I thought the foolishness and demoralizing anti-cooperative behavior had ebbed and hoped that it was on its way out completely. However, this morning (June 8) I found in my door and taped to the elevator walls an anonymous screed against six candidates for the board. These candidates have chosen, reluctantly in most cases, but out of a sense of responsibility toward their neighbors and the cooperative we all call home, to dedicate their time and efforts toward serving our community.
Now someone who doesn’t even have the integrity to sign his/her name to it, has circulated a document that seeks to undermine the type of democratic, cooperative community that will help us all to thrive in a safe, sound, clean and affordable building in one of the most unaffordable places in New York City. I am guessing that this person is the same individual who took it upon him/herself to selectively remove the candidates’ statements from the lobby – but only those candidates whom s/he doesn’t like, of course.
As of this evening, the document in question has been removed from the elevators, leaving scotch tape residue for our overworked maintenance staff to deal with. But the content of that letter still lingers like a rotten stench over the harmony of our common home. The letter contained some legitimate concerns. There are structures in place – open management committee meetings, floor representatives, submitting questions and concerns to be addressed at the open sessions at the beginning of every board meeting – to air and have addressed all concerns and grievances. But circulating an anonymous letter filled with accusations but without any evidence or even supporting arguments doesn’t move our building forward and doesn’t make things better. It simply sows confusion, anxiety and distrust. I am beginning to think this is the actual agenda of the person who posted this document. The letter repeatedly makes unsupported accusations and instead of telling us why the accused might act in such a way, writes, “Ask yourself… .”
Ask yourself, ask yourself, ask yourself. Why should I ask myself? If I hold these doubts, I want to ask the board, management, the accused, or anyone who might know the answers. I suspect the “journalist” who posted the document and the questions either doesn’t know or wants to keep us from knowing by spreading confusion.
Accusing one of our neighbors of getting on the board to get a parking space is ludicrous. The parking waiting list is publicly posted for all to see. We can just take a look and watch applicants move up the list. Noting (without evidence or supporting documentation) that a board member’s family members (independent adults who are responsible for themselves) have taken actions relating to subletting says more about the accuser than the accused. Many of us have family members living in the building. This is part of what makes us a strong and viable community, but few of us are or would like to be held responsible for our relatives’ actions and behaviors. Many years ago, a colleague told me, “When someone accuses you of something that you didn’t do or wouldn’t do, you can be sure that that is the very thing that they are doing or will be doing as soon as they get the chance.” In the ensuing years, that bit of wisdom has proven to be true over and over again.
Let’s have these discussions in open forums where fact checking and the opportunity for the accused to defend themselves is the norm.
We are on the verge of electing a majority of the next board of our cooperative. Let’s respect and support these people who give way more than the advertised “3 to 5 hours a week” of their time and efforts. Let’s encourage the board to be open and communicative and let’s support the board and the building by contributing our expertise and enthusiasm, joining ad hoc committees and volunteering our time and efforts where and whenever we can.
Your Neighbor, Mitch Bleier (not anonymous)
RVT Voices 
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