Minnesota Mensa Board - Removal-happy?

If you're driving along the freeway and an occasional car passes you, they might be going too fast.

If every car passes you, you are likely going too slow.

Similarly, if a Local Group Board removes somebody on rare occasion, perhaps there was a good reason for it.

But — if removals start happening with some frequency, it's time to ask if there's something wrong with the Board.

And why would a Mensa volunteer need to be removed?  Certainly, if a person felt that he or she was unqualified or otherwise unable to do a proper job, they would not volunteer in the first place, or would resign.

If there were a "problem" with a volunteer, typically that person would be asked to resign.

From this, can we not conclude that any removals are suspect?

Here are three recent examples:

Alan Heigl, Webmaster:
 
July 17, 2002 (According to the next meeting's minutes below, there was a board meeting on this date.  I have been unable to find any published minutes of this meeting.) (I've been unable to determine who was present at this meeting.)
July 30, 2002 New Business:

Web site: Motion: On July 17 the Board voted to remove Al Heigl from his appointed position as Webmaster [JH/PJ unanimous].  The Board thanks Al for his contributions as Webmaster for the last four years. 

 DeDe Tredinnick, Paul Jensen, Mary Abbey, Jeff Rowan, Ken Silver, Bill Conlan, Gordon Andersen, Kay Redding, Paula LeCocq.
August 19, 2002 Special Board Meeting

Meeting called to order at 7:05 P.M

Special agenda: Minnesota Mensa Webmaster assignments.

Motion to establish discussion guidelines: Each Board member is allowed up to three minutes to present their position, plus up to two minutes follow-up, with exception given to Jeff and Paul to present factual background material., [DT/KS unanimous 02/08-03.

Motion to rescind July 30, 2002, Board action 02/OB-02 appointing Jason Schmitz as Webmaster [MA/KS].

Motion to suspend the rules to allow general discussion on Webmaster issues [PJ/JH unanimous 02/08-D4].

After extensive discussion, vote on previous Motion to rescind July 30, 2002, Board action 02/ 08-02 appointing Jason Schmitz as Webmaster [yes: PJ /MA/BC/KS, no: JR, abstain: DT/JH, passed 02/08-05].

Motion to rescind July 17, 2002, Board action 02/08-01 to remove AI Heigl from his appointed position as Webmaster [PJ/KS, yes: PJ/MA/BC/KS, no: JR, abstain: DT/JH, passed 02/08-06].

Motion to adjourn [PJ, failed for lack of second].

Motion to remove AI Heigl from his appointed position as Webmaster, per the provision of Article IIl, Section 12, of the Minnesota Mensa Bylaws, which permits removal of an appointed officer by a majority of the entire Board of Directors [DT/JR, yes: DT/JR/MA/BC/JH, abstain: PJ/KS, passed 02/08-07].

Motion to appoint Jason Schmitz as Webmaster [JH/BC, yes: DT/JR/MA/BC/JH, no: PJ, abstain: KS, passed 02/08-08].

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 P.M.

 DeDeTredinnick, Paul Jensen, Mary Abbey, Jeff Rowan, Ken Silver, Bill Conlan, Judy Hogan, Gordon Andersen (invited observer), Paul Chamberlain (legal counsel).

 
Jeff Rowan, Membership Officer:
 
July 29, 2003 New Business:

Motion 03.07-02: Minnesota Mensa regretfully voted to remove Jeff Rowan from membership officer position.  (KS/MA)

 DeDe Tredinnick, Gordon Andersen, John Strop, Mary Abbey, Judy Hogan, Bill Conlan,  Kim Kleinkauf, Paul Jensen, Andrew Tighe, Ken Silver.

Jeff was a former Board member, serving 15 months as Recording Secretary (including the times above when the Board was trying to give me the shabby treatment).
Andrew Tighe, State Fair Coordinator:
 
November 2, 2004 Officers' Reports:

Recording Secretary: Via e-mail on August 11, 2004, the following motion was made by MB, seconded by KS, and passed unanimously by the Board of Minnesota Mensa: 08/11 2004 04/08-01 That the Board of Minnesota Mensa immediately remove Andrew Tighe from the appointed position of State Fair coordinator and that DeDe Tredinnick be appointed to assume the duties of that position.  This item is presented at this time to allow it to be a matter of record.

 Board members: Mary Abbey, Marian Bystrom, Bill Conlan, Paul Jensen, Ken Silver.  Others: Gordon Andersen, Andrew Hogan.

What on earth is going on when somebody has to be removed by immediate emergency e-mail?  And bear in mind, Andrew Tighe is a former LocSec of Minnesota Mensa.   Why do current Board members treat one of their own emeriti in this shabby way?

It seems to me, given my experiences and the other two cases above, our by-laws should be enhanced so that this sort of thing won't happen, or at least won't happen in the ways it has in the past.

Eliminate removing people based on vague reasons, or on a personal whim, or just because the by-laws say it's possible.  Nobody should be removed from any elected or appointed position unless the specific charges are drawn up, provided to the person involved, and that person has a full opportunity, in person or otherwise, to defend himself or herself.  These specific charges, and the person's response (at a minimum) would have to be made part of the official minutes and published so that the membership would know exactly what's going on.

 

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