By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor

BURLINGTON — The Mineral Daily News-Tribune learned Wednesday that the Burlington United Methodist Family Services Board of Trustees named an interim CEO during the board's closed-door meeting with staff on Tuesday afternoon.
The Rev. Alexander C. Carmichel IV, who retired as  the president of the Kentucky United Methodist Home for Children and Youth in Versailles, Ky., spent his first day on the job as interim CEO at Burlington on Wednesday.
Sandra Stump, who will serve as Carmichel's executive assistant, confirmed the appointment by telephone Wednesday afternoon.
Carmichel will temporarily fill the vacancy created by the June 9 resignation of Dr. Douglas Huntt, who had served as BUMFS CEO since 2005.
Since Huntt's resignation,  the members of the board have continued to be tight-lipped about why he left, or what lies in the future for the agency, which is under the jurisdiction of the West Virginia United Methodist Conference.
On Tuesday, the board of trustees met in closed session with the BUMFS staff. Although the News Tribune was asked by at least two sources to attend the meeting, board members asked this reporter to leave the meeting site.
“This meeting is not open to the public,” board member Kim Rolls said, while board chairman the Rev. Gwen Homan said “the conference and the board will decide what's to be made public.”
After the meeting, Rolls contacted the News Tribune to say a public announcement would be made “very soon.”
“We will make a statement, but we want it to be an accurate statement,” she said.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Rolls left a message at the News Tribune offices that the board would be releasing a statement this morning.
Carmichel accepted the position as president/CEO of the Kentucky United Methodist Children's Home in early 2006. Prior to that, he had served for 10 years as president/CEO of the Florida United Methodist Children's Home.
According to the Florida United Methodist News Service, Carmichel guided the children's home through a number of physical improvements, including three new residential cottages, a counseling center, an education center, and a swimming center, as well as a new ball field, fence line and entrance monument.
The program itself also grew under his leadership; expanding to include a foster care and adoption program as well as adding therapists and seeking to provide higher levels of care for youths requiring greater assistance.
It is not known how long Carmichel will remain as interim or when the board will begin a search for a permanent CEO.
When contacted by the News-Tribune, Stump said Carmichel was out of the office. He did not immediately return the call.