RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - A rift between Rancho Murieta Association Director Danny Carrillo and the rest of the board emerged during a contentious meeting on April 15.

Carrillo said that the board had excluded him from the executive sessions in an email to supporters before the meeting and in a statement read during the public comments at the open session.

“Since February, I have been entirely removed from these critical discussions despite continuing to serve as a duly elected director,” Carrillo said.

Carrillo said he was first accused of disclosing confidential information from an executive session two years ago and, more recently, of threatening to do so again. He categorically denied ever sharing confidential details but acknowledged that he has argued behind closed doors for specific issues to be discussed in open sessions to promote transparency.

A dozen supporters of Carrillo attended the meeting and three spoke to express their concerns. Among them was Nelly Bloom, who said that she was troubled that the community had not been informed about the change in representation.

Carrillo also read a prepared statement about his exclusion from executive sessions and allegations of board misconduct.

Carrillo asked the board for a brief recess at the close of public comments to allow his supporters to leave. Director Scott Adams interjected, saying, “Hold on. Hold on,” and noted that the board had a response to Carrillo’s remarks.

Adams confirmed that the board had formed an executive session committee that excludes Carrillo, a decision made after more than a year and a half of consideration and with the advice of legal counsel.

“We did so for legal reasons that were explained to Director Carrillo,” Adams said, calling it the second-most serious action a board can take against a director in California.

Director Chris Childs said the allegations made by Carrillo and audience members that night were both inaccurate and hurtful.

“There’s no way for the board to correct these issues without disclosing confidential information, which really puts us in a predicament,” Childs said.

Audience Comments

Although Carrillo did not provide The River Valley Times with a copy of his email to supporters, audience member Dave Thomas read it aloud during the meeting. Thomas said the message left him deeply concerned and questioning what was happening.

“Dear constituents, I’m reaching out to seek your support in my quest to ensure complete transparency regarding a significant financial matter that the board has selected to keep concealed,” Carrillo wrote in the email.

The email stated that Carrillo ordered the board to reconsider its decision “to exclude me from participation in executive sessions as a consequence of my own unwavering dedication to unveiling the truth of this issue.”

His email also thanked recipients for standing by him.

After reading the message, Thomas added, “I hope these issues, whatever they may be, will be discussed and resolved as soon as we can.”

Audience member Nellie Bloom spoke in support of Carrillo, noting that she has worked with him on the Communications Committee, which he chairs.

“He listens, he welcomes differing opinions, he encourages thoughtful dialogue and he offers workable solutions,” Bloom said.

While acknowledging that some breach had occurred two years earlier, Bloom said Carrillo wasn’t the source.

“It appears to me that instead of resolving it, the problem has been exacerbated, that it remains unresolved and is now manifesting in secret board committees excluding Danny, personal attacks and a lack of accountability,” Bloom said.

Audience member Don Ogden said he had two requests in response to Carrillo’s email. First, he submitted a formal records request seeking details about the confidential information that Carrillo was allegedly accused of disclosing.

Ogden, a member of the Governing Documents Committee chaired by Director Adams, also requested that the committee review the bylaws or governing documents at its next meeting to determine “what allows board members to censure or exclude other board members from closed session.”

Carrillo’s Statement

After Carrillo left his board seat to speak at the podium, Board President Patrick O’Hern asked whether he intended to speak as a member of the public. Carrillo replied, “I’m taking the podium so I can see everybody’s face who I’m addressing.”

O’Hern reminded him that he was still a board member and, therefore, bound by all rules regarding confidentiality. The two briefly sparred over whether Carrillo would be allowed more than three minutes to speak, with O’Hern ultimately telling him he could finish his remarks from his seat on the board.

In his written statement, Carrillo said that he wanted to address concerns he believed had a significant impact on the “health, transparency, and trust within the association as a whole.” He began by discussing his exclusion from executive session meetings, stating that his attempts to communicate with staff, the board and legal counsel had gone unanswered.

Carrillo said that about two years earlier, he had raised a concern about a board vote in an executive session, hoping the issue could be discussed openly. But, Carrillo said, his concerns were dismissed.

“Shortly afterward, I was accused of disclosing confidential information related to this issue, an allegation I categorically deny,” Carrillo said.

