The Childers' Chappie Cha Cha, the Venue version

Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers once again told the Board of County Commissioners that the Chappie James Monument and Plaza is an open-air museum, and as such, Tourist Development Taxes can be used to construct it. Or did she?

The Clerk actually hedged her earlier insistence that it was an open-air museum, but it didn’t seem that way at first: “My comments haven’t changed, and that is, I did envision this as an open-air type museum. It doesn’t mean it’s an absolute museum by definition of statutes.”

However, Childers shifted to calling the monument something else: “It is a venue. Venues bring people, it promotes tourism history, promotes tourism. We have the walk, the downtown walk with Veterans. We have a small Chappie James Museum, the home I believe it is. You’ve got the walk over the Three-mile Bridge, you got the Visitor Center there. It’s supposed to do a “walk of history,” and that will bring tourism.”

The Clerk didn’t provide any examples of other non-sports outdoor venues that have been constructed with TDT funds. Childers confused construction with tourism promotion. The Escambia County Tourist Development Council has repeatedly voiced support for promoting the monument as a tourism asset but not its construction.

Childers deflected from the construction issue, drawing in Commissioner Hofberger: “What’s most important is that this board is going to promote it as tourism. They believe it to be tourism. There’s exact words in the statutes about tourism, and in fact, Commissioner Hofberger, you and I have talked about tourism on other venues, and it is the definition of this board as to what is tourism.”

What if she is wrong? “I doubt you’re going to lose state grants over this if it’s found that you are wrong. If I am wrong, the repayment will have to happen to TDC if we are wrong collectively.” [Note: The addition of “collectively.”]

She touts tourism: “But I do believe this is a tourism expenditure because I’ve listened to all of you talk about bringing tourism in. This is a venue, a plaza, open-air museum. It’s going to have our history.”

When Commission Chairman Mike Kohler asks the Clerk if she would cut the check using TDT funds, the Clerk shifted the decision of whether it’s legal back on the board: “If you believe this is bringing in tourism, if you are going to promote it as tourism—”

County Attorney Alison Rogers interrupted, “You still have some pieces that need to be done with.”

Kohler said, “I understand.”

Childers continued, “And that’s your part to finish those pieces because—”

Rogers said, “No, I think the city’s part myself.”

Childers continued with her venue argument: “If you travel under venue, what is required? Because if you travel under venue, I believe you can write a check to a nonprofit or to the city. I would question whether you need that agreement from the city or the type of agreement you would need from the city. I just haven’t seen anything to even provide guidance.”

What did Pam Childers say in February?

“This is going to be so simplified, but when I first looked at this I immediately thought this is an open-air museum. That was what? Over a year ago. How long have we been talking about this?” said Childers.

She stressed what she believed the BCC needed to do: “It is the legislative finding that you need to make. This is tourism to get off ground zero. There does have to be ownership through the city. There does have to be the feasibility study. I do not believe you have to go back to the Attorney General. I believe that this board can handle it.”

Note: BCC spent no time discussing the feasibility study completed by the Haas Center at the March 25 meeting.

Childers closed with: “I believe you understand the terminology, and I believe you need to check a couple of boxes. That sounds very simple, but that’s where I stand.”

Why the dance around the law?

Pam Childers had built a reputation for being a stickler for the law and a watchdog over county finances. Why would she go through such verbal gymnastics to use TDT funds and put the county at risk for violating Florida law?

The simple solution is for the Board of County Commissioners to find other pots of money for the project. Commissioner Lumon May has repeatedly asked his fellow commissioners to do so, but his suggestion has been ignored.

Those who watch county government politics know this is another one of the County Clerk’s petty grudges. Childers wants to embarrass the TDC and, specifically, its chairman, David Bear. Her husband, SRIA board member Bruce Childers, has talked dismissively of the TDC.

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Daily Outtakes: Childers’ Chappie Cha Cha, the Venue version

What did Pam Childers say in February?

Why the dance around the law?

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