Your Turn
Guest Column
Long Branch Concordance: What matters and why?
Terri Blair

I've been pondering about the Long Branch Concordance (LBC) and my removal as executive director. It was quite a surprise, coming two days after the LBC's fundraising event during which board members complimented me effusively. I think what matters most with the LBC is: families and children, truth, reputation and healthy community.

The same is true for myself. This should be facilitated in an open, truthful and well-mannered way that supports community and individuals alike.

Families and children. More than 80 people got together on March 5, 2004, and formed the LBC. Different faiths and ethnic groups were represented. Leaders came from local, regional and county agencies. The group decided that Long Branch families and children needed a place to go for help; there needed to be a consistent way for folks and agencies to get together to discuss concerns and strengths. Agencies and organizations needed to create better ways to help families and kids.

As facilitator of that meeting, I suggested a decision-making process called consensus. Since then, almost every major decision of the LBC has used this process. The LBC board of trustees never adopted that model.

Truth: the LBC board rightly mentions I'm not trained in financial management. This is why I hired a hard-working MBA who is also completing an MSW as our financial officer.

I wrote the programs for almost all of the grants received by the LBC, including the recent $175,000 state grant. Our financial officer has ensured that our finances are in good order. This is one of the many reasons the LBC burgeoned so quickly. According to the board president, the LBC has received funding of over $600,000.

Acting Executive Director Kim Praitano stated that the Rev. Darrell Armstrong, who directs the state grant funding for the 17 collaboratives, including LBC, commended Blair and her group, and decided to use LBC as the model for the other 16 collaboratives requesting grant support..

The LBC has established a fine resource and referral program; our monthly meetings set a standard for strength-based collaboration. I've had the privilege of setting up the model, choosing and training the staff, and networking with individuals and agencies that made this possible.

LBC board members have made contradictory statements, saying that it is now time to bring in a professional. Why now? The barn has already been built.

Truth about the LBC board of trustees. The people I initially invited on the board of trustees were primarily grassroots folks. They included Latino and African-American parents, a tri-lingual Latino minister, a local lawyer, a local specialist in nonprofit management, and a professor from the Social Work Department at Monmouth University (Dr. Golam Mathbor).

By the time of my removal as executive director, Dr. Mathbor had been president of the board for over a year. The board no longer reflected much of the community, nor met the 51 percent grassroots requirement for our N.J. state grants.

Questionable disparity.

Although grassroots board members who missed a handful of meetings were expeditiously removed, the same process was not followed with Prof. Robert Scott, brought to the board by Dr. Mathbor. Prof. Scott missed most of the board meetings last year yet was permitted to stay on the board. Moreover, he was present at the board meeting during which I was removed as executive director and has continued on the board.

Reputation. I have a Master's in Education, have been a practicing social worker and hold a Licensed Professional Counselor designation in New Jersey. I've developed several collaboratives, discussed welfare reform by invitation at the White House, and coordinated programs ranging from vocational training to transitional housing. I've done crisis-resource teaching and lots of in-service training.

Community. Communities require planning to prevent crises for families and children, as well as to address serious problems. This is cost-effective as well as kind. Treating sniffles costs less than treating pneumonia. Educated and self-aware teens cost less than incarcerated gang members. Workforce housing, such that employees can afford to live near their work, eventually costs less to employers than having to pay extra dollars importing workers from miles away. The LBC has striven to be a good neighbor and collaborator in addressing community needs.

I think an agency whose name - Concordance - essentially means coming to agreements, should be run by engaging the creativity, opinions and collaborative wisdom of the folks that are its constituency. That is what I have continued to do. The way in which I was removed, and a new executive director was chosen, appears to violate the premise of this collaborative.

According to Kim Praitano, quoted in the Nov. 16 issue of the Atlanticville, "Terri was a great visionary for this organization. She has done a lot to bring the (LBC) to this point. We want to continue with Terri's mission."

Well, "Terri's vision" is one of an organization that makes all major decisions collaboratively and openly. Whether or not I have a continued role with the LBC, my heartfelt conviction is that any executive director or board of trustees of the LBC should include serving at the pleasure of the collaborative. The mission requires taking direction from consensus decisions made by the thoughtful citizens and organizations that comprise the Long Branch Concordance.

Terri Blair is a resident of Long Branch