Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation hires interim director to streamline operations

The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation in Watkinsville has hired an interim executive director and a new office administrator.

The hirings were announced recently in the wake of the firings of the previous two-full time employees seven months ago, which caused a rift in the organization. A lawsuit resulted and it is still pending in court.

Several OCAF members filed the suit against the current OCAF Board of Directors. Lawyers on both sides are still negotiating the matter, in which the OCAF group is seeking to examine certain records. A new election for the board of directors has been proposed as a way to settle the suit.

Paul Clark, the owner of a business consulting firm, CBiz Solutions in Athens, was appointed on an interim basis to the role of executive director. The new office administrator was announce as Tammy Mize, a former legal secretary with 32 years of experience.

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Brock Toole, chairman of the board of directors for OCAF, said Clark does not want to be the full-time executive director.

"We always said we were going to hire an interim director and let them fix some of the processes and things that need to be corrected," Toole said.

When this new director is hired, Toole said, "They'll be able to rock n' roll like they should."

Clark, who received his bachelor and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Georgia, had previously worked for the school system in Forsyth County, where among his duties was director of bands at South Forsyth High School.

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For nine years he has owned and operated CBiz Solutions, which deals in consulting with businesses, both private and nonprofit, to assist and streamline their operations.

In a statement released with the announcement, Clark said, “In both music and business, excellence is not just a goal but a journey of continuous refinement.”

Already on the OCAF staff are Lou Rex, a former Californian who worked for many years in hospitality and special events in the wine and horse racing operations, and Asley Watson, who grew up in Oconee County and is the art gallery preparator.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Arts organization in Watkinsville hires interim director