- Target:
- Town of Boone Mayor and Town Council
- Region:
- United States of America
A big thank you to all the signers for the Supporters of SAHA petition. We will presenting the on-line, and a write in version of the petition to the Town of Boone Town Council today (Sept 18) at 530p. If possible I will post the results through gopetition's results. You may also check the Watauga Democrat (www.wataugademocrat.com) or goblueridge (www.goblueridge.com).
On August 21, 2014, in a closed session without prior warning, the Boone Town Council voted 3-2 to revoke the license for the Southern Appalachian Historical Association (SAHA), the producer of the nation's 3rd oldest outdoor drama, Horn in the West, and manager of the Hickory Ridge Living History Museum.
The town mayor, Andy Ball, said in a letter to SAHA on the following MONDAY that the license was revoked because of unauthorized electrical work and refusing to clean the public bathrooms for the Farmer's Market. The "unauthorized electrical work" issue was related to Horn's use of stage lighting for the theatrical production. At the time of the revocation the production equipment had already been removed completely. The bathrooms were routinely cleaned on Friday before the Sat. morning Farmer's Market.
The letter from the mayor states that Horn equipment must be removed (costumes, lighting, props, office, seats) by Oct 31 or will become the property of the Town of Boone. Hickory Ridge Living History Museum will lose their license agreement December 31, 2014, and all cabins and pieces must be dismantled, taken down by Feb 28, 2015, or will become property of the Town of Boone. The cabins were donated by families of those who lived in those cabins.
Currently, Hickory Ridge is only allocated six parking spaces by the town for staff parking and school tours, and does not have access to public restrooms on the grounds. Scheduled groups are needing to be cancelled because of these restrictions. SAHA is locked out of their own administrative office.
SAHA is required by the town to communicate to the Town Council through the Cultural Resource Division Director, Pilar Fotta, who is charged with oversight of town property that is used for cultural-related purposes, such as the Jones House and Daniel Boone Park (home of Horn in the West for 63 years.)
We, the citizens of Boone, Watauga County and surrounding High Coutry area recognize the invaluable contributions made by Horn in the West Outdoor Drama and Hickory Ridge Living History Museum to the cultural, education, historical, and economic life of our community.
Southern Appalachian Historical Association, the umbrella non-profit organization that produces the iconic Horn in the West and maintains Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, is an essential part of our cultural heritage in Boone and the surrounding mountain region. Horn in the West and Hickory Ridge promote the history and lifestyle of the founders of our community, preserving the stories and ways of the mountain people for future generations.
We cannot overstate our belief in the importance of this organization to our community. Therefore, we respectfully request that the Town of Boone mayor and Town Council members work cooperatively with SAHA and restore their multi-year lease so that SAHA may be able to raise the funds necessary for their operations, maintenance of the facilities and continue to thrive as a vital organization that contributes immeasurably to the stewardship of Daniel Boone Park and our cultural heritage.
The Supporters of SAHA petition to Town of Boone Mayor and Town Council was written by Supports of SAHA (SOS) and is in the category Culture at GoPetition.