The OB Town Council “rebrand” – the OB Community Foundation — is still having problems, apparently.
There have been three four recent resignations from the Board that governs the organization — two from members just elected in June. So, obviously, the problem-plagued group is still swimming in troubled-waters.
The most recent resignations include Nicole Cox Murray and Margaret Morghen — both just elected to the board in late June and early July. So, within just three months, two brand new board members felt there were problems enough for them to call it quits. Plus, a more-long time board member, Aaron Null, has also resigned from the board of directors.
Margaret Morghen felt compelled to write something about her resignation. Here is a letter she posted on facebook just last week:
Hi Friends,
On Monday I resigned from my position as Board Director and Recording Secretary from the Ocean Beach Community Foundation. OBCF is basically a rebrand of the Ocean Beach Town Council that ran into some financial troubles over the past several years. (I have posted the most recent and detailed article about what happened below).
I was tasked, along with the other newly elected Board Members to help “right the ship.” I was honored at this request actually and ran to the call for help. I love my community. I recently learned, however, that even with a new name, if the old financial mismanagements have not been fully resolved in a Non-Profit, there might be potential liabilities that could be carried into the new organization.
A new name, as it turns out, does not guarantee a fresh start.
In hindsight, I am realizing that “righting a ship” is not the same thing as a “fresh start”- which would of course remove these murky past potential liabilities. I think some people might be ok with taking on these duties while accepting risk. But for me, it’s not a good fit.
Had I known more about non profits prior to accepting this call for help, I definitely would have waited until the old financial issues had been fully resolved before running for this position. I don’t know what the solution is right now while we are waiting for the embezzlement investigation to proceed. But I think we could not go wrong with supporting the new OBCF Board with continual requests for transparency and of course lending them a helping hand at all of the wonderful Ocean Beach traditions they are tasked with organizing.
Thank you to my friends and community members who voted for me.
Morghen cited the “old financial mismanagements” that have not been resolved as her main reason to bow out. She stated she doesn’t know what the solution is right now “while we are waiting for the embezzlement investigation to proceed.” And she adds “we could not go wrong with supporting the new OBCF Board with continual requests for transparency….”
This is a quite telling remark. So, on her way out the door, she advises the community to continue to press the board for transparency.
Ever since the scandal broke last January — 8 months ago — people from the community have been encouraging the board for more transparency.
And now with these latest resignations, the only take away is that the board is not being completely transparent, and something is going on that the community has the right to know.
People don’t understand why whatever investigation is going on is taking so long. Meanwhile, concerns are heightened because the OBCF is actively soliciting donations from the community — and the past finances have not been worked out.
I totally missed that board member Greg Winter is also no longer on t he board — apparently he didn’t run in the last election. so that’s 4 resignations in about the same amount of time as months.
In the spirit of full transparency, here’s what I posted on my private Facebook page:
To my OB friends: I regret to report I felt it necessary to resign from the board of the Ocean Beach Community Foundation. To the people who voted for me: thank you. I am grateful for your trust and was genuinely looking forward to serving the community by helping to rectify grievous past mismanagement. I was looking forward to participating in a process to work with community members to create a strategic plan, and to ensure transparency with everything we did. The majority of board members did not agree that we had serious issues to address before moving forward with fundraising and programs.
As chair of the grants committee, I did a lot of research and digging to be sure grant applications would accurately reflect the state of the organization. The more I learned, the less comfortable I became. I felt I did what I could to advocate within the board for full transparency to the community, and for a collaborative process to move forward ethically.
I stand with Margaret Morghen in calling for the community to continue advocating for full transparency. I’d like to see full board minutes posted on the website. I’d like to see a page on the website called “OB Town Council History,” laying out everything that led to its charter being revoked. I’d like to see updates on the ongoing embezzlement investigation (anything that can legally be shared). I call on the board to work with residents on a strategic plan, with transparent, objectively measurable goals. I’d ask the budget be published to the community, and annual financials posted.
Since some of the current board members were in office during the era of town council fraud and embezzlement, I think some external oversight is important.
I promise to contribute my time and energy to Ocean Beach as opportunities arise.
Nicole – thanks so much for your heart-felt statement. Everyone in OB ought to read it and everyone who has contributed to the town council or community foundation should take it to heart. This is quite brave to stand up for your virtuals and express your view of what’s going on — or not going on.