Police called as Columbia board meeting erupts in chaos over decision to remove three members

The Columbia Association’s board of directors meeting devolved into chaos Thursday night as residents spoke out about last month’s removal of three board members.

One resident likened the situation to a “civil war,” while others called it “taxation with representation.”

A standing-room-only crowd disrupted the proceedings of Thursday’s meeting multiple times. Several recesses were called, and, at one point, at least four county police officers showed up to escort an unruly audience member out.

Last month, in a closed session, the board of the Columbia Association, the homeowners association overseeing the unincorporated town of Columbia, voted to remove Reg Avery of Long Reach, Karin Emery of Oakland Mills and Eric Greenberg of River Hill for what the association’s ethics panel determined were violations of the board’s code of conduct.

Avery, Emery and Greenberg issued a statement calling their removal retribution for an ethics complaint they filed against the board chair and another board member. The association’s ethics panel rejected that earlier complaint.

Earlier Thursday, a county judge denied a motion by the ousted trio who were seeking to be reinstated. The former members filed the motion for a temporary restraining order late Wednesday.

The trio’s motion for a restraining order alleges that, because they were removed in a closed session and only five of nine members present voted, the action violates the association’s charter, bylaws and the Maryland Homeowners Association Act.

The board is made up of representatives of each of the 10 villages that make up Columbia, home to more than 100,000 residents, making it Maryland’s second-largest city after Baltimore. It oversees a $91 million budget, which pays for Columbia’s amenities such as pools, paths and community programming.

State Del. Chao Wu, a former River Hill village board member and association representative, said that he and Del. Jennifer Terrasa have asked the Maryland Office of the Attorney General to weigh in on the trio’s removal.

“If the state finds it illegal to remove these three board members, you should fire the legal counsel,” Wu said.

Hal Kassoff, an 82-year-old Columbia resident who has lived in the community for over five decades, said if the three ousted members are restored to their positions by a judge, then “the civil war will continue and the people paying the price will be residents of Columbia, all of us.”

Instead, Kassoff said, the board needs to “take the high road” and allow the three to reclaim their seats so that wounds may begin to heal.

On April 24, the day after the three were removed from the board, the Columbia Association released an 82-page report detailing the trio’s alleged misconduct and unwillingness to cooperate with the investigation. It also detailed seven months of board infighting.

Several former board members spoke during Thursday’s public comment period, including Nancy McCord.

The former Wilde Lake representative said that many Columbia residents “feel unheard, dismissed and [are] increasingly concerned about the direction the board is taking.”

“No board should believe it has the right to override the voice of the electors simply because it disagrees with them,” McCord said. “This community deserves leadership that listens instead of dictates, represents instead of dismisses, and serves instead of controls.”

However, not all past board members sided with the ousted trio.

Joan Lancos, formerly Hickory Ridge’s representative on the board, said those who question the board’s decision to remove members have not read the 82-page report.

“No village should claim a lack of representation when it is up to a village board to appoint a new council member,” Lancos said.

When Columbia residents cast votes in their respective village elections they vote for village board members and a single member to the Columbia Council. Those 10 council members then vote for themselves to become the association’s board of directors.

On Thursday, the three former board members remained sitting members of the Columbia Council and initially sat on the dais with other board members.

However, when the three attempted to participate in the selection of the association board members, board chair Collin Sullivan of Town Center ruled that they were “disqualified from participating in votes related to their election as a director and any votes they attempt to make in that regard are rejected.”

“I believe that the appointment of Mr. Greenberg, Ms. Emery and Mr. Avery, to the board of directors is contrary to the best interest and indeed harmful to the organization,” Sullivan said.

Audience members began to boo, and the meeting went into recess. Some residents raised their voices and called on Sullivan to resign.

Eventually, the meeting went about its normal business, and Sullivan was nominated as chair again.

The next board meeting is scheduled for June 25.