Failed Coup

Moving to Eugene from Portland to attend the University of Oregon in the early '70s, I rented in Springfield before settling just west of campus in what's known as "Midtown Eugene." Returning later as a graduate student with a family, we settled in the same neighborhood.

Later, the City of Eugene formed neighborhood groups to connect residents and we became part of the "Jefferson Westside Neighbors." The neighborhood includes homes and businesses between 13th Avenue and 18th Avenue and Willamette Street to Jefferson Street.

The area is an eclectic mix of university students, seniors and young families, with commercial enterprises of all shapes and sizes. The Jefferson/Westside Neighbors is a nonpartisan entity directed by volunteers who have the time and energy to contribute to activities in the neighborhood.

Soon after arriving in town, I learned that Eugene was a mecca for all stripes of activists ready to support any worthy cause or protest any injustice. While that perception still holds true, it's also a fact that neighborhood groups struggle to fill board positions to carry out their mission and goals.

As is typical this time of the year, another election was on the docket and the Jefferson Westside Neighbors scheduled the activity for its April meeting. Just enough volunteers agreed to run for board positions as usual. Until last week that is, when I received a tip from a neighbor.

"We have discovered that an alternate slate of candidates is intending to run unannounced and if you appreciate the service and job we have done, it is critical that you show up and be heard. The outcome should not be decided by a small group" who has organized their own voting bloc.

"While certainly more people running is better and many neighbors could do the job, this group has not contacted the JWN to find out what is involved, so we could not list them or prepare the online ballot. The fact that none of these folks has reached out is a huge red flag."

"The danger is a small group can mobilize their friends and, if the turnout of other neighbors is low (since the slate has been posted as uncontested), can effectively take control of the neighborhood association." While that is certainly politics, the approach is neither transparent nor inclusive.

The board chair contacted the rouge group known as JWN For Everyone, which eventually prompted a public declaration for the open board positions. Their reply: "Please consider this 'our announcement.' Our understanding was and continues to be that all seats can be nominated from the floor."

Meanwhile, their true intent was posted on a Reddit site. Addressed to the neighborhood, they noted: "We have the opportunity to build a new neighborhood association. The entire executive board is up for election and (we have) a slate of folks to take the JWN in a new direction."

Further learnings indicated that the group known as JWN For Everyone was clearly organizing a hostile takeover of the board. Subsequently, both sides appealed to their constituents to turn out and vote for their candidates either in person at United Methodist Church or via Zoom.

In the end, the election was "quite a circus," according to one neighbor. JWN For Everyone was "nasty and uncivil, spouting tropes of all varieties," including painting current board members as "fascists. Their leader seemed unhinged, and touted his membership in the Socialist Party."

"Apparently, they view neighborhood associations as tools of capitalism," the neighbor continued. "None of them has been to meetings, volunteered on committees or shown up at work parties. They clearly intended to decommission the existing neighborhood association."

The contentious election "attracted a record number of voters," noted another neighbor. "With the Zoom feed, many more people participated than usual, but the room itself was packed nonetheless. We had a mind-blowing 200 or so votes for each seat." In the end, the rebel cause fell flat.

The attempted coup d'etat "mostly fizzled," said one neighbor who witnessed the spectacle. (Only) "one of the seven (candidates from JWN For Everyone) won, (but that candidate) promptly resigned when she realized that none of her comrades were elected."

While reason ultimately prevailed, the board clearly has work to do, including revising its by-laws to prevent such a nefarious intervention in the future. Participation in neighborhood associations is undeniably a good thing, but open communication is vital to its success.