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A local woman formerly identified as secretary of the Lawrence Art Guild on state records has now been officially acknowledged as never having filled that position.

The Lawrence Art Guild’s interim president Linda Baranski addressed the matter Monday evening at the guild’s monthly meeting at the Lawrence Public Library, where the nonprofit organization — known for organizing such long-running events as Art in the Park and the Holiday Art Fair — voted to pass a resolution to file a corrected report to the Kansas Secretary of State removing Ann Henshaw as an officer and director of the guild for 2014 and 2015.

During Monday’s meeting, Baranski issued an apology to Henshaw, who claimed in a letter to the Lawrence Art Guild that she had never been a member, “much less a secretary,” of the organization.

“I am truly sorry for any anxiety this may have caused Ms. Henshaw and wish to offer my personal apology to her,” Baranski said. “Unfortunately, she was elected on the representation of her interest, but for one reason or another, that may have been an erroneous representation by (former guild president Amanda) Monaghan.”

Records show that Henshaw, who also said she had no knowledge of her election to secretary, had not paid dues to the guild in 2014, despite being listed as an officer and director in an annual report for that year filed by Monaghan.

The news follows the dismissal of Henshaw — along with Monaghan and treasurer Pablo Cerca — from office at last month’s Lawrence Art Guild meeting. At the time, guild members accused leadership, notably Monaghan, of violating several bylaws within the organization, including a failure to hold regular meetings and communicate with members.

Since the guild’s last meeting in early January and a subsequent audit of the guild’s financial records, guild leaders are still missing several documents — including treasurer’s reports and meeting minutes — and pieces of personal property. The Lawrence Police Department is currently investigating the matter, said Baranski, who declined to offer further comment.

Guild leaders also discovered an increased use of debit cards — there were regular and unaccounted for withdrawals from the guild’s account during Monaghan’s leadership, Baranksi said. Additionally, police are looking into the distribution of PayPal funds that a few members described in the meeting as suspicious.

Hours before the Jan. 7 meeting that resulted in her removal from the guild’s board of officers, Monaghan filed an amendment to the Kansas Secretary of State’s office dissolving the Lawrence Art Guild. The guild has since been reinstated in good standing with the state and, as of Monday, with the IRS as well.

Plans to move ahead with this May’s Art in the Park are in motion, and organizers have also settled on a date for the Holiday Art Fair, slated for Nov. 19.

Near the meeting’s end, Baranski offered some personal reflection on the guild’s recent tumult.

“We have all been under a lot of stress, and it’s been a very difficult situation to try and get an organization back on track that all of us love so much and have been such a part of,” said Baranski, a guild member of nearly 30 years. “And I really hope that we can move forward and positively represent the Art Guild the way it deserves to be represented.”