Linda Headland

This I suspect is the root of the underlying conflict -- Within the May meeting minutes, published 9/2019 the board has written, 'we (the board) are attempting to make this organization similar to the 'blank' organization (names omitted).' And so, I am concerned that if, these changes might be adopted that, many of the current members will no longer meet the board's new requirements for membership eligibility. Whatever the case, the board would then have the authority (contrary to our constitution) to decide who can and who can't join our organization. As I see it, what this board should be doing is to establish another organization rather, then to attempt to restructure this organization.

Only that this statement had not been written but, rather spoken to me during the November meeting.

"The board is subordinate to the membership ...." Yes, I know. It's just that the board doesn't realize this nor does most of the assembly. During the last meeting the presiding officer said, "(board member name omitted) and I decided to remove the minutes from the meeting." Here they have given the board the authority to decide for the assembly. Yet, they apparently don't recognize this error.

Last year I resigned from the board as a longtime committee person. I still do some of this work tentatively. I have not served as an elected-officer since 2013. I resigned because this board has agreed to make changes to this organization without the approval of the assembly. There were no motions, no debates, no voting nor were these changes mentioned in the recent minutes. Though these changes are relatively minor with fee increases and added program restrictions, these changes were not first approved by the membership. The "I move that the boards be ordered to..." Oh, they wouldn't have liked this at all. And it was nearly always just me against the remaining board members

Yes, and she was suggesting that I specifically use this word, 'please' when addressing the board.

For the most part I'm simply being ignored. Then too, I really don't like making demands at all. Yet, something must be done to resolve these underlying conflicts between the board and the membership or tomorrow, this conflict might be with someone else. A fellow member had suggested that I use the word 'please' more often.

By at least 2008 all of the board members corresponded by email. Most if not all completed documents were likely placed in electronic storage. I am particularly interesting in the minutes of 9/2013, as this was when the president and board had changes. The two board members who were then in office are still in office. I hope this helps to clarify.

Beginning with the research -- As a member I can request that, the secretary provides me with copies of all meeting minutes from 9/2013 to the more recent. If I were to ask only for the specific minutes containing the evidence that the membership had given the board this authority to approve the minutes, the board might then simply falsify the record or say that these minutes have been lost. Only two members have served as president since 9/2013 and both remain on the board. Within the most recent emailed minutes these exact words are written, 'the past president, name omitted' suggested that the Secretary ask if the minutes have been read, are there any changes and if not are they approved.' Within this sentence is our ex-president suggesting that the secretary ask the membership to approve the minutes? This ex-president should know who has been given the authority to approve these minutes.

Okay, first things first, as there is much for me to learn -- as the minutes procedure is being skipped, I might then stand and say, I Call for the Orders of the Day. I might then say, 'I demand that the order of agenda items be immediately resumed' and that, I might interrupt any speaker at this time. So then, the presiding officer should respond by saying, 'Orders of the day are called for' and to then hopefully proceed with the minutes. Or the presiding office might then ask the assembly, if, they would want to move onto the minutes. Now that this decision is in the hands of the membership, the membership might then opt to do what? As I understand, the call for the order of the day is not seconded nor debated nor can it be amended. At this time would a 2/3 vote by the membership be required to resume with the pending treasurer's report?

Only the last 6 years are in question, prior to that time I am certain that the minutes were approved by the membership. The same three board members are still serving and so, they should know. Then, a special 'minutes approval committee' might then be appointed for this task?

Beginning in mid 2019 the minutes have been sent out via email as pdf attachments. I am concerned if these minutes might have been sent out as 'live link' pdf files. I know very little about 'live link' programs. I have yet to determine if the membership had previously given the board the authority to approve these minutes. The membership has not been correcting nor approving these minutes over the past few years or at least not while I was often in attendance.

Perhaps, I could force the board to read the minutes aloud via my request/demand as a member and that this would at least begin the minutes procedure. Yet because the last draft-minutes contained 866 words, this demand isn't likely to be accepted very kindly.

What the board has been doing is to strategically increase the word length of the minutes where it would then be very time-consuming to read aloud, correct and approve during the meeting. Due to our minutes excessive word length the membership might not side with me. The last meeting minutes sent via email contained 866 words. (other minutes have been over 1,000 words) My computer read the last minutes aloud in about 9 minutes time. My name was referenced within the last minutes 8 times and I haven't even made a motion.

I must agree -- this could be a 'fox in the hen house' situation. And so, our board might have been given the opportunity to write the contents of the minutes or draft-minutes to suit their own favor. This appears to be the case. The recent minutes also contain many comments and view points stated by board members and committee chairs. Their names are always written in as having said and this is entirely wrong.

Yet in accordance with Robert's Rules the writing of our minutes are not accurate, in that, they contain opinions, thoughts and assumptions which can not be corrected nor proven as fact. What anyone says during the meeting is irrelevant and should be removed from the record. In this case, I would assume that the minutes or draft-minutes are inaccurate.