I’ve served on the board of Historic Mordecai Park for over two years now as part of my Parks board service. At most meetings we have few things of importance to discuss. Tonight, however, we were presented with location options for the new Interpretive Center. This was the biggest decision I’ve yet had to make as a boardmember.
The problem was, however, that a boardmember quickly put forward a motion to recommend approval of the location, which staff recommends to be adjacent to Wake Forest Road. In the discussion phase of the motion I made it known that I was not comfortable supporting this recommendation and needed more time to think it over. A vote was taken anyway and passed on a 3-2 majority.
That’s life on a board: you don’t always get your way. And my fellow boardmember was within his right to make his motion. I only wish we could have tabled it until our next meeting, during which time we could all absorb the facts and make a better-informed decision. Postponing a vote might also have given the rest of the board a chance to attend, as our board barely had a quorum.
So, I have two things to say. Number one, Mordecai House has stood on its original foundation for over 200 years. We were being asked for our consensus on a location that had only been broached 20 minutes prior. To my knowledge we have never discussed a Wake Forest Road location during any of our meetings. So what occurred is that after 20 minutes of discussion we were asked to sign off on a permanent building next to this 200 year old home. I may have been in the minority but I just didn’t feel comfortable making a snap decision about this.
Number two, for the Parks board itself it’s common for items to first be presented as informational items and waiting until the next meeting before asking the board to vote This gives boardmembers time to work things out, study the issue, hear from the public, and ask appropriate questions. It would be nice if the Mordecai board worked the same way but that didn’t happen tonight. As I said, we don’t normally have to make decisions of this magnitude.
As for the proposed location? It’s got many good things going for it and a few bad things against it. I’m not sure it isn’t the best solution but I’m not sure it’s the worst, either. The truth is I just don’t know at this point. All I know is that 20 minutes was not enough time to consider it.
I know that my fellow boardmembers, Parks staff, and I all want what’s best for the park. I think we all agree that an interpretive center would be a wonderful addition to the park. My job as a boardmember, though, is to call ’em like I see ’em, and that’s what I did tonight. I may not always be on the winning side, but that’s what keeps democracy exciting, isn’t it?
Update 3 May 2011: The MHP board approved the project. Here’s why I did, too.