It seems to come down to two committee meetings and the rules.
Columbia Association Board Member Tom O?Connor said the Board Operations Committee didn?t conduct the recent meetings appropriately and has filed an ethics complaint against the panel.
“The rules are there for a purpose, and they were violated,” said O?Connor, who represents Dorsey?s Search.
In May and June, CA Board Vice Chairman Phil Kirsch led the Board Operations Committee in place of Barbara Russell, who is chairwoman of the committee but was out of town.
The problem, O?Connor said, is Kirsch isn?t on that committee, so he shouldn?t have led the meeting.
O?Connor filed a complaint after the May meeting, but the alleged violation occurred again, he said.
The issue comes several months after rising tensions on the previous board about the length of CA President Maggie Brown?s contract.
For O?Connor, it boils down to rules.
The rules “are there to protect all members, so all members are given an equal voice and that no one member or group of members can dominate,” he said.
Kirsch disagreed, saying O?Con-nor?s complaint was “based on a misunderstanding.”
Kirsch said he wasn?t selected as a new committee member and was just sitting in for Russell.
Russell, who is also chairwoman of the CA board, said it wasn?t practical for her to head the meetings she couldn?t attend, one of which she participated in by phone.
“As in any organization, when a chair is away, the vice chair resumes all responsibilities of the chair,” she said.
The issue is “the action of one member of the board, [and] not a general board conflict,” Russell said.
The committee is expected to discuss the complaint at the July 17 committee meeting.
AT A GLANCE
The Board Operations Committee:
» Is headed by the Columbia Association board chairwoman
» Consists of chairpeople of other committees and CA president
» Responsible for effective functioning of the board
