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Priest To Appeal Federal Prison SentenceFather Fred Sauer, the Bartlett priest who set fire to his church two years ago, has decided to appeal his sentence, says Sauer’s attorney William Massey. Sauer pleaded guilty to one count of damaging religious property in federal court in March. He was sentenced three weeks ago by U.S. District Court Judge Julia Gibbons to 33 months in a federal prison. In the early morning hours of June 29, 1996, Sauer set the curtains behind the altar on fire while he was intoxicated and suffering from severe depression, for which he was taking prescription medications. No one was injured, but the blaze caused nearly $28,000 damage to the small, suburban Church of the Nativity. Following the sentencing, Sauer’s supporters decried the ruling as exceedingly harsh for a person with no racial, financial, or political motive and who had already spent nearly two years in a mental hospital for clergy in Pennsylvania recovering from alcoholism and depression. Nevertheless, his attorneys said they were not going to appeal for fear that an appellate judge wouldn’t reduce the sentence, which did fall within the guidelines for the crime. However, Massey says he has been so inundated with letters and phone calls from people wanting to help that he has changed his mind about the appeal, which he plans to file this week. Sauer is awaiting transport to a federal
prison in either Butler, North Carolina, or Lexington, Kentucky. He remains a priest of
the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, but he will not function as a priest for the next several
years, according to the diocese. Judge Orders UT Medical Group’s Financial Records SealedA circuit court judge last week granted the University of Tennessee Medical Group the right to keep its financial records sealed from public view. The nonprofit professional corporation recently declared poverty in court after losing a $9 million malpractice lawsuit. Judge James Swearengen agreed with the attorney for UT Medical Group that the organization’s records are private and need not be disclosed to the public. The plaintiff’s attorneys, Anthony Deal and Timothy Holton, say the judge also put a gag order on them. UT Medical Group has 402 doctors working out of 57 clinics statewide, specializing in almost every area of medicine. Maureen Hickman Meserve sued the organization when she gave birth to a permanently brain-damaged daughter. The midwife and a doctor from the UT Medical Group that oversaw the birth, she successfully argued, failed to properly monitor her and her baby’s medical condition during labor. According to 1995 financial records, the most recent available to the Flyer, the organization had $34.1 million in net assets. Corporation president Steve Burkett, however, argued that most of the organization’s “profits” are sent out almost as soon as they’re made. “You don’t have net worth,” he said two weeks ago. “Whatever comes out goes to support our organization.” A hearing will be held August 5th to
discuss exactly how the cash-strapped physicians’ organization will pay the $9
million in lawsuit damages. Talbot Heirs Owners Take Charge of Former
The Stonewall Lodge on Over- ton Park has stood vacant for almost a year, but that is soon to change. Phil and Jamie Baker, owners of Talbot Heirs Guesthouse, the downtown bed-and-breakfast where anyone who’s anyone stays during their breeze through Memphis, purchased the property late last August and have been entertaining ideas for its use ever since. “We’d like to do something neat,” Phil says. Given the individual personalities of the nine rooms at Talbot Heirs, “something neat” seems the natural way for the Bakers. “We’ve been open to suggestions,” he says, and are considering everything from a restaurant to a gym to apartments. A chapter of the Masons used the building from 1928, when it was erected, until August 1997. Chapter attendance had been in decline for some years, and members formed a committee that decided to sell the property and merge with the Oakville lodge. A pharmacy, beauty shop, and paint store occupied the ground floor until the early 1950s, at which point the Masons took over the space for their use. They replaced the plate-glass storefronts with cement blocks to stop the rampant break-ins for the drugs left over from the pharmacy. Baker says whatever they choose to open, he will likely bring back the glass windows. As for opening another hotel, “until
you mentioned it, we hadn’t really thought about it. But now you’ve got me
