By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The Carter County Fiscal Court accepted the resignation of longtime Carter County Tourism Chair Chris Perry during fiscal court’s regularly scheduled February meeting last week.
Perry addressed the court, opening his remarks by referencing the difficulties caused by the actions of the tourism commission’s former treasurer.
“As you all know, we had our little hiccup with our treasurer,” Perry said. “And that has all been taken through the courts. The treasurer will appear before the (circuit) court and change her plea,” Perry informed the fiscal court. “And we are going to get our money back. All of the money that had been misappropriated will be returned to Carter County Tourism.”
Perry said that he appreciated the work of the Commonwealth Attorney, and the Kentucky State Police to bring the matter to a positive resolution.
“And I also wanted to report to you that we did borrow some money from Commercial Bank to meet our obligations that we had made for Carter County Fair, the bluegrass festival, and some other events,” Perry told the court. But, he continued, those obligations have been met as well.
“We have paid that back. I had set it up to be paid back at the end of January, but we were able to pay it back by the end of December. So, we are happy to have been able to pay that back early.”
The interest from that loan, Perry said, will also be paid back through the litigation as part of that agreement.
“With that said,” Perry told the court, “I had said that I was going to stay until we got this money back because it happened on my watch. So now I am submitting my resignation as the Chairman of the Carter County Tourism Commission.”
Perry explained that his new position in the Kentucky Department of Parks in Western Kentucky (Perry gave up his position as Manager of Carter Caves) took up a great deal of his time, and he felt that he no longer had the time to commit to the tourism commission in a capacity he felt the position deserved.
“I have been on it since it started, and I hate to jump off it,” Perry told the court. “But I do feel that it is necessary. The commission met on Monday, and we selected a new chairman to replace me. We selected Carl Burton.”
Perry also said the commission recommended bringing Paul Tierney, the current Director of Carter Caves Park, into the commission.
“We thought it would be proper for the director of the largest tourism attraction in the county to be on the tourism commission,” Perry said.
The fiscal court voted unanimously in favor of Tierney’s appointment.
Perry will still continue to serve on the Carter County Board of Education.
Former tourism treasurer Renee Stewart was scheduled to change her plea before circuit court judge Rebecca Phillips last Tuesday, February 11, but that hearing was cancelled due to inclement weather. Stewart’s change of plea hearing will be rescheduled in the near future.
In other business, the court voted to hire Jimmy Easterling, a CDL truck driver for the road department, at the starting wage of $18 per hour. The position is full-time. The court also voted to pay an invoice to FIVCO Solid Waste Board in the amount of $3,000.
(Carter County Times editor Jeremy D. Wells contributed additional details to this story.)
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
