This is a friendly reminder, asking you to take a look at RecallWater.com and evaluate the evidence of financial mismanagement by the Eastsound Water Users Association Board.
Inconsistency
Please compare the Forensic Report prepared by the independent forensic accountant, who was hired by the Board, to the recent email sent by a portion of the Board to all members. Please consider whether or not the statements made by the Board are consistent with the Forensic Report.
Removal
Steve Smith is a member of an LLC that is a member of EWUA, and as such, Steve has the authority to participate in EWUA member activities. Activities include voting, receiving notices, communicating with other cooperative members, and having access to the records of the Association, just as all members do.
The EWUA bylaws require the unanimous vote of the Board to remove a director. State law says that only a vote of the members(who the director represents) can remove a director RCW 24.03A.530.(1)(d). The Board did not follow its own bylaws nor the State law. We could ask a judge to force the Board to correct its action in removing Steve. Yet, Steve’s term expires in November, so he chose not to pursue the wrongful removal. Steve has not been removed from any other Board or Commission. Both Tenar’s and Steve’s concerns are to bring to light the misuse of member money and the Board’s failure to take on proper oversight of the general manager, and these concerns predate his removal from the Board. The materials bear this out.
No other option
Please look at the Calendar of Events to see the extensive efforts Steve and Tenar have taken for months to cause accountability and transparency. We have presented RecallWater.com because every other option to resolve the problems at EWUA have been exhausted. Our intent is and has always been to serve and protect the membership and their investment toward clean water and conscientious representation.
Signatures
There are enough petition signatures to cause a member meeting to be called to vote on whether to recall the indicated Board members.
We just need to assure that we have a quorum when the member meeting is called. If you have not, please consider signing both the petition and the proxy forms. Thank you to all of you who have done so. We’re getting there.
Emails
Steve Smith has thousands of email addresses for island residents, deriving from his work running surveys on various projects, such as: Community Vision, Public HealthCare District, the Port Authority, income surveys on behalf of San Juan County and other junior taxing districts, and other entities who asked for surveys. Steve has also managed the election, on behalf of EWUA, which involves sending ballots to all EWUA members. Steve has done data work on behalf of EWUA. Any work done for EWUA has been done as a volunteer on his own equipment and without charge to the organization. Steve has owned and operated an internet service, setup and operated mail servers, and has had access to thousands of sensitive records for decades. Steve has never used the data records he has in an inappropriate manner nor is he doing so here. The membership list is open to all EWUA members. State law controls how membership lists can be used. See RCW 24.03A.240 and RCW 24.03A.405. We are compliant with State law and the existing EWUA bylaws.
We believe the members of EWUA have a right to know what the leaders of their organization are and are not doing.
All communication with members includes an “unsubscribe” option. And, if that option is taken, no more communication from RecallWater.com will be sent.
Notices
We encourage you to send an email to info@eastsoundwater.org and ask to be added to the notice list for upcoming meetings (including special meetings), to receive the Board packets and meeting agendas, and to receive past and future meeting minutes. Also, ask for meeting recordings to be posted in such a way that members can view or hear them from their homes.
Again, thank you for your time in reading and considering what we have revealed to you.
Please sign the petition and the proxy forms. This is how we ensure a quorum at the member meeting.