This memo was sent to the leadership of the New York State (Atlantic) Chapter of the Sierra Club, to draw its attention to the continued resistance of the NYC Group ExCom to work with new volunteers. In addition to my own experience, I related how Thelma Fellows, the new Chair of the NYC ExCom, recruited Lisa DiCaprio, an NYU professor and an anti-fracking activist, to be the new energy committee chair, and brought her to an ExCom meeting. The rest of the ExCom members immediately voted Annie Wilson to that position, in front of Thelma and Lisa, so of course Lisa did not continue as a volunteer with Sierra Club. Given the long history of the clique that is permanently set as the NYC Group ExCom, it's unlikely that Thelma will be able to attract and retain other volunteers.
The Atlantic Chapter ExCom did not acknowledge or respond to the following memo, suggesting not only that the NYC Group is broken, and in breach of its fiduciary duty, but that the Atlantic Chapter ExCom itself is in breach of Sierra Club Code of Conduct, for failing to hold its leaders accountable. But there is more.
The Atlantic Chapter ExCom had removed Annie Wilson from her position as Chapter Energy Chair reportedly because she is very, very difficult to get along with. However, they also named Annie to be co-chair of the Chapter's new Beyond Coal Committee.
The Beyond Coal campaign is the leading National Sierra Club initiative to slow down climate change, which has received $50 million from the Bloomberg Foundation. It is most surprising that the Atlantic Chapter ExCom would put Annie Wilson as its point person for this important National initiative.
If the Atlantic Chapter ExCom is incapable of policing itself or its leadership, and is indifferent to contributing effective results as part of the National Sierra Club, then National should intervene. If National continues its traditional policy of sweeping the litany of embarrassing Atlantic Chapter incidents under the rug, the Club's funders should be notified.
***
From: Dan Miner
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:55 PM
To: jbohner@stny.rr.com; fm@ecologicadvisors.us; secretary@newyork.sierraclub.org; treasurer@newyork.sierraclub.org; compliance@newyork.sierraclub.org; financial@newyork.sierraclub.org; earthharmony@live.com; legaladvisor@newyork.sierraclub.org; lauffer.scott@GMAIL.COM; arthur.kuypers@gmail.com; membership@newyork.sierraclub.org; onlinemedia@newyork.sierraclub.org; wildplaces@verizon.net; jojogorski@aol.com; hungryhiker@aol.com; publications@newyork.sierraclub.org; halS205B@aol.com; nsk@bestweb.net; conservation@newyork.sierraclub.org; ahak.sierra@gmail.com; adirondacks@newyork.sierraclub.org; adirondacks2@newyork.sierraclub.org; airquality@newyork.sierraclub.org; airports@newyork.sierraclub.org; biodiversityveg@newyork.sierraclub.org; globalwarming@newyork.sierraclub.org; goshawk@frontiernet.net; cleanwater2@newyork.sierraclub.org; energy@newyork.sierraclub.org; environeducation@newyork.sierraclub.org; environjustice@newyork.sierraclub.org; farmandfood@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling2@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling3@newyork.sierraclub.org; greatlakes@newyork.sierraclub.org; hudsonriverpcb@newyork.sierraclub.org; international@newyork.sierraclub.org; population2@newyork.sierraclub.org; population@newyork.sierraclub.org; toxics@newyork.sierraclub.org; transportation@newyork.sierraclub.org; wetlands@newyork.sierraclub.org; wilds@newyork.sierraclub.org; solidwaste@newyork.sierraclub.org
Subject: Whoever heard of a Sierra Club Group that slams the door on volunteers?
To: Atlantic Chapter ExCom
Re: Whoever heard of a Sierra Club Group that repeatedly slams the door on volunteers?
That’s just not supposed to happen. The SC Standards of Conduct (see bottom of this email) clearly say that Club leaders have an obligation to create a welcoming environment for volunteers, avoid cliquishness, resolve differences, avoid factionalism and behavior that prolongs conflict.
I’ve had my differences with the NYC Group ExCom. After some time away, I hoped I could get more done within the Club than outside it, and I offered an olive branch. Last December, I offered to organize neighborhood meetings in NYC neighborhoods, bringing together City sustainability programs, neighborhood civic leaders and people with conservation concerns. I stated from the outset that I had no desire to serve as a Club officer, would work behind the scenes, and would invite Group officers to be the official points of contact and the hosts of the event. Since the NYC Group doesn’t have its own events or programs, it seemed my offer would fill a need, raise the profile of the Group, and might even recruit new volunteers.
After several follow-ups, Group officers finally replied: my proposal would not be considered unless I took down the virtually unknown website in which I chronicled my previous complaints about their actions, and then apologized for those criticisms. Besides requesting that I censor myself as a precondition to being able to volunteer with Sierra Club, the emails from the ExCom members had a common tone of personal animosity, were definitely not welcoming, reinforced a sense of insider vs. outsider, and sought to reignite a conflict that I had tried to end with my offer. I was disappointed that there was no response on the merits to a serious proposal.
