What we got here is... failure to communicate
Or at least that is what seems to have been the case for the last two months, there was however extensive communication at the May Central Committee Meeting, to say the least.
Before I get into the present I wish to make some comments on the past.
I first started making County Meetings just prior to the 2006 Elections. No reflection on the Executive Board at that time I was impressed with Dan Abolins drive and dedication, but things were a total mess.
When the next Executive Board took over, the Committee was broke and had to clear up some serious financial reporting issues that took the better part of their two year term , but they accomplished that goal.
We ended up with a strong IMO system of sub-committees for volunteer organizing and fund raising and were so successful, that unlike most of the Counties in Iowa, we paid for the entire 2008 Election, the Election Victory Offices, had established a Permanent Linn County GOP office, with some equipment staffed by volunteers, we had set up a social network webpage on Facebook for speedy communication AND we had about $5000 in the Bank.
Then we voted in a new Executive Board. What has transpired since?
The Sub-committees? Do not Exist anymore.
Our Permanent Office? Does not Exist anymore.
Our Meeting Location? Changed to the far end of the County.
But we were informed we MAY be meeting in a more Centralized Location, sometimes.
We Do have a Coffee morning rotating around the County, the First Friday of each month and that IS a good addition,
The Communication during the May meeting was
The Issue of using the NRA logo, without their permission, was raised and the Body was informed that an apology had been made, but when requested that the Body be informed as to who that had been delivered to the answer was vague.
The issue of using the name of the Tea Party organization for the April meeting without consulting with them or getting their approval was raised and there was a commitment made to refrain from that in the Future.
There was a LOT of communication on the minutes of the last two months and those issues are to be worked out.
The issue of illegal proxy votes at the March Election was raised and the Executive Board was tasked with an inquiry.
The Issue of the termination of the Permanent Linn County GOP Office was raised and the point of order was, by what authority did the Executive Board terminate the Lease and eliminate the Office, since it had been established by a Vote of the Body of the County Central Committee.
The answer seems to have been that the Executive Board felt they did not need to return to the Body for that decision and could make it themselves,.
Now THAT does appear to this writer as a direct violation of the Linn County Republican Party Constitution.
Which states
The general management of the affairs of the party in Linn County is vested in the Linn County Central Committee
and
The Executive Committee shall transact the routine business
of the Linn County Central Committee during the interim of the meetings of the Linn County Central Committee
. Any business transacted or action taken shall be reported to the Linn
County Central Committee at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
The Executive
Committee is subject to the orders of the Linn County Central Committee, and none of its acts
shall conflict with actions of the Linn County Central Committee.
Others may disagree, but I do not think voiding Lease Agreements and Closing down Offices, that have been established by a Vote of the Central Committee constitutes "routine business" and it is my opinion that the Executive Board exceeded their Legal Authority when they took this action.
The Body of the Central Committee is the Legal Authority for General Management and cannot be overruled by the Executive Board
Now their INTENTIONS may be in Good Faith, but Good Faith as I have stated in one of my previous articles does not endow Legal Authority.
While your Heart may be as Pure as the Driven Snow, and your Cause Just and Righteous, you are either in Compliance with the Rules of the State Election Code, the Constitutions of the State and County GOP or you are NOT.
Which brings us to the subject dear to my heart. We are in my opinion STILL not in compliance as regards Voting Members,
When I asked if there was a Quorum present, I was informed there was, BUT that count included what was termed Alternate Committee Members and as far as I can tell
There is NO repeat NO such designation in the Rules and Election Code as an Alternate Committee member selected during the Caucus Elections.
This Category does not exist, AFTER a duly Elected Central Committee is convened they may appoint Assistants who have Voting Rights in the absence of the Elected Committee Members, the Elected Committee Members may also Fill Vacancies by a majority vote.
But we never did this, The entire result of the Issue that David Chung raised at the February meeting is that until we have a quorum of Elected Committee Members assembled we cannot fill any vacancies nor appoint Assistants.
The only Legal Authority the Ad Hoc Committee formed to deal with this issue had, was to find and recognize Elected County Committee Members, using the Form As as a resource.
They exceeded their brief when they gave Voting Rights to persons appearing on the Form As described as Caucus Chair, Co-Chairs, Secretaries or Alternates.
In one case , the duly elected Committee Member was prevented from voting because their name did not Appear on the Form A and one of the persons responsible for seeing that the Form As were filled out, who had not attended a Committee Meeting for most of the previous year voted instead.
The Solution to all this is simple and I will submit a written motion to the Committee for the next meeting.
Assemble just ONE TIME a Quorum of Elected Committee Members, they can Recognize ALL of the people should they wish, who have been given voting rights, to Fill Vacancies in Precincts and to be appointed as Assistants for Precincts to Vote in the Elected Committee Members absence, AND they can adopt as the Will of the Body ALL Decisions that have been voted on during the recent past.
If we do this we will be in FULL compliance with the Election Codes and our Constitutions and By-Laws.
It has been presented to me that we should just let things ride until the Next Election Caucuses.
That says to me
Just pretend we are in compliance with the Law,
Who cares?
Well I care.
How about YOU?
So we have serious Issues in Linn County,
Which in my eyes have simple solutions.
Obey the Election Code of the State of Iowa and the Rules outlined in the State and County GOP Constitutions and By-Laws
Updated: Wednesday, 20 May 2009 6:14 AM CDT
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