County Commissioners Honor The Life Of Earl Scruggs
At their May 1, 2012 meeting, the County Commssioners adopted a Special Recognition Resolution Honoring the Life of Earl Scruggs expressing appreciation for his contributions to the music industry.
Destination Cleveland County Board of Directors July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013
Brownie Plaster, Chairwoman
Adelaide Craver, Vice Chair
John Schweppe, III, Secretary/Theatre Committee Co-Chair
Trip Boinest, Theatre Committee Co-Chair
Robin Smith, Treasurer
Millie Wood, History Co-Chair
Sherry Grenier, History Co-Chair
Linda Horn, Events Co-Chair
Myra Dixon, Events Co-Chair
J.T. Scruggs, Scruggs Center Chair
Shannon Kennedy, Communications Chair
Stan Anthony (Mayor of Shelby)
Stephanie Burrell
Tropzie McCluney
Jeff Ross
Al Dunkleman
Michael Poage
DCC Launches Website And Gets New Pieces For The Earl Scruggs Center Collection
An article in The Star on July 9, 2012 tells that $7.4 million has been raised for the Earl Scruggs Center, including a recent $100,000 grant from the N.C. Rural Center.
DCC Executive Director Emily Epley says that the museum may open as early as the end of this year. Meanwhile, the new website will share information.
The former Appalachian State University Appalachian Cultural Museum donated several items to Destination Cleveland County for the Earl Scruggs Center, including a restored fretless banjo, 1905 fiddle, dulcimer, Stella guitar, Clyde R. Hoey portrait, 1820 plank chair, and three photographs.
It should be noted here that these items are being housed at the storage facility in the old Hunter School building where the artifacts from the Cleveland County Historical Museum are located. Cleveland County is renting this building from the Cleveland County School System, so Cleveland County government is paying for storage of Destination Cleveland County’s property.
DCC Is In Violation Of The Lease Agreement A Fourth Time
Term #5. Use: Lessee shall be entitled to use the Property for the purpose of maintaining and operating “The Earl Scruggs Center-Songs and Stories of the Carolina Foothills” to enlighten, educate and celebrate the people, traditions and values of all Cleveland County communities, past and present, through the presentation of compelling and experimentsal exhibits and multi-faceted programs.
Cleveland County leased the Historic Courthouse to Destination Cleveland County for use as the Earl Scruggs Center-Songs and Stories of the Carolina Foothills. Now they have changed their name to the Earl Scruggs Center- Music & Stories From The American South.
Are they now encompassing the whole South instead of showcasing what is unique about the history of our local region?
City Council Talks Of More Travel and Tourism Money For DCC
On July 13, 2012, The Star tells that during last week’s city countil meeting, Mayor Stan Anthony suggested using travel and tourism funds to benefit Destination Cleveland County’s Earl Scruggs Center.
It should be noted that Mayor Stan Anthony was a member of the Steering Committee in the summer of 2006, along with DCC’s Brownie Plaster and others, who decided that the Earl Scruggs Center and the Don Gibson Theatre would be catalyst projects for the Shelby Center City Master Plan; then he was employed as DCC’s architect for the Don Gibson Theatre in 2008; and now he has served on DCC’s Board of Directors for the last four years (2010-2011/ 2011-2012/ 2012-2013/ 2013/2014).
City Councilman Joel Shores suggested allowing Shelby Police Department to use city hall and making a deal with Destination Cleveland County to use the tourism money as leverage for city space in the old courthouse. He said with Shelby Police Department running out of space, he is thinking outside the box to produce a solution that won’t burden taxpayers.
(The old State/Flick Theatre, which was renovated by DCC for the Don Gibson Theatre, was purchased by the City of Shelby in 1999 primarily for its proximity to the current City Hall Complex as it would be an important acquisition for the City’s future growth. Now the Shelby Police Department is running out of space and needs to expand. But the old State/Flick Theatre is no longer available for city expansion, as the City Council voted in 2007 to lease the building with an option to purchase for the tax value of $207,137 to DCC for the Don Gibson Theatre, for $1 a year, plus they threw in $500,000 of travel and tourism money as a matching grant to renovate it.)
DCC Chairwoman Brownie Plaster said the historic courthouse building looks large from the outside, but space is limited inside. She said areas not used by the Earl Scruggs Center exhibits will most likely be used for an education center and hospitality.
City Manager Rick Howell said the city council will make a decision on distributing travel and tourism funds in August.
At the Shelby City Council Meeting on July 16, 2012, among the matters Mayor Stan Anthony mentioned for Council’s future consideration, was request City Manager Rick Howell to prepare a recommendation to provide ongoing financial support over a period of time to Destination Cleveland County for the Earl Scruggs Center Capital Fund utilizing local occupancy tax funds intended for travel and tourism purposes.
Councilman Joel Shores also suggested drafting an agreement with DCC to utilize a portion of the facility at the Earl Scruggs Center for City Council meetings on the basis the City may need the additional space provided by the Council Chamber for the overcrowded Police Department. Mr. Shores said it would save the taxpayers’ money by not constructing new City facilities.
The dilemma of the overcrowded Shelby Police Department was discussed in an article in The Star the next week on July 23, 2012. The Police Chief said the department hasn’t had adequate room in years. City Manager Rick Howell said “the long-term solution is obviously a new building for the police department. That’s much more of a mountain to climb in the current economic climate, and that’s something we would give a lot of discussion and discourse. Mayor Stan Anthony said there are no current plans to expand the police department. “Obviously we don’t have money to do anything,” Anthony said. He said department expansion is one of the city’s next major capital projects as part of a long-term plan. Anthony said that is at least five years into the future.