On Monday, the same issue that the protestors came to speak on came up again when Kay Slack asked the board to stop holding what she considers to be illegal meetings.
“If there have not been open meetings you are in violation of the bylaws,” Slack said. Violating the bylaws, she said, jeopardized the co-op’s tax exemptions.
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Lester, her critics have alleged, should not have been eligible to take her seat since changes to the bylaws instituted a limit of three consecutive terms per board member.
Kincaid, her critics have said, should have stepped down because of tightened conflict of interest rules and the belief that her son is doing business with the co-op.
Board Attorney Robin Brena has said at previous meetings that, in his reading of the bylaws, no illegal meetings have been held and has requested anyone who thinks differently to explain exactly why they think so.
In previous interviews, Kincaid has said she has no conflict of interest because at present her son does no business with the co-op.
As for Lester, makers of the bylaw amendment thought it was to take effect after she was already seated. In essence they believed Lester was the beneficiary of a grandfather clause.
Dewey Taylor, who sits on the bylaw committee, said just that at the Monday’s meeting. He said it appears to him that a lot of members are confused about the bylaws. This might stem, he said, from a pair of factors that govern board procedures in addition to the bylaws – past practices and lawsuits that may have changed procedures without those changes being reflected in the bylaws.
“Those of us that looked at them closely for a number of months are also confused,” Taylor said of the bylaws.
Another thing tripping up board members, Brena said, appears to be Robert’s Rules of Order. He said he spent some time researching good authorities on the rules and passed out copies of one resource he found useful.
Soon after, Slack stood up to raise a point of order, saying that the meeting being held was illegal because of the presence of Lester and Kincaid.
“Mrs. Slack you are out of order,” Lester said.
“No, you are,” replied a number of audience members.
Board member Larry DeVilbiss spoke in defense of Slack but was cut off by a request from Lester, who asked him to speak to the motion at hand, which dealt with the board’s meeting schedule.
“Please speak to the calendar,” Lester said, repeating her request as DeVilbiss attempted to go on.
“I guess if the board won’t support me speaking I will speak to the calendar,” he said and asked that next month’s meeting be moved up a week, a motion that passed.
Comments
38 comment(s)Get Educated Lap Dog wrote on May 19, 2009 11:03 PM:
Get Educated wrote on May 18, 2009 8:39 PM:
Dennis O. wrote on May 18, 2009 3:58 AM:
Rusty wrote on May 17, 2009 10:11 AM:
Lysander_Spooner wrote on May 17, 2009 9:52 AM:
heartland wrote on May 16, 2009 4:56 PM:
Dennis O. wrote on May 16, 2009 3:44 PM:
Lysander_Spooner wrote on May 15, 2009 9:08 PM:
But please, please keep posting. I appreciate the opportunity to continue pointing it out! "
Concerned wrote on May 15, 2009 10:00 AM:
PETE wrote on May 14, 2009 11:21 PM:
Dan O wrote on May 14, 2009 12:19 PM:
Pamela wrote on May 14, 2009 4:39 AM:
Too many think that coming here and making false, unsubstantiated smears against good people, or using profanities and hate-talk, or using the most inflamatory and sensationalistic language possible - makes them believeable or clever.
They, very much, are neither believable nor clever, and their hate filled rants are nothing if not disturbing and a tremendously sad commentary on how low humanity can go. "
Pamela wrote on May 14, 2009 4:26 AM:
Gas Plant wrote on May 13, 2009 9:43 PM:
Gas Plant wrote on May 13, 2009 8:53 PM:
More Politics than Power Company,Don't worry, be happy, the lights are still on! "
Dennis O. wrote on May 13, 2009 8:03 PM:
Facts wrote on May 13, 2009 3:57 PM:
Dennis O. wrote on May 12, 2009 10:31 PM:
To Actually No wrote on May 12, 2009 8:31 PM:
Cheap junk in the MEA meeting wrote on May 12, 2009 5:35 PM:
Almost dialed 911 wrote on May 12, 2009 5:25 PM:
Go to the meetings wrote on May 12, 2009 4:06 PM:
To Facts wrote on May 12, 2009 2:54 PM:
Actually no. wrote on May 12, 2009 2:50 PM:
Facts wrote on May 12, 2009 2:45 PM:
Lysander_Spooner wrote on May 12, 2009 1:09 PM:
To Actually no wrote on May 12, 2009 12:33 PM:
Even a few hundred votes is a substantial margin where many local elections have been won or lost by less. In any case, are you suggesting that the votes of the majority should be thrown out and Lester unseated regardless of their wishes? That doesn't sound very democratic to me. "
offsaopstone wrote on May 12, 2009 12:04 PM:
Old-time MEA member wrote on May 12, 2009 11:39 AM:
Actually no. wrote on May 12, 2009 10:32 AM:
Brena is a bully wrote on May 12, 2009 10:08 AM:
RZ wrote on May 12, 2009 9:52 AM:
MEA Audio Available wrote on May 12, 2009 9:49 AM:
JD wrote on May 12, 2009 9:35 AM:
Wrong again Dennis wrote on May 12, 2009 9:21 AM:
Common Sense wrote on May 12, 2009 8:58 AM:
Its time to move forward. wrote on May 12, 2009 7:38 AM:
Points of order can be raised by board members, but the audience should refrain from interrupting the business of the board and do their speaking during the times designated for public participation in the agenda.
Those who choose to make allegations of wrong doing during that time should be specific and provide as much documentation as possible so the matter can be properly investigated, otherwise they are just spreading rumors and being disruptive. "
Dennis O. wrote on May 12, 2009 6:40 AM: