SPAR Board

[soxfan]

Not only does the board need to be changed, but so do the by laws.. The executive board also needs to be eliminated all together..

[sheclown]

The year Johannes ran for a spot on the board, there was a controversy over the ballots.  I believe that was in 2006 or 2007.  

After this came the "election reform."  

Since then...the bylaws have been modified to tighten the election procedure even more.  When elections do occur, they are in the form of rubber stamp slate elections.  

Of course, this is all blamed on LISC.  Which is absurd. (Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.)

[strider]

Technically, I believe that if an organization fails to follow the basic by-laws under which it is legally supposed to operate, then any and all business conducted by that organization is illegal.  Mr. Moulton, for instance, was never legally elected to the board at all and never legally re-appointed (the appointment came months after it should have and was by the Governance Committee, which did not have the authority to do it - all of which is documented in the official SPAR Council Board minutes.) This would mean all decisions made since October 2008, the month the organization basically scrapped it's by-laws, that Mr. Moulton had a part in are invalid and not binding.

This could be important, as if the organization were to be sued, for instance, the corporate seal could certainly be broken and the board members sued individually for their actions.  

There is no greater negligence than the ignoring of the very laws you helped to create.

[Springfielder]

Exactly, which is why the entire organization needs to step down and elections held for all positions.

[cindi]

Sorry to be a NellyNaySayer but - not even sure why this is being discussed.  You could have the entire population of Springfield saying that the organization needs a giant douching but as long as you have the self appointed czars of Springfield entrenched in office, not one thing will change (for the better) - they do continue to establish new "lows", so at least it appears they do still have a mission. 

[Springfielder]

True. It's just sad to watch the organization die a slow death, when it just doesn't have to be that way.

[iloveionia]

Agreed Cindi.
I think it is just in the hearts of most, we want SPAR to be the organization that speaks for us and does the right thing. 

[cindi]

Right now it is pretty much like that old dog that you have had since you were young - he was loyal, always there and protected you from "evil".  The poor thing is now senile and doesn't recognize you, so he often snaps at you instead of "evil", has such a hard time getting up that most of the time will just relieve himself where he happens to be and no matter how many bathes you give him you just can't get rid of that smell that comes with chronic disease - of course, his ability to smell himself has long since passed.  You know in your heart of hearts that the humane thing to do is to let him go with his remaining dignity, but you just can't - you feel guilty because you remember the times that he really could have used a long walk or a day in the park but you were just too busy with your own life and "I promise, I'll take you tomorrow" but tomorrow never came.  Your guilt is the only thing standing between him and peace.
It's time, that smell lingering over Springfield isn't the ash (of course not nearly as important as that damned car wash they had a hard on about - please note sarcastic font used here) it is the smell of old, outdated, thinking of a few self righteous, moral elitist, old dogs that, no matter how many times they are doused with fresh smelling ideas - will still stink.  The question is, who is going to take it to the vet for the "nap"?

[sheclown]

Right now it is pretty much like that old dog that you have had since you were young - he was loyal, always there and protected you from "evil".  The poor thing is now senile and doesn't recognize you, so he often snaps at you instead of "evil", has such a hard time getting up that most of the time will just relieve himself where he happens to be and no matter how many bathes you give him you just can't get rid of that smell that comes with chronic disease - of course, his ability to smell himself has long since passed.  You know in your heart of hearts that the humane thing to do is to let him go with his remaining dignity, but you just can't - you feel guilty because you remember the times that he really could have used a long walk or a day in the park but you were just too busy with your own life and "I promise, I'll take you tomorrow" but tomorrow never came.  Your guilt is the only thing standing between him and peace.
It's time, that smell lingering over Springfield isn't the ash (of course not nearly as important as that damned car wash they had a hard on about - please note sarcastic font used here) it is the smell of old, outdated, thinking of a few self righteous, moral elitist, old dogs that, no matter how many times they are doused with fresh smelling ideas - will still stink.  The question is, who is going to take it to the vet for the "nap"?

