The ARRL Executive Committee met by teleconference on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 9:00 PM EDT. On the call were President Harrison, First Vice President Craigie, Vice President Roderick, International Affairs Vice President Stafford, and Directors Butler, Day, Morton, Isely and Fenstermaker. Also on the call was Director Frenaye, as chair of the Ethics and Elections Committee. Also on the call at the request of the President was General Counsel Imlay. In the absence of Executive Vice President Sumner due to international travel, President Harrison requested that Imlay take the minutes of the meeting.

President Harrison noted that the sole item before the Committee was consideration of an appeal lodged by Carl Gardenias, WU6D, who, though originally found qualified as a candidate in the current election for Southwestern Division Director (which, due to his candidacy, was a contested election), was subsequently declared disqualified by the Ethics and Elections Committee. The action of the Ethics and Elections Committee was taken after evaluation of certain actions and/or inactions of the candidate.

President Harrison briefly summarized the complete and very helpful history of the matter, which, with full documentation, was provided for the Executive Committee’s review by Mr. Sumner prior to the commencement of his international travel. The Executive Committee had had that memo and all supporting documentation prior to the teleconference. President Harrison summarized the facts of the matter set forth in that memorandum.

President Harrison next asked Ethics and Elections Committee chair Tom Frenaye to please explain the rationale of that Committee in disqualifying Mr. Gardenias. Mr. Frenaye rendered a complete account, which was consistent with Mr. Sumner’s memo and documentation of the matter through the date of disqualification on September 13, 2007. President Harrison then responded to questions from the Executive Committee members. He then asked General Counsel Imlay to discuss certain followup issues which had been asked of the candidate but which did not form part of the basis for the disqualification decision of the Ethics and Elections Committee.

Vice President Craigie, Vice President Roderick, and International Affairs Vice President Stafford asked certain questions and made observations about the materials prepared for the meeting by Mr. Sumner. Upon a question from Mr. Isely, it was agreed that detailed findings of fact and conclusions would be prepared, and forwarded to the candidate. 

Upon the motion of Mr. Isely, seconded by Mr. Day, it was unanimously voted that the decision of the Ethics and Elections Committee to disqualify Carl Gardenias, WU6D, as a candidate for Southwestern Division Director, is affirmed.

The meeting ended at approximately 10:00 PM EDT.