Mayor appoints group to plan Metro's 50th anniversary celebration

Mayor Karl Dean announced Thursday the appointment of a citizens group to plan a nine-month-long celebration and public education campaign commemorating Metro government’s 50th anniversary.

Co-chairs include John Seigenthaler, founder of the First Amendment Center and former editor and publisher of The Tennessean; George Cate, Metro’s first vice mayor; and state Sen. Thelma Harper.

Dean also appointed committee leaders to focus on different aspects of the celebration:

• Jay Turner, managing director of MarketStreet Enterprises, will chair the Finance Committee.
• Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, CEO of Seigenthaler Public Relations, will chair the Events Committee.
• Carole Bucy, professor of history at Volunteer State Community College and Metro Historian, will chair the Education Committee.
• Pat Nolan, senior vice president at DVL Public Relations & Advertising, will chair the Media and Community Relations Committee.

Activities will be scheduled around three key dates: June 28, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the successful referendum creating the Metro Charter; November 2012, the 50th anniversary of Metro’s first mayoral and run-off election; and April 1, 2013, the anniversary of the implementation of Metro Government.

Nashville’s consolidation in 1963 was the first true city-county consolidation in the country, although Miami-Dade County had merged part of their government services prior to then. Nashville-Davidson County became the pioneer and role model for future city-county consolidations.

According to the National League of Cities there are only 14 city-county consolidations in the country.