The Beau Monde Chapter of RWA held a vote of our members and sent the following message to the RWA Board. We are looking for answers and a way forward.
From: Ann Chaney, President of The Beau Monde Chapter
Vanessa Riley, President-Elect of The Beau Monde ChapterThe Board of The Beau Monde Chapter of RWA put a vote to our members to release a statement to RWA National Board.
A majority of chapter members voted and 89% of the votes representing 123 members voted in favor of sending the following letter:
January 8, 2020
The Beau Monde Board of Directors and 123 chapter members put forth the following provisions for consideration by the RWA Board.
The Beau Monde’s core value is to provide a safe and nurturing online resource.
We believe transparency should always be the top priority of any organization. In this, the RWA Board and Staff have failed.
We call for the immediate removal of Damon Suede from the office of President of RWA. This organization cannot begin to heal until he is removed from the RWA board.
The perception that the RWA National Board and Staff have engaged in unethical practices is unacceptable and foments distrust and frenetic in-fighting. How can we function as an organization with discord coloring every event, project, and program?
The Beau Monde just celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019, and we are committed to seeing The Beau Monde flourish for another 25 years. The coming months will be difficult, but necessary if the chapter is to survive and grow.
We request the following actions be taken:
1. The immediate removal of Damon Suede from the office of President of RWA2. A complete disclosure of ethics failures/findings regarding the RWA Board and Staff
3. A complete forensic audit of RWA financial records for the RWA Board and Staff
The Beau Monde believes, given the irregularities in the Ethics complaint process, and the need for a recall petition against the president, that RWA is in breach of its contractual duty to our chapter membership and has failed to exercise good faith in carrying out its duties.
Signed,
Ann Chaney, President of The Beau Monde Chapter
Vanessa Riley, President-Elect of The Beau Monde Chapter
The Beau Monde Board of Directors
123 Members of The BM