The NYC ExCom installed newcomer Allison Tupper as their new chair. It's still being run by Ken Baer and Jim Lane, and their handful of followers.
Cronyism continues. At the February 2016 ExCom meeting, I witnessed Lisa DiCaprio and Frank Eadie both ask to be named as energy committee chair. DiCaprio, an NYU professor, recapped her extensive advocacy and testimony on many energy policy issues. Old guard crony Eadie was inarticulate, had clearly done virtually nothing, had the audacity to read a list of names he had trouble pronouncing and claimed them to be his committee. Past Chapter Chair Carl Arnold, struggling to be diplomatic, said that Eadie's claim that environmental impact statements of wind projects had to meet the approval of the Group and Chapter was not correct. Tupper bowed to the implied demand of the old guard and named each of them chair of a committee - DiCaprio of energy legislation, and Eadie, of energy, miscellaneous, whatever.
Factionalism continues. In 2015 I proposed to setting up climate change response forums in NYC neighborhoods to be co-sponsored by the SC NYC Group, NYC Environmental Justice Alliance and elected officials. (Note that I have actually set up events like this, such as the June 2015 resilience festival in the Rockaways). After I refused to take down this blog, the ExCom refused the offer.
Since I am now working for Sustainable South Bronx, the Bronx subcontractor for NYSERDA (the NYS energy agency), I offered SC NYC the opportunity to co-sponsor any forums I would be able to set up. In the ExCom meeting, they said they would have to review which local elected official who would cosponsor, in case they did not meet the approval of the NYC Group. After I sent them a letter spelling that out, Allison came up with a new objection. Economic development groups and waterfront groups who SSBX had partnered with - who I had never mentioned and had not planned to invite - might take positions not meeting with SC NYC Group approval - so they would have to pass. Surely the group has set a new level for creative gymnastics to avoid working with me.
The National Board is reviewing the latest controversy involving Baer, Lane and their posse - inciting the Tennessee and Pennsylvania Chapters to rebel against National rule changes on the number of delegates Groups can send to Chapters. I would like to remind the Board and other Sierra Club members that the current controversy is not an isolated incident but a pattern of flagrant disregard of Sierra Club rules by a rogue faction that the National Board has chose to ignore for many years.
The Board may wish to review my 2010 report documenting beyond a shadow of a doubt that Baer and Lane stole the NYC ExCom elections of 2009 and 2010 through fraud and libel.
Instead of removing Baer and Lane from Club leadership positions immediately, as was its right, the Board disregarded the complaint and issued wrist slaps to everyone. Nothing changed, and here we are again years later. When will the Board finally remove the cancerous tumor of the NYC old guard?
