McLean Community Center Board Chooses Officers in Contentious Election

McLean Community Center board members elected its new officers last week following a contentious discussion in which some members expressed their displeasure with the canvassing strategies of the board's elections chairwoman.

The board's vice chair Risa Sanders accused Robin Walker, the elections committee chair, of failing to notify her of the re-election challenge she would face Wednesday night. Board member Craig Richardson said Walker had also failed to contact him.

Walker defended her actions saying that the only members she was not able to reach were Sanders and Richardson, the board's secretary. 

But Walker's answer didn't satisfy Sanders, who continued the discussion for more than five minutes. Sanders cited  her previous tenure as elections chair as an example of what Walker should have done. Visibly uncomfortable members of the audience -- six people total -- raised eyebrows and mumbled as the finger-pointing continued.

Sanders, backed by Richardson and the board's outgoing treasurer David Sanders, added that it has been a tradition that incumbent officers get to serve two-year terms. 

The board seated its three new elected members at the meeting. Then the election of new officers began. Other members seemed ready to break the unwritten tradition.

The ten board members present, including the newly elected student representatives Malika Nimmagadda and Drew Armstrong and first-term member Laurelie Wallace. Susan Bourgeois, who won election to a second-term was absent.

MCC Chair Kevin Dent remain as chair with nine votes in an uncontested race. Risa Sanders abstained from voting for the chair's position. Board member Sean Dunn nominated Dent for this seat.

The only candidate for the treasurer position was Dunn, who was nominated by board member Chad Quinn. Dunn received all ten possible votes. 
Risa Sanders lost her position as vice chair of the board to Quinn in a 7 to 2 vote and an abstention from Dunn, who nominated both candidates for the seat.

But the most contentious race was between Richardson and Walker, who competed for  secretary's post. Each earned five votes in two separate rounds. Risa Sanders and board member Jay Howell nominated Richardson and Walker respectively. 

The position went unfilled because of the tie, and the board agreed to try again its June meeting.

The 11-member MCC board oversees the operation of the McLean Community Center, its $6 million budget and $12 million surplus.