A demand for "openness, total transparency" has
been sent to the board of the PR Society by more than 50
members, including many Assembly delegates and past national
and local office-holders.
The initial demand, in the form of a resolution directing
the board to take action, resulted in a threat by the board
to rule the motion "out of order" at the Assembly.
"The core issue," said a memo to the reform group
yesterday by Blake Lewis of Dallas, chair of the Southwest
district, "was that the Assembly cannot create, designate
or take actions; the Assembly can only recommend to the
board."
This contradicted the board's position last year when the
Central Michigan chapter proposed a bylaw that would have
made the Assembly "the ultimate policy-making body"
of the Society.
The board argued that the Assembly already had this power
and there was no need for the CM bylaw.
D'Angelo
Again Says "No"
PRS treasurer Tony D'Angelo, in a posting to the e-group
of the Assembly delegates yesterday, reiterated his position
of Sept. 23 on the e-group that delegates will not get any
third quarter financials until the morning of the meeting
this Saturday.
The lengthy posting discussed first half financials, which
have been on the PRS website for several months.
Said D'Angelo yesterday:
"The Q3 financial statements will be distributed at
the Assembly, hot off the press, because the quarter just
ended. Special thanks to CFO Phil Bonaventura, controller
Wai Cheung and the entire finance dept. for really cranking
to make that happen."
Many of America's biggest companies have reported
their Q3 financials. The Q3 PRS financials have been completed,
but they first have to be reviewed by the board, which meets
Thursday.
Reform
Group Re-writes Proposal
The reform group, which is backing the "Leadership
Development Resolution," said the board rejected its
first proposal, threatening to rule it out of order if it
was proposed on the floor of the Assembly.
The group then re-wrote it to be in conformity with New
York State laws and it was then accepted by the board. It
is now in the form of a recommendation to the board rather
than a demand.
A task force is to be formed that will be at least half
composed of Assembly delegates.
Reformers are not sure that the board will follow the recommendations.
Said Lewis and Debbie Mason, past national director, in
an Assembly e-group posting Monday:
"We remain concerned that once the resolution
is passed (which we hope it will be) that the board will
follow all of the recommendations, including the implementation
of provisions that are a critical part of the resolution:
transparency, openness, involving delegates and a diverse
and representative group of other PRS leaders, and ensuring
that Assembly members are fully involved in the leadership
of the study and review process."
Past
Presidents Sign Resolution
Among more than 50 signers are past presidents Jerry Dalton,
John Beardsley, Joe Epley, Kathy Lewton, Del Galloway, Barbara
Hunter, Jack Felton, and Dwayne Summar.
Other signers include past national directors Steve Shivinsky,
Patrick Pollino, Deanna Pelfrey, Gary McCormick, Maria Russell,
Mary Beth West, Tom Vitelli, Isobel Parke Jackson, Michael
McDermott, Steve Seekins and educators including Elizabeth
Toth, Judy Turk, Dean Kruckeberg, Laurie Wilson, and Joe
Trahan.
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