Mark Anderson replies: I've been an accountant in the private sector for twenty-five years, and I was Treasurer at the Bancroft Neighborhood Association for three years. I have a pretty good feel for what the books should look like on the detail level. I gotta believe that Wendy received more information as a member of the executive committee than has been provided on the Mpls Issues List. But if the information provided here is representative of the usual reaction to her request to know what's going on, then she has a right to be angry. Maybe the financial management of LNA is out of control. Wendy Response: No, Mark, I never was given more detail than the lump sum. The board was never given more detail than the lump sum. That is why I asked, and was rebuked as though I was a foolish child. I was intimidated by the condescension into voting to approve the write off. I later heard realized that I had allowed myself to be intimidated into approving something that I really should have had more information on. I heard comments from former and current board members that made me uncomfortable with how I had voted. So I made a motion at a board meeting for an independent investigation and full accounting to the board of how that money was spent... and was shouted down and run off the board... voted off the board suddenly after 2.5 years for "being rude" within 2 months of pressing for an investigation. I was threatened with slander lawsuits on several occasions by Scott Persons and some of his neighborhood friends. Bottom line for me is... I don't want to see such secretive and vicious croney behavior in Minneapolis City Hall and that is why I brought my information to the public eye. Mark Anderson writes: The letter from the outside auditor was worthless. I hope he provided a more detailed accounting of what happened to the Board, or he should be fired. Wendy response: The Board was never presented with more than his letter, and that was only written after I pressed and pressed for a full accounting. Mark Anderson writes: I agree that one needs to take the volunteer labor into account when judging how a neighborhood is run. At BNA, we certainly made plenty of mistakes, and we never had time to run the association as well as we'd have liked to. But that is no excuse for not having complete financial transparency. Wendy responds: transparency and itemized accounting of where that money went... that's what I asked for. Anyone can make mistakes. But instead of just opening the books and answering questions, people became red faced with anger and became outraged and "couldn't work with me any more." They were so busy telling everyone how hostile I was that they never did get around to answering the question of the itemized accounting, instead distracted everyone from the real issue with the dramatics. Mark Anderson writes: The whole reason Wendy brought this up was to torpedo Scott Persons' council hopes. I don't know if that is reasonable. Even if LNA was somewhat dysfunctional financially and Scott was the president some of the time, I don't think you can put all the blame on one person (pun intended). Wendy responds: Last thing we need is more Mpls City Council people being raided by the FBI over $7000 or sent off to prison over other financial indiscretions. The poorly managed -$42,000 budget and the next year's -$82,000 write off without itemized accounting... and the subsequent machinations of Scott and his circle of friends to keep me from getting an itemized accounting of that money is more than worthy of my fellow citizens' attention at election time. Wendy Pareene Minneapolis REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
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