Myshkin1984: I hear ya on the 'if only interested in labor issues, don't join'. Really I do.

I am not a righteous labor crusader, or a crusader of any kind. Instead, I was a member of OFS for a very long time, and deeply involved volunteer there.

I allowed my membership to lapse, almost exclusively BECAUSE of the dysfunction of the organization itself and its' inability/unwillingness to deal with serious matters not unlike this very one. The fact that I didn't pony up my $20 a year does not prove that I care (or know) less about OFS; indeed a lot of regular OFS volunteers are unlikely to BE members, simply because they earn free movie passes or staff cards for performing their volunteer shifts, and the reduced ticket price the membership would afford them is inconsequential. That doesn't mitigate their love for, or commitment to, the organization.

Many moviegoers who pony up the $20 are far from knowledgeable about OFS governance or internal operations, and most don't care to know about it as long as the films continue to play, or the live events continue to happen. In effect, they just pay the $20 fee more as a service fee, than a real membership. To them, voting or even discussing this issue will largely be a matter of which 'side' presents their case better (and there ARE scare tactics afoot here though there are also legitimate concerns).

I realize I've just described the country, where there are active and informed citizens, inactive and uninformed citizens, both of whom get to vote whereas non-citizens despite their involvement or knowledge, do not.

OFSer: Agreed. A meeting of the membership at this time is unlikely to derail or harm the film festival. Indeed, most of the festival related responsibilities for the Board have already been decided upon, or would be by the time this special meeting would be held. It is the staff, inclusive of and actually led by, Jeffrey and his crew of projectionists, that really pull off the festival. (Consequently, it was more likely the Boards' action that has more likelihood of harming the fiim festival). Actually, given the lull time after the festival, this might be almost the perfect time to attempt a major process change with the Board.

with regard to the point that most arts organizations don't have elected boards, I would simply point out that most arts organizations have executive directors who carry out the wishes of board members who are influential, money-ed, well-connected folks who spend THEIR time drumming up financial support for the organization as opposed to making personnel or other operational decisions. either you're a collective and you care about what the membership wants (if so, have an election), or you're an arts organization typically structured (if so, hire an executive director, and fill the board with folks who can fill the coffers of OFS). you don't get to have it both ways.

The Grand's 10 year anniversary - how it stays alive.

The differences are staggering, and show the challenges OFS faces. OFS doesn't have a building owner that's gonna spend $400K renovating the theater, nor do they have a Board president that's going to financially insure that all operating costs are covered, nor do they have an executive director to oversee daily operations. OFS has half the staff serving twice the membership, and far less than half the city population than that of Tacoma.

...they damn well should feel the fire at their feet at this point!... and if OFS comes crumbling down, they will have their own sorry asses to blame!

Firing Jeffery Bartone has to be one of the stupidest decisions I've seen in Olympia in a long time. Jeff was a pro at what he did... he knew his shit and put in long hard work and effort lovingly to the theater. So what if he was somewhat abrasive and didn't respond to crap from people with a shielded tongue?? OFS needs him around plain and simple and Jeff has NEVER done anything that honestly deserves the way he has been treated by the board.

I'd really love to see a list of Jeffery's supposed "offenses" that justify this. The board needs some fucking accountability and they need to tell us why they so self-righteously think that firing THE most dedicated person from their organization was EVER in OFS' better interests! Honestly, you creeps who don't appreciate how much Jeffery has given to OFS need to fuck yourselfs! It's people like you who don't even fucking deserve OFS!

I imagine the Board meeting will be well-attended, and can't imagine that there will be adequate time given to satisfy the desires/needs of all involved regarding the firing and/or timing thereof.

I'd like to also point out a problem I saw in the board president's letter that is linked to. She says this is the most functional dedicated Board she's seen in her time there. Her time there is like the past 3 years. (they have meeting minutes from 2004-2005 partially on the ofs website, and if you read July 2005 in particular, you'll see how quickly and/or willingly they reply to member requests for changes to Board process or simply asking that the board follow its own bylaws)...If you look at the minutes, you can see how few board members were at a given meeting, and that decisions seem to have been made without true quorum on occasion.

I find the statement odd about how functional and committed the Board is, given that 4-5 of the members of it are brand spanking new having been approved at the very meeting Jeffrey was fired during, in July. Seems like it'd be kind of tough to make that kind of judgment about the total board, given that half of them are untried at this time.