GICCA Board Meeting Minutes January 13, 2026
Members Present: Judy Major, Jim Thorsen, Marnie Zei, Kathleen Phillips, Mack Boone, Mildred Phillips, Larry Smith
Members Absent: Pat Hagerman, Georgina Ray
Guests: Chris Zei
Judy called the meeting to order at 6:04
Judy pressed upon those present that we should let her know if people can respond to her emails to let her know who will be coming to the Board meetings, as well as communicating via committee instead of at Board Meetings to make as many comments prior to the Board meetings so we don’t have long meetings. She is excited about the upcoming year with GICCA encouraging community members to participation in activities, lead committees, help with blood drives and country b-fasts.
Approval of November 2025 Minutes – Larry made a motion to approve minutes, Jim second them and the minutes were approved by unanimous vote
Treasurer’s report –Marnie reported the current balance of the GICCA account is $13,500.62, with very little activity. The GICCA Board approved by the Board Members.
Old business –
- Decision of what day, date and time should GICCA meet this year. In the fall, it was approved that meeting time would be the 2nd Tuesday of each month, at 6pm, but several have ongoing commitments. A decision was made for Judy to send out a Doodle calendar to decide when to hold meetings.
- Thanking students who built the shelter to be decided upon via a committee.
- Dec. blood drive report – Jim reported that there were 19 donors. Discussion was about the blood takers – Red Cross or Blood Connection. More discussion as to the which blood taker we want in future meetings. The next scheduled drives are 3/6, 6/5 and 8/7 with the Red Cross.
New business: Jim reported on the picnic shelter progress and selection of wood for the 4 picnic tables planned and 4 or 5 benches with backs for 4 or 5 openings between the posts for more seating. Estimated cost will be approximately $400 per table and $300 per bench for a total of $3100. Todd Pillips will reimburse the funds from the donor’s account, which still has roughly $15,000 in the bank. Marnie brought up her wish heard in previous meetings, that she would like to install a tetherball post near the shelter. Mack made the statement that all the plantings, grass, trails should be in place before we get the exercise equipment (tetherball, swings, playground equipment) attached to the ground. Mildred brought in a photoshopped image of the new shelter with a playground next to it, which gave us all an uplift as to what the site may look like some day.
County Liaison Committee meeting conducted by Kathleen, Mack, Larry and Judy from GICCA and Norris Gentry. Norris and Mack provided a lot of history and one thing was the fact that GICCA was originally in charge of the property and the building, with ownership taken from Madison County Schools but several egos got in the way and GICCA has never had any legal authority from the county. We have no legal voice of anything on the property. It was suggested that the Liaison County Committee meet with Chris Maney and Rod Honeycutt, to see if we can establish a rapport with them and determine how funds are collected, how many funds are raised each month, utilities paid, and costs of running the center. Jim expressed his concern with the idea that GICCA have anything legally moved into GICCA’s hands thinking that if the county can operate the area, including the building, none of us will need to worry about legal issues, maintenance or repairs.
Committees are being suggested by Vice-Chair, Larry Smith. His first attempt to establish a committee is for a “Community Event” to learn about the Beech Glen area’s history intended for new comers and natives alike. He has listed a tentative date of April 11 but not fixed yet, with two or three “native” residents giving us their remembrances of their early lives. This would be open to the public, GICCA would serve B-B-Q’s, chips, sodas for a cost of $4.00 and perhaps have a side musician play their instruments, with the goal of having 40 people join in the event to “advertise” what GICCA is and can do. All agreed it would be a great event.
Judy passed out information comparing the other 3 county-owned community centers (Ebbs Chapel CC, Spring Creek CC, Walnut CC), and Beech Glen CC and how the county’s relationship with them differs from GICCA’s relationship with the county. Each seems to be slightly different in operations and benefits reaped by the organizations associated with their community center. All 3 organizations are named after their community centers, except ours. See addendum below.
It was a lively meeting with everyone participating and expressing their opinions and Judy wrapped up the meeting at 7:26.
