Caution: Confusion Zone Ahead
The short, one motion Amended Agenda posted for this board
meeting was most welcome!
Maybe it would be adjourned before lunchtime. ( WRONG.)
This recap is my unbiased effort to understand how our
board functions, “serving the interests of the Members.”References: Amended March 14, 2022, Meeting Agenda and February 24, 2022 Minutes Here
RCSC Board Meeting Summary Here
Video Recording of March 14, 2022, Meeting Here
The meeting began promptly at 9 am with about 85 Members
in attendance.
Call to Order
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Opening Remarks and Introductions: Parliamentarian Rae
Chornenky, Time Keeper, Tracy Bussabarger, Member
• Board Quorum Verified: Alan Lenefsky, the secretary, took roll
call noting Steve Collins, director, absent
• Approval of Minutes with correction by Karen McAdam,
director:
“Board Comments: General Manager Cook replied that yes,
the $40.0M was approved when as a part of the PIF Budget was approved. Director Collins asked
that it be made easier for people to join committees as well as request to see
documents.”
• Committee Recommendations: None. (The Long Range Planning Committee recommendation
for the purchase of fitness equipment on the Amended Agenda was previously
removed.)
(Confusion Zone begins here)
·
Unfinished Business:
o
Dale Lehrer, president introduces the only old
business item on the agenda, “Motion to Reconsider” to address the prior motion
to establish Board/Member Exchanges. (See video at 5:52 HERE)
o
SECTION 5: MEETINGS OF THE BOARD (See reference
above for full motion, February 24, 2022, Minutes)
Karen McAdam, director calls Point
of Order, “…violates terms of parliamentary rules, Robert’s Rules of Order.
37:10 B The motion to reconsider must be made at the meeting where the motion
failed. It is now too late.” Lehrer
said, “Overruled, I will get into why later on.” McAdam asks that the reason be discussed now,
otherwise, she would like to appeal this decision.
·
(Conflicting interpretations of RCSC bylaws and
Robert’s Rules of Order created much board member discussion.
·
President Lehrer shuffled papers, “I’ve
certainly done my homework. I know I
have it somewhere.”
·
She called for a five-minute recess for research
and consultation to support her position. Further discussion, Lehrer, and McAdam citing
various bylaws and Robert’s Rules.
·
Main debate centers on definitions of meeting
and session. McAdam said “It must be specified the
board is on a year-long calendar in the bylaws, and our bylaws do not specify
that,” she said. Traditionally, RCSC board meetings are referred to as
that, and agendas are topped by the words “board meeting minutes.”
·
Lehrer finds session and meeting to be
synonymous “It depends on whether this
is a meeting or a session,” Lehrer said. “RCSC business is not concluded at the
end of board meetings.”
·
Motion to Reconsider moves forward.)
- . Motion to Reconsider –Kat Fimmel,
director
For reconsideration of the third reading of Vice President
Ege’s motion with regards to the Board Member Exchanges, seconded by Lenefsky
Member Comments
(About the Reconsideration of the Motion, Member/Board
Exchange are allowed because this item was on the agenda)
Nancy
Greathouse said “I’m more confused about the issue after listening to the
board’s debate. You are taking member comments out of it. Bylaw changes should
be taken seriously, they have not been in the past. I’m against this, I don’t
think it should have been brought up again.
If someone wants to bring it up as a member exchange later on, if its
2023, fine, what difference does it make at this point?”
Kristi Svendsen, “I second what she just said. There’s no
more to say.”
Lehrer responds
to what Members said: Board meetings are
for Business of the Day, not for random comments. Giving up one business meeting for an unrestricted
Member/Board Exchange would allow Members to speak on concerns, comments, and
questions, “That’s way more than three minutes at the end of a meeting.”
“…you got hung up on the comments and the open mike at the end of the meeting
and you threw away a meeting that was totally directed to you in order to keep
something that is according to Robert’s Rules of order, is out of order.”
(Video 20:20)
Motion to reconsider passes 6 – 2
YES: Akins, Ege, Wilson, Fimmel, Lehrer,
Lenefsky NO: McAdam, Nowakowski
Director Collins joins the meeting.
2. Third Reading Member Exchange -Vice President Ege –I move to amend Bylaws Article V titled Board of Directors Section 5 titled Meetings of the Board, seconded by Lenefsky (See referenced link at top, February 24, 2022 Minutes)
(No Member comments allowed because
this was not on the posted Agenda, it is now up for a vote because the Motion
to Reconsider passed)
·
Board Member Comments
Fimmell: “Sun
City was founded on a principle of self-governance. We
cannot and must not allow anyone to erode our community’s founding principles. What we face today is not an idyllic situation,
for me as your representative, it is important that the members retain a voice
in this community, even if it is not the voice many of the members might
choose.”
McAdam: “I still believe this motion is not in order, and you have
heard from members that the baggage in the proposed meeting changes is not
welcome.” She talked about a compromise that she and Members had previously
mentioned, exchanges on a trial basis before considering a bylaw.
Motion passes 6 – 2
YES: Akins, Ege, Wilson, Collins,
Fimmel, Lenefsky NO: McAdam, Nowakowski
• Consent Agenda: None
New Business:
1. Motion by Director McAdam– I move that Member Comments and Board Member Comments be restored to the Agenda of this meeting – motion passes 6 - 2
YES: McAdam, Ege, Nowakowski, Wilson, Collins,
Fimmel NO: Akins, Lenefsky
Member Comments:
(Twelve Members spoke about Mountain View Recreation Center remodel)
Sample comments:
o
Build it now!
Need to stay ahead of the curve.
Not just for basketball but multi-purpose.
o
Basketball benefits best way to get in shape for
an old person.
o
It was disrespectful and disingenuous to put it
on hold in January 2022.
o
Don’t destroy pickleball to add the gym, there’s
a reason gyms aren’t anywhere else.
o
Need more, not fewer pickleball courts.
o
The wait times to play pickleball made a friend
of mine decide not to move to Sun City.
o
This room is bigger than my high school gym,
can’t Sun Dial be used for basketball?
o
Mountain View is a Cinderella Project, shoe
doesn’t fit.
OTHER: A Thank you for repurposing and improving Sun Dial
auditorium for Wednesday night entertainment.
Announcements:
Collins: “Not opposed to the basketball court and
theater. It’s a matter of timing and location.
Slow down. Don’t tear anything down without having the money.”
Fimmel: “The moratorium was not for a do-over, but
for board members to look at all aspects of proceeding with Mountain View
process, not an opportunity for having additional comments.”
Lehrer: Next
board meeting March 31, 2022 Sun Dial Auditorium 9 am
Board/Member Exchange the 2nd
Monday in April. (April 11, 2022)
Adjourned: Lehrer 10:18 am
How can we avoid the Confusion Zones?
A better mutual understanding of our bylaws and
Robert’s Rules of Order.
The Ad Hoc Bylaws Review should help.
Perhaps it's time to offer a class in Robert’s Rules of Order?
Chris Tracy, Advisory Panel, Sun City Advocates
3 comments:
It really was a confusing start! It almost made me speechless..... I said almost!
We're three months into the year; seems like they should have studied up on their RRO more.
I agree with Jean, except I am not speechless either! I am tempted to agree that there SHOULD BE an Roberts Rules of Order class EXCEPT there would be Disagreements, as nauseum, about Interpretation.
Exceptional reporting Chris. Lots to sift through. If we looked at the RCSC summary they give compared to your reporting, no one would know they came from the same meeting.
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