OSHNA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING TONIGHT
OSHNA’s Annual ‘Eating Meeting’!
OSHNA’s next General Membership Meeting will be Tuesday, July 27th, at the Seminole Heights United Methodist Church, 6111 North Central Avenue (corner of Central and Hanna Avenues). This is our annual “Eating Meeting” and will start promptly at 6:30 pm.
OSHNA provides the entrée as well as drinks, utensils, and plates, and neighbors bring the side dishes. If your last name begins with A through M, please bring your favorite side dish or vegetable. If your last name begins with N through Z, please bring a salad or dessert.
Following the dinner, the business meeting will start promptly at 7:30 pm. The agenda will include voting on the revised By-laws which were announced at the April General Membership Meeting.
Please feel free to invite your neighbors for the dinner. Visitors are welcome to stay for the business meeting, but only members may participate.
Tagged as OSHNA, Seminole Heights
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cold cuts. yummy
If you call a fantastic Chicen Marsala and a great Lasagna cold cuts, then it is obvious that you did not attend and the only intention of your post was to spread ill will. The food was the best I’ve ever experienced at a General Membership Meeting.
Quorum or no quorum? That is the question. Could the lure of free food entice enough bodies out on this sultry evening or have we finally realized enough people just don’t care anymore. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.
the food came from Reservations. if that’s just ‘cold cuts’ I’m going to eat there more.
Improved the food but still no quorum.
quorum shy by just a few. food was the best.
Is that like being almost pregnant?
great food from my favorite Reservations and a great meeting too! No quorum but hey, maybe someday. OSHNA is moving forward with or without a quorum and extending a hand to all four corners.
Well, the reason there was no quorum is because, to many, the only thing extended on that hand is the middle finger.
When you keep your head buried in the sand, you show your true side to the world.
I thought the meeting was really good. I liked the spirited discussion about the big blue trashcans!
Feel bad that I misssed the meeting. Even though there were not enough voting members present to have a quorum, sounds like there was a good turn out. I have belonged to many associations and it is always difficult to get people to attend. I know that the anti-OSHNA crowd is having a hayday, getting off on the fact that there was no quorum but I don’t believe that it was a direct result of all the discord in the neighborhood but more a fact that people in general do not make an effort to attend these meetings.
Careful 12 – the “anti” crowd will demand your head be delivered on a platter for saying anything remotely resembling a positive OSHNA remark.
They used to make an effort. I wasn’t always difficult to get people to attend especially when there was food. The eating meeting was always good for plenty of faces. You can paint it however you want, but see post #10. I’m pretty sur that lacking a quorum on two consecutive general membership meetings is unprecedented. If you don’t achieve a quorum on election night, you’ll come up with some other rationalization. I’m not anti-OSHNA, don’t live in OSH, just been watching this for the last 2 years. Only a blind man couldnt see where this is headed.
I am a paid member and choose not to be part of the organization anymore because I don’t agree with it’s leadership nor direction. And there’s not an opportunity for feedback or input to help it become more inclusive and representative.
I didn’t not attend the meeting along with several others I know who have always be present before. Most of the past active members simply don’t care about the politics or organization. If you live in this neighborhood long enough you learn that the organization is a not needed to be productive.
Those who truly care have moved on to doing other things that help the neighborhood continue to grow in a positive directon.
Nobody that I know is anti-OSHNA. They are anti-current board because of the direction this board has gone and many of the decisions they have made. Just like there are many republicans who do not agree with the Obama direction or the democrats who voiced vocal opposition under W. Freedom to express opposition is one of the basic foundations of this country. Yet there are those on this board who would suppress that right, or label it as something inappropriate. They ignore the fact that those same people who oppose the current OSHNA leadership are the ones out in the community working to improve the neighborhood regardless of OSHNA.
To summarize, many of us believe: organization – good, current leadership – bad.
So…let me see if I understand this. The current board has been in charge since January. Everyone is pissed over the elections. Those people who oppose the current leadership are opposed to leadership that has been in office for less than one year. Seems to me that you have decided to be pissed because things didn’t go the way you thought they should and you are not even giving the new leadership a chance.
#4. Did you previously live in OSH?
I think you mean 14 17, and no. I’ve lived on the fringe for a number of years now so I’ve seen plenty. This site used to be a wonderful source for information, but its been taken over by neighborhood politics since the foundation cracked off. I still stop by every so often, but its such a turn off most of the time when yall just keep going round and round never saying anything new. It wouldnt hurt my feelings none to see all the associations go away, but that aint likely to happen so here you go. This will peter off in a few days then itll get fired up again in a month or so. Every time it does youll be turning more and more people off. That goes for both sides, sometimes its best to just keep your trap shut and let the other feller hang himself because if you dont we little people just grow to hate all of you.
hear, hear!
