Last September, the board of the nonprofit Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation fired its director and administrative assistant with no explanation. The next few weeks saw the resignation of the board chair, Cyndee Perdue Moore, the public relations director for the Clarke County School District.
Remaining and new board members met face-to-face Jan. 11 with about 100 of OCAF’s 700 members for the first time in months. They held the meeting because there was a “general sense of unrest” among members, board chair Brock Toole said.
Before hearing from members, the board told the attendees a little about themselves. Toole, an Oconee County School District employee, said he wanted “to serve.” Abbey Duhe, an attorney with health care company McKesson, said she has “always loved the arts.” Mike Hamby, an Athens Clarke County commissioner, said he was there “as a spy” to learn what goes on in Watkinsville and how he can replicate it in Athens. He later said he had been trying to compliment the people in attendance for their strong volunteerism. OCAF receives no government funding, unlike Athens’ Lyndon House Arts Center.
Toole said many times that the board was going to take its time before hiring a permanent director in order to hire the right person. And they are trying to address the many issues members have raised during the past many weeks.
The board has not explained the firing of Wendy Cooper, who, as director, had secured grants for the organization, or Sherry Woodruff, who worked for OCAF for 12 years, and they didn’t do so last Thursday. A steady stream of members spoke to the board in three-minute increments. “Let’s just keep it top notch from a respect standpoint,” Toole said before the attendees took the podium.
Ceramic artist Alice Woodruff wondered who, if anyone, was meeting required reporting and renewal deadlines for grants. She also said that the Marable Gardens, which are on the OCAF campus, will be on the Piedmont Gardeners tour this spring.
Weaver Bonnie Montgomery said the organization needs to return to holding its annual thrift sale, which was a good fundraiser. Janet Rodekohr encouraged the board to hire a new director as soon as possible, saying the two women holding down the fort in the OCAF office are doing the job of four people. Lawrence Stueck, who helped found OCAF in 1994, faulted the process for nominating and electing board members. Sylvia Dawe wondered why space is being used for storage when patrons need a metalsmithing studio.
Sarajane Love told the board OCAF was in danger of losing its strong corps of volunteers, and that it is taking the volunteers for granted. Bob Clements complained about how the board had treated Sherry Woodruff.
Cindy Lou Farley served as both assistant and executive director of OCAF. She said that those who had donated to the capital campaign needed to receive what was promised to them. She worried about how pieces of art are being treated, especially a Harold Rittenberry bench and work by Ron Myers. A piece of OCAF’s permanent collection was given to a thrift store, she said.
Mary Lillie Watson, who said she had worked in human resources for much of her career, said the board could hire an interim director before settling on a permanent director.
John Kirschner resigned from the board when Moore was chairing it “because we weren’t relevant.” He said OCAF had always felt like a family and that during the past few years, the soul of the organization had been lost. The only way forward is to have the members be a part of everything, he said.
Board members plan to have a work session to discuss concerns raised during the meeting.
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