Image Credit: Google Earth & Canva
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
The Clarksville Ajax Turner 50+ Center, a local nonprofit, filed a lawsuit this week against City Mayor Joe Pitts and four former members of the community’s Senior Citizen’s Board as the City of Clarksville is moving ahead with plans to assume operations of the charitable organization.
According to the complaint, the Ajax Turner Center is claiming the city neither owns nor lawfully controls the center, holding no deed, and argues the property is on record as belonging to Montgomery County, though the city terminated the center’s lease, which it does hold, back in March as it planned to move it under the Parks and Recreation Department.
At the time, Mayor Pitts said the proposal was intended to “create a more vibrant and robust program of services at the Ajax Turner Senior Citizens Center, operated by our Parks and Recreation Department employees,” but those connected with the center felt the decision was made with no discussion about the plan with members, volunteers, or employees.
“I feel that, basically what you are looking at is a government takedown of a nonprofit. To roll this under the city and not be able to be independent without the city bureaucracy and the politics, it’s not going to work. It takes away our independence to service our seniors,” one volunteer said.
Pitts contended that the Parks and Recreation takeover was coming in response to “a growing number of concerns and issues with the operations” of the center, including extreme turnover in the leadership and health and safety of staff and members, and stated that the city was well within its rights as “the city owns the building, and the city provides nearly 90% of the funding for that organization, in addition to making capital improvements to the building.”
This city takeover became a point of contention in the recent budget negotiations, with City Counselors at odds about which department should fund the center, the amount to be distributed, or whether the city should be involved in center operations at all.
Ultimately, the city is proceeding with the initial plan of taking over operations, and the center remains officially closed for now though the Ajax Turner nonprofit has been granted a bit more time to clear out of the building. But the nonprofit has said it will not fully vacate without a formal eviction notice, and the board has continued to meet in the building.
Just prior to the lawsuit’s filing the board split, with two members voting to remove the other four for “inaction”, selecting replacements, and voting to file the injunction against the city for terminating the lease. Then about two weeks later, the four ousted members held their own meeting, voting to relinquish control of the building and the organization’s assets to the City of Clarksville and officially resigning.
Now, the new board is asking the court for a temporary restraining order and injunction to prevent further eviction attempts, a declaration of the lawful Board’s authority and the invalidity of the former directors’ acts, and damages.
“We cannot explain why, but the named defendants, including the City of Clarksville, have dedicated their efforts to end this needed charitable institution,” the lawsuit reads. “The defendants have violated numerous laws and basic community values doing so. They have done so under color of title as the government. The Center never had problems until government got involved in its management. For this we sue, stand our ground, and instruct the defendants to cease and desist its unlawful course of conduct. We intend for the defendants to follow the law and protect our community’s elderly.”
“Unless the city is restrained, the center faces immediate and irreparable harm for which no award of money damages could compensate,” the complaint continues. “The July 27, 2026, vacate deadline threatens to close a 60-year-old charitable institution.”
The City of Clarksville declined to comment to local media sources.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
