Re: Election Chair requests board no revisions to the agenda

[Ardyn Reyes Wolfe]

Dear Misa,

Thank you for your email. I support you 100% and agree with everything you have said. There is no reason it should be a "closed" meeting. 

Dear board, I apologize that you are getting my response to Marvy's email so late.  I sent this out this morning.  Thank you, Misa

Dear Board,

Marvy and I talked through email and on phone at length discussing these ideas she has instructed me to carry out.  I am bringing it to the board and asking you to support me in having a special board meeting in March for the election of the new board and one which transitions and welcomes them to sit at the table with an agenda which is inclusive of their presence and which brings in no old baggage, and points them forward as board members.  

I am mentioning it here in case you may not be aware of it, I am one of the founders of the Asian Council.  So I was there when the concept of the officers of the board was discussed.  We wanted the officers which formed the administrative part of the board to answer to the board because we were going to be representing many organizations from different communities and the board was the most fair and democratic place for decisions were made.  That being said, our discussion by email and phone should have been enough, but perhaps not.  Therefore, I will bring it back to the board to make the decision, to allow me the special election board meeting which I had been given and you all weighed in about, or make the changes Marvy is calling for, and instructing me to inform the candidates and changing the agenda to  accommodate.   

I asserted myself as election chair during a very difficult exchange on email and receiving a sign that it would be fine by everyone if we simply had elections a month ahead to get on with our lives, and to allow the organization just to go on with business.    For this purpose, I was allowed to use the March Board Meeting as a special meeting for elections.  I was told the election of officers could happen at the Appreciation Dinner, complete with speeches, voting in by board members only and the oath given.  At that time Ardyn and Marvy could each say a few words as they leave the board, 5 minutes maximum and receive gifts.  

Marvy, I read your email, "Revised Schedule and Agenda" and I respectfully ask you to remember our conversation both on phone and email as to why I as election chair wish to stay firm to the Special Elections Meeting for the purpose of running the election and welcoming on the new board.  I have already made revisions to the agenda which I think should be sent out by now, and you agreed to these changes.      I am presenting the points made  here.  And I am also suggesting options to what you want to do that I believe you can still do without changing the agenda once again from being a Special Elections Meeting.  I am listening to you, and hope the options can help.

Although instructed by you by this email, Marvy, as Election Chair, I do not feel it is appropriate for me to contact the new board members to tell them that they cannot come until mid way to the meeting.     This scenario is no different than the former you discussed with me which I did not agree to  that  we  have the election and then the newly elected board leave the meeting while the old board continues on.  This is a special meeting, so I have asked Jody to send out an agenda which is appropriate for the new board:  no Old Business which needs a decision right now, no  agenda items having to do with the Asian Celebration.  

The agenda is all about the election of the new board and the new business and the old business they are to carry on.  I have asked Ardyn to take the Celebration items off the agenda and she has done so.  I have asked that the only items on the agenda be, the election, the kite festival (since it is happening in May), the report by the secretary, and treasurer's report, and finally Bylaws be handed out by me -by law items having to do with elections and responsibilities of the officers.  None of these items are those which would be inappropriate for the new board.  Ardyn was fine with my suggestion that Celebration reports be done at the Appreciation Dinner.

You had concerns that the treasurer report could not be finished and I answered that Chau could simply say the treasurer report is not finished right now.  Transition will be fine without a State of the Organization report because  several of the new board have already served and can do the job of letting the new board know what they need to know.  We must encourage, however, less baggage for new board members and the inspiration and support for them to bring in their visioning.  That is why  I suggested two options regarding your desire to let people know where to go from where you left off.    One, talk with Chau about financials and have her transfer the information with the appropriate people.  Or write it out your ideas of where the new board can carry on as part of the packet for the meeting after the Appreciation Dinner.  It is completely appropriate for you as the past President to do so.

The others of the Board know better than I, however, I believe there is never   business that needs to finished up by the exit of a couple of board members because it is an ongoing organization.  That's why we have staggered terms. Someone will be able to provide transition to the next.  Things simply continue.  But  I do encourage you to write in a letter form that piece of what you accomplished as President for the new board packet.

