Lynn Anderson, Nancy Stagmaier and Lolly Durant, from left, are the core group behind the formation of the MACC Patrons, a nonprofit fundraising group with a goal of preserving the MACC building and its programs.Helping the MACC
The MACC Patrons’ first fundraising event, which is still in the planning stage, will be a 90th birthday party for the building, which was built in 1926, said Lolly Durant. She noted that the Community Foundation is handling the funds donated to the MACC Patrons, which currently lacks its own account, and all donations will go into the fund established through the foundation, not into the town coffers. For more information about the MACC Patrons, call the MACC at 886-1959.
Former members of Friends of MACC, which previously served as the fundraising arm of the community center, are in the process of forming a new nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, referring to themselves as the MACC Patrons.
The group comprises Lolly Durant, Lynn Anderson and Nancy Stagmaier. Durant said they are seeking more volunteers.
Once the full group is formed, officers will be named, subcommittees formed and plans laid out, said Durant.
“We’re looking for people who care about the MACC and are committed to helping the MACC move forward,” she said.
Volunteers would need to attend meetings every two weeks, as well as Signal Mountain Town Council meetings.
The next Patrons meeting will be held at Stagmaier’s home at 1175 James Blvd. Thursday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
In particular, Durant said the Patrons need volunteers who are skilled in the areas of finance, logistics, social media and public relations.
The mission of the MACC Patrons is the same as that of the now-dissolved Friends of MACC: to maintain and respect the 90-year-old community landmark while promoting the arts through innovative programs in Signal Mountain, she said. But the MACC Patrons also have another goal: to address the mold remediation and water removal necessary to carry out the mission of preserving the building.
The town of Signal Mountain owns the MACC building – the last publicly owned building in the town – and is responsible for its maintenance, said Durant, and the Patrons believe town officials are dragging their feet when it comes to dealing with the situation.
“I question the delay in removal of water from under the building,” said Durant, a Signal Mountain Grammar School alum. “The sump pumps are not working and the water continues to seep under the building.”
A third-generation Signal Mountain resident of 63 years (her great-grandfather moved to the mountain in 1913), Durant said she feels the MACC is important in maintaining the area’s history and Appalachian lineage, as well as in promoting the arts through theater, visual arts and music classes.
The Patrons group is focusing on the restoration of the MACC’s auditorium, where the removal of rotting boards revealed standing water underneath. Following the removal of the flooring, work was stopped, and mold was allowed to grow freely throughout the auditorium.
“Between us and years of volunteer service, we’re going to pull this off,” Durant said of restoring the MACC, adding that all the Patrons are volunteers. “As the town delays in removing the water and continues to ‘kick the can on down the road,’ MACC Patrons is forming a plan to raise public awareness and begin to resolve the issues at hand.”
Town Manager Boyd Veal said the town is currently in the midst of the bid process for mold remediation in the building. Potential contractors attended a mandatory meeting on-site, and are now putting together proposals to include what they feel needs to be done and the associated costs. Those proposals must be submitted by Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. and will then be evaluated by the town.
He said the town also plans to have a company do a full assessment of the building, focusing on its structural integrity, envelope (such as whether windows should be replaced), plumbing and electric systems.
“They’d basically be telling us what needs to be done to make this a solid, viable facility,” said Veal, adding that the town may use a similar bidding scenario with this assessment as with the mold remediation.
He said the town is wrestling with the logical order and priority for each of the projects, such as whether it makes sense to address the mold before dealing with the water issue.
“Until we get the information in, it’s difficult to say exactly how we’re going to progress,” said Veal. “I’m hoping in relatively short order we’ll be in a position to know what kind of a timeline we’ll be looking at. We’re moving things along as quickly as we can, working hard to get a grip on what needs to be done and the associated costs.”
He said that once the town has more information and can have a meaningful discussion about the building’s issues, special meetings focused specifically on the problem may be called.