Letters to the Editor

Editor:

The GRF Recreation Department came through again in a big way. The first ever Harvest Festival was so much fun! The band was good.

The scavenger hunt got us all strolling through all the garden plots. They were varied and beautiful, filled with all kinds of vegetables and beautiful flowers.

There were free snacks and games, an auction—that we did not win, a canned food drive and, of course, the Rec team was super nice and helpful and generous. Thank you Rec team and sponsors for putting this very fun event together for us LWers.

Mary Gaskins Mutual 1 Editor:

It was like a motion picture! The fabulous celebration at the Community Gardens on Oct. 25 was picture perfect. The weather was cool and cloudy, just like it should be at an autumn festival. The gardens on display reflected the hard work and creative efforts of the gardeners. There was music and programs and mango sherbert!

What a pleasure to walk around and see how Recreation Manager Tommy Fileto and our new hire, Nikko Turis, Community Garden attendant, have demonstrated the success of amenities here in Leisure World, appealing to both the gardeners and so many visitors.

Bravo to everyone who worked on this event and to the gardeners who showed us that they care about what life here has to offer as much as we care to provide opportunities for the shareholders to enjoy and participate in. Thank you all for such a wonderful success and a chance to remind everyone that the few remaining plots will all be going soon, for the reduced fee of $75 for an entire year.

Marla Hamblin GRF director Mutual 15 Editor:

After watching the GRF Finance Committee meeting on Oct. 9, I was concerned and somewhat puzzled by the events that led to the interruption of the meeting. During the discussion, Committee Chair Sandy Geffner requested information from Interim Executive Director Dave Potter regarding the interest rates on our capital funds. While Mr. Geffner was outlining the timeline of his requests, GRF President Linda Herman interjected and asked him to stop, stating that the matter was “improper” and related to “personnel.” At that point, the livestream was stopped, the audience was asked to leave, and the meeting later resumed in a second session. According to our bylaws, only committee members may participate in committee deliberations. The GRF Director Handbook also specifies that directors who are not members of a committee should not speak during the committee’s member-comment section or deliberations unless invited by the chair. It appears that these procedures may not have been fully observed during this meeting.

Given that the treasurer’s responsibilities include accounting for all corporate funds, Mr. Geffner’s inquiry about financial matters seems to fall within the scope of the committee’s role.

I believe it would be helpful for the Board to clarify the proper process for handling such situations in the future, so that meetings can proceed transparently and in accordance with our governing documents. Teresa Charlesworth Mutual 15 Editor’s note: Under California Civil Code §4935, any discussion involving specific employees must be conducted in executive session to protect privacy and confidentiality. Public discussion of staff performance or conduct is not permitted. Robert’s Rules of Order and the GRF Director Handbook both reinforce this standard, stating that personnel matters should not be discussed in open session and that noncommittee directors may speak only when invited by the chair. The president as ex officio (a person who is automatically a member of the committee because of the position) is obligated to pause such discussion and move it to executive session in accordance with established procedure. Editor: On Oct. 21 between 5-6 p.m., I was swimming laps at the Leisure World Aquatic Center. After completing my swim and taking a shower, I began searching for my GRF card in my swim bag and the pockets of my shorts. Despite thoroughly checking, I was unable to locate the card. Suddenly, it occurred to me that the card might have fallen to the bottom of the pool.

Recalling my steps, I remembered that upon arriving at the pool, I had signed in and handed my GRF card to the attendant, who verified it. Afterward, I placed the card in the pocket of my swim trunks. During my swim, the card must have slipped out of the pocket and ended up on the bottom of the pool.

I explained the situation to the pool attendant, who responded promptly and located the card at the bottom of the No. 3 lane.

Using a long pole, he carefully dragged the card toward the No. 1 lane. As he went to retrieve a shorter pole with a net, a woman swimming in the No. 1 lane managed to pick up the card from the bottom and returned it to me.

Although I did not get the names of either individual, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the pool attendant working that evening and the woman swimming in the No. 1 lane. Thank you very much.

Ron Belben Mutual 2 Editor:

Since the latest news seems to indicate that we’ve made little progress in deterring global warming, may I suggest that we in Leisure World make a worthwhile contribution to that end by foregoing Christmas lights? It seems the least we can do to help keep our beautiful planet liveable.

Julie Ford Mutual 6