Toward Future EPNI Success
By JOAN VANHALA
Statement read at October EPNI Community Meeting.
Too many times, in the past, I have witnessed Phillips neighborhood folks attack each other when the money starts to land. Now is not the time for pointing fingers, but it is the time to honor the efforts of the past and work together for success.
I am a 35 year East Phillips resident and am a strong supporter of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute’s (EPNI) efforts over the years. I have also made a commitment to be on the EPNI Community Advisory Committee. Many, many people, neighbors, and organizations, including Little Earth, have supported EPNI in powerful ways and led, against all odds, to successful achievements. Without this broad support we would never have been able to achieve what we have.
In the past 6 months, the Community Advisory Committee members and many others, have been noticing dysfunctional board practices that are leading EPNI off course:
1. 300 community members who have signed on to a letter outlining grave concerns about the lack of stewardship of the community vision with the current EPNI board of directors.
● We have been watching and now is the time to speak up!
2. There is a serious breach of trust by community members with a series of sudden staff layoffs:
● The community doesn’t know who the board is! The staff were the primary relationships that the community had with EPNI. I never heard a bad word about them. As far as I can see they are a group of dedicated workers fulfilling the community vision, whose hearts are in the right place, who have good community relationships and were doing this work with minimal job security. We don’t treat our workers this poorly.
● These sudden staff layoffs have created a lack of continuity in day-to-day operations leading supporters and the public to question the organizational viability.
3. There is board dysfunction that:
● Does not allow for critical thinking necessary for course correction. ● Lacks open communication, transparency and accountability back to the community and the supporters.
● Lacks an open bidding process for EPNI contracts leading to perceived self dealing within the board.
● Struggles to maintain East Phillips and community representation on the board and community voice.
● Jumps to litigation instead of mitigation and mediation.
Now is not the time to falter in our resolve to bring EPNI to success. With the legislation passed to support the purchase of the property, this a significant beginning to implement the vision as was planned with the East Phillips residents and supporters.
We have a letter with up to 300 community and supporter signatures recommending actions in moving forward. We are willing to make a commitment to work together for the future success of EPNI by participating in mediation with the current board of directors along with setting up a meeting with the Little Earth Residents Association Board.
An alley recommendation: Women’s Press, Fall 2016 Issue “Collective Power,” esp. “Collective Health” Pg 12“The Long Fight Against Toxins,” featuring Joan Vanhala and Cassandra Holmes by Priscilla Trinh and Mikki Morrisette.
