The meeting that never was By Matt Kapko Eye Reporter The Arcata Eye November 11, 2003 Irony and emotions ran high in Manila last Saturday as a group of more than 30 residents, directors and commissioners met to begin the first of a series of Strategic Planning meetings. Actually, beginning the process of planning is where the meeting fell short. The audience broke into smaller groups, but before discussion broke out the meeting was called off due to concerns regarding the format used for the meeting’s agenda. Confusion also resulted from a special meeting held by the Manila Community Services District Board of Directors directly beforehand. At the special meeting, the board discussed an allegation brought forward by Dendra Dengler (recently elected to the board) of a violation of the Brown Act, a state law that regulates public access to government meetings. Her complaint is that district policy was discussed at a training session where public weren’t given equal access. She alleges that discussion was held specifically on the current drive to redefine the parks and recreation commission – a hot point of contention that has divided members of the staff and board recently. Dengler spoke to the audience at the strategic planning meeting as its future of continuing hung in the balance. She held back tears, explaining her reservations, while one audience member’s heckling and uncomfortable jabs of criticism lingered on. “I will be a hypocrite if I stay here,” she said. After bringing such a charge of misconduct to the board, she didn’t see the consistency in staying at a meeting where similar concerns lie. She prepared herself to leave as discussion continued about the fate of the misguided meeting. Linda Lee, the board’s president, told the audience, “Our intent is to involve as many people as possible in this process.” Of the emotions running high, Lee said later in a phone interview, “Everyone takes it very personally around here. It’s a small community and everything is very personal to everyone.” In the end, the unformatted agenda and concern that public may not have been fully informed of the meeting were too controversial for it to continue. The moderators and audience members agreed that the meeting be cancelled and opted to give it another go at the next scheduled meeting on Nov. 22. “The rules are really enacted so this doesn’t happen,” Director Tim Dellas said. “It is true that if there weren’t some of the angst in the community that there is, then it probably would have went by and it may not have been a big thing.” He said Dengler was reprimanded by some board members at the special meeting for not bringing her concern to the board’s attention during the incident. In her defense, Dellas said, “I think she’s demonstrated tremendous courage and it’s not her responsibility besides to correct the board at that moment.” Lee meanwhile is trying to look past the failed meeting and forward to the next one. “For too long too few people have been trying to do too much,” she said. “Manila is a town full of creative and energetic individuals. We invite them all to the Strategic Planning Workshop scheduled for Nov. 22 at the community center.” Home