A Legacy of Service
Four County Community Foundation

Articles of Incorporation & Founding Board

On April 23, 1987, at 7:30 p.m., Edmund L. Risch and Arthur V. Spies, incorporators of Four County Foundation, held a meeting at the Community Hospital Foundation. Also present was Thomas J. McGraw of Dykema Gossett. The following matters were discussed and the following actions were taken:

  1. Articles of Incorporation
    Mr. Risch reported that the Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Michigan Department of Commerce, Corporation and Securities Bureau on April 22, 1987.


  2. Selection of Board of Trustees
    Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, it was: RESOLVED, that the following persons are hereby selected to serve on the Board of Trustees until the first annual meeting of the Board of Trustees or until their successors are duly elected:

    • Ellen Allison served on the Board from April, 1987 until August, 1990, and served on the Senior Citizens & Health Care Committee. She passed away on Thursday, July 17, 2003, and is sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.


    • David Bishop served on the Board from April, 1987 to January, 2000, when he became an Emeritus Board member. Committees he served on include: By-Laws, Development & PR, Grant Review, Investment, Youth Advisory, and Youth & Education. He was instrumental in negotiations to obtain the Octagon House in Almont as Four County's home. He is the son of Dr. Gilbert Clare Bishop, who was one of the moving forces in establishment of the Community Hospital Foundation, which led to the creation of Four County Community Foundation.


    • John S. Bishop served on the Board from April, 1987 until January, 2000 and was Treasurer from 1987 to 1996. He served on the Investment, Nominations, Executive, Grant Review, Healthcare, Publicity & Administration, & By-Law Committees. When term limits ended his time on the board, John became an Emeritus Board member and continues to volunteer his time (and his wife Jerrie's) whenever asked. John is the son of Leon T. Bishop, first Chairman of the Board of the Community Hospital Foundation, and nephew of Dr. Gilbert Clare Bishop.


    • Carlos B. Gayles, M.D., served on the Board from April, 1987 until June, 1993. He served on the Golf, Senior Citizens & Health Care and Youth & Education Committees. He also was an Officer & Board Member of Community Hospital Foundation from 1985 to 1987; Board Member and Chief of Staff at Community Hospital from 1976 to 1983; Staff Physician at Community Hospital from 1968 to 1993; and Administrator of Community Physician Emergency P.C. from 1968 to 1993.


    • Kenneth Good served on the Board from April, 1987 until June, 1988, and was on the Health Care Committee. He had been primarily concerned with helping through the transition.


    • Roland Graubner served on the Board from April, 1987 until January, 1994. He served on the Senior Citizens & Healthcare and Investment Committees. Besides having been on the Community Hospital Board for many years, Mr. Graubner was deeply involved with the Romeo District Library. In 1995 he created an Agency Endowment Fund with Four County to benefit the Library in perpetuity. Mr. Graubner passed away on July 21, 2000 at the age of 96.


    • Daughter of Roland Graubner, Kathleen G. Eubank served on the Board from April, 1987 until January, 1996. She held the office of Secretary for the entire time. She was also on the Senior Citizens & Healthcare Committee. After ending her time as Trustee, Kathy continued to serve the Foundation on the 21st Century, Fund Development, and General Grant Committees


    • Bonnie N. Ligon Dickens served on the Board from April, 1987 until January, 2001. She served as Treasurer from 1996 to 2000 and was on the 21st Century, Board Evaluation, Executive, Fund Development, Gala, General Grant, Investment & Finance, Nominations, Publicity, Youth Advisory, and Youth & Education committees during her tenure as Trustee. She joined our Emeritus Board upon reaching term limits. She is the daughter-in-law of James T. Ligon Sr.


    • James T. Ligon Sr. served the Board from April, 1987 until January, 1996, and served as President from 1987 to 1994. He was also on the Development, Executive, Investment, Health & Senior Citizens, Nominations, and Senior Advisory committees while with the Foundation. He is the son of James D. Ligon, who was one of the moving forces in establishment of the Community Hospital Foundation, which led to the creation of Four County Community Foundation. Jim's son, James T. Ligon, Jr. succeeded him as Trustee with the Foundation. Jim Sr. then became an active member of our Emeritus Board.


