There's a possibility that the Gadfly is having the slightest positive impact on MPCA leadership. It appears that after more than two years the MPCA Website is going to be updated, with current committees, working email links, recent newsletters and even upcoming events! Don't expect that the site will become interactive like those of some other neighborhoods. It now has "useful" information, such as driving directions. We can use it to find our way home. Maybe the web page will get a title.
In related news, we all may also be receiving a rather perplexing, rambling (but heavily emphasized) "Note from the Board" with the next newsletter. I can't help but wonder if it's not an (over)reaction to the Gadfly. The missive never quite gets to the point of saying that you should ignore this site -- or any discernible point, really.*
What it seems to be saying in its convoluted, very oddly worded way, is that if members have a disagreement with the workings of the MPCA, they need only volunteer for committee work or gratefully attend the occasional board-sponsored social function once or twice a year.
It doesn't say how to know whether you have a disagreement with policy or actions, since there is still very little communication.
You might attend each board meeting and learn for yourself, but that leaves the problem of knowing when and where they meet. You could read the minutes long afterwards, if you make a big effort to find them. They're not on the website, or sent in email, or in the MPCA newsletter. The current president of the MPCA said recently that board meetings are private. Apparently, his personal copy of the by-laws is missing this paragraph:
"Section 11. Reports/Open Meetings. The Board of Directors shall report regularly to the membership its formal actions through the Association newsletter or similar media and all Board of Directors meetings shall be open to the membership."
Instead of foolish bragging about what a good job it is doing in listening/responding, or telling people to do committee work to sublimate their legitimate differences, maybe the board ought to start doing its job -- communicating with membership. It might be worth a small effort to inform and engage people in the process, instead of taking an elitist, noblesse oblige attitude.
What happened at the April 7 meeting?
*Now that I've spoiled the surprise, they'll undoubtedly withdraw the editorial, or at least improve its mind-numbing syntax. This is win-win. You won't have to read it and the association will be saved the printing costs.
Friday, April 18, 2008
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2 comments:
The secrecy surrounding board meetings is only one manifestation of the problem. We have seen far too many unilateral actions taken by or condoned by the board leadership, all done quietly without anyone knowing. And the board either was also in the dark or thought it was a fine idea to take actions on the sly. Examples are the sudden appearance of the stop signs at the corner of Woodley and Wesley, the whole mess with the path and the proposal to allow overnight camping in the park. We need to replace many of the board members so we can have sunlight shine on the conduct of the associations business. Maybe we just need to leave the neighborhood alone for a while and not keep doing things to it in the guise of "improvements." Would that be so bad?
I was at the Board meeting. I was the only non-board member there, but they didn't ask me to leave. Nobody swore me to secrecy, either. And I certainly haven't been prohibited from reading or posting on this blog, which I admit I find terribly interesting.
It's no big secret that Glenn Cartledge (now VP) will be nominated for Pres. Linda Houser will be nominated for Treas. A couple of slots are up in the air due to some last minute politicking.
Now you know!
Of course, there can still be nominations from the floor.
Gail Driebe
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