The agenda went and down three times...
only to be replaced by the above notice. Why cancel a meeting? We understand, that several members of the "Team Boggs" operation were not available for the March 7th meeting. Without her team in place, Boggs had no power.
On March 7th, before the meeting several on the Board were reading and rereading the by-laws. Lots of chit chat was heard.
Now for the meeting.
Promptly at 6pm, CAEZ Secretary Linda Rhodes called the meeting together. She told the assembled, cut out the side talk, stay on track and "We've had enough conflicts in the last 6 months!". Around the room were Boardsters Melvin Gum, Ron Facemire, Merlin Shamblin,. According to by-laws, that's enough for a quorum. In the peanut gallery were a couple from the public and Campground Host Bruce Gill and his sidekick, Melissa Linn.
Based on the meeting agenda, they had a bunch to go over. They did just that too.
Several things came out in between the agenda items. Stuff that had been hid away or at least not discussed in public during previous Board meeting. Like, according to Bruce Gill, Mickey Boggs and her husband Jeff (a local Magistrate) came to the campground to talk about a secret security camera at the pull behind camper near the lodge building. The owners of the camper were upset about the invasion of their privacy. It was reported, Ms Boggs placed the camera there. Here's the biggy readers. Bruce Gill told the group, during the Boggs visit, Hubby Jeff threatened him not once but twice.
What it amounted to was, Chair Boggs' attitude and demeanor was running off paying campers, that she had been harassing campers.
In between the regular items to be decided, the part about Ms Boggs texting to Bodkins, that part about, turn in your keys, you're done (suspended). The sitting Board was irked about the Chair's treatment of the long time trusted Office Manager.
After an open discussion, consensus from around the room, Bodkins would retain her job and duties. Reason did you ask? A Chair cannot fire an employee. It has to be a Board decision.
Campground host Bruce Gill asked if he still had a job. Answer: Yes.
Focus of our Future
According to CAEZ by-laws, annual election of officers shall be held in March of each year. On the 7th without any bickering the Board voted to elect Linda Rhodes as President, Merlin Shamblin as Vice President, Melvin Gum, Secretary, and Ron Facemire as Treasurer. The vote was unanimous.
Boggs was out of office. With that decision, her power base went limp.
Here's another biggy.
Discussion turned to the campground, operation, and what to do with it. In Nov '22, with a 7 to 3 vote, the Board decided to "gift" the Dundon Campground to the Elk River Foundation once the Foundation had secured funding (grant, $1M) to expand and grow the campground. The Foundation was given so many months (I think 18) to make things work or the campground would revert back to the CAEZ. Those that spoke against the gift transaction were Boardsters: Leslie Osborne, Amanda Shelton, Dawn Shultz, and Connie Kinder. Of the four, all but Shelton voted against the "gifting".
In Dec '22, their next meeting, Chair Boggs determined that the vote would be declared null and void and the CAEZ would back out of the Nov decision. People were peed a bunch!
For this March meeting, much time was spent deciding how best to get that transaction back on track. After a bunch of time, the Board voted to offer the same exact terms to the Elk River Foundation.
Side bar discussion came public about Team Boggs holding a private meeting (several weeks back) with DNR officials about giving the campground to the W Va DNR. During this public meeting, Office Manager Bodkins provided, Boggs, Connie Kinder, and Leslie Osborne attended that secret meeting with DNR. It is our understanding that DNR said Sure, we can take it but we have no budget to enlarge and repair the place.
There is no record of that secret DNR meeting.
So why is it so important that CAEZ drop out of the camping operation?
Answer: The CAEZ does not have the $$$ or expertise to grow and maintain that very important part of our tourism expansion. This county has to be ready to house tourists this year (if possible). Keeping guests overnight gives the travelers more opportunities to spend more money, something we really need to happen.
72 minutes into the March 7th meeting, all were in agreement: Michel Bodkins would keep her job, Bruce Gill likewise, the new leadership team was installed, and as most know, it's time to dissolve the CAEZ as soon as possible. Boardster Ron Facemire said it best: We want what's best for Clay County.
There you have it readers as best we can provide. Not sure if any or all the decisions will hold during the April CAEZ meeting but it sure will make yet another saga of the long struggling and out of $$$ social service provider.
AW
Office Manager Michelle Bodkins still on the job
Ron Facemire (L) and Long Time Board member and now CAEZ Prez, Linda Rhodes, right