CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Mayor Joe Pitts’ nomination of Lillian Vazquez as Human Relations Commission chair, a role from which she previously resigned, drew criticism from several City Council members last week at their executive session.
The mission of the HRC is to support the interests of underrepresented groups and promote cultural diversity though programing and advocacy initiatives. Vazquez, who works with the Department of Veteran Affairs, served as chairperson for the organization from January 2020 until June 2021, when she resigned.
Clarksville Now reached out to Vazquez, who said she resigned due to a combination of overextending herself among various projects and concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the current climate, I was real worried and concerned,” Vazquez said. “Being overextended, if I can’t give you 100% and true transparency, I’m not going to give you 90%.”
Evans calls nomination ‘hurtful and disappointing’
Council member Ashlee Evans, who serves on the HRC, criticized the decision on Facebook prior to the meeting and again in her comments Thursday.
“We were able to get the fair housing board together in 2 1/2 weeks, which we needed to get done – I understand that. But the HRC, it took 3 1/2 months to reappoint the same person who failed the HRC. That’s hurtful and disappointing,” Evans told fellow council members. “I just care really deeply about the HRC and its mission, and I think it’s a disservice to the city to appoint somebody who doesn’t have the passion.”
Evans has been a proponent of the HRC, championing a budget increase for the body in this year’s budget hearings.
While the city code does not allow council members to nominate individuals to committees, that being the mayor’s responsibility, Evans did recommend three names for consideration by Pitts: Margaret Thompson, April Sledge and Loralee Childers.
Thompson ran for the Ward 4 City Council seat in 2020, and Childers was a candidate to fill the Ward 1 seat left vacant by Richard Garrett. Sledge has not held local office and works as a paralegal for the Office of Disability Hearings in Nashville, according to her LinkedIn.
Other council members weigh in
Councilperson Wanda Allen challenged Vasquez’s track record as chair of HRC.
“We have approved a budget for this commission for this year, and we want somebody that is going to use that budget effectively and ensure that we are hitting the parts of our community that are not being touched or are being disparaged against. I think that at this point, we have not done that as a city,” she said.
With Vasquez, Allen said, “We have a track record of resigning and not working with the HRC to get things done. We have a track record of this person, towards the end of the term, completely defuncting the HRC. That’s not a person we want back. … We saw the HRC completely fall apart under this person’s leadership.”
“I think if you resign, then maybe we should move on and give someone else an opportunity,” said councilperson Trisha Butler, who also spoke positively of Thompson and Childers. “I would like to see someone else be given the opportunity.”
The sole council member to speak in defense of Vazquez was council member Wallace Redd, who said appointments are the mayor’s prerogative and suggested that some individuals were recommending friends for the position.
“I’ll be the oddball I guess. I do believe it’s a little disrespectful. The charter says that the mayor gets to make certain appointments,” Redd said. “He does have this privilege just by the office of the mayor.
Vazquez responds
Vazquez told Clarksville Now she had not been aware of the criticism against her, as she does not use social media.
After hearing of council members’ comments, Vazquez suggested that their criticisms are misplaced.
“My fidelity is to Mayor Pitts and the taxpayers, because I am a taxpayer,” she said. “I would rather look within before I comment and attack out. We need to fix our own houses.”
Vazquez said she takes full responsibility for the issues during her previous term but said it is time to move forward.
“In the current climate, we should be asking, ‘How can we assist her to do better?'” Vazquez said “I really want the HRC to succeed with or without me.”
Council members are expected to vote on the appointment of Vazquez, as well as other appointments, at their regular session Thursday, Oct. 7, at 4:30 p.m. The appointment is set for the consent agenda, but is likely to be pulled for further discussion and an individual vote.