CAEZ Screws Future
Central
Appalachia Empowerment Zone (CAEZ) has been a stick in the mud
doing nothing for the last many years. Who would have thunk
that stick in the mud agency could totally wipe out the future
of this entire county. That's exactly what happened in the
last 5 months.
Micky Boggs, left
Let's bring you up to date. We have a new State Park, ERTS Park, running smack dab down the middle of Clayberry. ERTS is the first new State Park for W Va in 40 + years. Parks draw in visitors when properly set up, run, and advertised. Those new tourists bring in new bucks and that's something we really need in this Land of Little.
Then came the BC&G RR spur line getting rehabbed into something usable. After nearly $8M spent, the rail is ready to be used. Coming in May, a contract will be awarded to some private company to operate a rail ride service. We don't know if it will be a steam, diesel, peddle car, rail bus, or some combination of those that will be running on the BC&G rails.
Whoever gets the nod will have to invest thousands to get set up. Maybe a million or more to set up.
To sweeten the pot for the successful contractor, the Dundon Campground (right beside the tracks) would offer an enhancement for overnight stays, a place to park, a place to set up an RV , and office operations space.
Right now the campground is owned by the CAEZ and is barely alive. With only five rooms to rent out, with only one cabin, five RV spots, and absolutely no advertising to let people know what is available, the campground only made $88 profit during the last two years according to the Elk River Trail Foundation's Chair, Ken Tawney.
With a million dollars in upgrades needed, the problem is, the CAEZ hasn't got the $$$ to grow the place. There's another bigger problem. CAEZ lacks leadership. As a matter of fact, during these last 5 months, its been a quagmire of arguing, back biting and misguided feet dragging.
To get set up for 2023, the campground needed to be ready for operation. With CAEZ foot dragging and in the middle of bar fights during their monthly Board meeting, CAEZ has single single handedly shut down our 2023 growth.
Timeline:
Nov '22: The Elk River Foundation told the CAEZ Bd, they would like to have the campground and correct all the shortcomings. In Nov, during an Emergency meeting, with a 7 to 3 vote, the Board voted to gift their campground to the Foundation.
Dec '22: One person on the CAEZ Board, Chair Mickey Boggs stopped the gifting . She told the majority of the Board, that emergency meeting was unlawful. Boggs would not even allow the November emergency meeting minutes to be voted on. Her few supporters spoke up with, gosh, free money and grants are easy to round up especially from the W Va Dept of Natural Resources and we should keep the place.
As 2022 ended, the Board was in disarray. They had ended that year without doing one, not any, improvement project on their campground. Nothing but yet, they wanted to keep it.
March '23 Behind the scenes, the CAEZ was imploding. Chair Boggs cancelled yet another Bd meeting. CAEZ by laws mandate that Officer Elections are held in March of each year. Sure felt like, knowing she was about to get ousted, Boggs canceled the gathering to save her arrss.
Instead..... a majority of the Board went ahead and held the regularly scheduled March meeting. At that time, as required by the by-laws, they held officer elections and lo and behold, a whole new slate of leadership was installed. All the warring old Board was tossed off the island. New CAEZ Prez, Chair, was Linda Rhodes who has been active with the social service agency for over 20 years. Ms Boggs would remain on the Board but without ANY leadership position.
Also in March, the setting board, the new one, voted again to gift their campground to the Elk River Foundation. Based on an email we received, it sounded like the Foundation was willing to give the gifting of the campground, one more try. Good, everything back on track? Nope.
Away from a public setting, the old leadership continued their assault on long time CAEZ Office Manager Michelle Bodkins. Boggs made every attempt possible to cast a dark light on the tried, true and trusted Bodkins.
Se fed up with the mess, long serving CAEZ Prez Michael Martin resigned from the Bd.
April '23 the new leadership posted a meeting agenda in timely fashion on the meeting house door. A day later, the old stick in the mud guard under Chair Boggs, they too posted a meeting agenda. Unfortunately for them, that old guard's agenda was unlawful. For it to be legal, an agenda has to include date, time, place, and purpose of the meeting. The Old guard's agenda neglected to give a time for the public meeting. Without the mandatory info, anything done during that meeting would be bogus.
See pic below.
Now
for the final curtain board meeting. The meeting room was
full. Boggs came in and tried to start the meeting, The
other Boardsters said hold it lady, you were voted out
last month. 8 year veteran Boardster Merlin Shamblin
brought a lawyer.
The fight was on.
After the dust settled, Boggs ran the meeting. On the phone was that Michael Martin who had turned in his resignation but it had not been accepted yet.
The Boggs delegation included Amanda Shelton, Leslie Osborne, Dawn Swartz, and Connie Kinder. Trying to bolster her group, Boggs told em, new Boardster Dave Schoolcraft could NOT be seated unless her delegation approved it. That was pure made up BS. The bylaws were read to the dimly lits . Not sure if they could understand. Concensus: Didn't matter what the law says!
