NEON changes its bylaws
The Hour
November 8, 2007
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By Jeremy Soulliere
Hour Staff Writer
NORWALK — The board of directors at Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now
approved a number of changes to the anti-poverty agency's bylaws Wednesday
night, including a provision to dwindle the number of members on the panel.
The revised bylaws, which were approved by the necessary two thirds margin of 10-
5, reduce the maximum allowable number of board members from 33 to 21. The
board also needs to now have a minimum of 15 members.
Currently, the board has 29 members.
The newly approved bylaws also enables the board to select its own members.
Before, members were appointed by the mayor, the community and the private
sector.
All board members, according to the changes, will be elected at an annual meeting
in December of this year, and given staggered terms up to three years. Future
members appointed by the board will all have three year terms.
Soon after the start of the board's special meeting Wednesday night, a motion was
made to end discussion on the revisions, but a few members felt the panel needed
more time to review the suggested changes.
Board member John Mosby said the proposed bylaws, which were tabled by the
board in June and September, should be tabled again. Beyond what the board's
governance subcommittee has directed, NEON Executive Director Joseph Mann has
made further changes to the bylaws, he contended, and the panel should not be
approving them as is.
Board chairman Carvin Hilliard took exception to Mosby's assertion, saying the
revisions on the table are the very ones backed by the governance subcommittee.
The board subsequently voted to call the question and approved the bylaws.
A few months ago, the bylaw revisions drew fire from a group of community
activists and former NEON officials who called the changes "improper."
The group, which calls itself "Save Our Social Services," claimed that reducing the
number of members on NEON's Board of Directors would result in a loss of
representation for the area's impoverished residents.
The revisions, which also changes Mann's title to president and CEO, will also give
the nonprofit's executive director "far too much power," the group contended. The
ad-hoc committee also accused NEON of making its financial records unavailable,
and asked the state Department of Social Services to investigate their complaints.
The Northeast Institute for Quality Community Action, however, looked into the
group's various allegations upon the Department of Social Services request,
concluding it "could not find any substantive documentation of illegality or
wrongdoing" at NEON.
The NIQCA report also stated that "important progress has been made in
addressing the myriad of challenges facing" the city's agency for the impoverished.
Staff writer Jeremy Soulliere may be reached at (203) 354-1049 or
jsoulliere@thehour.com.
The Hour
November 8, 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Jeremy Soulliere
Hour Staff Writer
NORWALK — The board of directors at Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now
approved a number of changes to the anti-poverty agency's bylaws Wednesday
night, including a provision to dwindle the number of members on the panel.
The revised bylaws, which were approved by the necessary two thirds margin of 10-
5, reduce the maximum allowable number of board members from 33 to 21. The
board also needs to now have a minimum of 15 members.
Currently, the board has 29 members.
The newly approved bylaws also enables the board to select its own members.
Before, members were appointed by the mayor, the community and the private
sector.
All board members, according to the changes, will be elected at an annual meeting
in December of this year, and given staggered terms up to three years. Future
members appointed by the board will all have three year terms.
Soon after the start of the board's special meeting Wednesday night, a motion was
made to end discussion on the revisions, but a few members felt the panel needed
more time to review the suggested changes.
Board member John Mosby said the proposed bylaws, which were tabled by the
board in June and September, should be tabled again. Beyond what the board's
governance subcommittee has directed, NEON Executive Director Joseph Mann has
made further changes to the bylaws, he contended, and the panel should not be
approving them as is.
Board chairman Carvin Hilliard took exception to Mosby's assertion, saying the
revisions on the table are the very ones backed by the governance subcommittee.
The board subsequently voted to call the question and approved the bylaws.
A few months ago, the bylaw revisions drew fire from a group of community
activists and former NEON officials who called the changes "improper."
The group, which calls itself "Save Our Social Services," claimed that reducing the
number of members on NEON's Board of Directors would result in a loss of
representation for the area's impoverished residents.
The revisions, which also changes Mann's title to president and CEO, will also give
the nonprofit's executive director "far too much power," the group contended. The
ad-hoc committee also accused NEON of making its financial records unavailable,
and asked the state Department of Social Services to investigate their complaints.
The Northeast Institute for Quality Community Action, however, looked into the
group's various allegations upon the Department of Social Services request,
concluding it "could not find any substantive documentation of illegality or
wrongdoing" at NEON.
The NIQCA report also stated that "important progress has been made in
addressing the myriad of challenges facing" the city's agency for the impoverished.
Staff writer Jeremy Soulliere may be reached at (203) 354-1049 or
jsoulliere@thehour.com.
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| Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now, Inc. Making The Case For Change... Engaging The Community To End Poverty |