“What followed was a troubling pattern of marginalization and intimidation, including harassment directed at both myself and my wife,” Carrillo said.

More recently, Carrillo raised another concern about an issue he wanted discussed in an open session. Carrillo said that his concerns were dismissed, followed by a second accusation that he had threatened to disclose confidential information.

“I have never done so,” Carrillo said.

The board quietly formed a committee to handle executive sessions and excluded him, according to Carrillo.

“To this day, no notice has been provided to the membership regarding this shift in representation,” Carrillo said. “That is a serious omission.”

Carrillo said it was time for the association “to adopt updated policies, enhance training, and recommit to transparency and open dialogue.” To support that effort, he proposed the formation of a Leadership and Communication Improvement Committee.

The audience clapped after he finished.

Following the meeting, Carrillo sent The River Valley Times a seven-page document outlining 10 suggestions for the committee’s focus and objectives.

Board Comments

Adams defended the board’s actions, confirming that the executive session committee was formed with the advice of legal counsel.

“We did so for legal reasons that were explained to Director Carrillo,” Adams said.

Adams described the board’s move as “the second-most serious action” a board can take against a director but said it was “100% appropriate” in light of Carrillo’s actions.

The decision, Adams said, was “probably the most tempered, thoughtful, deliberated action by the board” during his seven years as a director.

Adams emphasized that the board is prohibited from discussing certain matters in public, including legal, contractual, personnel and privacy issues.

“I’ve never seen a single item that we’ve talked about in executive session that shouldn’t have been talked about in executive session,” Adams said.

Adams added that the issue Carrillo raised had previously been addressed in the executive session.

“It shouldn’t have been brought up but it is now and that is why I wanted to comment,” Adams said.

Director Childs expressed frustration with the allegations against the board, emphasizing that board members are volunteers who work hard to serve the community. He described the accusations as “explosive and incorrect” and explained that the board cannot defend itself without disclosing confidential information.

“To have the things said that were said tonight are wildly inappropriate and completely inaccurate, and they actually break my heart because each of us has a duty, and we filled our duty with honesty and integrity,” Childs said.

Childs said that hearing Carrillo question the board’s integrity again that night felt like he was “reliving a prior (open) meeting where he got up and accused us of collusion, which is actually a crime, and of having a conflict of interest with developers, only to later come back and apologize to each of us.”

Childs concluded by asking those in the audience and watching the video to “consider the character of the people who sit in front of you, willing to give of their own time, talents, energies and money for the community we value so very much.”

“To have that besmirched is frankly tragic,” Childs added. “And the fact that we can’t tell you everything really only speaks to our integrity. It would be defamatory to Director Carrillo.”

When O’Hern asked for additional comments, Carrillo said he planned to bring his concerns to the board’s attorney.

“I’m sure that once we get all that situated, there will be a whole new light shed on this issue,” Carrillo said.

Following the meeting, The River Valley Times asked Adams what he considered the most serious action a board could take against a director.

“To me, the most serious action in California is removing the director through a court proceeding under circumstances spelled out in our governing documents and/or California law,” he emailed.

More Contention

Another dispute erupted later in the meeting when Carrillo questioned a $49,350 expenditure in the financial statements for refurbishing the Laguna Joaquin pump station. He suggested the cost seemed too low and noted that it still included a 50-year-old tank.

General Manager Rod Hart responded that the tank is inspected annually.

“We are not running a high-pressure system where you have some catastrophic failure,” Hart  said.

Carrillo said it was fortunate that the tank had lasted as long as it had. Hart disagreed, saying it wasn’t luck but the result of regular maintenance and two previous refurbishments.

When Carrillo asked whether a catastrophic failure could put employees at risk, Hart responded that he was insulted by the question.

“There is nothing more important than the safety of not only our employees but our members,” Hart said.

Adams suggested that Carrillo’s line of questioning might be influenced by a potential conflict of interest, noting that the Rancho Murieta Association Maintenance Department employs Carrillo’s brother.

Carrillo acknowledged that his concern stemmed from his brother working in the department.

“If there is any legal danger, something catastrophic happening, I want to make sure the community is aware of it,” Carrillo said.

Ultimately, the board voted 6-1 to approve the financial statements. Carrillo cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he didn’t believe the project costs were “in line with reality.”