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<p>Tom et al; Everyone deserves to be heard and to live in a safe
environment. Telling the truth doesn't often feel safe, and we
could see that on July 23rd at the congregational meeting. While
all of this back and forth, and policy changing seem to be rooted
in the current Kat situation, I believe it is important to
recognize that we are a society, and legally responsible for every
decision the board makes. The board works for us and we need to
have the right to vote on board recommendations, including whether
to renew contracts. I object to 10 people being required to
petition (what does that mean?) to have their issues heard. Our
issues are your issues and we are a free society called "FUUSM".
It does NOT feel like some parts of this new "written" policy that
supposedly mimics the culture of FUUSM is outlined well enough to
feel like it represents a more democratic way for sharing
grievances, or even changes that people need or want to make. <br>
</p>
<p>Annie Warmke<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 8/17/2023 7:17 AM, Ted Goertzel via
Fuusm-l wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAHHViYq5m-CAmvut_aF2esqZNkgcRK_E7iVD-h8=nCZ4q_wZLg@mail.gmail.com">
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<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" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">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"><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">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 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>
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">
<div>
<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"
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">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>
</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br>
</div>
<div> ------- Original Message -------<br>
On Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 at 3:59 PM, Ted Goertzel
<<a href="mailto:tedgoertzel@gmail.com" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">tedgoertzel@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<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"
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">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 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>
</div>
<div
id="m_6667212096685768431m_1365917887702709838ydp9321e5beyahoo_quoted_2615892767">
<div style="font-family:"Helvetica
Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:rgb(38,40,42)">
<div> 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" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">fuusm-l@fuusm.org</a>>
wrote: </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div
id="m_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>
<div
style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">
<div>
<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"
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">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>
</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
</div>
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</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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