What you should know about tonight's EC election

I never wanted to burden the Town Council with this since the Election Committee eventually met all of it's goals this year, and I was now prepared in the event of a similar assault on our goals next year.  However, When I saw the slate of candidates for the new Executive Committee I had to say something about some of them. 

There will be time for public comment before the vote and I will be speaking on these issues then.  Here is the email I sent to Town Council ealier today:

I’ve taken great pride in being active in our community, including volunteer service to the Altadena Town Council elections for the past five years, the latter three as chair of the Election Committee.  Many in our committee have served with me for all three years, and in that time we’ve been able to observe the strengths and weaknesses in how our elections are run. 

This past election cycle, the Election Committee put together a cost-effective comprehensive plan to engage the entire community in the election process and provide easy-to-find candidate and voting information.  The result was an unprecedented increase in election participation – more voters than have turned out in in several years.  This almost didn’t happen though.  In fact, the entire election this year was in jeopardy of not being held within the time frame outlined in the ATC Bylaws, if even at all.

·         Upon presentation of the Election Committee plan, some members of the Executive Committee raised objections over the Election Committee engaging in any activities that would provide outreach, information or otherwise promote the elections.  The Election Chair’s out of state conference call was terminated when other Executive Committee members did not agree to the restrictions proposed for the Election Committee and the meeting fell into disarray.

·         The Executive Committee promised to post everything the Election Committee needed on the ATC Website.  Nothing was posted, including the candidate application packet, until over a week after the applications were already due.

·         Part of the Election Committee’s plan was to make a long term purchase of signs in order to ring the perimeter of Altadena, advising citizens that the Town Council was accepting applications for candidates.  The Executive Committee asked for this information in order for them to make the purchase.  The information was provided, but the Executive Committee failed to make the purchase.  When the Town Council Chairman rescinded the restraints that had been placed on the Election Committee, the Council made the purchase of the signs, but by then a rush shipping fee needed to be paid in order for the signs to be delivered in time.

·         The Executive Committee failed to amend and approve the Election Rules as required three months in advance of the election.  In order to proceed, the Election Committee made the amendments and presented it to the Executive Committee, where they failed to have Town Council take a vote for approval.

·         A Town Council emergency email vote was initiated to approve the rules, as time was running out for the Election Committee to put on an election within the required time.  An attempt was made to hold up that vote by false allegations that the Election Committee made serious mistakes.  The election rules vote was held up until a long-standing rule was changed so as to conflict with the ATC Bylaws.  [III.A.1 & XII.A.2]

I’m hoping that Town Council keeps the actions of the Executive Committee at election time in mind as they consider the proposed slate of officers provided by the Nominating Committee.  The Town Council will elect their officers at the regular Town Council meeting this Tuesday night.

The Town Council needs leadership that is supportive of the committees it creates and the volunteers who, like Council members, are donating their time and good will.  It also needs leaders who value citizen involvement and actively seek to engage more and more people in helping make our town great. I commend Chairman Broadous for her support of the Election Committee and its work, and hope she will consider seeking a second term as chair of the Town Council.

Eric Pierce

ATC Election Committee Chair- 2011, 2012, 2013