Exclusion, Disdain and a Lack of Honoring the Rules

Let's hear it for Mike Mishak and Jimmy Pack who have written again for Philly Style Magazine-also known as Pete's Magazine. I sent this Letter to the Local Forum to the poor excuse of an interim editor. I feel bad that I'm throwing more "junk" at her (editorial 1-26-06). Too bad. Fool that I am, I thought that was part of the job.

From Marie Lachat

Last week the CHCA Board of Directors removed a Pulitzer Prize winner from the Publisher’s Committee and from the board. This was a board member who cared deeply about the issue of Free Press and as a professional journalist had much to offer our weekly newspaper. If you voted for him, as I did, too bad. The Truth Squad will be sure that their truth about this evil-doer is spread all over town to justify an action that I’ve not known to happen in my twelve years as an active member. This is what has happened to all whom they have banished from the esteemed Club CHCA.

Club CHCA does not include all board members nor all its dues paying members. Club CHCA is the power arm of the community association. It’s just for players, the elite, the corporate minded, the framers and rebranders of our very low lives.

Club CHCA disdains having to operate by the plebian rules of a community association and a nonprofit. These laws are known as the bylaws and CHCA bylaws have been an essential part of the legal operation of the community association for about 50 years. Club CHCA disregards the bylaws as well as the out of the loop board members time and time again. Maybe to them it reads “bye laws.”

Club CHCA often refers to the fact that they are volunteers as if they had invented the word and as if no one else in this community were so inclinded to be so charitable. However, Club CHCA had no regard for participants in CHCA public monthly board meeting by scheduling this controversial Executive Session before the meeting Thus the ordinary folks were left to wait two and a half hours for the public meeting to begin.

Club CHCA makes the rules. Let the peons wait. The emergency inquisition of an evil board member, neighbor, and fellow resident must be held at all costs. Chainsaw Al Dunlap has come to Chestnut Hill. A dozen or so employees and now a board member have been axed. How many more heads will role while the Club CHCA leaders rule.
Watch your neck!

Club CHCA doesn’t want anyone who supports free press to be part of Club CHCA. A new policy on Letters to the Local appeared on page two of The Local dated January 26, 2006. This never came before the board as the operating laws say it must, but it did come a week after the interim editor refered to the letters of the undesirables as “junk”.

Club CHCA has never presented the Board of Directors with guideline for the Publisher’s Committe, though they are obligated to approve bylaws for all committees. Ah, the better to keep the ignorami out of their way.

Club CHCA doesn’t have to honor the bylaws. They play by their own rules but they are playing with our money. Club CHCA has a plan. Wake up and find out what it is before it is too late.