As I recover from my cancer surgery, I have had some time to quietly contemplate my relationship with TCAN. I have decided that from now on, unless and until certain changes are made in the way directors are selected and serve, I will no longer support TCAN financially; I will not volunteer to assist the organization in any capacity; and I will not attend any events in its premises. Milton, this is my personal decision and it involves no one else. I will leave it to you to share this with other members of the Board, or not, as you choose.

There are two main reasons fo my decision, and neither have anything to do with the Board's treatment of Michael Moran. The first reason has to do with the Board's treatment of me and volunteers like me. While I think the Board's decision on Michael was wrong and that it was atrociously mishandled, I can understand the thinking process which led to it, even if I don't agree with it.

But I cannot understand why the Board has treated me and other volunteers so shabbily and unfairly. Its continued refusal even to talk with volunteers who opposed the action reflects, to me, pure arrogance. Despite your protestations that you appreciate what the volunteers have done, the Board's action--or lack of it--shows just the opposite. The Board is saying, quite obviously, that our thoughts, opinions and feelings mean absolutely nothing to them,and that all our past contributions to the organization also count for nothing. Milton, I realize it may not be much, but I spent 3 1/2 years working hard to help TCAN grow, and I will not accept such disrespect and disregard. I can find no good reason for me to continue supporting such a group, when so many other worthy organizations are seeking volunteer help.

My second reason for deciding not to be one of those you feel will eventually trickle back, involves my belief and conviction that the method for selecting TCAN directors, and how they serve, needs to be changed. The fact is that you and the other 13 members of the Board are volunteers, just as I am (was), and just as hundreds of other people within TCAN are. Not one of you was elected by anyone. You report to no one. You have no limits on how long you can remain directors, and you have become, in effect, a self-contained and self-perpetuating club, since the only way anyone can now become a director is to asked to join the Board by a present member.

To my mind, this kind of organization has led to cronyism, a willingness to ignore your own previously established policies, and a complete defiance of other volunteers to whom you evidently feel "more equal," if not completely superior. It is just not acceptable to me for 14 "volunteers" to have the ability to thwart the wishes and desires of hundreds of other volunteers and hundreds of other members without any source of recourse.

I realize that, because of the way TCAN was structured originally, technically the volunteers on the Board can legally do just about whatever they want. But surely you know, Milton, just because something is "legal" doesn't make it "right."

For me to consider returning to TCAN, I am convinced the members of the Board must be elected by the membership for specific term periods and be responsible for reporting on their stewardship to the members annually.

Outsdide of Ricky Ball and possibly Joe Hurwitz, I doubt that you or any of the other Board members would know me if we bumped into each other on Main Street. So I realize I'm only one lowly volunteer and that my loss will be considered inconsequential by you and most of your Board colleagues. That doesn't bother me a bit. But I wanted you to know what one person has decided and why--and that I may not be the only one reaching that conclusion.

Sincerely, Dick Tellis