Historical Society members vote for re-organization
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
The membership of the Highland County Historical Society met in a special session Monday, July 15 at the Highland County Administration Building.
By an overwhelming vote, membership approved a motion by society member Rosemary Ryan and seconded by society member Kay Ayres to "immediately terminate the remaining members of the board of trustees, the director and all committee members in current positions of the Highland County Historical Society, and that Jean Wallis be appointed as general manager of the museum without compensation, except documented personal expenses, to conduct routine business for the society until a new board can be elected at the annual business meeting of the Highland County Historical Society in October 2013."
In addition, by an overwhelming show-of-hands vote, society members also selected Robert Hodson, one of the founding members of the society, to serve as presiding officer until a new board has been established.
The meeting was co-conducted by Hodson, Betty Crum and Mary Todd Hardeman.
Hardeman, who had been serving as society board vice-president, objected to the special meeting, citing the society's current bylaws.
"I would suggest that we vote in new board members," Hardeman told the crowd of approximately 80 members and nonmembers.
"Does that make sense?" Hardeman asked, to which those in attendance replied in the negative.
At that point, Hodson provided background on the society, dating to its forming in 1964 to be a countywide historical society.
Hodson referenced society founders such as Virginia Bell Thompson, Elsie Ayres, Violet Morgan, Charles Harsha, Joe Rockhold and Ervin and Mildred Evans.
Hodson, who was the first president of the Highland County Historical Society, advised that from its founding, the society included board members from many areas of the county.
"We need to preserve the written record of Highland County, and I expect trustees to do the job," Hodson said. "I think it's pretty sick when I see what's happening. People are resigning and saying 'I can't be a part of this.' We need some healing."
"I'm here because of those old-timers. They're all gone," Hodson said.
"For 50 years – almost 50 – there was harmony. When things go wrong, you have to take action."
Hodson then referenced previous bylaws and stated that trustees are to be elected at the annual meeting.
"I understand there was no annual meeting in 2011 or 2012," Hodson said. "In fact, this is the first such meeting since 2010."
Hodson then asked, "How can you run an organization without a quorum? You cannot act with less than eight people (trustees). I tell you today, there are not eight people on this board. Today's board can't do anything. They can't act. There is not a member of our board that has been properly elected. I say at this point, there are no trustees. If there are no trustees, there's no vice president."
Hardeman interjected that she was appointed to a three-year term in 2012.
"Who elected you?" Hodson asked.
"It was done at a board meeting," Hardeman said.
"It has to be done by annual meeting of the membership," Hodson said. "We're not here to bash any individual. The interest is the Highland County Historical Society. We need to get a sick organization healthy again. I'm taking charge of this meeting."
A motion was then made and seconded to appoint Wallis as general manager of the museum and to terminate the current board and the museum's director.
"Why did the motion include letting the current director go?" Hardeman asked. "I happen to be her mother – full disclosure. The scuttlebutt in the community is positive. People, in general, are happy, in a public sense."
[[In-content Ad]]Ryan responded, "The museum is operating in the red. We need to cut expenses and start over again and run it in the interim period with volunteers until we can take a good look at all the finances of the historical society."
Former board member Bob Lambert addressed Hodson, saying, "I think it's not proper to think that the current board values that history any less than you do, because we value that and respect the contribution of members in the past."
Lambert defended action taken to remove former board president Midge Rose.
Lambert said he was "shocked at how angry and vitriolic some charges were" against the board's actions.
Lambert also alleged "illegal activities under federal law" within the society.
According to Lambert, there were "credit card irregularities." Lambert said he wanted to investigate it and was told, "Don't make waves."
"As a board member and as someone who's a good steward of the public money in everything that I do, I thought that it should have been investigated," Lambert said.
Lambert also discussed the society's acquisition of the Scott House, and if the Highland County Convention and Visitors Bureau Welcome Center will remain in the Scott House.
"What about pending activities at the Scott House?" Lambert asked.
"Everything stops," Hodson said.
By a ballot vote, tabulated by Dr. Larry Dukes, Dr. Paul Terrell and Dr. Jeff Beery, the motion carried, 47-16.
Former trustee Dwight Crum then made a motion to name Hodson the presiding officer with the "expressed authority to make administrative decisions and appoint committees." Margaret Van Frank seconded that motion.
Hardeman objected to including the appointment of committees under the direction of the presiding officer. Terrell seconded her motion to amend Crum's original motion.
By a show of hands, the amendment to the original motion failed by a large margin. Also by a show of hands, the original motion passed by a similar margin.
"Jean, you have a tremendous responsibility," Hodson said.
Hodson referenced local historians Elsie Ayres and Violet Morgan, who have recorded earlier Highland County history, and said, "Jean Wallis picked up where they left off. She is a true historian, and so was Lester (Jean's late husband, Lester Wallis)."
Hodson concluded the meeting by saying committees will be appointed, chairpersons will be named, and this will eventually "come back to this membership."
Society member Louise Hapner thanked Hodson on behalf of those in attendance, saying, "I'd like to express my personal thanks, and I expect most everyone else, too, for you for your continued interest in the historical society."
The official line of communication during the interim period will be through Jean Wallis and the society webpage, and its webmaster, John Glaze. That website is: http://hchistoricalsociety.weebly.com.
