To all those responsible for the B&O railroad(and boy did it stink) pushing through the meeting Thursday night, congratulations. I?’m done(and the crowd cheers!). I?’m joining the others who just won?’t go to the meetings anymore. I won?’t fight the fight anymore. To the uniformed, misinformed, too trusting, or those with more important things to do than have time for open discussion, I hope your satisfied. You may say I?’m crying, or that this is sour grapes. Not at all. I?’ve lost votes before. I?’ll lose more. I just didn?’t like the way it happened. I won?’t debate it again(And the crowd goes wild again!). Just don?’t come to me when you can?’t vote on an issue or for a candidate just because you can?’t make the meeting. Don?’t ask me if you think there is a conflict of interest between an officer of this club and his elected position in the city or state. And don?’t tell me we need more money for something when we don?’t know what we have or a future treasurer has ?“misplaced?” some.
After the meeting I was told that if I didn?’t like what happened, I should become president next year(The crowd gasps!) and change it. I don?’t feel someone should have to do that just to be heard in a meeting or to express an opinion. I was asked why I didn?’t make my ideas known earlier. All those at the June meeting know I, and others, did. I was asked why I did not attend a board meeting to express my feelings. I don?’t remember anyone inviting anyone else to a ?“board ?“ meeting. I have never heard the present board say their meetings are open. I also don?’t believe my one opinion would have been heeded to by the ten or so at the meeting. My proof of this would be that a strong majority vote by many members at the June meeting was not heeded. Some say that vote was just a recommendation, I say it was more like a mandate. Either way, the arrogance of the board to disregard our wishes was unbelievable.
I?’m not going away completely(catcalls and whistles). I?’ll still work on projects. I?’ll help with the signs and I?’still have the paint and will touch up the pavilion. I?’m just tired. I?’m tired of being the @$$%&!% in the meetings. Tired of causing the meetings to run on. Tired of being talked over and suppressed. Tired of seeing peoples eyes roll when my hand goes up. After that you may say I should go. But I know not all of you feel that way. The vote at the June meeting proves it. With a different crowd on Thursday, things could have changed. The group that was there created an atmosphere that suppressed people from talking. I should have just given up, but I?’m too stubborn. I should have let the people who didn?’t want to be there, leave. But I wanted to get this over with also. It may not matter anyway, as the old bylaws weren?’t being followed, maybe these changes won?’t be followed either.
It was said that, after that meeting, we would have less people at the next one. He was probably right. After almost eight years and missing only one meeting, I for one won?’t be there. That may be better for the meetings also.
Bill
P.S. For those of you reading this from outside the neighborhood, this is still a great neighborhood. Just as the United States of America has problems, it?’s still the best country in the world. I still love this area and the people in it. I?’m not moving anywhere. At my birthday party Saturday night, I had twelve good friends there I would never had met, without being a part of this neighborhood. I do truly love it here.
By Bill
After the meeting I was told that if I didn?’t like what happened, I should become president next year(The crowd gasps!) and change it. I don?’t feel someone should have to do that just to be heard in a meeting or to express an opinion. I was asked why I didn?’t make my ideas known earlier. All those at the June meeting know I, and others, did. I was asked why I did not attend a board meeting to express my feelings. I don?’t remember anyone inviting anyone else to a ?“board ?“ meeting. I have never heard the present board say their meetings are open. I also don?’t believe my one opinion would have been heeded to by the ten or so at the meeting. My proof of this would be that a strong majority vote by many members at the June meeting was not heeded. Some say that vote was just a recommendation, I say it was more like a mandate. Either way, the arrogance of the board to disregard our wishes was unbelievable.
I?’m not going away completely(catcalls and whistles). I?’ll still work on projects. I?’ll help with the signs and I?’still have the paint and will touch up the pavilion. I?’m just tired. I?’m tired of being the @$$%&!% in the meetings. Tired of causing the meetings to run on. Tired of being talked over and suppressed. Tired of seeing peoples eyes roll when my hand goes up. After that you may say I should go. But I know not all of you feel that way. The vote at the June meeting proves it. With a different crowd on Thursday, things could have changed. The group that was there created an atmosphere that suppressed people from talking. I should have just given up, but I?’m too stubborn. I should have let the people who didn?’t want to be there, leave. But I wanted to get this over with also. It may not matter anyway, as the old bylaws weren?’t being followed, maybe these changes won?’t be followed either.
It was said that, after that meeting, we would have less people at the next one. He was probably right. After almost eight years and missing only one meeting, I for one won?’t be there. That may be better for the meetings also.
Bill
P.S. For those of you reading this from outside the neighborhood, this is still a great neighborhood. Just as the United States of America has problems, it?’s still the best country in the world. I still love this area and the people in it. I?’m not moving anywhere. At my birthday party Saturday night, I had twelve good friends there I would never had met, without being a part of this neighborhood. I do truly love it here.
By Bill
