THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 28, 1995 TAG: 9509260088
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Guest Viewpoint
SOURCE: BY TERRY S. SMITH
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
It is with a heavy heart and sense of defeat that I have turned in my letter of resignation as Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues Corresponding Secretary. When I accepted the position in August, it was with the sole intent and purpose of being a voice of member leagues to bring about much-needed change to the organization.
Since that time, the Executive Board has met once. It was readily apparent that the road to recovery would be long and arduous. My effort to volunteer as a member of the Bylaws Committee, which is comprised of Eloise LaBeau and Troy Tompkins, was denied.
Recommendations by others to appoint me to the Audit Committee were ignored. The regular board meeting was canceled because one board member, Eloise LaBeau, was unable to attend; our second vice president, Sharon Coles, and parliamentarian, Jim Weaver, resigned.
And, on the morning of Sept. 16, president Tommy White informed me that two executive board members were ``up in arms'' over the September issue of our newsletter and plans to enhance future issues to include an overview of the previous regular meeting.
It has become very apparent that I have been elected to the position of Corresponding Secretary ``in name only,'' and every effort attempted on my part to comply with the constitution and bylaws in this venue will be thwarted.
I, like every single one of you, have limited volunteer time, and every hour that I spend combating pettiness and self-interest is one hour that could have been spent toward the betterment of our organization and community. Norfolk needs a single, strong ``umbrella'' organization that:
Is open to all civic leagues in the city of Norfolk.
Will be non-sectarian, non-partisan and non-political in nature.
Will serve as a model for all leagues.
Will provide support to its member leagues.
Will act as a collective voice of its membership.
I do not believe that with the federation's current leadership that these are the goals that will be attained. I urge you to evaluate your league's needs for an ``umbrella organization'' and elect leaders who will make those needs a priority in the federation's next election.
After attending the single Executive Board meeting, I have some very serious questions about the leadership, purposes and goals, and practices of this organization. I find myself at odds with the practices and policies of this organization, which has put me in the very precarious position of serving on the Executive Board of an organization that has taken no steps to protect its leadership and members, either through incorporation and/or by liability insurance/bonding, and leaves me with no other alternative but to resign. MEMO: Terry S. Smith is immediate past president and director of the Bromley
Civic League. She can be reached at home at 853-7152, at work at
441-4196 or by digital beeper at 670-7913.
by CNB