Boardster Ron Facemire: Linda Rhodes is the Chair!!
Didn't matter and according to Shelton, that March meeting did not have a quorum.
Again, back to the bylaws which allows for a meeting to be legit and business could be conducted with whomever showed up. Even after having the bylaws read to her, the brain trust Amanda Shelton continued to argue that the by laws don't matter. Her mouth was in top gear minus any communication with her brain. Someone told us, if you listened to Ms Shelton's ear, it would sound like a sea shell!
Merlin Shamblin explained that he had been in contact with the W Va Ethics Commission. Basically, from Mr Shamblin: Ethics says the by laws are legal, that part about having just a few on hand (3 or more) for a meeting, that too is lawful. He went on to cover all the bases but the other side, the dark side, was unable to understand.
When the vote came to accept the March meeting minutes, it was a tie, 6 to 6. But But But... Michael Martin, on the phone, was not asked for his vote.
Things got heated, Things got rude.
What usually happens when meetings go sour, it happened 72 minutes into this meeting, the dark side wanted secret time.
Things got confusing for the Ace Cub Reporter. All in all, it was a pitiful example of what can go wrong when a semi govt agency falls apart, has a mental meltdown.
As best we can figure, Leslie Osborne was named CAEZ Prez, Chair.
Taking her seat up front and Mickey Boggs moving off to the side, Osborne took charge. She said she was trying to figure out which of three different meeting agendas to use.
As Ms Osborne was lightly treading thru which agenda to use, the phone with Michael Martin on it, it clicked off. Thinking it was a technical issue, Shamblin called Martin back. Martin explained, he hung up and "I'm done." Shamblin to Martin: it's been a good 8 years working with you.
Well into dark thirty, some Boardsters started leaving as Osborne tried to work thru a lengthy agenda.
Somewhere in the skirmish, Boardster Shamblin: I've been on this for 8 years and we haven't received one grant!!... I'd like shut this down.. We got nothing from COVID [grants].....
At some point Magistrate Jeff Boggs to Shamblin , "Why don't you resign!" Later from Boggs: That's crazy stuff to just shut it down...
We could go on and on but.....
When you have dimly lit Board members not able to read bylaws nor caring to adhere to em, there's a problem.
When you have Boardster Amanda Shelton telling the world, they don't have to listen to W Va Ethics Commission rulings, that's stupid and actually scary.
After years without any fresh free money, Boardster Shultz made it sound like a simple thing with: Let's get a grant writer!
The fight was on.
After the dust settled, Boggs ran the meeting. On the phone was that Michael Martin who had turned in his resignation but it had not been accepted yet.
The Boggs delegation included Amanda Shelton, Leslie Osborne, Dawn Swartz, and Connie Kinder. Trying to bolster her group, Boggs told em, new Boardster Dave Schoolcraft could NOT be seated unless her delegation approved it. That was pure made up BS. The bylaws were read to the dimly lits . Not sure if they could understand. Concensus: Didn't matter what the law says!
Boardster Ron Facemire: Linda Rhodes is the Chair!!
Didn't matter and according to Shelton, that March meeting did not have a quorum.
Again, back to the bylaws which allows for a meeting to be legit and business could be conducted with whomever showed up. Even after having the bylaws read to her, the brain trust Amanda Shelton continued to argue that the by laws don't matter. Her mouth was in top gear minus any communication with her brain. Someone told us, if you listened to Ms Shelton's ear, it would sound like a sea shell!
Merlin Shamblin explained that he had been in contact with the W Va Ethics Commission. Basically, from Mr Shamblin: Ethics says the by laws are legal, that part about having just a few on hand (3 or more) for a meeting, that too is lawful. He went on to cover all the bases but the other side, the dark side, was unable to understand.
When the vote came to accept the March meeting minutes, it was a tie, 6 to 6. But But But... Michael Martin, on the phone, was not asked for his vote.
Things got heated, Things got rude.
What usually happens when meetings go sour, it happened 72 minutes into this meeting, the dark side wanted secret time.
Things got confusing for the Ace Cub Reporter. All in all, it was a pitiful example of what can go wrong when a semi govt agency falls apart, has a mental meltdown.
As best we can figure, Leslie Osborne was named CAEZ Prez, Chair.
Taking her seat up front and Mickey Boggs moving off to the side, Osborne took charge. She said she was trying to figure out which of three different meeting agendas to use.
As Ms Osborne was lightly treading thru which agenda to use, the phone with Michael Martin on it, it clicked off. Thinking it was a technical issue, Shamblin called Martin back. Martin explained, he hung up and "I'm done." Shamblin to Martin: it's been a good 8 years working with you.
Well into dark thirty, some Boardsters started leaving as Osborne tried to work thru a lengthy agenda.