The next annual meeting will be held Oct. 17.
By an overwhelming vote, membership approved a motion by society member Rosemary Ryan and seconded by society member Kay Ayres to "immediately terminate the remaining members of the board of trustees, the director and all committee members in current positions of the Highland County Historical Society, and that Jean Wallis be appointed as general manager of the museum without compensation, except documented personal expenses, to conduct routine business for the society until a new board can be elected at the annual business meeting of the Highland County Historical Society in October 2013."
In addition, by an overwhelming show-of-hands vote, society members also selected Robert Hodson, one of the founding members of the society, to serve as presiding officer until a new board has been established.
The meeting was co-conducted by Hodson, Betty Crum and Mary Todd Hardeman.
Hardeman, who had been serving as society board vice-president, objected to the special meeting, citing the society's current bylaws.
"I would suggest that we vote in new board members," Hardeman told the crowd of approximately 80 members and nonmembers.
"Does that make sense?" Hardeman asked, to which those in attendance replied in the negative.
At that point, Hodson provided background on the society, dating to its forming in 1964 to be a countywide historical society.
Hodson referenced society founders such as Virginia Bell Thompson, Elsie Ayres, Violet Morgan, Charles Harsha, Joe Rockhold and Ervin and Mildred Evans.
Hodson, who was the first president of the Highland County Historical Society, advised that from its founding, the society included board members from many areas of the county.
"We need to preserve the written record of Highland County, and I expect trustees to do the job," Hodson said. "I think it's pretty sick when I see what's happening. People are resigning and saying 'I can't be a part of this.' We need some healing."
"I'm here because of those old-timers. They're all gone," Hodson said.
"For 50 years – almost 50 – there was harmony. When things go wrong, you have to take action."
Hodson then referenced previous bylaws and stated that trustees are to be elected at the annual meeting.
"I understand there was no annual meeting in 2011 or 2012," Hodson said. "In fact, this is the first such meeting since 2010."
Hodson then asked, "How can you run an organization without a quorum? You cannot act with less than eight people (trustees). I tell you today, there are not eight people on this board. Today's board can't do anything. They can't act. There is not a member of our board that has been properly elected. I say at this point, there are no trustees. If there are no trustees, there's no vice president."
Hardeman interjected that she was appointed to a three-year term in 2012.
"Who elected you?" Hodson asked.
"It was done at a board meeting," Hardeman said.
"It has to be done by annual meeting of the membership," Hodson said. "We're not here to bash any individual. The interest is the Highland County Historical Society. We need to get a sick organization healthy again. I'm taking charge of this meeting."
A motion was then made and seconded to appoint Wallis as general manager of the museum and to terminate the current board and the museum's director.
"Why did the motion include letting the current director go?" Hardeman asked. "I happen to be her mother – full disclosure. The scuttlebutt in the community is positive. People, in general, are happy, in a public sense."
[[In-content Ad]]Ryan responded, "The museum is operating in the red. We need to cut expenses and start over again and run it in the interim period with volunteers until we can take a good look at all the finances of the historical society."
Former board member Bob Lambert addressed Hodson, saying, "I think it's not proper to think that the current board values that history any less than you do, because we value that and respect the contribution of members in the past."
Lambert defended action taken to remove former board president Midge Rose.
Lambert said he was "shocked at how angry and vitriolic some charges were" against the board's actions.
Lambert also alleged "illegal activities under federal law" within the society.
According to Lambert, there were "credit card irregularities." Lambert said he wanted to investigate it and was told, "Don't make waves."
"As a board member and as someone who's a good steward of the public money in everything that I do, I thought that it should have been investigated," Lambert said.
Lambert also discussed the society's acquisition of the Scott House, and if the Highland County Convention and Visitors Bureau Welcome Center will remain in the Scott House.
"What about pending activities at the Scott House?" Lambert asked.
"Everything stops," Hodson said.
By a ballot vote, tabulated by Dr. Larry Dukes, Dr. Paul Terrell and Dr. Jeff Beery, the motion carried, 47-16.
Former trustee Dwight Crum then made a motion to name Hodson the presiding officer with the "expressed authority to make administrative decisions and appoint committees." Margaret Van Frank seconded that motion.
Hardeman objected to including the appointment of committees under the direction of the presiding officer. Terrell seconded her motion to amend Crum's original motion.
By a show of hands, the amendment to the original motion failed by a large margin. Also by a show of hands, the original motion passed by a similar margin.
"Jean, you have a tremendous responsibility," Hodson said.
Hodson referenced local historians Elsie Ayres and Violet Morgan, who have recorded earlier Highland County history, and said, "Jean Wallis picked up where they left off. She is a true historian, and so was Lester (Jean's late husband, Lester Wallis)."
Hodson concluded the meeting by saying committees will be appointed, chairpersons will be named, and this will eventually "come back to this membership."
Society member Louise Hapner thanked Hodson on behalf of those in attendance, saying, "I'd like to express my personal thanks, and I expect most everyone else, too, for you for your continued interest in the historical society."
The official line of communication during the interim period will be through Jean Wallis and the society webpage, and its webmaster, John Glaze. That website is: http://hchistoricalsociety.weebly.com.
The next annual meeting will be held Oct. 17.