<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Ted, I am very upset with so many references <div>over the current issues at FUUSM mentioning me i left under duress and I absolutely could not go back to the office under the circumstances. I did not </div><div> Retire voluntarily. Regardless of what happened to me…and is still happening, if you were </div><div>Listening at the first dialogue session there were many other unhappy members. I am asking you to quit using “Chris Keller” as a reference to all the real problems at FUUSM. Do all the voices there matter or only the ones who say what you want to hear? Do you really affirm to Defend and Promote equal rights for everyone or just the chosen ones?</div><div>Last but not least</div><div>I find it offensive that the voices that were able to step up and say what offended them are being referred to as gossip and over sensitivity.</div><div><br></div><div>Chris Keller</div><div><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Aug 17, 2023, at 2:07 PM, Nancy Luthy via Fuusm-l <fuusm-l@fuusm.org> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Ted, I often find your comments presented with a bias, but I usually agree with the main points.<div>I feel that your attack on the Board's reaction to Chris Keller's "forced retirement" is a bit harsh. Chris Hoke, President, and I called an "Executive Session" to seek advice on how to move forward. You were very vocal to accuse the two of us as "over-reacting", responding with too much sympathy for a disgruntled employee who received a poor evaluation", not having "facts", etc. You more or less demanded that I get several "signed statements" from members who had observed Kat's obuse of Chris and/or been the recipient of Kat's abuse. I got 10 such statements and much more information than I ever wanted.</div><div><br></div><div>First of all, the "dialogue sessions" have revealed concerns from many members ...not just Chris. I hope you can recognize that Chris is not the center of much of this unrest. I request that you cease referencing her in your comments.</div><div> Annie did so much work on Homecoming, which was the most successful outreach program we've had in years. Not only did she not receive support from Kat, Kat was not cooperative. You may ask Annie for first-hand information.</div><div><br></div><div>I understand that you believe all of those who made statements should have had a direct, loving and respectful conversation with Kat. You may not accept their reasons for choosing not to confront Kat directly, but they exist. I want you to ask yourself why our minister did not show love and respect for these individuals when confronting them.</div><div><br></div><div>I am asking you to have an open mind, listen to the hurt which burdens many of our members, and channel your energy into some positive ways to help our Society function better.</div><div><br></div><div>Nancy Luthy</div><div><br></div></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br><table style="border-top:1px solid #d3d4de"><tbody><tr><td style="width:55px;padding-top:13px"><a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail" target="_blank"><img src="https://s-install.avcdn.net/ipm/preview/icons/icon-envelope-tick-green-avg-v1.png" alt="" width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;" data-unique-identifier=""></a></td><td style="width:470px;padding-top:12px;color:#41424e;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:18px">Virus-free.<a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail" target="_blank" style="color:#4453ea">www.avg.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1" height="1"></a></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Aug 17, 2023 at 7:18 AM Ted Goertzel via Fuusm-l <<a href="mailto:fuusm-l@fuusm.org">fuusm-l@fuusm.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4">Thanks, Tom. Now I understand what is going on with the new rules.</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4">I'm particularly interested in the provision for Zoom voting and participation. This apparently does not apply to the dialogue sessions which have not been on Zoom. I asked for the next one to be on Zoom because I will be out of town that day. Our minister is also excluded from these sessions, or has graciously agreed to "step aside" and not attend. The refusal to </font><span style="font-size:large">to use Zoom, despite all the money we spent to make that system work very well in the sanctuary, may be related to fear that Kat might be able to hear what people are saying about her. Actually, Zoom sessions a</span><span style="font-size:large">ren't necessarily </span><span style="font-size:large">open to the public, people can be excluded on Zoom too. </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:large"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span style="font-size:large">Our principles for resolving disputes hold that people should <u>first </u>try to resolve them face to face. But when the disagreement over Chris Keller's retirement came up, the board refused to do that, holding meetings where Kat was excluded. We even had an "emergency meeting" where the Board members (including me) couldn't find out in advance what was on the agenda. I actually came back from a trip to Miami early believing that the church was having an emergency and I had a responsibility as a Board member to be there. I could have done that meeting on Zoom as well. All this was done to keep from having to talk to Kat face to face. This wasn't Kat's fault, she even arranged for a mediator from the UUA, which the Board turned down, and showed up at our Christmas meeting prepared to talk, but the Board members (other than me) said they didn't want to hear from her.