Tullahoma Arts Center Not Following Its Bylaws
story by Russel Mobley
July 1, 2010
When Lucy Hollis, executive director and board president of the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center, canceled the center's annual membership meeting last November, she apparently violated the center's bylaws.
A copy of the center's bylaws, obtained by MiddleTennesseeArts.com, states that an annual membership meeting will be held each November, during which officers and board members are to be elected.
In February, Hollis said that the November meeting had been postponed to March, because an annual audit had not been completed. In March, Hollis said she had “postponed” the meeting to November of this year.
A copy of the minutes of the July 2, 2009 TFAC board meeting reveals that three new board members were voted in who have family ties to the president and treasurer, even though the bylaws state that board members are to be elected at the annual membership meeting.
Complaints by concerned citizens and the revelation that the center had failed to register with the Tennessee Department of State's Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming, have prompted the City of Tullahoma to begin examining TFAC's operations.
At Monday's City Board meeting, Tullahoma Mayor Troy Bisby said that he and the aldermen will tour the TFAC facility soon and examine the center's charter as “a little bit of due diligence.”
The city is once again considering appropriating funds for the arts center in its upcoming budget. During the last fiscal year, Tullahoma gave $13,000 to the center.
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