On Thursday, September 28th, the Board of Directors voted to rescind a policy regarding Non-Emergency Spending Limits. The following information was fully discussed at the meeting, which was recorded:

• The 2010 policy “requiring” a member vote on, or delay until the next AGM of, non-emergency spending over $35,000 was poorly worded, especially in that the meaning of “true emergency” was undefined & could only be interpreted by a Board;
• It was made by a Board and could be changed by a Board;
• It has not clearly applied to any significant Board spending decision made during the 6 years I’ve lived here and has never once during that time, until this month, been cited as a limitation or requirement by any Board or community member, including folks who wrote it and still live here;
• It clearly violated the Bylaw/RCW-required budget approval process;
• It clearly violated the Bylaws-specified Board responsibility to protect assets, and its full, independent authority to borrow;
• It may even have been an unlawful shifting of RCW-required Board corporate fiscal responsibility & decision-making authority.

The whole document needed serious reworking, perhaps even Bylaw changes, if its intent were to be implemented rationally & lawfully.

-L.W. Brown