Judge Lafferty addresses Fiscal Court concerns
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Roy F. Collier Community Center has operated without an active corporation since 2021 but must get reinstated, Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty told magistrates during a Fiscal Court meeting Thursday.
The subject came up when Lafferty stated there was no need for the Fiscal Court to discuss the agenda item concerning the community center board. Based on advice from Martin County Attorney Melissa Phelps, the community center board can directly pay its corporation fees and file annual reports with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office to achieve reinstatement.
“So we don’t have to do that,” Lafferty said. “The library board leases from the community center board, but you cannot lease from a board that is not operating.”
When District 1 Magistrate Cody Slone inquired about potential vacancies on the community center board, Lafferty responded, “There will be [vacancies], I’m sure. It has been defunct, but they will pay their fees and get back up and running.”
Slone expressed uncertainty about current board members, stating, “I can’t recall who’s on it.”
Official records from the Kentucky Secretary of State reveal that the center’s corporation was dissolved in October 2021 due to the board of directors’ failure to submit the 2021 annual report. The last annual report was submitted May 6, 2020, by then-chairperson Craig Preece. At that time, the officers were Carolea Mills (vice chairperson) and Christi Brown (secretary), with directors being Joe Collier, Jimmy Don Kerr and Clayton Wells.
After Preece, Mills, Brown and Collier resigned in August 2020, Kerr introduced a new board. The lineup had him as treasurer, Laura Miller (chairperson), Logan Fitch (vice chairperson), Marcie Ward Hanson (secretary), and additional members Clayton Wells, J. Damron, Tommy Maynard Jr., James Ayers and Jaryd Crum.
By September 2021, Kerr, now identifying as chairperson, announced a long-term lease agreement with the Martin County Public Library District to oversee the community center facility’s management and operations. This arrangement involved the library district settling the community center’s outstanding electricity bill of $57,000.
Corporation records also reveal that “Roy F. Collier Community Center” is an assumed name of Martin County Community Center Inc. The articles of incorporation, filed April 8, 2001, state that upon dissolution of the corporation, its remaining assets shall be distributed to the Martin County Fiscal Court.
In other developments, the Fiscal Court:
• Affirmed an association between the county and Martin County REACT & Rescue. Lafferty fondly remembered “Rescue Roy” Endicott, the late founder of the rescue squad.
“Martin County REACT & Rescue is always there,” said Lafferty. “It is a very important part of emergency services in the county. This gives us a chance to say a big thank-you.”
• Approved payments for election precinct workers.
• Noted a special meeting scheduled for Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. The special meeting is due to county officials attending annual training, replacing the regular monthly gathering.