Committees work to resolve differences

— In response to the Chamber of Commerce’s request to designate leaders, Parks and Recreation Committee members named Trip Lapham as committee chairman and Rick Tilly as co-chairman at Monday’s meeting.

The committee also appointed Pat Austin, James Tucker and Jack Sprinkles to serve on a subcommittee with three Chamber of Commerce members to work out details for combining the Decatur Barbecue and Bulldog Days. Tilly was nominated as a substitute should one of the other members not be able to attend a subcommittee meeting.

The subcommittee will meet on Dec. 21, and Parks and Recreation Committee members are planning to discuss issues such as food, vendors and the division of profits, to name a few. The main point of the subcommittee meetings is to find a compromise, Tilly said.

Tucker pushed the committee to appoint a chairman or president on Monday night, explaining that the Chamber of Commerce wanted a decision maker to communicate with.

Sprinkles suggested Lapham serve as the chairperson since he is the only member on the city council and all of the committee’s decisions must be approved by the council.

At first Lapham declined, explaining he was just the liaison, but the committee persisted, pointing out they don’t have the ties needed for the position with the city council and city employees like administrative assistant Kim Wilkins.

Mike Barnett brought up the need for more Parks and Recreation Committee members. Owens said that many committee members had been hurt and left the committee because of lack of support and negative comments from the city council.

“(After working hard) Instead of a pat on the back, you get a kick in the butt,” Owens said.

Lapham said that he had looked back at his notes and some of the things that were reported in the newspaper were not how they happened at the council meetings.

The Parks and Recreation Committee will meet again at 6 p.m., Dec. 28, in the city council room and welcomes anyone who is interested in joining. The committee will meet with the Chamber of Commerce at 5:30 p.m., Jan. 4, to discuss the subcommittee findings.

News, Pages 3 on 12/16/2009