Tennessee State Museum
01 — How It Started
The longtime head of the Tennessee State Museum was scheduled to retire ... and then the search to replace her stalled out. I wrote a long feature about what was and wasn't happening.
Aug. 2016: "State museum boss search a mess"
My reporting prompted a push to launch the search.
Aug. 2016: "Exit strategy being planned for Riggins-Ezzell"
The head then announced she would finally step down at the end of the year.
Sept. 2016: "Head of State Museum headed out"
But that was just the beginning ...
02 — Where the Reporting Went
"Museum commission chair: Stop emailing each other!"
As my reporting continued, certain people tried to stop it.
"Riggins-Ezzell to work for Foundation"
Meanwhile, the museum's Foundation decided to hire the retiring head.
"Was museum director’s secret raise illegal?"
It turned out the head had been given a raise in secret, possibly illegally, months earlier.
"Nepotism at the state museum?"
But the raise wasn't the only unethical thing happening when it came to hiring.
"Museum commission punts director decision"
The drama continued, as the commission struggled over appointing an interim director.
"Museum commission chair: Email a violation of open meetings law, but not meetings"
The commission then tried to flout sunshine laws.
Appointed amid controversy, the interim museum director fired two employees, who alleged retaliation.
"Frist deputy director tapped to lead state museum"
Eventually the board hired a new director for the museum.
03 — What Happened
Despite the new hire, the fallout from my reporting continued throughout 2017.
The state comptroller audited the museum for the third time in six years.
The legislature filed (and later passed) a bill to keep future director searches secret.
The state Senate said it would investigate the museum.
The museum commission then adopted a bananas "Code of Conduct" that was probably illegal.
The state Senate did not find this funny and rebuked the commission.
Finally, the commission caved and repealed the policy changes.
Everyone calmed down and started playing nice again. In late 2018, the new museum finally opened and has become a beloved addition to Nashville attractions.