'It's just bad optics': JCDA to move meeting place from locked-door city hall conference room

The Johnson City Development Authority (JCDA) is looking for a new meeting location after deciding that the city's administrative conference room is not a viable public space. Discussion of location change was prompted by Jodi Jones, a JCDA member and Washington County commissioner, who arrived to the board's meeting late Friday because she could not get into the locked hallway that separates the lobby and conference room. The conference room is where the city commission meets for its work sessions before its full board meetings and where eight other boards regularly conduct business. "We really can't meet in a place where the public cannot get to us," Jones said at the close of the meeting. "It's not a good sign when even the board members are worried about whether they can get to the meeting." The JCDA's biggest ongoing project is the sale and redevelopment of the John Sevier Center. Over the next few months, pivotal decisions will be made in JCDA's public meetings about the building. "It's understandable why people would want to come and hear about, next month, the John Sevier Center, but if they can't get in — it's just bad optics." JCDA Chair Jack Simpson suggested relocating to Memorial Park Community Center (MPCC), where the board conducted business for years before it began meeting in the city's conference room in January. "I would be very much in favor of going back to Memorial Park or another suitable location. As Commissioner Jones notes, it's probably not a very good look for a public meeting to be behind locked doors," Simpson said. Bob Cooper, vice chair of the board, also supported the move back to the original location. However, expressed concern that the conference room isn't fit for public meetings in general. "Just from a general public standpoint, any John Q. Public trying to get in this place is, I mean, it's almost impossible," Cooper said. "I've tried to fill out that stinking whatever, that menu, and it's, I mean, by the time I get to the end, something's gone wacky," Cooper said. "And the phone for a while was working, somebody was answering the phone, but now that person is no longer doing it." In the municipal and safety building lobby, there is a sign-in kiosk and phone for members of the public to alert city staff to unlock the hallway door. However, the kiosk only allows sign-in for individual meetings with a specific staff member — not public meetings. The phone also does not ring through for assistance. "So I think our (the JCDA's) solution is legit, but I think the city needs to do something to make this more citizen friendly." In an email statement to the Johnson City Press, Assistant City Manager Alicia Summers said city staff fully supports changing the location back to MPCC and the lobby sign-in system is being "refined." "The administrative conference room has been one of our most utilized public meeting spaces for many years. The technology challenges associated with a front lobby kiosk can be frustrating and we recognize the need for improvements. The process is being refined," Summers said in the email. "The doors within city hall are locked for security reasons. This will not change," Summers said. Going forward, Summers said staff will man the lobby ahead of public meetings and contact information will be provided for people who need to be let in after meetings start. The city commission will hold its next work session Thursday in the administrative conference room. The agenda and exact meeting time has not yet been posted.