Somewhere in the skirmish, Boardster Shamblin: I've been on this for 8 years and we haven't received one grant!!... I'd like shut this down.. We got nothing from COVID [grants].....
At some point Magistrate Jeff Boggs to Shamblin , "Why don't you resign!" Later from Boggs: That's crazy stuff to just shut it down...
We could go on and on but.....
When you have dimly lit Board members not able to read bylaws nor caring to adhere to em, there's a problem.
When you have Boardster Amanda Shelton telling the world, they don't have to listen to W Va Ethics Commission rulings, that's stupid and actually scary.
After years without any fresh free money, Boardster Shultz made it sound like a simple thing with: Let's get a grant writer!
Leslie Osborne
The Board
went behind closed doors til 9:40pm The secret time included
Michelle Bodkins. Thru the window we could see the finger
pointing and hear loud talking. Afterwards, Osborne told those
few remaining, no decision had been made in secret.
Bodkins came out with Linda Rhodes at her side. From Ms Rhodes: They just finished ragging out Michelle.
Other agenda items were never covered.
After months of getting hounded during public meetings, Michelle Bodkins came out with her job in place. We believe, shortly thereafter, Bodkins gave up her CAEZ keys, etc., and turned in her resignation. With Bodkins gone by May 1st, CAEZ has no one in line to understand and execute the complexity of govt programs and paperwork requirements.
With Bodkins gone, so goes the CAEZ. Unfortunately, with the CAEZ not able to tread wawa for more than a few months, they have taken down this County's future with it.
A word or two on the new Chair, Leslie Osborne. Unlike Amanda Shelton who engages her mouth before her brain, Osborne has a brain, is able to get points across without sounding stupid. That's a good thing. But, in such a dysfunctional organization, one strong Osborne will not be enough to save it.
We keep talking about taking down the county with it... Here's an example.
Those company's interested in bidding on the rail rides contract, some have already bailed out. They said, without that campground lodge for office space, storage space, ticket sales office, the rail concept is much less diminished, not nearly as attractive.
We can add: trying to deal with an outfit that has changed leadership three times during the last five months and an organization that violated their vote to give up the campground, no pro company would put up with that crap.
Single handedly, the CAEZ has put the squash on the County . Our bright and glowing future just went dark, it's dead.
Making matters worse, that is to say, no tourist dollars coming into downtown Clay.... those RR contractors, they too have options. One of their options is to set up the rail hub, depot, trinket center, campground, etc. in Cressmont.
If that would happen, tourists would come in from Nicholas County, spend their $$$ in Cressmont, and would have no need, reason, to visit downtown Clay.
IF that scenario would happen, that's exactly what we deserve in Clayberry. We've had three years to prepare for the State Park and tourists. During that time, not even one window has been washed in downtown Clay. We deserve what we don't get.
While thinking about the dark side Boardsters, from Arthur C Clarke: Only feeble minds are paralyzed by the facts.
AW
Bodkins came out with Linda Rhodes at her side. From Ms Rhodes: They just finished ragging out Michelle.
Other agenda items were never covered.
After months of getting hounded during public meetings, Michelle Bodkins came out with her job in place. We believe, shortly thereafter, Bodkins gave up her CAEZ keys, etc., and turned in her resignation. With Bodkins gone by May 1st, CAEZ has no one in line to understand and execute the complexity of govt programs and paperwork requirements.
With Bodkins gone, so goes the CAEZ. Unfortunately, with the CAEZ not able to tread wawa for more than a few months, they have taken down this County's future with it.
A word or two on the new Chair, Leslie Osborne. Unlike Amanda Shelton who engages her mouth before her brain, Osborne has a brain, is able to get points across without sounding stupid. That's a good thing. But, in such a dysfunctional organization, one strong Osborne will not be enough to save it.
We keep talking about taking down the county with it... Here's an example.
Those company's interested in bidding on the rail rides contract, some have already bailed out. They said, without that campground lodge for office space, storage space, ticket sales office, the rail concept is much less diminished, not nearly as attractive.
We can add: trying to deal with an outfit that has changed leadership three times during the last five months and an organization that violated their vote to give up the campground, no pro company would put up with that crap.
Single handedly, the CAEZ has put the squash on the County . Our bright and glowing future just went dark, it's dead.
Making matters worse, that is to say, no tourist dollars coming into downtown Clay.... those RR contractors, they too have options. One of their options is to set up the rail hub, depot, trinket center, campground, etc. in Cressmont.
If that would happen, tourists would come in from Nicholas County, spend their $$$ in Cressmont, and would have no need, reason, to visit downtown Clay.
IF that scenario would happen, that's exactly what we deserve in Clayberry. We've had three years to prepare for the State Park and tourists. During that time, not even one window has been washed in downtown Clay. We deserve what we don't get.
While thinking about the dark side Boardsters, from Arthur C Clarke: Only feeble minds are paralyzed by the facts.
AW