I am appreciative of yours and Ardyn's long years of service.  I know it is difficult to just walk away from something you have worked so hard for so many years and formed and shaped.  I believe that it has been especially difficult  because the elections did not happen for years and I appreciate both you and Ardyn for inviting me to be Election Chair and facilitate the process to bring the organization back to what it was to be regarding elections and officers.  I praise both of you for encouraging and supporting this election which makes up for the one cancelled last year.  And I ask for your trust that what I am doing is trying to accomplish that which both you, Ardyn and many of the board expressed as priority -- a fair election, a bylaws which clearly states the election process and the responsibilities of the officers.  I think the metaphor I used in our phone call about the officers was that the tail does not wag the dog -- and the dog is the Board.

I am asking the board for your support to have an election which is fair and a meeting which is the respectful transition. I am asking for the decision to let me have the March board meeting as a special election meeting to stand.

Thanks for listening, all of you.  With respect, Misa

On Mar 4, 2015, at 11:29 PM, Marvy Schuman <marvys...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Council Board Members~

I hope you all are having fun March-ing to the sun shine and awesome weather of this month.  It's been so gorgeous outside, so I hope you are benefitting from the stolen moments of beautiful spring-like weather, admiring the flowers and the birds. For those who want to learn fishing, I am inviting you to join me the next few months for cheat-fishing days at Alton Baker Park.  They have started restocking again.

Alas, it is that time of our term when we need to close shop and finalize our current board business.  Since Monday will be our last official board meeting before the election of the new members for the new board, I will call a closed board meeting for current Council members only from 6-6:45 pm.  That means, NO one outside of our current board can sit in with us until we officially declare the current board finished with its term. It is important that we have proper closure and not repeat how the last term was transitioned to us.  That is our main agenda.

After that, we will have a 5 minute break and then Misa can come in with the other new members and proceed to take over for the nominations and elections until we end at 8 pm.  Misa, please instruct the new nominees to come around 6:30 or if they will partake with our refreshments, move to another place while the board meets.  We might be able to end our board meeting a tad earlier.

It has been an honor to serve as your president.  I hope you all remember our term for the success of OUR collective efforts: the organization of our financial management being our paramount achievement for the past 2 celebrations, establishing a partnership with OCCU, who has helped us far more than we imagined, winning the Eugene Celebration parade competition (2 years!), our first-response efforts for our elders/disabled during inclement weather, our public service announcements on our FB pages, financial aid we give to those who have experienced tragedies or deaths, or bringing food to those who are sick or under financial duress, the return of the grant-awarding to AAFO, feeding our board members so we can have quality meetings, etc.  Let some of OUR accomplishments speak for our term's advancement.  

It is my prayer that the new and old members of the succeeding board will be as successful, if not more, with all that they aspire to endeavor.  Each and every person who has served the Asian Council has a gift, a talent to share.  I hope that you were able to find purpose for that talent and some kind of fulfillment in whatever personal goals you had.

I leave with a satisfied soul, knowing that amidst the trials and tribulations, the arguments and disagreements, the growing pains as they say, when weighed in for measure, we have delivered much to make our term as transparent, accountable, generous, compassionate, fair, and sustainable as it has ever been.  Some of you were solace to me at my challenge times, so thank you for that.

Thank you for entrusting me with your vote 2 years ago when I committed to run our Council as a business. Therefore, as a proper business, we need this proper turnover.  It's just sound business sense.

See you on Monday.

Sincerely,

Marvy

PS

Whoever is controlling our FB page, please put up a reminder that it's Daylight Savings beginning 2 a.m. on Sunday. It's part of our public service announcement to our membership.  Thank you!

-- 

MARVY SCHUMAN
Happy Soul

Asian Council, President

Asian Celebration 2015

Advertising, Sponsorship & Finance Committee 

Tel. 541-915-3816

--

Ardyn Reyes Wolfe

Asian Council VP

Asian Celebration Co-Chair

541-729-4096
LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN, LOVE MUCH