THE SECRET MEETING, a one act play
Play: The Secret Meeting
Scene 1: Two board members talking.
Time: Sometime prior to the secret meeting.
Background: Just following the election of new board members, the board will be holding their organizational meeting on Thursday, 7 May to formally nominate new board officers for president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Prior to that open meeting, the board will go to extraordinary and illegal lengths to avoid the appearnace of doubt or uncertainty in a public forum by holding a secret meeting in advance of the board's organizational meeting.
Dialogue:
I want Jack Troia as my Vice President, and of course, myself to continue as President. But everyone knows that the vice president’s position has been occupied by Carl Weinstein, considered by many to be open and friendly to homeowners. What I do not want to do is hash this over in a public forum in advance of the board’s organizational meeting on Thursday. That would just create an opportunity for the expression of public disapproval, or worse, outrage, at what we are planning, and besides, we don’t have enough time to implement this change between now and the scheduled board meeting.
I think we are all agreed but we need some type of meeting, I mean non-meeting, so that we are on record between us to affirm our collective intentions on who should be formally nominated as officers of the corporation on Thursday. I say non-meeting since the State has just informed us that we are in violation and that we can no longer hold secret meetings consisting of 4 or more board members present, a majority, unless the meeting is properly noticed and unit owners are permitted to attend. Any ideas?
How about holding this non-meeting with only 3, potentially cooperating board members present, say at so-and-so’s home, excluding myself, of course. I cannot attend because then this gathering would indeed be an illegal meeting with 4 of us present. But what about Carl? Since we are planning to dump Carl from his position as a corporation officer, his presence will not be all that helpful if we are going to replace him with Jack. Let’s just not invite Carl. I think we can count on everyone else being onboard with the election approach we are proposing, but we need to make sure.
So, how will this meeting go down with only three board members present? I think we can get around the State’s new instruction to us on holding secret meetings. How’s that? Well, when this meeting takes place we’ll have, you know who, on the speaker phone as sort of an observer. If anyone should officially inquire, we’ve all agreed that “you know” was there but not participating as a board member, only as an observer. And what about the seventh board member, who will be out of town at that time? That’s already been taken care of. “You know” will be on the speaker phone, and he will have their proxy. So, that will make up 5 of the 7 board members participating in the meeting, excuse me, I mean non-meeting, with only 3 physically present and 2 by phone.
But doesn't the State count a board member on the phone as if they were present at the meeting? Yes, but we are ignoring that advice on this occasion. And besides, “You know,” our newly elected board member, is technically not participating in this gathering as a board member, (with a big wink). That would be against the law, right?
Scene 2: The secret meeting
Date: Monday 4 May 2009
Place: At so-and-so’s home.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Attendees: 5 board members, three in physical attendance; one by phone and another by proxy for a board member who was out of town.
Purpose of the meeting: To affirm between those participating who would be nominated as new board officers.
Specific meeting agenda: To nominate the following: Roz Berman, President; Jack Troia, Vice President; Shirley Cheri, Treasurer; and Roger Cooper, Secretary.
Dialogue:
With pleasantries and small talk concluded, we are gathered here to determine who and how many will support the nomination of Roz Berman as President; Jack Troia as Vice President; Shirley Cheri as Treasurer; and Roger Cooper as Secretary.
Of those present, who will support Roz Berman as President; Jack Troia as Vice President; Shirley Cheri as Treasurer; and Roger Cooper as Secretary at this week’s board meeting on Thursday, 7 May. Please indicate by saying YES. I hear 5 Yeses. With all in agreement on this proposed slate of new officers, our non-meeting is now adjourned.
Scene 3: The SCACAI Board Organizational Meeting
Date: Thursday 7 May 2009
Place: Freedom Hall.
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Agenda: Election of board officers.
Board members present: 7
Dialogue:
We are gathered here to elect officers of the corporation. This is done annually following the election of members to the board of directors. Do I hear any nominations? . . . . After a period of time, the following persons were elected to fill the positions of corporation officers:
Rosalyn Berman, President
Jack Troia, Vice President
Shirley Cheri, Treasurer
Roger Cooper, Secretary
I recommend the meeting be adjourned.
Meeting adjourned.
Adapted for The SCA View-Journal by Ron Johnson, 9 May 2009