Ingamo board
swept out of office
Only one member returned after petition presented at annual general meeting
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 24, 2013
INUVIK
This was a clear case of grassroots democracy in action.
Bernice Furlong, the former vice-president of the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre board of directors, was one of the people removed from office during the organization's annual general meeting on Oct. 16. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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The board of directors of the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre was swept out of office Oct. 16 at the annual general meeting (AGM) following the presentation of a 34-name petition. A motion approved almost unanimously called for the existing board to step down and that an election of a new board be held.
The surprising, bold move came after what appears to be months of dissension and conflict among the board and staff members, board member Julie Thrasher said.
"It was well known there were personality conflicts between the board and staff," said audience member Melissa Kisoun.
Thrasher presented the petition and made the motion almost as soon as the meeting opened Oct. 16.
Thrasher, who had returned to the board for only the last two or three months, said there were clear problems with "communication and respect."
She resigned from the board at the same time as presenting the petition.
The incident clearly threw existing board members into turmoil at the meeting. It took some time to establish the proper procedures for handling the request, which was deferred until the "other business" portion of the AGM.
That was a decision that clearly irked Thrasher and her supporters somewhat. When Thrasher formally introduced the motion again, the vote was close to unanimous in favour.
The existing board has clearly had its difficulties even before then. Only four of the seven positions were filled over the course of the year.
Vice-president Bernice Furlong said there had been a president elected in 2012, but that unidentified person hadn't completed the necessary police check and therefore couldn't assume the seat. Other positions simply went unfilled.
An interim executive director was in place to deal with the ensuing difficulties, which included the inability of the board and staff to complete the necessary paperwork for funding programs, resulting in cuts to programs and staff.
Two of the four members of the board, she added, travelled frequently, meaning it was very difficult to schedule meetings and have a quorum. Having a quorum, needed for the board to make decisions, requires the presence of all four board members.
That was why Thrasher and Shirley Kisoun were recruited to the board. They had run unsuccessfully for positions last year.
The results of that election were lost for some months, making it difficult for the board to recruit new members who were next in line, Furlong said.
The minutes of the 2012 AGM also were lost, and couldn't be presented at last week's meeting.
"We take full responsibility for that," said Furlong.
A full-time executive director, Brenda Jerome, was hired only three months ago, and she has begun untangling some of these issues and restoring programs, the audience was told.
Several of the existing board members ran for election again after the motion was approved to dissolve the existing board. But Thrasher was the only board member returned.
Shirley Elias was elected as the new president, with Thrasher as vice-president.
"I've once before sat on this board although I didn't think I was going to be running for president tonight," Elias said. "I'm always pulling for programming. I do a lot of programming, I do a lot of workshops for this community, so that's what I'll do."