You are a clever girl, Miss Cindi.

[cindi]

Right now it is pretty much like that old dog that you have had since you were young - he was loyal, always there and protected you from "evil".  The poor thing is now senile and doesn't recognize you, so he often snaps at you instead of "evil", has such a hard time getting up that most of the time will just relieve himself where he happens to be and no matter how many bathes you give him you just can't get rid of that smell that comes with chronic disease - of course, his ability to smell himself has long since passed.  You know in your heart of hearts that the humane thing to do is to let him go with his remaining dignity, but you just can't - you feel guilty because you remember the times that he really could have used a long walk or a day in the park but you were just too busy with your own life and "I promise, I'll take you tomorrow" but tomorrow never came.  Your guilt is the only thing standing between him and peace.
It's time, that smell lingering over Springfield isn't the ash (of course not nearly as important as that damned car wash they had a hard on about - please note sarcastic font used here) it is the smell of old, outdated, thinking of a few self righteous, moral elitist, old dogs that, no matter how many times they are doused with fresh smelling ideas - will still stink.  The question is, who is going to take it to the vet for the "nap"?

You are a clever girl, Miss Cindi.

Not really, I just recognize a poor old animal that continues to suffer needlessly.

[CS Foltz]

cindi +1

[AlexS]

Oh Cindi, I love it. 

[FinnegansWake]

The year Johannes ran for a spot on the board, there was a controversy over the ballots.  I believe that was in 2006 or 2007.  

After this came the "election reform."  

The "controversy" was that the names on the ballots were not in alphabetical order. I, and one other (can't remember who), were in charge of the ballots.

The election reform (and all the other changes) were a separate issue and were implemented when LISC was assisting the org to "change." At the time I thought a lot of the ideas were good and would make the org run more like a "professional" non-profit (like the ones you find creating change world-wide).

I don't really know how to describe my...what...disappointment? I left shortly afterwards and have thought about it for awhile. Don't know if it is a combination of personalities, not enough communication within the Board, or what.

My biggest complaint the 3-years I served was that we were not actively going after every single resident in SPR for membership.

Phil

[cindi]

The year Johannes ran for a spot on the board, there was a controversy over the ballots.  I believe that was in 2006 or 2007. 

After this came the "election reform." 

The "controversy" was that the names on the ballots were not in alphabetical order. I, and one other (can't remember who), were in charge of the ballots.

The election reform (and all the other changes) were a separate issue and were implemented when LISC was assisting the org to "change." At the time I thought a lot of the ideas were good and would make the org run more like a "professional" non-profit (like the ones you find creating change world-wide).

I don't really know how to describe my...what...disappointment? I left shortly afterwards and have thought about it for awhile. Don't know if it is a combination of personalities, not enough communication within the Board, or what.

My biggest complaint the 3-years I served was that we were not actively going after every single resident in SPR for membership.

Phil

Phil,
There have been sooooo many wonderful, strong, fresh, professional and downright brilliant people that have been officers - and have been run off almost as soon as they got there.  the ones that are deeply entrenched DON'T WONT CHANGE, they don't want anyone to ask questions, and they sure as heck don't care about what's best for "the neighborhood", for the most part, it appears they have their own personal agenda and consequences be damned. 
Having every single resident of springfield as a member would only mean more people to be ignored.  At this point, frankly, SPAR does NOT represent any sort of neighborhood leadership (except perhaps in their own minds) and frankly I think the saying is - the only reason anyone would follow them would be out of idle curiosity.
Face it, Springfield continues to have wonderful thing happening (SOS - one of best and most recent) despite SPARs best efforts to drive neighbor against neighbor.
Back to the dying dog reference.  Everyone feels sorry for the dog that is so incapcitated that it simply lays in its own mess, and they begrudedly clean up after it day after day but eventually even sympathy will lose out and someone will man up (or woman up) and the nap will come.

[just_chi]

Cindi:  

Power to the people.