That’s a very interesting theory #18, but it sounds too much like “Do nothing” and “Just leave us alone” or “no change”. That spirit has not been what made Seminole Heights a great place to live and a place that others would like live.
You are right #12. Attendance is down in many such meetings. This country is having a hard time and many are working two jobs or extra hrs. just to get by. There was a good turn out for the meeting and the quorum was close. Vacation time, the economy, and you name it. The fact is that although OSHNA has over 400 members, the average turnout is 75 or less, unless it’s an election then the numbers jump up to 150 or more. Low head counts are not that unusual in other organizations, why is OSHNA getting beat up for this national trend.
Well 21, Im glad to see that your strategy of constantly sniping at each other and carrying the torch of personal hate is working well. The associations have had zero to do with how the neighborhood has improved the last couple of years. Carry on. I’ll leave you be.
As for 22, you go right ahead rationalizing. I hear that there’s at least one organization in this very neighborhood that’s adding members. National trend, good one. 400 members, ya, I believe that one.
Possibly the last quorum was the 2009 election mtg and before that, the April 2009 mtg.
The January 2010 was lightly attended also -not as skimpily as this April’s mtg (less than 30)
but it was definitely less than this most recent non-quorum meeting. January mtg was when
the board presented their picks that they had selected to be the replacement board members.
This site is the best place to get GSH information and blogger is appreciated for providing this
site for information, to support neighborhood events and businesses, and as a forum for discussions -but yes 19, the oshna board issues unfortunately will likely continue to fire up and “keep going round and round” and moving forward will likely be nigh impossible unless the board finally steps up to reinstate the expelled and remove sanctions.
That alone would be a big step.
Sorry 12 but if __# of members stayed away as a direct result of this discord, add 3 expelled members, and if that would have made the the quorum, then yes, the discord made the difference.
*@14-16 Agree (1045a, 11:06a, 11:29a). 15 -Ditto. Echoes exactly why my family and
several nghbrs stayed home Tuesday, however if a quorum had been reached then we all still
have some small measure of interest left, enough to go and vote but turned off by the rest of it.
*@late posting 17 (11:46am but didn’t post until mid afternoon?) What “new” leadership?
Just an observation but it seems the ideology of this board goes back a few years which was solidified w/safe replacements, there was no reaching across the neighborhood, the remaining elected board members were all incumbents. …& don’t forget those perpetual incumbents
– who by some are considered “lifers”.
Not anti-oshna, but the board’s priorities these past few years have been disheartening.
Spin….spin…….spin. Everyone is getting dizzy.
It is almost embarassing how the OSHNA-philes try to spin the truth.iveYive me a break, the economy, If that were true then not spending money on dinner should have been a big draw. Guess what people definately stayed away. I counted over 30 people who normally attend these meetings who decided to stay home.
#17 do you follow much. One of those people put in at January in the months following the election sat in board meetings calling a board member names that would be vulgar in most circles. When that board members resigned, the troll in the audience was chosen as a board replacement. Yeah that is high class leadership from the rest of the board that voted him in. The board wants to amend the bylaws to give him a two year term? This is OSH neighborhood association at it’s finest.
Didn’t I just leave this party?
This party never ends.
i moved to this neighborhood 1 year ago. I use Big Blue a lot to get information as to what is going on in the neighborhood. I have been intrigued by the continuous battle that seems to go on about OSHNA. I actually went back to the oldseminoleheights.org website and read the minutes of the meetings that were held for the past 2 years so that I could understand what this is all about.
As an outsider, this is what I believe. First there was a group of 3 (the 3 that were expelled?), one of which was a board member, that went behind OSHNA’s back and formed a Foundation that OSHNA had been working on for quite some time. I have no idea what their reason for doing this was.
Then there was the debacle of the 2009 elections, which is just silly. It effected the outcome of 1 board member. Does one person make enough difference for all of this?
So as a result there is a group of people (about 30 from what I read on Big Blue) who are very angry and want to keep the anger going.
According to the minutes, OSHNA has about 400 members. As expected most of those members are not active. The “angry” group has not renewed their membership and never will. Other than that, members come and go as in any other neighborhood association.
Although this website has been very helpful, you do have to do your own research and look beyond the comments that are being made by the people who have had their feelings hurt or not gotten their way. That goes for both sides.
