CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council voted Thursday night to postpone an ordinance that would have pulled city funding from the Roxy Regional Theatre.
The ordinance cited complaints of a hostile work environment involving theater director Ryan Bowie, who has denied the allegations. Roxy officials said they have addressed the complaints.
Additionally, council members voted down an ordinance that would have reappointed Bowie to the city Parking Commission.
Council concerns
The measure to remove city funding from the Roxy was sponsored by Vondell Richmond, who said he was concerned that the accusations were being taken lightly.
“As I sat and listened to our discussion the other night, my main concern was that, while these are allegations, these are not minor concerns. As I listened to the discourse between this body and the general public, I heard language that really deeply concerned me, that we’re talking about ‘mistakes.’ There is a difference between mistakes and accountability.”
The Roxy Board conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, as noted Tuesday by Roxy Board Chair Stacy Turner.
Councilperson Wallace Redd said he has known Turner for many years and that he trusts her when she says Bowie was given due process.
“In our system in the United States, we are said to be innocent until proven guilty, and we get a chance to face our accusers. The Lord said, ‘Those of you who are without sin can cast the first stone.’ In this case, we will be casting the stone to the guilty and to the innocent at the exact same time,” Redd said.
Councilperson Brian Zacharias cited an email from an unnamed “respected community member” that was read by another council member at Tuesday’s executive session. He said he reached out to that person and asked if they had reviewed the results of the Roxy’s investigation, which they had not.
“The allegations have received plenty of attention while the results of the investigation have received very little, if any (attention), and yet this case appears to have already been tried and a verdict issued in the court of public opinion.”
He then read the findings of the investigation.
Roxy findings
According to Zacharias, the first employee alleged Bowie was rude and unprofessional and that he was engaged in a consensual relationship with a member of the company. Further, the employee alleged Bowie required the cast and crew to work long hours. The executive committee determined there was no actionable matter because the issues had been resolved in the three years between the employee’s time at the Roxy and their complaint letter.
Four months later, a second and third employee made complaints about a “stressful and negative” work environment. The board responded by hiring a human resources director who implemented new procedures.
Around the same time, a fourth employee alleged Bowie’s abuse of a different employee. That employee didn’t mention the director’s behavior as a reason for leaving and even noted they would like to return to the theater.
“The final allegation, and certainly the most troubling in my view, is from a fifth employee and is an allegation of sexual harassment by the executive director. While a text exchange between the complainant and the director was viewed by the investigators as being ‘mutually flirtatious,’ I believe that is a subjective assessment, and I think we should be careful either assigning or absolving somebody of responsibility based on a personal interpretation of somebody’s intent,” Zacharias said.
He explained that when the employee told Bowie they were not interested in a romantic relationship, Bowie offered to let the president of the board know that he acted inappropriately, but the employee didn’t think it was necessary.
Investigators received screenshots from the employee who complained, but the texts were altered to leave out reactions to Bowie’s messages. The Roxy’s investigative committee found nothing unethical or improper, but did issue a formal reprimand to Bowie.
EEOC steps in
On Tuesday, Bowie noted that because of the allegations, he has been attacked as an LGBTQIA+ member of the community and that pulling funding from the Roxy would hurt local youth. Councilperson Wanda Allen noted that the measure is not about taking the arts away from children.
“The council is not targeting the director because he is in that (LGBTQIA+) community. As an ally of that community, I was wholeheartedly offended by that, because that’s not what it’s about. That is not why we’re standing here,” she said. “There were some findings; however, my issue with the entire finding was that it was not done by a third party.”
The same thoughts were echoed by Councilwoman Trisha Butler who members of the Roxy have referred to themselves as a family and are in no way suited to conduct the investigation.
“In my humble opinion, the investigation was not conducted as an impartial one, but rather as a defense of the accused. Both the board and the director agreed that inappropriate behavior happened,” Butler said.
Allen noted that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is now looking into the matter, with a mediation scheduled for Jan. 10. She introduced an amendment that would pause city payments to the Roxy until the matter is resolved with the EEOC.
That amendment failed 6-6. Voting yes were Richmond, Dajuan Little, Ambar Marquis, Allen, Karen Reynolds and Butler. Voting no were Zacharias, Redd, Mayor Joe Pitts, Wanda Smith, Travis Holleman and Stacey Streetman.
A motion to postpone the ordinance cutting off city funding to the Roxy was made by Marquis and passed 7-5.
Voting yes on the postponement were Little, Redd, Marquis, Smith, Allen, Reynolds and Butler. Voting no were Zacharias, Richmond, Pitts, Holleman and Streetman.
The measure will now be addressed at the February regular session on Feb. 2, at 6 p.m. at One Public Square.
Further, an ordinance that would have reappointed Bowie to the city Parking Commission failed 4–7. Voting yes on that measure were Redd, Pitts, Holleman and Streetman. Voting no were Zacharias, Richmond, Little, Marquis, Allen, Reynolds and Butler.