increases, if they so desire. Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Johnson noted that the council members’ salary is tied to the mayor’s salary. They are paid at the rate of one-eighteenth of the mayor’s annual salary. She offered a motion to allow the council’s salaries to advance on proposed increases to the mayor’s salary, even if that salary increase were rejected or frozen. This motion failed. Bill Summers then offered an motion to tie council members pay increase to the rate of pay increase given city employees. This motion was approved. The now amended ordinance was then approved with an eleven-to-one vote. Ward 6 Marc Harris cast the dissenting vote.

Ordinance 22-2008-09 deals with adopting River District Design Guidelines. It passed without debate. Copies of the guidelines were not available for the public. Also passed was Ordinance 32-2008-09 which would eliminate the requirement for sidewalks and underground utilities in industrial zones. Debate raged over whether light industrial zones could be excluded from the ordinance. The mayor proposed the exemption. Richard Swift was not supportive of the exemption, seeing no need for sidewalks in these areas as they are residential areas where people are likely to walk their strollers. [Ed. Note: Joggers and cyclists might use these areas as short cuts to other areas.] Lance Baker, as City Attorney, advised that the ordinance excludes light industrial areas. With that clarification, the ordinance also passed first reading.

“Eleventh hour” funding request to finance $32 million in marina and peripheral projects.

At 10:20 PM the council took up Resolution 28-2008-09, a measure to authorize the mayor to pursue funding sources for various capital projects, but especially the Marina/Fairgrounds Redevelopment Plan. Following a PowerPoint presentation, Mayor Piper told the council that in 1978, a marina had been proposed for the current fairgrounds location. At that time the estimated cost was one million dollars. That cost has now escalated considerably, to $21.53 million with the detailed amenities now proposed. The redevelopment plan will be developed in three phases, with the marina being a public/private enterprise. New to the deal is the inclusion of a Water Park in the new redevelopment area as well. Funding this redevelopment is the major obstacle facing the city; Mayor Piper offered strategies recommended by the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund. The TMBF also has advised the city to move deliberately as loan funding is on hand but its availability may be limited. They explained that by re-structuring three current city loans, sufficient funds can be leveraged to accomplish the project without increasing the city’s current debt service payments. The full estimated costs for all aspects of the redevelopment plan is $32 million dollars. Quadruple the original $8m price tag bandied about. Debt that, according to accompanying eleventh hour figures would not be paid off until at best the year 2034.

Councilman Harris noted that 10:30 PM was not the time to begin considering a $32 Million dollars of new debt. Jim Doyle asked about replacing the ball parks that would be lost with the marina development. The roll call vote was 10-2, with Harris and Harrison dissenting. Finance Director Wilbur Berry old the council they must pass three resolutions, which are requirements of TMBF, so that required planning documents can be submitted for the loans development. [Ed. Note: This action only authorizes the mayor to begin talks about funding with the TMBF.] The council approved this action and the meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:50 p.m.

This was one of the longest council meeting in this writer’s memory. Also attending the meeting were council members-elect Candy Johnson and David Allen.

Additional information and details of the redevelopment plans will be presented on this site over the next seven days.