Thread by @shayshinecastle

OK, we're talking about the Open Space Board of Trustees ousting one of their members, Caroline Miller, due to nonattendance.

Not terribly important, but interesting, bc I've never seen this happen.

Miller was appointed in March 2020 (nominated by Mirabai Nagle). She's attended “fewer than half of scheduled board meetings and events in the past six months”

On May 31, OSBT held special meeting and voted 4-1 to remove her and appoint replacement
boulderbeat.news/2020/04/02/cit…

Miller was the dissenting vote there.

"It's unusual to have a recommendation for removal," says city attorney Teresa Tate.

Miller is going to be given an opportunity to speak tonight; 15 minutes, after OSBT chair Dave Kuntz speaks

Council does have the authority to remove board/commission members, per a few places in the charter:

- Charter Sec. 130: council may remove any member of an advisory commission "for nonattendance to duties or for cause.”

- Charter Sec. 173, specific to the OSBT, provides that five members of the council may remove any board member for cause.
- Section 2-3-1, “General Provisions,” regarding boards and commissions: council may remove any member of a board or commission by majority vote ....

...for nonattendance to duty, failure to attend three consecutive regularly schedule meetings without a leave of absence approved by a majority of the board, or commission or any other cause.

Staff, in the meeting packet, was careful to note that this is different than the authority to remove Sweeney-Miran from the Police Oversight Panel, which we'll discuss a bit later.

Kuntz, reading from a statement: "It is unfortunate that we are here tonight to deal with the matter of the conduct of a member of the board of trustees." At the Nov. 9, 2022, member, Miller made a "perplexing" and "difficult to understand" statement.

Kuntz: Her "allegations ... were perceived as threatening. Security presence was requested at subsequent meetings." She gave no evidence to support her statements, and didn't clarify them, despite people reaching out to her to follow up.

Kuntz: "The lack of resolution of Ms. Miller's comments ... have affected the OSBT's" ability to function. They have continued to be "distracting and disruptive."

Plus, her absences impact the "small board" and "hamstrings its ability to serve," he says.

I should have watched that meeting to see what she said, but also it's probably best not to amplify such things.

Wallach: "I'm happy to make my determination based on the narrow scope of what you have provided in terms of failure to attend." ... "But I have to ask, in light of the intense personal nature of these allegations" Miller made, why wasn't that part of the basis for her removal?

Kuntz: "We felt that part of the conduct was more appropriately investigated through other means." We limited our scope to more objective behaviors.

Wallach: "I remain v distressed by the nature of the allegations made in the Nov. 9 meeting and the fact that they remain unsupported" by anything based in reality.

Kuntz: Other board members are distressed as well.

Miller, speaking in her defense: "I'm not a finder of fact, but I am a seeker of truth. I'm presenting to council my best understanding of the circumstances at the present time."

Miller taking a while to get through her notes, as she is crying. "My words are not meant or intended to be adversarial, and while I will use names relevant to the issues," it's not in ill will.

She hasn't said much of substance yet; I'll stand by.

I was gonna say that this was some good ol' fashioned local gov't drama, but honestly now I just feel sad. I hate this.

She is going to ask for an appeal to her removal, if council votes that way (which seems likely).

Friend has recused herself from this vote, as she said Miller "targeted and singled her out."

"My actions (Nov. 9) were done bc I felt it was absolutely necessary to protect the integrity of the board," Miller says. "I absolutely knew prior there would be significant and real consequences that I would not want to face ... but I felt compelled."

So apparently Miller's comments at the Nov. 9 meeting involved Friend. And she (Miller) also has issues with the OSBT meeting packets, saying that they weren't allowed to ask questions that aren't specifically in the packet....? Seems unlikely.

Honestly not following most of what Miller is saying. I'll tweet if that changes. Whatever else she has said or done, she is a pretty bad communicator.

"There are no valid or sufficient grounds to remove me," Miller says. "There are no grounds based on absences to warrant my removal." The rule is 3 consecutive meetings; that's not applicable to me.

Benjamin: Did you seek any opportunity to repair the breech of trust and confidence in you as an equal colleague? Bc they've certainly expressed that. Cohesion is necessary for a board. In the past 9 months, did you seek that opportunity?

Rookie mistake, Benjamin, asking a question.

Miller: I was asked in March to be co-chair; 3 weeks later, that was rescinded. "It's very confusing for me. I haven't seen any written, formal .... complaint given. There was no email expressing concern."

2 consecutive meetings, I was out of state

Miller has a farm in Orlando, Fla. Or at least she did when she was appointed 3 years ago.

Miller: "That was my first understanding there was a problem."
Benjamin: "From that point forward, did you seek to repair with your colleagues?"
Miller: "No."

Winer: I noticed you didn't talk about some of the remarks you meant about Rachel. I wish they were brought up on public record, but they weren't. Do you have anything you'd like to say?

God, I'm so curious! Maybe I'll watch that meeting after this and add to this thread.

Miller: The comments that I quoted from Friend led me to believe that there were priorities by council or staff that were being put on OSBT. But we're supposed to go by our charter. When we talk about equity and access...

Winer: Not that. What you talked about with Sam and Rachel. Do you remember that?

Miller: Yes. In 2020, I received a phone call from a fellow trustee who said they'd hung up the phone with Sam (Weaver) and Rachel and asked ... about OSBT disposal.

This is probably in regards to CU South. Miller "thought that was improper" so I reported it, she says.

Kuntz, back again: "I obviously have a v dif impression of what transpired." Both the previous chair and I reached out to Miller several times to suggest she "rectify" what was "a very deep concern." It didn't happen.

Kuntz: "This is difficult. I don't mean to minimize (Miller's) difficulties. We did not take it lightly. There is considerable frustration in the board."

Tate jumping in to remind council that they have the authority to remove board/commission members, by a majority vote, for a number of reasons.

As discussed earlier.

Tate: "I would advise you all to look at actions, but not content of speech."

Benajmin moves to remove Miller for nonattendance of duty and cause. Winer seconds.

Winer: "We embrace differences of opinion, so it's not about that. It's about the dereliction of duty."

Joseph: "It's unfortunate and very sad."

Wallach: "While protected under free speech, accusations of corruption and malfeasance that are not supported by anything at all are unfortunate, hurtful and dangerous. While that's not the basis on which I'm voting, I want to make note of them. It's not right."

Everyone votes yes, so Miller is removed. First time I've seen this happen on a board/commission (except, of course, Sweeney-Miran from POP recently).

I did go back and watch the meetings; well, some of them — Miller's speech from Nov. 9, then the dismissal of her on May 31.

I still don't super understand what Miller was alleging, but as those appear to be baseless (according to others) I'm not gonna worry about it.

Miller has the vibe of... you know people who use a bunch of legal language to try and sound serious, but they don't use it right, and there's no substance to their argument, so they end up sounding unserious? That.

Anyway, this closes a very strange saga.

@threadreaderapp please unroll. Thanks.