“Inadequate quroum.” “Didn’t have necessary quorum.” Either way you say it, it’s stacking the deck, arranging a situation so its outcome fits you.
That’s what Idyllwild Water District Prez Jim Billman and GM Tom Lynch did by canceling last week’s board meeting.
Why? Because electing officers was on the menu, along with other matters.
And why is that concern? Because the board is slanted 3-2, the last two folk being those the electorate voted in to replace two incumbents in a controversial election last fall, two folk the other three don’t invite to their frankfurter parties.
One of the first three, a vocal antagonist against one of the two elected, couldn’t make the meeting.
That meant four people voting for officers with a chance of an ugly outcome for the current president.And, unwisely, by canceling the meeting, other public business on the agenda wouldn’t be addressed.
On a five-person board, a majority is a quorum, according to “Robert’s Rules of Order,” in absence of a rule that says otherwise. Direct quote from Robert’s: “A board or committee does not have the power to determine its quorum unless the bylaws so provide.”
So, let’s take a look at IWD’s bylaws, right? Particularly to ensure it has adopted Robert’s and to examine if a bylaw exists stating a quorum is five, not three, and that the president and/or GM have the power to determine a quorum.
After requesting IWD’s bylaws, we received a letter saying staff “have undertaken a comprehensive search of our files, and contacted the Riverside County Recorder’s Office to determine if such documents exist. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find any such documents.”
A few real rascals are running our largest water district on the Hill, folk.
Becky Clark, Editor