Stakeholders Ask New Hermon Rep to Step Down from Neighborhood Council

A group of Hermon residents during Monday evening's meeting took turns reading the names of 130 neighborhood residents who have already signed a petition requesting that the recent appointment of representative Margaret Barto be overturned.

Despite outspoken public comment to the contrary, the ASNC elected Hermon resident Margaret Barto to replace representative Ken Kallman during their Monday, February 27 meeting.

The vote was supported by representatives from the ASNC communities of Monterey Hills, Montecito Heights, Sycamore Grove and Mount Washington. None of the represents from Hermon supported the vote.  Barto's appointment was also overwhelmingly opposed in public comments by Hermon stakeholders, who instead supported candidate Marina Argueta.

In addition the petition, Hermon residents opposed to the appointment have also submitted a grievance requesting that Barto's seat be vacated and a new vote among Hermon stake-holders be held.

The grievance argues that that Barto's appointment violates the board's bylaws, which state that "Geographical representatives ... shall be elected by those members registered within each of the ... communities."

Board President Martha Benedict, however, said ASNC is empowered to select new members to fill vacant seats.

"The ASNC board is empowered to vote for the candidate they prefer to fill a vacancy. That’s what they did," she said. "They heard statements from both candidates. The majority of the ASNC board members chose Maggie Barto. An ASNC committee functions in an advisory capacity to the full board. It does not dictate. It makes recommendations only."

Hermon resident Wendi Riser used the public comment portion of the meeting to ask Barto to step down from the seat.

Barto did not respond to Riser's request,

Hermon Split at Root of Problem?

l, which would require their community to secede from the current ASNC.

The move has created a rift between Hermon board members and the rest of the ASNC, just one of numerous battles that has been fought between members in recent months and

Barto said she does not support Hermon's effort to from its own neighborhood council.

"I'm very concerned with what's happening on the board right now," Barto said. "I don't know if people have fully thought out the consequences of seceding from the ASNC."

Riser said Barto's comments show that she is not in tune with the feelings of Hermon stakeholders.

Process, Not Personalities

Among the stakeholders to support the petition to vacate Barto's seat was Kallman--the previous Hermon representative.

Kallman said he did not have any personal problems with Barto, but hoped the board would heed the overwhelming call for action by Hermon stakeholders.

"Let us all consider this effort to show DONE that exhaustive efforts are not necessary for the ASNC to once again thrive," Kallman said.

Barto, who was a member of the first ASNC board, said she did not take the grievance personally. 

"I was asked to consider coming back to the board by some existing members. I didn't realize that somebody else was running," Barto said. "I know some of the stakeholders personally, I don't think this grievance was anything against me. It was against how the election was done."