I attended Tuesdays meeting, have not been a members since Mr.Harmon was president, however
this was the first time I heard (OSHNA) even speak about my section of the neighborhood (Lesley’ Plat) and the first time I ever heard them mentioned BGoSH is a favorable tone, That stated I will not be going to another one any time soon.
#31- Although the name Leslie Platt was not specifically mentioned at the meeting, were you listening when the Greeenspace chair announced the “living wall” project is moving along in a favorable direction wiht FDOT? If I’m not mistaken, this would mean a massive tree planting project along your east boundary with #275. Wouldn’t you say that counted for something?
30 – If the source of your research was the minutes on oldseminoleheights.org then you are only getting one skewed side of the story. As for the forming of the Foundation, because of legal threats by OSHNA the founders have never publicly told their side of the story except to say that the organization they formed was different than what OSHNA was going to form. Maybe one day OSHNA will withdraw the threats and the founders can tell their side of the story.
30 – you may need to delve deeper into the creation of the SH Foundation and the start of the legal battle instigated by OSHNA board.
As for the election of one board member – it skewed the board to majority rule/decision making it much like the last national election skewed to the Dems vs Repub. It essentially continued to keep the cliquiest group think, power hungry, atty happy group in control despite the election of three officers from the other side of the coin.
A little bit of a biased opinion, obviously – no longer a member, not mad at OSHNA but frustrated with the current board and their antics which are not positive for the neighborhood overall. Have moved on and will work to improve the area regardless of board antics and without their “help”.
#33 , #30 here.- I gave you commentary some thought
” As for the forming of the Foundation, because of legal threats by OSHNA the founders have never publicly told their side of the story except to say that the organization they formed was different than what OSHNA was going to form.”
I recognize the fact that “If the source of your research was the minutes on oldseminoleheights.org then you are only getting one skewed side of the story.” The only other source of information that I have is this blog.
So, my question is, even if they have a good reason for forming the foundation it still does not seem right that the person involved stayed on the board as long as she did. It’s like planning a new business with someone that appears to be your partner and then that person goes out and start the business on their own using the plans that you made together. Shouldn’t she have resigned from the board once she become involved in the forming of the foundation?
And, I am sure that are others that know the story. What was the justification?
there were no Foundation founders on the OSHNA board when it started. OSHNA has discussed a non-profit/foundation for over 10 years. Foundation officers have been board members of OSHNA over the past 10 years but should that disqualify their efforts for the neighborhood because they started a foundation – an organization that never moved beyond talking stages?
Absolutely, it should not disqualify their effors for the neighborhood. It is not uncommon for a neighborhood association to have a hard time getting beyond the talking stages and that can be very frustrating. My only question is that it does seem inappropriate for Susan Long to remain on the board and attend meetings where the foundation was being discussed and not disclose her involvement with the other foundation.
I don’t know these people and was not living in Seminole Heights when all of this happened so I am trying to look at it objectively. I want to understand it because it seems that it has driven a huge wedge into the neighborhood and there should be some way to resolve these issues and move forward.
To say that OSHNA had not moved beyond talking stages is incorrect. My understanding is that bylaws had been drafted and the Board was ready to take the proposal before the general membership. The mission statement and name was proposed at OSHNA committee meetings that Susan Long and Randy Baron attended. They were privy to this information and started the Foundation along with Christie Hess.
My take is that Hess and Baron had recently lost in the OSHNA board election and were unhappy with the outcome. Long was elected as Treasurer but stepped down. Shortly thereafter they started the Foundation.
The OSHNA board found out about the Foundation when they received a congratulatory call from the City’s Neighborhood Relations office.
Their efforts are not discounted for starting a foundation. They are discounted for the way in which they started the foundation. IMO their actions demonstrate a lack of integrity.
#38 – #37 here. That was the conclusion that I came to after reading the minutes from the meeting and from things that have been said on Big Blue. It is sometimes hard to decipher the facts when people are obviously very bitter about the situation.
So seems to me that most of the discontent expressed on this website in regard to OSHNA is mostly a result of sour grapes that go back to the elections of 2008 for the 2009 board? And I guess that this has been exacerbated by the elections in 2009?
38 and the OSHNA board hiring attorneys and taking the unprecedented move of expelling three members….”lack of integrity” – pot meet kettle – the actions of the foundation founders, while the timing was questionable, really did not merit the scorched earth policy the OSHNA board implemented – it was all about pride at that point and not what was in the best interest of the neighborhood.
The formation of the Foundation was all about “pride” as well.
41- please tell us the story as to why the foundation was started? Since you think it was started out of pride, please recap the events and the conversations that were had with OSHNA regarding the formation of the foundation.