News

LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: Commissioners boot a strong leader

By Bill Moss, Published: July 14, 2015

Henderson County commissioners made no explanation for the sacking of Shannon Clarke as chair of the Tourism Development Authority. They should have. The office of local government that promotes a major part of the county’s economy is now the poorer for it.

In an inexplicable act of musical chairs, the Board of Commissioners last week summarily replaced Clarke with David Nicholson, the very person the commissioners removed as chair three years ago.
At that time, commissioners threw out Nicholson, a former county manager who has worked for three of the current commissioners at some point in his career. Nicholson did not telephone calls seeking comment.
“I think David Nicholson is highly qualified and very knowledgeable and experienced in the TDA as we move into the tourist season,” said Commissioner Grady Hawkins, who pushed through the motion that removed Clarke. It passed on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Michael Edney voting for Clarke. “And he’s certainly been a county manager and had an association with the county managers’ association.”
Clarke had demonstrated refreshing leadership on the TDA on two issues the commissioners treat as radioactive.
He has been a strong and open supporter of both the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Ecusta Trail. He led efforts to rescue the Playhouse when a majority of the county commissioners were willing to let it fail. He boldly guided the TDA to set aside a quarter cent of the county’s 5-cent bed tax for the proposed Ecusta Trail. The action passed on a 7-1 vote with Nicholson voting no. In both cases, Clarke understood something that is widely known in the community but impenetrable to the minds of the county commissioners with the exception of Edney: The Flat Rock Playhouse and the Ecusta Trail are crucial parts of the county’s economic development engine.
Commissioners seem only able to grasp the appropriation of taxpayers’ dollars for economic development incentives — $843,000 in the fiscal year that starts Wednesday. We have been strong supporters of those incentive payments, too. But we also see, as Clarke does, that what the Playhouse does for the arts the Ecusta Trail would do for recreation. Both attract tourists, who spend money, and newcomers, who grow the tax base.
Pressed by Edney, the Board of Commissioners has delivered a half-hearted signal of support for the trail while exerting nothing that approaches leadership to help move it forward. To the contrary, commissioners have now promoted the only TDA member who voted no on the decision to set aside money for the greenway.
Hawkins denied any connection between his nomination and the TDA’s action. “That’s their business,” he said.
And a sound business decision it was. We’d say Clarke understands and appreciates the pro-business potential of the Ecusta Trail far better than four of the commissioners do. His abrupt dismissal flunks the smell test and sets back the TDA’s leadership on this important project.