Wednesday, May 26, 2010


OUR NEW VILLAGE

Our May* 26th Board meeting started out like all the others except there was extra paperwork on the counter available showing first and second drafts of the agenda, a Director disqualification letter, attorney emails, and other paperwork sent to certain Directors.
When it was Ed Montalvo’s turn to give "B.O.D. Comments to the Public", he took a lion’s share.
Director Montalvo said that once again our President Pat Burke has maliciously attacked another LIV owner. He spoke of her using this position for personal gain and that this continued abuse of power is getting worse. In his opinion Pat Burke taken a personal argument between them and turned it into a vendetta that is leading to defamation of character. He explained his concerns about the closed session at the Coffee and the expense LIV is paying for the Village attorney use by Pat Burke towards this issue.
He then made a motion to the Board for an immediate vote to remove Pat Burke from her President’s position under the grounds of abused of power. He also describe two other abuse of power incidences that were similar where there was no apology.
Joe Guerra said he is seconding this motion because he felt the coffee meeting should have been an open session. He said he also became deeply concerned when told not to talk about this subject to any Board member.
Don Halbach said he wasn’t sure he has heard all the facts to base an opinion.
Mary Steffensen wanted to give a little more history on this by saying last month Ed Montalvo asked her for some kind of condo fee form showing assessment info. When she picked up the form at the Welcome office Wednesday morning she notice Ed Montalvo’s name on the form. She brought it to the attention of three directors who happened to come in the office at the same time, one being Pat Burke. She said then she learned that Ed Montalvo was not going to be at the meeting and Pat Burke was going to have a meeting to address this issue.
Pat Burke said on the day of the Coffee she reviewed the past due list. On the 11th or 12th of May she said she verified with the office that he was over the 30 days, and he was. She recited Chapter 4 Section 4 of our Bylaws. She said the Village attorney advised against her contacting Ed Montalvo. She said the attorney told her not to have an executive meeting. She said Treas. Steffensen brought it to the Board in a closed session.
Pat Burke said these late dues had not been paid at the time of the closed session and when he found out about this meeting he came in that day to pay his assessments. That's when he was informed about the letter showing him 39 days past due. She said he then contacted an attorney and because of the cloudy interpretation of the late fee on the Condo fee coupon book, an email was sent to Directors saying this issue is being taken off the agenda.
Pat Burke said the list of things I've done our Village attorney will back and that I've done nothing wrong. She said she has done nothing to violate the advice the attorney had given her. She expressed the last line in the letter to Ed Montalvo not her idea. This read that Ed Montalvo may have the option to hand in his resignation and avoid an open meeting.
Director Guerra said that this came from him out of respect for Ed Montalvo. He said I feel you violated my rights as a Board member when you told me not to speak to any Board member on this subject. He said I can’t go along with this.
Pat Burke said that’s up to you, but the facts are I followed the rules and this was properly put on the agenda. Ed Montalvo was given notice by letter and this had never yet been voted upon.
Ed Montalvo said if it wasn’t voted on and I didn’t resign, why am I stripped of my title as a Director.
Pat Burke said that our attorney requested that after she read of the rules and that until the Board accepts or declines your resignation, you cannot serve.
Ed Montalvo questioned the motives of why Pat Burke was doing this in a closed session when he was absent, the denying his Director’s privileges, and asked why the Board instead could not have done this today in an executive meeting.
Director Gagan said he didn’t remember receiving any directive saying not to talk to other Directors.
Director Guerra said he was told this over the phone by Pat Burke.
Pat Burke after hearing a few more details changed her statement that the attorney told her to tell Director Guerra not to talk to any Board members. Instead she made it clear she made that decision.
Both Pat Burke and Ed Montalvo minced words for a few minutes
Director Bergsma said if I was president, I would resign the position before it came to a vote in order to avoid a lawsuit within our Board. He said the President’s position is not that important. That may defuse this situation and asked Mr. Montalvo if that would happens, would he go along with it.
Ed Montalvo said oh yes.
Pat Burke then said here’s my point, if I resign as President, I will resign from the Board entirely. I am sure that will make some people happy. In a threatening tone she said whoever is elected President, they better take three days off their schedule next week because there’s a jury trial involving the Village.
Director Gagan said he doesn’t want to see a division in our Board. He apologized to Ed Montalvo.

Motion to remove Pat Burke as President
Director Gagan- Abstained
Director Steffensen-No**
VP Halbach-Abstained
Director Bergsma-Abstained
Director Guerra-Yes
Director White- Yes
Director Montalvo- Yes

Pat Burke said this motion has passed, I resign from the Board. Good luck on your lawsuits.
* This was corrected from March to May
** This was corrected from Abstained to No. Sorry

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to read that DH abstained from the vote. He has always backed down from controversial issues. DH could have shown some backbone.

"What a long, hard road it's been." It took 3 years to rid the village of LD and 4 years to finally topple PB's dictatorship.

Thank the BOD members who ended the horrible situation we have found ourselves in for the last few years. Next to go ... MS!

Joey, thank you for all of your hard work and reporting to us.

Why is VM on the BOD?

Anonymous said...

what a 3 ring circus! All because a director might have been a little past due on condo fees? How about pick up the phone and give a friendly reminder? Ended up backfiring like my 71 Ford Maverick! Oh well, what's done is done---WELL DONE!

Anonymous said...

PEACE AT LAST

PEACE AT LAST

THANK GOD ALMIGHTY

PEACE AT LAST

AMEN

Anonymous said...

Well this was WAY over due. Finally LIV owners and residents can live in peace.
Thank you Mr. Montalvo, Ms. White, and Mr. Guerra.

SOS said...

Make sure you remember that PB 'resigned' from the BOD...
Watch what you say!

Anonymous said...

The minutes should be interesting since EM is the Secretary! About 100 of us heard Pat rule that the motion to unseat her as President "Passed" and then resigned from it all and told us "good luck with the law suits I won't be helping you any!" to paraphrase her statements. It might make for interesting reading!

Anonymous said...

What's all the fuss?
PB resigned. The BOD will reorganize and appoint a new director.
Life will go on without PB, (even though she doesn't think so).
We all need to move on.
Finally some PEACE!

Anonymous said...

PB's resignation is the second best thing that has happened since I've been an owner. LD leaving being the first best.

Anonymous said...

This resignation has made a lot of people happy, just as PB said.

Anonymous said...

I hope director Montalvo is aware that PB can be a very dangerous enemy,just ask some of the pre. board members who crossed her...Yeah for a. white, I knew pat wouldn't scare her.

Anonymous said...

Interesting...
PB doesn't want anything to do with LIV unless she can be in charge.
People need to keep this in mind in March, should she run again.
Who wants someone on the board who is so manipulative!

Anonymous said...

People had to know that eventually PB would cause her own destruction.
Thankfully she didn't take LIV with her.