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4">Spreading gossip behind people's backs can be destructive to any organization. I'm glad that at our congregational meetings everyone will be able to participate, including those who must do so on Zoom, and the agenda will be announced in advance. No more "emergency" meetings with secret agendas! One might think that respect for our principles would be enough, but I can see why you feel the need to codify it in formal rules. </font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4">Ted </font></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Aug 16, 2023 at 5:41 PM Tom Cunningham <<a href="mailto:HoldtheG@proton.me" target="_blank">HoldtheG@proton.me</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span style="line-height:1.5">Here is the further explanation Ted invites about the proposed Policy and Procedure on Congregational Meetings that I sent out yesterday. (I have attached a copy to this email.)</span><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5">Mainly I will talk about the part of the document called "Procedure" -- parts 1, 2 & 3, then I will say something about the "Policy" part of it.</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5"><u>Part 1</u><span> </span>of the procedure began as a request from some FUUSM members that future congregational meetings should not include a vote on any business items that the congregation did not know would be brought up at the meeting. That was a reaction to Darryl's motion (at the April 23 annual meeting) for the types of meetings that resulted in the Dialogue Sessions going on now - it was raised under "items for the good of the Society." </div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5">The concern was, members who choose not to attend a certain congregational meeting might have decided otherwise, if they knew that a specific piece of "business" was at issue.</div><div style="line-height:1.5">(E.g. Ted, as I recall, you and Linda left part way through the April meeting -- if the agenda had let you know about the motion Darryl was going to make, and if you were sufficiently concerned or interested, you might have stayed to the end. Just an example.)</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5"></div><div style="line-height:1.5"><u>Part 2</u> of the procedure simply puts in writing, what has been the practice (as long as I've seen) for Zoom attendees at congregational meetings -- that if they are voting members of FUUSM, their Zoom attendance lets them count toward a quorum as well as vote in that meeting.</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);display:inline"> </span><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5"><u>Part 3</u><span> </span>of the procedure is to make clear that under our bylaws, there is another way for members to call an actual congregational meeting, instead of the "congregational style" meetings that resulted in the Dialogue Sessions. That other way is the "Special Meetings" that can be called by a petition 10 or more members. </div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5">Between the April 23 meeting and the first Dialogue Session, questions came up about with the Dialogue organizers about whether the April vote on Darryl's motion was itself, a petition sufficient to make the Dialogue Sessions a "congregational meeting" (at which business binding on the congregation could be transacted). I explained to the organizers why, in my view, it was not -- with the result that the Dialogue Sessions cannot decide any business issues binding on the congregation. (On the other hand, they can result in recommendations, and I have urged the organizers to have some kind of a report to the Board as an end product of those sessions). </div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5">So, Part 3 clarifies how the "Special (Congregational) Meeting" by petition works, which in turn might help those who feel strongly enough about the dialogue sessions issue that they have a way to call a congregational meeting - if they want - in which specific items of business might be decided with binding effect on the congregation. On the other hand, they may choose (at the dialogue sessions) to just make recommendations to the board, or choose to do nothing at all.</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5"></div><div style="line-height:1.5">The<span> </span><u>Policy</u><span> </span>part of the document was put there because our FUUSM ground rules (the 2003 "Policy on Policies" that we on the Board look at when we are considering something like this) says that the Board can adopt a "procedure" by itself (with 2/3 vote of the board) -- but<span> </span><u>policies</u> must first be sent out to the congregation, to let them know that board intends to vote on the matter at its next meeting, and that we invite congregational input. We on the Board felt that the things we were proposing in the above procedures were important enough that we should invite congregational input. So it made sense to also put in the relevant Policy language (what we believe, what we want to accomplish) as well as the procedure (how we want it accomplished). Those "what" and "how" statements come directly from the 2003 "Policy on Policies" that, as I said, the board follows on these things - our ground rules, which this board didn't invent, but which have been there since 2003. (You can find it on FUUSM's website).</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><div></div><div></div></div><div style="line-height:1.5"> </div><div style="line-height:1.5">Thanks for inviting more input, Ted. There you have it.</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5">Tom</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><br></div><span style="line-height:1.5"><br></span><br></div><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></div>
