BY BUGS DIXON
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Mayor Ed Daniels sparked a debate among Inez City Commissioners, opening a special meeting March 26 by voicing his desire to financially decouple the city from the Appalachian Artist Festival. It was a stance that seemingly conflicted with the commission’s understanding of the event and general festival organization.
According to Daniels, Commissioner Jennifer Wells, who spearheaded the festival, is solely responsible for all aspects of the festival that will feature and celebrate artists, crafters and vendors of all kinds from the region. He directed the commissioner to set up a separate bank account and have mail directed to her personal address.
The discussion turned to alcohol vendors, including West Sixth Brewing, Savage Farms and Country Boy Brewing, who will set up to serve festival-goers at the 2024 installment of the festival Aug. 3.
Alcohol vendors that do not have a microbrewery will be required to apply for a special event license from the state alcohol board.
The commissioners discussed signage for marking the areas where alcohol will be permitted on Shop Street and Court Street. Open containers will not be permitted outside the marked areas.
Mayor Daniels asked the commissioners if the city should allow alcohol on the circuit court steps, a building owned by the county.
“There’s a point you’ve got to put a stop to stuff,” Daniels said.
“We’ve had festivals and we haven’t had any trouble with anybody at the courthouses,” Collier stated.
“Now wait just a minute,” Daniels said, “You’re having this on the third of the month and everybody’s going to be in town.”
Collier replied, “Well good.”
The commissioners ultimately decided they could tape off areas if the need arose.
Daniels directed the discussion to the budget for entertainment for the festival. Live music will run from around 11 a.m. to around 10 p.m. featuring artists from around the region, including Corduroy Brown, Luke Trimble, Tyler Hood, Brett and Donnie, Hannah Howard, Emily Jamerson, Brayden Mullins, Cody Lee Moomey, Cody Christian, and Phill Barnett.
The city covered a portion of the cost of paying the musicians, but most of the cost will be covered by sponsorships and vendor fees.
In his effort not to accommodate the festival, the mayor stated the city clerk should not be tasked with handling money that vendors might drop off at city hall out of convenience or mail or calls for the Appalachian Artist Festival because of the number of people that might call or come into the office.
Wells asked the clerk how many people had called to ask about AAF last year, and the clerk replied, “Zero.”
“But why can’t the money just come to you? You’re doing it,” the mayor said to Wells.
Wells explained that she had already sent out letters using the city’s address. “I can’t just take those all back,” she said.
The clerk clarified that she was willing to accept payments and direct any inquiries to Wells.
When the city clerk and commissioners explained that Wells would be fielding all questions and applications, Daniels agreed that this would be fine but said he was weary of donors, sponsors or vendors creating a bookkeeping complication by writing a check to the city instead of to the Appalachian Artist Festival.
“I know Jennifer started this with the idea that the city– that we were the group,” said Collier. “And how we got away from that, I’m not sure.”
After a telling silence, Commissioner Phyllis Conrad stated if the city does it for one festival, they would have to do it for all festivals. Daniels agreed.
Conrad told Wells she should get a post office box for the festival and asked if she could afford that.
“I mean yeah, but I’d rather not have to,” replied Wells.
“Just have it come to your mailbox down here,” said Daniels. “They’ll just put it in your mailbox.”
Daniels made it clear that he did not want the city to pay for a post office box because “she doesn’t want it to come to her mailbox.”
“Well she wouldn’t need it coming to her personal mailbox,” said Conrad.
“Why?” Daniels questioned.
“Because the city is part of this,” Mollett stated.
“I really think the city should be over this,” said Collier. “It’s one festival.”
“Why don’t we support all of them?” asked Daniels.
“Because they‘ve all got their own people that are over them, but this is different,” said Collier, explaining that Kiwanis is over the Harvest Festival and Martin County Tourism is over Christmas in the Mountains.
“Then get you a committee together,” the mayor said. “Get you a committee together.”
As the commissioners tried again to explain that the commission was supposed to be that committee, Daniels shut them down, pointing at Mollett and saying, “OK, you get the money, you give it to her. If it’s written to the city of Inez, don’t mark it for deposit only.”
Conrad motioned for the city to support the festival this year and Collier seconded the motion, but the mayor did not call for a vote.
“She’ll slowly get all of this turned around,” said Conrad.
Wells left the room, and Daniels hinted at an unannounced deal to adopt another festival, saying, “It’s already established,” before Wells returned.
Daniels asked for a motion to adjourn as soon as Wells returned.