thinking,” Phil says, letting the idea trail off. Do Banks Want Bankruptcy Reform Or Just More Debt?While big banks have lobbied for legislation that would make it tougher for people to declare bankruptcy, they have increased their card mailings and credit extensions, according to a report from the Consumer Federation of America. CFA has found that bank-card mailings have increased from 2.4 billion in 1996 to 3 billion in 1997. Meanwhile, bank-card debt losses have increased 87 percent from 1994 to 1998. CFA blames this on aggressive marketing and credit extension to low- and moderate-income households. If fewer people are able to declare bankruptcy, CFA contends, then banks are likely to market debt more aggressively. What CFA calls corporate hypocrisy, some local credit experts call business as usual. Paul Blackstone, director of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, says the CFA’s effort is like “David taking on the Goliath of the consumer banking industry.” Basically, banks are businesses that are going to market themselves any way they can. It is the consumers, he says, who are ultimately responsible for their own debts. Charles Dempsey, program director for the Memphis Consumer Credit Association, says the banks’ marketing efforts are fueled by fierce competition. Most of them, however, don’t grant cards to people they consider to be bad credit risks. “Just because they’re marketing the cards doesn’t mean they’re putting them in everybody’s hand,” he says. Also, he says the banks’ lobbying
efforts to reform bankruptcy laws have been misrepresented as an attempt to squeeze
low-income debtors. In reality, the banks want to make it harder for moderate- to
high-income people to declare bankruptcy. Vergos Asks Memphis in May Board to Explain Deficitsby Bruce VanWyngarden In a July 23rd letter to Memphis in May chairman Sally Shy, city councilman John Vergos has asked for an “immediate, specific, and well-documented” accounting of MIM’s 1998 finances. The letter, also faxed to MIM board members, the city council, and the mayor, cites a “strained relationship” between MIM and the city, urges the appointment of an interim director, and asks for “present or future contracts” regarding the employment of MIM’s recently resigned director, Wes Brustad. “The history of this past year makes it obvious that the longer MIM remains rudderless, the more problems there are in putting together a successful festival next May,” said Vergos. “I think it is time to take action. And sooner is better than later. “ Contacted by the Flyer, Shy said that the MIM board’s response would be forthcoming shortly. “We look forward to responding to Councilman Vergos’ letter,” Shy said, “and will do so directly and immediately, as soon as we have a chance to meet.” Shy said the board planned to meet on Tuesday of this week, just prior to Flyer press time. Shy added that the estimated $400,000 deficit for the 1998 festival was a combination of things: some production expenses that “ran over-budget,” and the revenue shortfall brought on by 35,000 fewer attendees at this year’s music weekend. “Multiply 35,000 times $16 [the price of a single-day walk-up ticket] and you can see where much of the problem is,” Shy said. Attendance at this year’s music festival was estimated at 83,000. Using Shy’s formula, ticket sales would have yielded approximately $1,328,000 in revenues. In past years, profits from the music festival were split 50-50 with Mid-South Concerts, the festival’s former music producer. This year, with Mid-South out of the equation, MIM received 100 percent of revenues, minus booking expenses, so the shortfall is still somewhat puzzling. Part of the problem may lie in the fact that Memphis in May’s $4.6 million budget for 1998 was markedly higher than previous years. For example, revenues for 1997, under the interim leadership of Deanie Parker, totaled around $3.8 million, with the festival making a profit of $105,000. In 1996, the festival, under the direction of Cynthia Ham, cleared more than $340,000 in profit on revenues of nearly $3.9 million. According to some current and former MIM staffers, who spoke off the record, several changes made in the festival also affected the budget. These include the addition of two IMAG video screens, two additional music stages, an international gathering at the Memphis Botanic Garden, and the moving of stages and vendors from their traditional locations. Also cited was the elimination of the food coupon system for food and beverage vendors. “In years past the vendors came to us with the coupons and we distributed the money,” said one former staff member. “This year, we had to rely on the vendors’ accounting.” Ali Powell, who recently resigned as manager of corporate sponsorships for MIM, says that last year’s corporate donations were around $900,000, approximately $100,000 higher than in the previous year. “But you have to remember,” she says, “that 75 percent of MIM’s revenues are not guaranteed. If everyone drinks two beers, and you’ve estimated that they’ll drink three, that alone could be a huge swing in revenue.” Mayoral spokesperson Carey Hoffman says
