Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, March 26, 2008

SIERRA CLUB FLA. CHAPTER LEADERS DUMPED

By Robert P. King

The Sierra Club's national board voted Tuesday to remove the leaders of its 35,000-member Florida chapter -- an unprecedented step that supporters called necessary to end years of infighting.

The board voted 10 -- 2 to suspend the chapter for four years, the first time the 116-year-old environmental group has ever taken such harsh action against one of its state organizations.

The suspension means that an appointed committee will replace the chapter's elected leaders, including a 27-member executive committee. Some of those leaders had been elected as recently as October.

Press Secretary David Willett said he believes the suspension takes effect immediately. He didn't know when the club will appoint a committee of Florida members to take over the chapter's leadership.

Club representatives have said the suspension would not affect the local Sierra groups that carry out the bulk of the organization's conservation and advocacy work. The club's Loxahatchee group, which covers Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties, recently voted to support suspending the chapter.

"I find it good news," said John Koch, chairman of the Loxahatchee group. "We think that during the four years we'll be able to straighten out a great many problems we've had."

But local Sierra Club member Panagioti Tsolkas said the news was disappointing though "not unexpected."

"It's obvious people voted in their own business interests," he said.

Supporters of the suspension had called it necessary because of years of squabbling. The vote followed recent actions by the club to limit the chapter's ability to hire and to enter into contracts, as well as the departure of the chapter's long-time lobbyist in Tallahassee.

Opponents called the claims of internal friction overblown, originating largely from people unhappy about losing in chapter elections.

Meanwhile, supporters of the Florida chapter's existing leadership said the proposed suspension followed a disturbing trend in which the club's paid staff has sought to supplant the power of its grass-roots volunteers. Chapter leaders also have been vocal critics of some Sierra Club national policies including an endorsement deal for "eco- friendly" cleaning products from Clorox.

Many past and present chapter leaders have declined to speak publicly about the dispute, with some saying they fear punishment from the national organization. In a recent letter, the club instructed leaders not to "seek public media coverage of this internal board decision."

Copyright 2008 The Palm Beach Post