So finally, the Willo Neighborhood Association posted their proposed changes to their organization's by-laws. The issue at hand is the disenfranchisement of about 300 people who bought into Willo.
In reviewing the bylaws, the following items stuck out. First, the definition of the boundaries (Article I section 5) of Willo goes from the description of McDowell Road to Thomas Road north-to-south and Central Avenue to Seventh Avenue east-to-west to, "Boundaries are as set forth in the Plan." What plan? I assume it's the Willo Conservation Plan. But is it? And what revision, dated when? What version? The City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department has prepared the following map of Willo's boundaries. It still goes as far north to Thomas Road - so as to include (and quite possibly influence the development of) the Metropolitan Lofts at 531 W. Thomas Road and as far south as McDowell Road - so as to include (and quite possibly to influence the development of) the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and McDowell Road. I have a feeling that once these developments are finished, then Willo will want nothing to do with them.
The second item in the bylaws that is rather interesting is membership (article II section 1). What's being proposed makes it sound like membership to the Willo Neighborhood Association is opt-in. The text goes from "Any person of voting age owning property or residing within the Plan boundaries shall be a member of the Association" to "Any person of voting age residing within the Plan boundaries may opt to be a member of the association [sic]" [in both instances, emphasis mine]. Does that mean that (if the bylaws are approved) there are no members of the Association and therefore no board? How to people opt-in to the Association? All the proposed by-laws say is, "The Process for optional membership in the Association will be set forth by rules and procedures established by the Board. Opt-In membership must be renewed annually." Goodness, with optional membership, it sounds like the powers-that-be within Willo have the power to deny membership. I'll leave it there, but just think about it. Detractors of the Willo board will be ousted from Willo so that their opinions are opinions and not votes.
Finally, the question is simple. Why were the bylaws - with the boundaries set forth as Central to 7th Avenue, McDowell to Thomas - approved by the Board and Residents three times (5 February 1992, 10 March 2005, and 15 March 2007) even with this supposed 'mistake'? If it was an oversight, then Willo should be reaching out to Tapestry through conciliation that the Willo board leadership have rejected.
It is not a mistake. It is intentional.
-Edward Jensen
[Author's note: for all the latest in the Willo saga, point your feed reader to 'Willo Watch' at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WilloWatch and thanks!]
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