I had a breaking story that ran in Friday’s paper and I thought I’d re-post it here for easy access:

Personal Attacks and Ethics
By Scott King
Staff Writer

(July 28, 2006) OPA director Janet Kelley was called out of order during Saturday’s Board meeting after repeating obscene language she said another board member directed at her.

Kelley issued her surprising statement after commenting on Director Mark Venit’s speech about other board members attacking him in the print media.

I had a breaking story that ran in Friday’s paper and I thought I’d re-post it here for easy access:

Personal Attacks and Ethics
By Scott King
Staff Writer

(July 28, 2006) OPA director Janet Kelley was called out of order during Saturday’s Board meeting after repeating obscene language she said another board member directed at her.

Kelley issued her surprising statement after commenting on Director Mark Venit’s speech about other board members attacking him in the print media.

“There are some comments I’d like to direct to the public since they were publicly directed at me,” Venit said. “I have an issue with someone who is an associate and superior. You crossed the line and in this case it’s our president (Glen Duffy) who has [made the accusation] that I would tell employees what to do.”

Venit also accused OPA Secretary Heather Cook of making false statements and spreading rumors to newspapers.

To that, Kelley replied, “I think that Mr. Venit has forgotten what he has said in closed doors,” Kelley said. “Do you remember the time you called me a f—— moron?”

“Janet Kelley forgets to mention the comment she said to me using the same language,” Venit countered. “She also ignores that I nor any other director has released what happened on the very first day the board met for the first time in September, where Janet screamed at everyone and shouted very foul comments. She just forgets these things.”

In explaining herself later, Kelley said, “Enough was enough. I got up there and repeated what I did because I felt Mark was using the podium for political reasons when we’re attempting to do business. I just could no longer tolerate it.”

The Ocean Pines Association follows Robert’s Rules of Order guide to parliamentary procedure.

“Robert’s has certain regulations under what are called Quorum of Debate,” OPA Director and Parliamentarian Reid Sterrett said. “It explains how you can conduct a debate and in addition we have the Code of Conduct which says that board members shall treat each other with respect at all times. That would mean in open session like Saturday or in closed session. A personal attack is not appropriate under Robert’s Rules or the Code of Conduct.”

The Code of Conduct was put into place last winter, but was the result of two directors writing letters to the editors of local newspapers supporting two candidates during last summer’s campaign season.

It was revised several times and went from being a code of ethics to a Code of Conduct that explains appropriate and inappropriate actions of directors and punishments for misconduct.

“What was said to Janet was definitely something someone could be brought up on charges for the Code of Conduct, without a doubt,” OPA President Glenn Duffy said. “Janet repeating what she was called was an unfortunate thing, but since it was said to her I don’t think it was against the code. It would have been different if someone else repeated it.”

“The Code of Conduct has only been enforced once,” Venit said. “Regrettably they just don’t serve the interest of the community.”

The Code of Conduct lets any director bring charges against another director. On April 4, five directors submitted a letter to Duffy bringing Kelley up on charges.

The letter accuses her of breaking confidentiality and courtesy rules.

“The very people who accuse others about breaking this code of conduct have broken it themselves by releasing this to the press,” Kelley said. “I’m surprised that this would happen and it makes me question what their true motives are. As to the actual accusations brought against me, I’ll let people judge their validity themselves.”

The charge of breaking confidentiality stems from Kelley telling a newspaper that former General Manager Dave Ferguson resigned and did not retire as the official version went. Another director and Ferguson said the same thing.

“I’m not retiring. This is not the end of my career,” Ferguson said in an interview with Ocean City Today at the time.

When asked why Kelley was charged with breaking confidentiality, but the other director was not, Duffy said that he didn’t know since he did not write up the charges against Kelley, but merely received them.

The second charge against Kelley is related to a closed meeting held on March 6. During this meeting changes in the bylaws were being discussed. There were four directors, the minimum number required for a quorum.
The charges claim that Kelley did not want to vote on the subject and left the meeting. This caused an absence of a quorum and forced the meeting to end.

“The behavior of Director Kelley showed lack of courtesy and respect to the chair of the meeting, her fellow board members, members of the by-laws committee and members of the association by not performing her duties,” stated the letter explaining the charges.

Once charges are brought against a director they are passed to the lawyer who represents the OPA, who reviews them and advises if the charges have merit. After that, a meeting is held between directors to decide what action should be taken. In Kelley’s case it was decided a warning should be issued.

The only director who did not vote for giving Kelley a warning was Venit.
“If we were to bring charges against Janet for saying what she did at Saturday’s meeting wouldn’t we also have to bring charges up against the person who said it to her?” Duffy said.

Should the board decide, a director breaking the Code of Conduct can be removed from office.

“I think the Code of Conduct is very serious,” Duffy said. “I think if you bring someone on charges and remove them it might be enough to make people stop personal attacks and realize that enough is enough.”