July 28 HPPOA board Special Meeting

[Laughing_girl]

Bump to remind HPP residents of meeting tonight.

[Punawild]

I'm hoping that someone who is able to go tonight asks the members of the old board that are still serving (ex-prez for example) with all the problems HPP was having because of the management (fines for this, potental retroactive fines for that, badly paved roads, dirt roads not maintained, members being cursed at, et cetera), why, exactly, didn't the last board man up & get rid of the GM?

[steve1]

The president didn't like Morgan posting information on "Punarock" internet forum if I heard correctly. The board basically patted themselves on their backs for being such martyrs and wonderful volunteers.

During the public comment period people who disagreed with the board were strictly limited to 3 minutes (or 2:40 in one case- I was timing it.) People who agreed with the board were less likely to have strict time constraints.

As the evening went on the board members sometimes interrupted the speakers and while the speakers were kept to a 3 minute limit the board members would frequently add their 2 cents to people's comments. Sometimes multiple board members would want to rebut the speaker's comments and they saw no need to limit their comments to a 3 minute limit. They seem pretty arrogant and unfamiliar with the process.

One speaker read a letter to the board from a lawyer representing the wrongfully terminated employees and requested information from them. Apparently the wrongfully fired employees were open to mediation but they want their jobs and benefits back. It sounds like they are willing to move forward with the lawsuit and if the board members were acting outside the scope of duties they may be PERSONALLY LIABLE for their <probably illegal> actions.

I expect that by Christmas some if not all of the wildcat board members will be removed from their positions either voluntarily, by negotiated settlement, or by recall process.

Someone was filming the whole thing. Don't know if/ where/ when they will post it.

Board president declared the meeting over by her own foolish self (no motion or anything) then when people complained they moved on to the next agenda item, new business. I sincerely hope that they quit their jobs before doing more harm to the association, and I hope the wrongfully terminated employees are able to get their satisfaction from the board members' personal assets rather than making us all pay for this misguided and relatively untrained board.

[james weatherford]

Thanks, steve1,

I was able to arrive at 7:30 when the owner input was still going.
Your description of the "wildcat members" is accurate.
btw: csgray, who posts here eloquently, was there and did a very fine job of emphasizing the need for the board to follow due process.

Noticed that a few owners made vague and nonspecific accusations about the previous board, but could not provide any details.

[Laughing_girl]

Is it correct that the HPPOA president's husband is the replacement or interim GM ?

[csgray]

Yes, he is a retired cop who has taken over the road crew and maintenance yard. Other board members have taken over the office. The board president accused Morgan of posting the president's address and the "secret meeting" time and date on "punaweb rock" (which was not done by Morgan) and someone present said she went to the Board president's house that day and was turned away by a board member because it was a "closed meeting." The president said it didn't count as a meeting because they were just setting the agenda and planning for the public meeting with the members (wrong!)

They were very unclear on the rules of order and clearly do not understand that they cannot get together to do ANY business of the HPPOA if it is not a legally called meeting. It sounded like there has been a lot of this sort of back room dealing leading up to the firing of the staff, and since then to plan damage control.

The chair was very ineffective, she allowed certain people in the audience to heckle speakers, allowed things like the man next to me who was yelling "Time up" at anyone he disagreed with well before their time was up, allowing other board members to respond for well over 3 minutes to peoples' comments, when their job was to listen to the members without responding, and she tried to adjourn the meeting before they had either finished the agenda or made a motion to adjourn. It was the worst run board I have ever seen, no knowledge or understanding of Robert's Rules of Order, no understanding of the role of a board as a policy setting body, and deeply involved in operations, which is far outside of the board's responsibilities.

The fired employees are suing, and the board members involved in the firings are likely to not be covered by the HPPOA indemnification because they acted outside of the process and duties in the bylaws. From what was said in the attorney's letter it sounds like the whole fiasco started with Scott and Cathy warning board members that they were illegally gossiping about confidential personnel matters (possibly concerning Tommy) and it then escalated into firing everyone without a legally called and notified board meeting under the by laws. If true, that would mean they violated Hawaii's whistle blower laws which are very protective of employees who are trying to point out wrong doing.

This board is a mess, and may include people who were appointed, instead of elected, in violation of the bylaws.

Carol

[Rob Tucker]

I recently had some contact with the HPPOA president who called me wanting to know who had posted confidential information on Punaweb. I declined to identify and she pulled a Tiffany on me and threatened to sue me.

[oink]

Very depressing.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[csgray]

I agree Oink. We were looking for an empty lot in HPP to build on (after breaking my leg I am so over living in a house that is 14 steps up) but I am seriously considering bailing on HPP. I don't expect to agree with everything a 9 member board does, but this board is completely out of control and acting so far outside of their mandate, it has me seriously questioning the wisdom of building another house in HPP.

Carol

[Laughing_girl]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rob Tucker

I recently had some contact with the HPPOA president who called me wanting to know who had posted confidential information on Punaweb. I declined to identify and she pulled a Tiffany on me and threatened to sue me.

---

I heard the question I asked while in Pahoa this weekend from someone who doesnt even live or work in HPP. We were discussing associations and the problems many of them are having in Puna.