My offer, and all the emails from the NYC Group, are posted online for your review. I believe that they demonstrate ongoing, flagrant and serious violations of multiple Standards of Conduct.
I forwarded the correspondence to Jeff Bohner, Atlantic Chapter Chair and Jessica Helm, Atlantic Chapter Conservation Chair, asked three times for an official Chapter response, and received none. I’m sure it’s politically difficult for Jeff and Jessica to take the question of inappropriate behavior by the entire NYC Group ExCom to the Chapter ExCom for review. 6 of the 30 members of the Atlantic Chapter ExCom are from the NYC Group. As their silence demonstrates, NYC Group leaders are justified in their confidence that they can do anything they wish with complete impunity.
This is not an isolated incident, but typical behavior of the NYC Group ExCom.
If I was the only person with this complaint about the Group, it could be legitimately dismissed as an isolated incident. However, it is not. Thelma Fellows, a new member of the ExCom, was recently elected Chair. She brought Lisa DiCaprio, an NYU professor and anti-fracking activist, to an ExCom meeting and proposed her as the energy committee chair. The majority of the ExCom instantly objected, and voted Annie Wilson into that position in Ms. DiCaprio’s presence – a slap in the face both to the new Group Chair and her recruit. Thelma Fellows told me that at ExCom meetings, she can’t get proposed agenda items discussed because ExCom members constantly argue amongst themselves, and Jim Lane keeps interrupting her with his view of proper parliamentary procedure. I believe that Thelma is Chair in name only and cannot affect the function of ExCom whose majority is a long-established faction. I am concerned that under these conditions (just as I encountered several years ago) any new volunteers will leave quickly, making any reform impossible, and perpetuating the faction’s control of the Group ExCom indefinitely.
Since the NYC Group ExCom continues to have no events, activities or programs, in one of the nation’s largest cities, it also seems to be in violation of standard (F): “Use Club resources wisely and in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of all leaders.” I urge Chapter and Club leaders to ask Thelma for themselves, and investigate.
Atlantic Chapter Leaders are required by the Standards of Conduct to investigate
Chapter leaders may prefer to keep ignoring the matter, but as SR. 2.2.6 (ii) states, “(ii) Club leaders have an obligation to meet the following affirmative standards of conduct, and to hold other leaders accountable to them as well, in all Club interactions with others, including in person, in writing, on email, or on the phone.”
With this memo, the Atlantic Chapter ExCom has been put on notice that the NYC Group seems to be habitually and repeatedly flouting the Standards of Conduct. If the Chapter refuses to investigate and to hold Chapter leaders accountable to Club standards of conduct, Chapter leaders are themselves in violation of the Standards.
Sincerely,
Dan Miner
Sierra Club member
Queens, NYC
718.786.5300 x 27
dminer@licpartnership.org
SR. 2.2.6: Standards of Conduct
http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/administration/policies/personnel/standards-of-conduct.pdf
(a) Affirmative Standards of Conduct
(i) Serving in an appointed to elected position of leadership is a privilege that can be lost either by ignoring the duty of loyalty expected of all Club leaders or by violating the following affirmative standards of conduct.
(ii) Club leaders have an obligation to meet the following affirmative standards of conduct, and to hold other leaders accountable to them as well, in all Club interactions with others, including in person, in writing, on email, or on the phone.
(A) Communicate and work together with common courtesy and collegial respect; disagree without being disagreeable.
(B) Create a welcoming environment for new members, visitors, guests, staff and volunteers. Avoid cliquishness, behavior that fosters an “insider” vs. “outsider” culture and language or behavior that offends others. Seek to welcome and engage people who reflect the diversity of the community.
(F) Use Club resources wisely and in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of all leaders.
(G) Foster an open democratic decision-making process; respect decisions once they are made.
(H) When speaking of other Club leaders praise publicly, criticize privately and tactfully.
(I) Seek to resolve differences with other Club leaders, avoid factionalism and behavior that exacerbates or prolongs conflict.
(J) Respect the policies and procedures that have been established by and for members engaged in specific Club activities; when in doubt, ask.
Documentation of the history of Sierra Club NYC Group
National Sierra Club issues pardon to SC NYC ExCom - Feb. 2011
A top priority for SC NYC: the reinstatement of Olive Freud? – Jan. 2011
After National ignores its own rules, I try civil disobedience - Dec. 2010
SC National Puts NY State Chapter on Probation in Nov. 2010
Like failed states, there are failed Sierra Club Groups – Nov. 2010
Chicago has a highly functioning SC Group – why not NYC? – Sept. 2010
“Fraud in Sierra Club NYC August 2010 ExCom Election Violates SC Code of Conduct” – official complaint sent to Greg Casini – arbitrarily dismissed by SC National President Robin Mann
Documenting election fraud in the Dec. 2009 SC NYC Election – Sept. 2010
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