• texasnews DART procedural stunt delays DP benefits vote
DOUBTFUL DEEDS | When two board members walked out of a meeting this week, breaking quorum, Chairman John Danish had to look at the bylaws in order to proceed. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
Board loses quorum after 2 members walk out before vote on plus-1 plan to offer healthcare to agency’s same-sex partners DAVID TAFFET | Staff Writer taffet@dallasvoice.com
When two DART board members walked out of a meeting this week before a vote on a domestic partner benefits plan, the board lost quorum and the item was delayed until October. Michael Cheney, who represents Garland, and Randall Chrisman, who represents Carrollton, voted against the item at a committee-of-thewhole meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24. But the item passed 9–2 and needed a final vote by the board later that evening. DART board chairman John Danish pulled out the bylaws to double-check quorum requirements. A quorum consists of two-thirds of the board or 10 of 15 members in attendance. In addition to the two members who walked out, four were absent, including two Dallas board members who are supporters of the plan — Amanda Moreno Cross and Jerry Christian. “He was blindsided,” Resource Center spokesman Rafael McDonnell said about Danish. Others who had attended the meeting, planning to thank the board for passing the benefits, agreed. When Danish realized business couldn’t continue without a quorum, he called a recess and
managed to coax Chrisman back to vote on other pending issues, including the budget for the new fiscal year. The budget that passed already includes the cost of DP benefits. After other items passed, Chrisman again walked out. Danish then called for public comments. Of those from the LGBT community who came to speak, all walked out except Cd Kirven. Kirven blew up at the remaining board members and said afterward she was surprised she wasn’t escorted out by security. But the board members who listened to her appeared equally frustrated after debating the issue for more than a year and expecting it to pass without debate as it had in committee that afternoon. McDonnell said Chrisman and Cheney have poisoned the effectiveness of the board. “If Cheney and Chrisman stabbed them in the back on this, there’s no trust,” McDonnell said. “You need trust to be effective.” DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said the item is on the Oct. 8 agenda and he expects action to be taken on it then. If it passes then, the sign-up period continues throughout October and employees will still be eligible to participate, with the benefits starting Jan. 1. If it doesn’t pass and is pushed to a November meeting, the benefits won’t take effect until January 2015. Lyons refused to comment on what would happen if board members are absent and Cheney and Chrisman are allowed to continue with their delay tactics. The fight for what DART called healthcare
• DART, Page 16 09.27.13
•
dallasvoice
9