Months of turmoil at Pillar Non-Profit Network appear to be boiling over.
A petition calling for a membership meeting where removing board members could be voted on is circulating among Pillar members. It comes in the wake of the firing of former President and CEO Mojdeh Cox.
“The Board’s lack of responsiveness to members, their unwillingness to call a general meeting despite repeated calls, and their reluctance to engage in open and healthy discourse increases the risk of causing deep harm to the viability and sustainability of the organization. The operational Pillar team has been navigating the community’s erosion of trust in the Board and the real operational consequences of this board’s reluctance to speak to its membership. Lack of transparency and accountability at the highest level of an organization translates into a psychologically unsafe working environment,” the petition reads. It began circulating on Thursday morning.
Last month, the same stakeholders asked members of the board to resign.
On Thursday morning, a message from the board posted on Pillar’s website said the “immediate resignation of all Board members, which is currently being called for in this open letter, is not the best path forward as it would cause further uncertainty and instability to Pillar.”
The Pillar members say the organization’s own by-laws allow for the removal of board members.
From the petition:
Article 4: Meeting of Member
4.1 General Meeting
The Board may at any time call a general meeting of the Members for the transaction of any business, the general nature of which is set out in the notice calling the meeting. A general meeting of Members may also be called at the request, in writing, of twenty-five percent (25%) of the Members.
Article 5: Board of Directors
Section 5.4 Removal of Directors:
Members may, by vote of two-thirds (2/3) cast at the General Meeting, remove any member of the Board of Directors. Members are obliged to give notice of intention to call for the resolution(s) for the removal of a Board of Director.
Each of the remaining board members is cited in the petition as potentially being up for removal.
Mary Alikakos didn’t return a call from LondonNewsToday.ca requesting comment.
In the message to Pillar members posted on Thursday, the board did write that some members would “transition off the Board and for new members to be brought on in an orderly, community supported and systematic manner between now and the end of the current Board term in April.”
Not soon enough for those signing the petition, who are pushing for an immediate general meeting.
“Our commitment has always been to Pillar and to modelling best practices which align with our strategic plan and the needs of our community. We will continue demonstrating that commitment going forward, just as we know you will. For these reasons, in the coming days, we will be announcing further details about a new Board selection and onboarding approach, which will include calling for community input and support through a Community Leadership and Advisory Panel,” the board wrote in their message to members.
Pillar is a non-profit organization that assists other non-profits in the London area with resources and collaboration. They work with hundreds of local charities, and are considered leaders in the sector.
Cox took over the lead role there in April of 2021. She had previously worked as the national director of anti-racism and human rights with the Canadian Labour Congress.
However, there’s been a dark cloud over the organization since Cox was dismissed in July.
Cox could not be reached for comment.
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