Respectively submitted by Jim Thorsen
Addendum to minutes of Judy’s research on the 4 county-owned community centers
Madison County Community Centers (4 of 8 are County-owned)
Walnut Community Center – Margie Misenheimer
$1/year lease -currently an open-ended lease County pays utilities and mows around center regularly. WCC pays for Wi-Fi. WCC does pruning and takes care of minor bldg. maintenance WCC makes space(s) in the bldg. available to the public typically for a donation (county not involved), users sign a liability release. WCC carries Officers & Directors insurance and general liability insurance (total cost about $1,000/year ). Holds weekly farmer’s market spring through early fall. Annual cider-press fund-raiser. Weekly food pantry, Community potluck and movie night. Book Club featuring talks by local authors
Ebbs Chapel Community Center – Barbara Merrill and 1 part-time employee. 5-year lease for $1/year (advised by WNC Community Centers group that this long-term lease was essential to apply for grants). County pays utilities and Wi-Fi. County does regular mowing; ECCC does pruning. Just hired a PT director, beginning to establish committees and has a non-profit consultant on their board. Except for the meal site, ECCC rents space in the building, including the auditorium and keeps the income. With help from WNC Communities, received a $45,000 grant from the Cannon Foundation. Auditorium needs new AC system (approx cost of $45,000) The County will not pay for this and grant money typically will not pay for capital improvements on a bldg not owned by the Grantee. Free-clinic staffed by FNP began 5 years ago seeing 121 patients that year, in 2025 477 patients were seen. Holds at least 2 large annual fund-raisers…Blackberry Festival and Apple Butter Festival.
Spring Creek Community Center – Alice McVey and 1 part-time employee. Prepaid a 10-year lease ($10) in 2019, but aside from the $10 receipt from the county, there is no ocumentation/paperwork. Building (the old school) was reroofed by the county prior to an $800,000 renovation of the interior through a Golden Leaf foundation grant SCCA completed a 6-week on-line strategic planning workshop funded by Appalachian Regional Comm. SCCA pays utilities. Currently SCCA is negotiating a shared lease w/the fire dept. next door. County recently asked the Spring Creek Community Assoc. if they, the community assoc. wants the building. SCCA leases space in the building to a restaurant owner, 2 massage therapists, a hair salon, a veterinarian, the SC Food Coalition, 3 leased office spaces and a business center. Also a value-added kitchen that locals can rent to make products for commercial sale. Part-time employee handles bldg, admin, (keeps files, collects rent, leases space).
Beech Glen Community Center –
No legal connection between BGCC/the county and GICCA. Dining room/kitchen and gym can be rented via Chris Maney (Parks & Rec). Currently the dining room is reserved monthly on just 3 weekday evenings (after 5 PM). Presumably new picnic shelter is owned and will be rented by the county. GICCA pays no rental fee for space for meetings, monthly breakfast or blood drive. Electric for BGCC with 4 security lights paid by county ($360 -$510/mo.)
Laurel Community Center – Independently owned
Elementary school (current structure that replaced the old rock school) was closed in 2015 due to low enrollment and inadequate sewer plant. Property was declared “surplus” by Bd of Educ. Soon after that, a local community group formed a non-profit organization to consider use of the school and campus. Not wanting to deal with the challenges of maintaining the property, the County deeded it directly to the non-profit at no cost. LCC currently has Yoga on Saturdays, Quilting Class on Thursdays, Pickleball on Tuesdays and Fridays, an annual Freedom Festival July 4th weekend (2026 will be the 6th year), and an annual Valentines Day Dance. Funding comes primarily from year-long leases of the old classrooms to artists and entrepreneurs, community support/donations, larger donors, and grants. Weekly activities bring in a little money- quilting is $5/week and physical fitness $3/session. Most events do not make much income (nor do we charge), but instead are meant to bring the community together. Electric bill runs between $800 to $1,500 monthly depending on weather and usage. Landfill/trash fee of $700 per year although most trash is generated by the county-run mealsite. Tenants are responsible for disposing their own trash. Since 2021 LCCO has received funding from Madison County Tourism Development Authority ($5,000 per quarter), but at the end of 2025 were notified that TDA funding would be discontinued. Last record of contribution from Madison County was $1,000 in Oct 2021