When former Corresponding Secretary Sandy Cooper determined that she and her husband would be leaving Century Village to move up north, she asked me to take over for her. She spent a couple days training me for her duties and I have performed them ever since.
In the March election of 2019, I ran unopposed as the Recording Secretary. Olga Wolkenstein was running as Corresponding Secretary unopposed until Mary Patrick's name was submitted to run against Olga.
Olga, not very popular due to the opposition of David Israel's Administration, lost to Mary. Olga has since joined at least 2 Committees and been appointed to the Executive Board and has been doing a good job in each.
Since the election, Mary has not even tried to do the job she was elected to do. She has no interest in learning what she needs to do and claims to be allergic to my hypo-allergenic Service Dog and refuses to go to the office if we are there. Although summer of 2019 when I was on vacation visiting my children, she never stepped foot in the office. Nor has she attended more than 3 meetings since being elected.
If an elected Executive Board member misses 3 meetings at the time, now 5, they are automatically removed from office, But with an Officer, this rule does not apply. Not only that, but to recall an executive board member, it takes 100 UCO Member signatures. For an Officer it is 100 DELEGATE signatures.
Getting that many signatures from a delegate assembly that barely makes quorum is next to impossible. Meaning Mary Patrick will continue in her office, ignoring her duties.
I have continued performing not only my duties as Recording Secretary, but the duties of the Corresponding Secretary and the majority of the Admin Assistant duties.
I have been asking for the President and other Officers to ask for Mary Patrick's resignation and I am told she refuses.
Why hold an office that you have no intention of fulfilling?
The Delegates are urged to sign the petition to recall (remove) Mary Patrick from an office she has no intention of fulfilling,
It is hard enough to get people in this Village to care enough about CV to actually run for office. Too many do not want to get involved. I say GET Involved. Have some pride in our village. Start understanding that if YOU don't care, it will wind up hitting you in the pocketbook eventually.
Make sure your association sends a delegate every month, and better yet, one that will stay for the complete meeting. The meetings are scheduled for 9:30 until 12:00, and seldom lasts that long.
As of last month, there are 33 Associations that DO NOT have an Alternate Delegate. of those in April's meeting, only 3 of those 33 Associations were represented. You owners need to get off your rears and get involved. Serve on your board, make sure your board has alternates to represent YOU!
I have come very close to resigning because of Mary Patrick's negligence of her duties, but decided to keep performing my duties as per UCO bylaws. If Mary wishes to neglect hers per UCO bylaws, then it is up to you, the delegates to remove her. Her work will be waiting for her, and if she does not do it, UCO will have to HIRE it out, costing CV even more. Shameful.
Bob Rivera, USN Ret.
UCO Recording Secretary
