KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tara Hayes said she has worked with the Knoxville Family Justice Center for more than two years. On Tuesday, she was appointed to the board as secretary. One day later, she resigned.
“My very first board meeting, and my very last, I was very saddened by what I saw,” she said. “All I can speak to is what I saw at the last board meeting ... For me, it was more about the power, and it almost looked like a political game.”
Hayes is one of several board members to step down from their positions on the Family Justice Center's board over the last few days. The president resigned after years of work advocating for survivors of domestic violence.
The president, the vice president, the treasurer, the former secretary, and a couple of other board members have all stepped down. Hayes said the mass resignations came after few board members managed to see eye-to-eye.
Specifically, she said there were issues with permanent board members.
“I feel, like, that all the people who've resigned would most likely come back if the permanent board members were not focused more on political gain," she said.
She also said some of the board members didn’t always agree on how to handle situations involving domestic violence survivors.
“There was one time when a victim was being arrested because they had warrants out, and it happened in the front parking lot," she said.
Hayes said after the mass resignations, she isn’t sure what the future will look like for the Family Justice Center's board. But, she hopes victims will continue to be helped and put first.
WBIR reached out to the permanent board members. Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said they had no comment on Thursday.
In a statement, Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler said, “The Family Justice Center has had zero interruptions for the services provided to our community and those seeking assistance from the center. We will continue the center's good work!”
WBIR also had not heard back from Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and District Attorney General Charme Allen by the time this story was published.