Buena Vista’s Board of Trustees met in person March 9, which was no small feat considering the long, and at times strange, run of remote gatherings that preceded it. Echoing what elected representatives around the planet have said about trying to turn the wheels of government from their kitchen tables during the pandemic, the trustees later acknowledged that communication to and from their various outposts has not been perfect.
They said that moving forward, things should be smoother. They also acknowledged some unflattering words about the group’s dynamics that were delivered at a recent board meeting.
Mayor Duff Lacy took to social media March 7 in a somber response to the Feb. 23 comments, in which Buena Vista resident Carlin Walsh used the words “glaring dysfunction” to describe board interactions.
“I apologize to the citizens of the Town of Buena Vista,” Lacy wrote on Facebook. “As was pointed out by a concerned citizen, the Town government is dysfunctional. In my 10 years as an elected official, I have not seen circumstances such as these.
“I am putting myself on notice,” he continued. “It is my responsibility to overcome this and lead the Board. I have been backed into a corner and now must rectify the issues. I have not been known to be the most tactful in my actions. I can be blunt and to the point. Fair warning. I will do my best to turn the corner.”
In his three-minute talk during the public comment portion of the meeting, Walsh said that in broad terms the trustees have been accomplishing what the town’s voters have asked. “However,” he said, “there is a glaring dysfunction amongst this group and it is concerning for future progress, to say the least.”
Walsh said he’d been watching the board’s meetings for the past 18 months and described what he says is “obvious tension” among the trustees “that has gone unresolved for months now.”
“And worst of all,” he said, “there are clearly side conversations happening outside and during these meetings that are visibly not productive conversations… You were elected to do a job and part of the job is setting an example and leading this community.”
He said there are “too many big-ticket issues to be bogged down with the petty nonsense.” Walsh said there were shortcomings in both tact and delivery, as well as board members being dismissive of each others’ comments.
Despite the criticism, he said he thought the trustees were good people with good intentions. “But unless this group can find the ability to put its differences aside, this town will not be achieving its very best.”
He suggested the group engage in team building to create a more functional working environment, “something to help build bridges.”
Responding during the portion of the Feb. 23 meeting devoted to trustee/staff interaction, Trustee Amy Eckstein said she has been working on some of the matters pointed out by Walsh. “I certainly take responsibility for better tact,” she said. “It’s certainly something I’ve tried to work on.” She noted that trying to bring about conversation and change can be disruptive.
Citing the book Boards That Make a Difference, she said that for meaningful conversation to occur, there needs to be respect, then trust and candor. “I look forward to maybe this year building on that.”
She later noted to AVV that the board had a productive discussion at its Feb. 20 priority-setting “advance” session, in which they covered water conservation, tourist trends, and development on East Main Street, among other town issues. The board also discussed communication.
In an interview with AVV, Lacy said he had seen tensions in the board. “But when citizens notice it, you have a problem.”
He added, “No matter how or what, the whole board and myself just have to do better.”
Lacy said the issues have created a situation where he fears the town might lose staff. He said there have been several times when staff has been put on the spot during meetings, and that board members have made requests to staff that should have been directed to department heads instead. He said the dynamic is wearing out an already busy staff, and the board needs to refocus on policy and procedure.
He noted that despite the pandemic, the town’s employees continue to work well together. “Our staff and department heads are amazing,” he said.
Lacy said he has seen the situation with the board escalate for a little more than a year and that a year’s worth of Zoom meetings hasn’t helped. Looking forward, he said the recent in-person meeting gave reason for optimism.
“You could feel the warmth in the room,” he said. “It makes a world of difference when you’re in the same room.”
Responding to an email from AVV regarding the allegations of dysfunction, trustees said they were looking forward to post-pandemic times that have better interactions, but they didn’t necessarily agree the board is dysfunctional. In addition to Lacy, trustees Eckstein, Cindie Swisher, David Volpe and Mayor Pro Tem Libby Fay had comments.
“I respect Carlin Walsh and I appreciate his taking time to make his thoughtful comments and to observe our meetings,” Fay said in an email to AVV. “I don’t find the board of trustees to be dysfunctional. In fact, most of our votes are unanimous. Just because we disagree sometimes doesn’t equate to being dysfunctional.
“We are looking forward to having our meetings in person now, which should lead to even better communication,” Fay noted.
“Whenever there are changes in board members, there will be an adjustment period,” Swisher said in an email to AVV. “Add on to that, meeting by Zoom instead of in-person and adjusting to a new Mayor after Joel Benson termed out.”
She wrote that with a diversified board, people aren’t always going to agree and that the board has had some struggles with its interactions. But, she said, the group is “learning to be more respectful of each others’ ideas and comments.
“It is learning to move forward after the vote and letting go and moving on,” she continued. “The Town needs a board that will be able to represent all of Buena Vista. It would not be healthy if we all had the same ideas, thoughts, and viewpoints. I think you will find we will be doing much better in our future meetings.”
“If Mr. Walsh was referring to ‘dysfunction’ as defined by the Oxford Dictionary (abnormality or impairment in the function of a specified bodily organ or system), then I would respectfully disagree,” Volpe wrote in an email to AVV. “The Board has been performing all of its regular functions. I will admit to being part of a work in progress, though, and I am thankful for those who recognize the work we have maintained through an exceptionally trying time with COVID quarantines and Zoom meetings.”
I don’t care if he is too direct for some people; I will always prefer Mayor Lacy over our other option in the last election for the position of Mayor of Buena Vista. At least Duff won’t throw open the doors of city hall for unlimited development in town.