The Wedgefield Examiner was on vacation for a few days. We were unable to attend the WPA December Board Meeting. Thanks to The Wedgefield Times, the tape is available. There will be more to report about the meeting after the new year holiday.
I found it interesting, but not surprising, that once again we have different privileges as residents dependent on who is asking and which board member is responding. Our policy manual contains all the information and forms a resident who wishes to use the office for an activity, would need. During the December board meeting a discussion arose regarding a group of residents who play cards in the office on Monday evenings. They pick up a key and when they are finished they deposit it in the drop box. This advantage should be available to all residents, if they follow procedure.
The procedure is that you check with the office to see if the date is available, fill out the proper form, and pay a security deposit of $50. The deposit is returned if everything is left in good order.
The Monday night card players didn't have to pay a deposit. I'm not even sure they filled out the form. From the discussion, it appeared that Treasurer DeMarchi was aware of this. In fact, he felt the policy manual should be amended so that the board could decide who pays a deposit, or not. There was a lengthy discussion and the motion failed. Thankfully! More micro management, more twists of the rules, dependent on who is making the request? I hope not in the future, but it does appear to be the case for the Monday night card players.
If memory serves me correctly, there was another card group who wanted to play cards at the office. That group was told they could only play cards when the staff secretary was in the building and that they would have to leave when she did.
I don't know who the Monday night card players are. I don't begrudge them the opportunity to play cards at the office building. I do resent the fact that we aren't all treated with the same respect, opportunity, and rules. The problem here is bigger than who gets to play cards at the office. The problem is board members who use their power for special favors. The problem is administration by cherry picking, a yes basket for those who are favored, and a no basket for those who are not. The biggest problem is failure to follow established policy at the moment of decision, and then back tracking, attempting to set new policy to cover or justify a decision made earlier. This can't be called anything but POOR LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION.