that Mayor Willie Herenton had not yet seen Vergos’ letter. “However,” she
says, “as the city’s representative on the MIM board, I agree that communication
needs to be improved, and I’ll be working to keep the council better informed.” Will Wonders Ever Cease?by Meredith Pierce Poor attendance at “The Ancestors of the Incas,” on display at The Pyramid through September 16th, may be causing officials to consider terminating the long-running cultural series. On July 14th, Glen Campbell, interim executive director of Wonders, sent out a three-page letter addressed to “Wonders Supporters” stating, “There is a real possibility that Wonders may indeed cease due to the failure to meet attendance projections.” When contacted this week, Campbell told the Flyer that the letter was an internal document sent only to the team captains of the Wonders volunteer program who had expressed concern over the low attendance at the Incas exhibit. He also said, “It was not intended for the press.” As interim executive director, Campbell says he would have no part in the decision to end the series. That would be solely left up to “the mayor and the city council.” Carey Hoffman, spokesperson for Mayor Willie Herenton, had no comment when asked if there were indeed plans to close Wonders. Campbell’s letter encourages recipients to contact “county, state, and federal office holders” and send letters to the editor in support of the series. He then proceeds to list 12 articles of “ammunition” to aid supporters when they are writing letters or contacting officials, such as: • “The seven previous exhibitions have been attended by over three million visitors.” • “On average, about 62% of our guests come from at least 150 miles away. This type of visitors tend to stay overnight, eat in restaurants and visit more attractions than the more regionally based visitors.” • “The Titanic [exhibition] generated over eleven million dollars state and local taxes and netted approximately one million dollars in direct revenues over expenses. The real financial value of Wonders is evaluated by looking at the hotel rooms sold, the restaurant meals eaten, the jobs created, the attendance increases at other Memphis attractions, and the taxes generated by each exhibition.” • “Typically, approximately 100,000 school children attend each of the exhibitions. Prior to their visit, their teachers are provided extensive educational materials to prepare them for their trips and to adequately study the art and culture on display.” Campbell says that a number of factors have caused a decline in youth attendance. “A lot of school groups get a limited number of school trips,” he says, believing that many field trips were instead spent at “The Jewels of the Romanovs” exhibit at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art or Martin Luther King Day events. A second factor was “schools closing early” due to air-conditioning problems. And is it possible the Incas show, which features artwork depicting fertility rituals, is too racy for some schoolchildren? “Teachers were invited down to take a look” before they brought their students to the exhibit, Campbell responds. Campbell hopes attendance for “The Ancestors of the Incas” will pick up later this summer. “Even ‘Titanic,’ which was a huge success” – with an overall attendance of 635,000 and a profit of close to $1 million – “had a rate of attendance that more than doubled after July 4th,” he says. In the letter, Campbell refers to the city’s expectations of their profits: “The City supports many area attractions, such as the Memphis Zoo, Pink Palace Museum, Botanic Gardens, etc. All receive a subsidy from the City. None of these ‘break even.’ Wonders is the only major city-supported attraction that is expected to ‘break even.’” “Titanic,” in fact, did better than break even. “‘Titanic’ brought in more money than we spent,” Campbell says, but the exhibits “are not designed to ‘make money. ’... The purpose is to provide educational benefits and to serve as an economic stimulus for the community.” The 1991 “Catherine the Great Exhibition,” was the only other Wonders exhibition to make a profit, earning $1.5 million. Other shows have lost money. “Spendors of the Ottoman Sultans” in 1992 lost $3 million. Campbell closed his letter by saying,
“Friends, these are just a few ideas for your letter of support. I feel it is
important for us to be proactive rather than reactive to the problems ‘Incas’
has created for us. Thanks for your support.” |
