ASHLAND —
After 14 years at the helm of Ashland’s largest festival, Chuck Charles has resigned as president of Summer Motion to focus on his next leadership role as mayor of Ashland.
He broke the news on Thursday night at a picnic for committee members, volunteers and sponsors. “It is time for me to do something else,” he said during his at times emotional remarks. “With the tasks I have in front of me, my wife and I have given this a lot of thought,” said Charles, 61.
Charles will become Ashland’s mayor in January. He is running unopposed for the post. Charles is also the vice president of the Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Foundation.
Dianne Clement, who has served as vice president of Summer Motion for 14 years, is the interim president until a new president is selected. She said Friday the festival’s board of directors will meet in the coming days to discuss the transition.
“I have been looking for someone for a couple of years to take the reins. I would like to see someone with some fresh ideas and some of the younger people get experience and step up,” said Charles. He said he believes anyone of the festival’s committee members could do the job well.
“I am just so passionate about it. I hope that whomever takes those reigns is more passionate than me about making it work. We’ve come a long way,” he added.
“The show will go on. I am positive of that because the committee stands as one. The emphasis is on moving forward — how do they take it to another level? The community can take that to heart. This group of people will put on a heck of a show with whatever means they have and will. I have complete confidence,” Charles said.
Charles has been Summer Motion’s only president since it became its own 501(c)3 following the disintegration of the Tri-State Fair and Regatta in the late ’90s. Under Charles’ leadership the five-day festival centered around Independence Day has grown in size and prominence. It is consistently named among the top events in Kentucky and the Southeast.
“As hard as it will be to find a replacement for Chuck, the Summer Motion Committee is a very cohesive committee. It will work together to make next year, our 25th Anniversary, a special event,” said Clement. “While we won’t have Chuck, he has trained us all so well, we are confident next year will be one to remember,” she added, “Chuck has been such a strong leader and he has surrounded himself with other strong leaders.”
Clements and Charles said they are confident the strong support the festival garners from community leaders and members, volunteers, sponsors and local municipalities will continue. “In the dictionary where it says community effort they ought to put a picture of Summer Motion by it,” said Charles, “Its a community effort by the community for the community.”
Charles said he wants carry that message over into his role as mayor.
“I am not in this alone. Everyone in this town is with me in it, just like Summer Motion,” he said. “Together we can be that much better. Coming together can produce an unbelievable result for everyone.”
Perpetually energetic, upbeat and optimistic, Charles is already overflowing with ideas he’d like to put into action when he becomes the leader of northeast Kentucky’s largest city. “I want it to become the ‘City of Choice,’ not just for the Tri-State, but for the entire United States,” he said.
CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.
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