Controversy Still Plagues Tullahoma Arts

President Uuses New Bylaw To Kick Out Rival Board Member

by Russel Mobley

February 18, 2011

A recently-elected Tullahoma Fine Arts Center board member has been ousted by the TFAC board, headed by Troy McFarland.

Keith Moore, who narrowly lost in his race against McFarland for the TFAC presidency last September, was removed from the seven-member board through the use of a controversial section of the newly-adopted bylaws.

The clause allows any Tullahoma Fine Arts Center member to "be expelled or suspended by the Board of Directors."

McFarland defended including the new rule in the center's bylaws.

"It is used by other organizations I've been involved with," said McFarland. "It is not to kick someone out at your will. Some organizations carry you on a roster and you have monthly or yearly dues. If you are not participating or going to events, it is like carrying a ghost person. Most places, if you miss x amount of meetings, without doing make up work, you are out anyway."

Moore and McFarland have been at odds over the center's future

McFarland said that even though the clause allows any member to be expelled, it is meant "primarily for board members or chairs who have taken on a level of commitment and are not doing anything."

Moore and McFarland have been at odds over the center's future, since they were both elected to the board on September 15. Moore complained in December about the direction McFarland was taking the center in, including his plans to incorporate TFAC's annual May arts festival into the Highway 41-A Music and Arts Festival, developed by McFarland for the Highland Rim Kiwanis Club.

McFarland, who is a Kiwanis member, said this month that the arts festival has been cancelled because "what [TFAC] had for years, just did not work." Instead, McFarland intends to expand the number of artists invited to participate in the 41-A Music Festival, which is scheduled for September 23 and 24. McFarland started the music festival last year. It is held in downtown Tullahoma.

McFarland also said the AWS show planned for this spring has been cancelled. Tullahoma had been scheduled for the first stop of the 144th AWS Traveling Exhibition. It was to have opened on May 6 and close on June 18.

Efforts to contact Moore for comment were unsuccessful.

Since the September election, three board members have been replaced with appointments by McFarland. The first to leave the board was Terri Daugherty, who left within days of being elected. She was replaced by Jon Gray, who unsuccessfully sought a position on the board in September. Moore has been replaced by Becky Shelton. And TFAC Treasurer Roxane Garrett, who resigned recently, has been replaced by Stewart Copeland.

According to McFarland, Copeland, a filmmaker, will also serve as artist-in-residence, and will be in charge of the day-to-day operations of the center.

McFarland added that board duties will be "spread around" among appointed and elected members.

The center, established in 1968, has been embroiled in controversy since last summer, when the City of Tullahoma withheld its funds over questions about the TFAC board and its adherence to the center's bylaws. Under pressure, its long-time executive director, Lucy Hollis, resigned on August 23, 2010.

A special election was held in September, with the hope of reorganizing the arts group.