Don Allen Not Allowed To Attend Northside Marketing Task Force Meeting, Two Task Force Members Resign

Photo From Don Allen's
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As reported near the end of my previous post, Don Allen tried to attend tonight's Northside Marketing Task Force meeting, but as Don entered the room he was told--by Vice Chair Mike Kestner--"We just went into executive session."

This is the same Mike Kestner who told Don "F*** you" when Don tried, earlier tonight, to find out when and where the meeting was. (This is according to Don. Mike is free to say his side in comments, which I'm sure I'll be happy to approve)

Don, however, told me he's "smarter than the average bear" so, while excluded from the meeting of this state certified non-profit organization, Don managed to get his hands on a copy of the agenda. According to Don, there was...

...nothing on the agenda about an executive session.

"Couldn't it come up under New Business?" I asked.

Don pointed out there was no "New Business" on the agenda, either. Don read the agenda to me over the phone. The most interesting item was the resignation of a "Crystal Christian" and a "Jeremy Morris" from the Task Force. Don had never heard of anybody named "Jeremy Morris." I asked if it might be a typo for "Jerry Moore," but Don said no, he didn't think so.

Don said there were six people at the meeting. Jerry Moore was not one of them. However, Don reviewed the bylaws and said there might not be any quorum problems after all.

Other items on tonight's meeting included a treasurer's report and "election of a new treasurer." This makes Don suspect the person who resigned may have been a treasurer, because a new one is being elected.

Other items included "Next Meeting, April 15," applications for new board members, feedback from the Northside Housing Fair, the status of the Carney Group contract, and the "future of the task force--election of c0-chairs, temporary chairs."

My Opinion, And I Do Have One

I have to editorialize at this point. I can't help myself. The co-chairs model is a bad and unworkable model. It's hard enough to get anything done when ONE person is in charge, but when two people are in charge? Chaos.

One of my recent posts discussed the shocking lack of transparency on this task force. Tonight sounds like another example of the ongoing pattern. What is so secret, so sensitive, that it must be shielded from public view? PERSONNEL MATTERS?

WHAT personnel matters? This is an all-volunteer, unpaid board. Furthermore, the Carney Group represents a contract for services, not "personnel." I can't think of any reason why this board should be in an executive session over "personnel matters."