HIGHLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL
MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING
January 29, 2008
Members of the Highland District Council Board met at a special meeting at the Hillcrest Recreation Center, 1978 Ford Parkway, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55116, at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2008. Board members present were: Shawn Bartsh, Ted Davis, Georgia Dietz, Bill Driver, Will Jefferson, Bill Klein, Steve Lentsch, Bill Mahaffey, Joe McCabe, Gary Marx, John Morrison, Dave Pinto, Bill Poulos, Brent Van Tassel, Tim Puffer, and Jenny Winkelman. Julie Daniels was present as Peter Armstrong’s designated alternate. Dan Greenberg was absent. Alternate Rick Hugley was present. Alternate Jeff Gravagna was absent.
President Bill Poulos called the meeting to order.
1. Agenda
The agenda was amended to include Council Leadership as the first item of business, and then was approved.
2. Discussion of Council Leadership
Gary Marx expressed concerns about the current President and Vice President of the Council, and moved that Bill Poulos and Georgia Dietz be removed from those positions. The motion was seconded.
It was acknowledged that Ms. Dietz had filed an "age discrimination" charge against the Council with the Saint Paul Human Rights Commission, and Ms. Dietz wished to know who supported her removal so that she might bring a retaliation charge against those directors. Bill Klein indicated that he felt Ms. Dietz’s charges were frivolous, but that Board Members should be concerned about the time and potential expense they might be forced to incur to respond to such a charge from Ms. Dietz, even if such charge was entirely baseless. Mr. Klein requested that Mr. Marx withdraw any motion with respect to Ms. Dietz for this reason. Mr. Marx, with the consent of the seconder, modified his resolution to exclude Ms. Dietz, and to only relate to the removal of Mr. Poulos.
After considerable discussion, the motion was approved by a 10-7 vote. Following approval of the motion, Ms. Dietz, as Vice President, presided over the meeting.
Mr. Marx moved that Mr. Klein be elected to fill the vacancy created by the removal of Mr. Poulos. The motion was seconded and discussed. Mr. Klein, in answer to a question, indicated that he would resign as Secretary, and thereupon did resign. Ms. Dietz participated in the discussion and surrendered the chair to Mr. Klein. Following discussion, Mr. Marx’s motion was approved, and Mr. Klein was elected as President.
Mr. Klein then presided over the remainder of the meeting. The Board discussed options for filling the vacant Secretary position. Several Board members were suggested but indicated that they did not wish to serve in that position. Mr. Marx indicated that he would be willing to serve, and was nominated for the position. There were no other nominations. Mr. Marx then was elected as Secretary of the Council.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Gary Marx