Rockford City Council rejects singer for entertainment board over 'experience' concerns
A routine appointment to the RAVE Authority Board raised eyebrows this week when Mayor Tom McNamara's pick was rejected by Rockford City Council.
Ald. Gabrielle Torina, D-5, said she was stunned by the 6-5 vote, rejecting Nastasia "Staci" Brown, a Rockford realtor, owner of the Harmony Home Group and social equity director for Keller Williams Signature Realty in Loves Park. Torina took to Twitter to call City Council out for what she viewed as a big mistake.
But no one — including Torina — spoke up for Brown before the vote.
"I regret not sticking up for her, not saying, 'here is what I know about her credentials,'" Torina said. "The only reason I didn’t was because I never thought that vote wasn’t going to go through for her because I know how extensive her background is in music and in entertainment."
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Brown is a singer, songwriter, event planner and music producer who has recorded singles including the gospel song "Healer" in 2020, has performed at the Soar Awards and has regional and national contacts in the entertainment industry. Brown is described on her Keller Williams biography as "a champion of minority homeownership in the Stateline area."
Torina said Brown would have been perfect for the Rockford Area Venues & Entertainment Authority Board., the body that oversees the BMO Harris Bank Center and the Coronado Performing Arts Center.
Aldermen appeared not to know about Brown's experience in music and entertainment.
The resume aldermen received before the vote included information on Brown's education and real estate careers, but did not include information about her experience in the music industry or community involvement.
Ald. Chad Tuneberg, R-3, said he voted against her appointment to the RAVE Authority Board based on the resume.
"Just looking at the resume, I just, after further consideration, I am going to vote no on this," Tuneberg said. "I don’t feel comfortable on this and the experience coming into that."
Ald. Tim Durkee, R-1, Chad Tuneberg, R-3, Kevin Frost, R-4, Frank Beach, R-10, Isidro Barrios, D-11, and Mark Bonne, D-14, voted against the nomination. Ald. Gabrielle Torina, D-5, Aprel Prunty, D-6, Karen Hoffman, D-8, Gina Meeks, D-12, and Jeff Bailey, D-13, voted yes.
Ald. Jonathan Logemann, D-2, Janessa Wilkins, D-7, and Bill Rose, D-9, were absent.
Brown said she was not contacted by any aldermen prior to the vote.
"My last single topped the gospel billboard charts in 2020," Brown said in an email. "I was 11 spots away on the charts from beating Kanye West. I’ve worked with many Grammy, Stellar award artist, writers and engineers. I landed a distribution deal in 2020 to release my single through United Alliance Music Group."
Brown said that her song “Healer,” co-written with a Grammy award winning writer, "has appeared in a 2020 compilation with several other Grammy and Stellar award winning artists."
Although he didn't correct the record on Brown's qualifications before the vote, McNamara scolded aldermen for not doing their homework on her.
McNamara said Rockford delays votes on appointments to various boards for 30 days to give aldermen a chance to reach out to candidates to ask questions and get to know them and their backgrounds.
"No alderman picked up the phone or sent an email, nothing," McNamara said. "They looked at one piece of paper and made all sorts of judgments about that individual instead of actually talking to her."
Jeff Kolkey can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: City Council says no thanks to Rockford singer, realtor Staci Brown
