CAEZ Meets
July 6 2020
Since the
Corony Bug hit, Central Appalachia Empowerment Zone (CAEZ)
Board meetings have been held via internet conferencing. For
those with DSL savvy and a puter, that worked OK. For the many
that struggle with broadband or refuse the 21st century, those
Boardsters have not been able to participate.
On July 6th, the first live, in-person Board meeting was held over at the CAEZ lodge in Dundon. For the Clayberry delegation none were present except Mickey Boggs who had just returned from vacation.
For this meeting, all participants were required to wear a face covering. Hand sanitizer was also available.
On July 6th, the first live, in-person Board meeting was held over at the CAEZ lodge in Dundon. For the Clayberry delegation none were present except Mickey Boggs who had just returned from vacation.
For this meeting, all participants were required to wear a face covering. Hand sanitizer was also available.
With a
25 year run under their belt, the non profit agency is facing
serious $$$ shortages as well as a changing of the
guard. Michael Martin with his big wooden gavel has been
chairing CAEZ for over 20 years. That's a lot of driving and
hours spent for a volunteer leader. During this meeting,
Martin said it was time for him to step down as Chair. With
all in agreement, Clayberry's Mickey Boggs took over that
perch with Martin dropping down to the Vice Chair slot.
We're not sure that move is legal under the group's by laws but that's what they did.
We're not sure that move is legal under the group's by laws but that's what they did.
After a false
start last November when Mr Martin told the world they were
ready to accept the Director's resignation... finally some
discussion on the topic. Discussion included: Big
Lup is ready to resign; she will stay around until a new
Director is hired; there is no $$$ available to hire a
new person; and, everything is up to the Board. The Board did
not act on the matter.
It sounds like, CAEZ is trying again for some of the Federal Corony money and those funds would be used to pay Lup and or hire a new person to be in charge.
New Boardsters have not been told to ask their questions before the public meetings. For this meeting, one Boardster asked why no income expense for Director Connie Lupardus is ever reported on the financial statements. Big Lup as we and others call her, told the Board she had not received a salary in a long time with , "We're just muddling thru." She was referring to the group not having the funds to pay for a Director even a part time Director.
It sounds like, CAEZ is trying again for some of the Federal Corony money and those funds would be used to pay Lup and or hire a new person to be in charge.
New Boardsters have not been told to ask their questions before the public meetings. For this meeting, one Boardster asked why no income expense for Director Connie Lupardus is ever reported on the financial statements. Big Lup as we and others call her, told the Board she had not received a salary in a long time with , "We're just muddling thru." She was referring to the group not having the funds to pay for a Director even a part time Director.
Just like
when a home checking account gets low, you start looking for
pennies. The CAEZ's Kiddie Patch day care center at Valley
Fork has been closed for many months. Even before the closing,
they only had a couple kids on hand to foot the bills. With
the service closed down and noticing $4000+ left in that
account, eyes perked up. Much needed money found! The idea was
to take the $4K and use it to keep the CAEZ lights on. Didn't
happen. Instead, and in hopes the nasty bug will just go away
like a miracle, the Board did NOT vote to formally close the
day care down. That's coming next month most likely.
There was a new log in the road made public. When Kiddie Patch does officially close down, all that stuff like equipment, that was paid for by grant funds, those items must be returned to the funder. Get it, instead of selling off the freebees, the CAEZ cannot benefit from that.
There was a new log in the road made public. When Kiddie Patch does officially close down, all that stuff like equipment, that was paid for by grant funds, those items must be returned to the funder. Get it, instead of selling off the freebees, the CAEZ cannot benefit from that.
There was a
little good news during the meeting.
For many years the CAEZ has been unable to pay for mandatory annual audits. From around the table came word they have a recent audit completed and those accountings MAY be made public during the Annual General membership meeting of the group in September. We say "May" be available because, when we asked about that, the Director, Chair, Vice Chair, said, "should be available" , yelp, public records may be public during that upcoming meeting.
In other good news, the Office Manager said, another first in a long long time, all their bills are paid and current.
About the only way the CAEZ has to raise operating funds is their Dundon Campground. According to the Director, the place is full and "Everything is picking up."
The hope to keep the CAEZ operating is to use a big chunk of accrued $$$ from various rental income. The topic came up last month during discussions.
In a nutshell, the CAEZ thinks they have nearly $50K of earned income setting in a checking account and ready to be spent. Last month, the Fed's said, wait a minute kids, that's really OUR money. This time around, it sounded like the Feds are now more firm on who really owns those funds. Note: It ain't the CAEZ.
That big nest egg.. our guess, if the Feds allow any of the earnings to be spent locally, it would be for improvements to the CAEZ housing units.
Big Lup has talked about an effort to get an ATV trail thru Clayberry... similar to the Hatfield / McCoy Trail in Southern counties. Year after year, everything sounded optimistic for County Clay getting the first section of trail. On July 6th, the tune changed. According to Lup, it looks like Fayette County will get that first chunk of new tourism dollars. Clayberry has a problem even with getting round 2 funding. According to the Lupster, much of our backwoods are leased to hunting clubs and those groups do not want a public trail thru their holdings. Another wrinkle was heard. Now, the people that actually own all that woodlands, instead of donating a rights of way for an ATV trail, those Big Suits may want an annual fee for use of the land. Gulp!
CAEZ's purpose was to build a grass roots organization to help impoverished counties like Clayberry. True the CAEZ did a few things in their career but for the last many, maybe a decade or so, can anyone see improvement in this humble little county?
We're half way thru the Summer and CAEZ still has their lights on.
AW
For many years the CAEZ has been unable to pay for mandatory annual audits. From around the table came word they have a recent audit completed and those accountings MAY be made public during the Annual General membership meeting of the group in September. We say "May" be available because, when we asked about that, the Director, Chair, Vice Chair, said, "should be available" , yelp, public records may be public during that upcoming meeting.
In other good news, the Office Manager said, another first in a long long time, all their bills are paid and current.
About the only way the CAEZ has to raise operating funds is their Dundon Campground. According to the Director, the place is full and "Everything is picking up."
The hope to keep the CAEZ operating is to use a big chunk of accrued $$$ from various rental income. The topic came up last month during discussions.
In a nutshell, the CAEZ thinks they have nearly $50K of earned income setting in a checking account and ready to be spent. Last month, the Fed's said, wait a minute kids, that's really OUR money. This time around, it sounded like the Feds are now more firm on who really owns those funds. Note: It ain't the CAEZ.
That big nest egg.. our guess, if the Feds allow any of the earnings to be spent locally, it would be for improvements to the CAEZ housing units.
Big Lup has talked about an effort to get an ATV trail thru Clayberry... similar to the Hatfield / McCoy Trail in Southern counties. Year after year, everything sounded optimistic for County Clay getting the first section of trail. On July 6th, the tune changed. According to Lup, it looks like Fayette County will get that first chunk of new tourism dollars. Clayberry has a problem even with getting round 2 funding. According to the Lupster, much of our backwoods are leased to hunting clubs and those groups do not want a public trail thru their holdings. Another wrinkle was heard. Now, the people that actually own all that woodlands, instead of donating a rights of way for an ATV trail, those Big Suits may want an annual fee for use of the land. Gulp!
CAEZ's purpose was to build a grass roots organization to help impoverished counties like Clayberry. True the CAEZ did a few things in their career but for the last many, maybe a decade or so, can anyone see improvement in this humble little county?
We're half way thru the Summer and CAEZ still has their lights on.
AW