    • Marshall S. Lock served on the Board from April, 1987 to June, 1989. He remained active in his community until his death on February 23, 2000. His wife Ilene began a memorial fund in his name with Four County.


    • Edmund L. Risch was a founding member of the Board which was created while he was the Chairman of the Community Hospital in 1987. He served in various positions, including vice-president for 5 years. He also served on the following committees, executive, grant review, by-laws, development, 21st Century, investment and finance, nominations, publicity & administration, youth advisory, youth and education. Along with Bernie Stremler, Ed was active in organizing the golf outing from 1992 to 2001. Upon fulfilling his term of service on January, 2000, he accepted the position of president of the Community Action Fund of Greater Romeo, and joined our Emeritus Board.


    • Dr. A.R. Satyanathan served on the Four County Foundation Board from April, 1987 to May, 1989 and served on the Healthcare Committee. He had also been on staff at Community Hospital. He continues his medical practice in Romeo.


    • Arthur V. Spies, together with Ed Risch, signed the incorporation papers for Four County Foundation. He served on the Board from April, 1987 to January, 1994. He was on the Development, Golf, Nominations, and Senior Citizens & Healthcare Committees.


    • Robert Tincknell served on the Board from April, 1987 to January, 1996. He was a member of the Health & Senior Citizens and Senior Advisory Committees. He passed away on January 16, 2002.


    • James C. Wade was on the Board from April to July of 1987. A long time member of the Community Hospital Foundation Board, Jim's major concern was that the proceeds from the sale of the hospital continue to benefit the communities in which the funds were originally raised. Since visiting our office to help with this history, his interest in involvement with Four County has been renewed. At an event in January, 2004, Jim stated that he was proud to see what the Foundation had become.

The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of Four County Foundation was held at 8:00 p.m. on April 23, 1987 at Community Hospital Foundation, Almont, Michigan. Mr. Risch was chosen as temporary President and Mrs. Eubank was chosen temporary Secretary.

Mr. Risch reported that the Articles of Incorporation had been filed, and that a meeting of the incorporators had been held earlier and the Corporation's Board of Trustees selected. He then distributed and read proposed bylaws for the Corporation. Upon a motion by David Bishop, seconded by Dr. Gayles it was: RESOLVED, that the bylaws of the Corporation in the form presented at the meeting are hereby approved and adopted.

Officers were then elected to serve until the first annual meeting of the Board of Trustees or until his successor is duly elected: President - James T. Ligon; Secretary - Kathleen G. Eubank; Treasurer - John S. Bishop.

A motion was adopted authorizing the officers of the corporation to apply to the Internal Revenue Service for recognition of tax-exempt status under section 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

A motion was adopted:

RESOLVED that the proposed agreement by and among Community Hospital Foundation, St. Joseph Hospital of Mt. Clemens, and Four County Foundation ("Agreement"), a draft of which has been presented at this meeting, and the transactions contemplated thereby be, and they are hereby approved in principle, subject to instructions provided to council as to the negotiations of remaining issues.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President and Secretary be, and they hereby are authorized to approve such changes and variations in the agreement which they deem to be necessary or appropriate and in the best interest of Four County Foundation ("Corporation") and the community it serves.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President and Secretary of the Corporation be, and they hereby are, authorized and directed, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, to execute the final agreement and other documents necessary to consummate the transaction contemplated by the agreement.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President or Secretary or another officer designated by either of them be, and each of them is authorized and directed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, to execute and deliver any and all agreements, certificates, instruments and documents and to do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of the foregoing resolutions and the transaction contemplated thereby.

Resolution adopted April 23, 1987

A letter of transmittal was mailed May 8, 1987 from Dykema Gossett describing the following enclosures:

  1. A corporate minute book
  2. Certificate of incorporation
  3. Original signed Articles of Incorporation
  4. Minutes of the Incorporators Meeting.

It was noted that we may be required to be registered as a charitable trust or apply for a license to solicit donations. The next major item requiring attention is the Application for Recognition of Exemption under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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