BS Splits Wins in LCC Election

Willie Knox and Allen McKenzie have won election to the LCC Executive Board in the Annual Membership Meeting held May 9th. They will serve a term of two years. Both come to office with experience. McKenzie returns to serve a second term.. Knox returns after a lengthy absence since formerly holding a seat on the Board. She operates a used clothing exchange at the LCC office building and has helped out the Food Bank in the past (having been dismissed for taking physical action against a FB client). With the seating of Knox, the balance of power again dangerously shifts towards a potential return to LCC historical precedence of guileless and unnecessary confrontations.

Knox was principle in corrupting a recall effort to remove Edna, Ralph and Denise from the Board recently. Rather than allow a formally submitted petition to run its course, intimidating phone calls were made; causing two of the eleven members who signed the petition to withdraw their names. Knox insisted that the cost of such a recall election would be on her personally, which it would not. She even took a roundhouse swing at this writer when unable to emotionally handle my statement to that fact (to her) directly. I did not have her arrested, as several witnesses suggested I do, because doing so would have no effect on the underhanded manner the issue was being handled. She was not then, but is now, a member of the Board. By instigating the recall petition, I simply was taking the only action a member may take when faced with repeated unfair Board actions. I urge future members faced with similar circumstances to do the same.

McKenzie, on the other hand, has demonstrated to this writer, the kind of patience and reason that the Board so desperately needs. In a long-standing issue over the number of vehicles I own (and have parked legally), he and I have come to a compromise that is on-going. This so much better than the "sue me, sue you" confrontations coming of autonomous Board eviction threats.

42 members bothered to participate in this important election, reflecting less than half of the qualified Members in LCC. This ambivalence is root cause to the prevalence of unfounded rumor and ill will;  preventing LCC from reaching its potential, both individually and collectively. It creates insider cliques and even promotes illegal actions to go unchallenged.

Knox is said to be involved in an on-going legal action over the taking of money meant for an individual Membership Certificate. Knox took money on behalf of the corporation when a Board Member; the instrument for which was never deposited to LCC corporate banking accounts. This contention is part of a greater action still pending court hearing. Potential cost to each Member is said to be over $1,000 (EACH) if the corporation is found negligent. A preliminary case found against the person that the Knox-led LCC action had endorsed at the time.

Reason and irrationality in the election, at best, resulted in a draw. It is hoped that the Board in this new aggregate will come to a manageable process; one that will allow the items that require action to be realized when necessary, and the items that are personal confrontations be minimized. When based on prejudice and personal dislikes, actions like that Knox took against me are unwarranted and dangerous.

I caution against further ill will.I post this from personal information that I feel the community needs to know to be forewarned and forearmed against any irrational acts in the future. Apologies need to be easily forthcoming to still muddied waters.