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<div><i><span style="font-family:"system-ui",sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br></i></div><div><span style="font-family:"system-ui",sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><i>I've changed my email address -- please use: </i></span><span style="font-family:"system-ui",sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><a href="mailto:HoldtheG@proton.me" target="_blank">HoldtheG@proton.me</a></span></div><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Thanks,</span><br></i></div><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><i>Tom</i></span></div>
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On Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 at 3:59 PM, Ted Goertzel <<a href="mailto:tedgoertzel@gmail.com" target="_blank">tedgoertzel@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br>
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<div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:georgia,serif"><font size="4">Perhaps Tom or someone could begin by explaining why they are proposing this. Is there some perceived fault in the way we have conducted congregational meetings? Is there something that we haven't considered that someone wants to bring up? Does this have something to do with the recent concerns about the minister's performance? Or is this just Tom being a lawyer and wanting to formalize everything? I have a vague feeling that something is going on that isn't being discussed. Why is changing the rules viewed as a priority?</font></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_attr" dir="ltr">On Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 2:33 PM Teresa Hayes via Fuusm-l <<a href="mailto:fuusm-l@fuusm.org" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" target="_blank">fuusm-l@fuusm.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" class="gmail_quote"><div><div style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div></div>
<div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr">Dear Tom and other members of FUUSM, <br><br><div>The <span>proposed
Policy and Procedure on Congregational Meetings seems to need an
editor. Policies and procedures are often written is such a way that
the average person has difficulty understanding what is being said, when
in fact they need to be written in clear and concise, simple and
understandable language. I am not a writer or an editor, so this isn't
offered as a service. It is offered as an observation after reading the proposed policy.<br></span></div></div><div><br></div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div><br></div>
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On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 10:51:38 AM EDT, Tom Cunningham via Fuusm-l <<a href="mailto:fuusm-l@fuusm.org" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" target="_blank">fuusm-l@fuusm.org</a>> wrote:
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<div><div id="m_-2209181785693861757m_6667212096685768431m_1365917887702709838ydp9321e5beyiv2783560326"><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div style="line-height:1.5;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif">Dear FUUSM congregation,<br><br>Attached is a proposed Policy and Procedure on Congregational Meetings. If adopted, its purpose would be to strengthen FUUSM's process of democratic governance by promoting efficient congregational meetings, in which voting members have an informed and meaningful opportunity to vote on FUUSM business. </div><div style="line-height:1.5;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="line-height:1.5;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif">At our meeting last evening, the Board of Trustees decided that we want to move forward with adopting this. To do so, we decided we will discuss and vote on a motion to adopt the Policy and Procedure at our next meeting, Monday, September 11 at 6:30. </div><div style="line-height:1.5;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif"><br>As always, anyone interested can attend that Board meeting. Or, if you prefer, please let any trustee know your thoughts or questions on this proposal anytime before. (The seven trustees are cc'd individually on this email.) </div><div style="line-height:1.5;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif"><br>Thanks!<br>Tom Cunningham<br>President, Board of Trustees</div><br></div><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></div>
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<div><i><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br></i></div><div><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><i>I've changed my email address -- please use: </i></span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><a href="mailto:HoldtheG@proton.me" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" target="_blank">HoldtheG@proton.me</a></span></div><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><i><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Thanks,</span><br></i></div><div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><i>Tom</i></span></div>
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