| By Bob Weaver
Conflict, confusion, hard work and new vision was part of a one and
one-half hour
meeting of the official board of the Minnora Community Center,
Wednesday evening.
The board is divided over how to manage the center, with counter
charges being
exchanged. Issues were raised over mismanagement, failure to follow
by-laws,
personal misconduct and charges that some of the board members had not
been
notified about meetings.
 Wanda Richards
Larry Cottrell
Most of the conflict aired at the meeting was between President Wanda
Richards and
board member Larry Cottrell, who circulated a release defining six
problems which he
wanted the board to address. David Corson, who has filed a civil suit
against MCC for
breach of contract, was not present.
Richards read a statement at the beginning of the meeting defining the
"hard work" it
has taken to get the center going and keeping it afloat financially.
She then
presented a sixteen item agenda for the meeting, focusing on current
money
problems trying to pay a $1367 electric bill.
She said the center borrowed $596.00 from Lawrence Jarvis, husband of
board
member Rose Jarvis, to keep the insurance from defaulting, which was
paid back on
February 28.
Cottrell charged that decisions were made without the consent of the
board. Richards
responded "There are some things we do need to go ahead with,"
referring to the
daily operation of the center.
Cottrell raised concerns about not having a Treasurer since October,
asking who had
been acting in that capacity. Richards said she was. The board then
elected Donna
Jordan as Treasurer, after which she asked for an immediate audit.
Bill Howley advised the board last October he would no longer be the
volunteer
bookkeeper. Howley had won a four-wheeler in a raffle sponsored by the
board.
Cottrell says "There were numerous complaints this was unfair or
rigged, and the WV
Tax department forced all the money to be returned."
Howley told The Herald all the money was returned because the center
did not have a
raffle license. "We followed the law," he said. "However, I was as the
winner, going to
take the money (about $3600) rather than the four-wheeler and donate
it to the
center. The minutes will show that." Howley said the center has been
an enormous
success story and "It is a shame there are so many problems tearing it
apart." Howley
was instrumental in helping the center get grant money.
Richards presented several financial statements to the group, stating
"We have
always used two signatures."
The Family Resource Network presented a letter to the MCC board asking
for
accountability of a $1000 grant for the Starting Points Project which
was not
launched nor was a survey completed.
Richards said Holly CreelFox did a lot of the initial work on
developing the grant, but
the material was turned over to Larry Cottrell. "We were waiting on
Larry to get the
program going," she said. She said he did not produce. Richards said
some of the
problem "Was an oversight on my part," and asked how to return the
money to FRN.
Cottrell accused Richards of having secret meetings.
Conflict continued over whether or not Hershel Yost was an official
board member.
The board apparently adopted new by-laws which ask board members who
resign to
do so at the beginning of the meeting and new members be voted upon at
the end of a
meeting.
Richards said Yost was not put on the board legally. Cottrell and
Jordan implied
Richards did not want Yost on the board because Richards could not
control him.
Richards then advised she had voted for him. There was confusion about
what the
minutes said.
The MCC is seeking to be declared an Emergency Disaster Center where
sleeping
quarters, food and water can be provided. Richards spoke of Operation
Help returning
to the center on March 24 to deliver items of need to the
community.
She announced the Third Annual Ramp Dinner to be held on April 21st
and asked for
volunteers to dig ramps. DHS workers will be helping with the
maintenance of the
center. Richards expressed concerns about sewage pond problems, the
need to
upgrade the water system, have additional parking and repair a leaking
gym roof.
Barb Lay, CEO of MHHCC, spoke with enthusiasm about having the Minnie
Hamilton
Health Clinic in the center, offered to include board members in a
community
leadership training program. She said "You worked together to make
things happen."
Cottrell said the board can participate in conflict resolution
training at a conference
scheduled at Spring Heights in Roane County.
Considerable discussion followed regarding the renting of new space to
the Calhoun
County Committee On Aging, whose program is growing and the addition
of a new
barber and beauty shop. Confusion was expressed over some of the
rental
agreements with Richards stating she wanted to help these people be
here for the
community.
A final item on the agenda was a "compromise proposal" by board member
Donna
Jordan, calling for President Richards to step back for six months to
allow time for
resolving problems and mediation. Cottrell said he wanted to discuss
issues on his
agenda with Richards ruling him out of order, commenting "My personal
life is none of
your business." The meeting was quickly adjourned, with all parties
thanking the
public for attending.
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