Due the objections of community members regarding Friends of Last Thursday’s Committee Member Agreement, FoLT has provided another way that concerned citizens can serve. Some objected to being asked to “support . . . continuance of Last Thursday” and profess that “my support for FoLT as the group best suited to lead the implementation of the Last Thursday”

Rochelle Saliba of FoLT wrote: “In order to create a meaningful and viable NA presence within FoLT, we have amended our steering committee requirements in this way:

‘In lieu of signing the Committee Member Agreement, an NA designate may serve on the FoLT board after Core Committee interview, and with the full consensus of the Steering Committee.’ Jeff Hilber is currently representing Concordia and Elise Scolnick has offered to represent Sabin. We look forward to hearing from Vernon & King.”

While the Committee Member Agreement remains unchanged, she said: “We hope that those who join us feel aligned with its principles.”

In order to clarify what has changed, KNA Chair, Alan Silver asked: “What is a ‘Core Committee interview’?”

Rochelle responds: “As a first step our protocol is for all potential steering committee members to meet with core committee to discuss their interest in serving with FoLT.”

Alan asked, “How do the informal expectations of the Core Committee for a neighborhood association designate differ from the formalized requirements as laid out in the member agreement?

Rochelle replied that, “Core committee interview/expectations is not a gate to FoLT membership.”

It appears that the process for neighborhoods to have representation with FoLT is to either sign on as a LT supporter, pass an interview with FoLT with unstated criteria, or to be approved by FoLT without the interview by some standard that is not forthcoming. In the meantime and the future, KNA will represent its constituents and their issues by any means that are appropriate. Alberta has changed and so will Last Thursday. The solution will not please everybody but everyone will need to compromise to protect the vitality of our neighborhood.