Let's Bring Coast Central Out of the Shadows 

If, as the Washington Post suggests, democracy dies in darkness, then democracy can waste away in the shadows.

Coast Central Credit Union members — who are also its owners — deserve a full, healthy dose of sunlight. Members deserve election rules that don't discourage campaigning for a seat on the board of directors. Members deserve to know the vote tallies from the 2023 election. And members deserve directors who insist on seeing those vote counts.

The 2024 election is over, but transparency remains crucial for Coast Central, which has more than 75,000 members and is a significant force in our economy.

Coast Central's elections shouldn't be conducted in the shadows of campaign rules that try to restrict serious dialog to a 250-word candidate statement. In 2023, a "members voice" slate created a website using many more words to outline ways members could be more involved in policies, planning and meetings. This year, I didn't have room in my 250 words to discuss the impacts of failing to disclose vote counts. Next year someone might want to delve into Coast Central's fees, or board selection processes, or executive compensation.

The election rules were changed significantly last year, but now the board has three new members, all appointed after resignations that weren't publicly announced. Yes, three of the four incumbents on the 2024 ballot were appointed incumbents. In some ways that's a good thing. This updated board can revisit the election rules without feeling invested in them. As a first step, why not "strongly encourage fairness and diplomacy" in campaigns instead of discouraging campaigning "in the interests of fairness and diplomacy?" While the board is at it, some overly broad definitions of campaign misbehavior — like, oh, don't compare two things in a way that makes one look less valuable — are crying out for the junk heap, too.

This board should also actively seek vote counts. Vote tallies are data, and financial people should insist on data. In the 2023 election, two incumbents and one "members voice" slate member won. We were given their names, but not their vote totals. Equally important, we were not given the vote totals of the four unsuccessful candidates. Yet just months later, the board weighed at least two of those four unsuccessful candidates for appointment. It bypassed a slate candidate to appoint a non-slate candidate, apparently without knowing which person voting members had preferred. Votes in a past election shouldn't be the only factor in board appointments. But closing your eyes to data about what voting members wanted is a very bad look.

Now, before three more seats come up for election in January of 2025, members can take four practical steps to strengthen Coast Central's democracy muscles.

First, mark Feb. 22 on your calendar and try to attend the annual meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. at Coast Central offices, 2650 Harrison Ave., in Eureka. Please come with open-mindedness and respect for the current board of directors. Plan on asking polite questions if questions are allowed during the meeting. Plan on making polite suggestions if suggestions are allowed. If you are not allowed to ask questions or make suggestions during the meeting, quietly make a note of who said no to you, and why. That's essential information members will need to start improving things.

Second, make sure you can vote in 2025. If you're a member but never saw a ballot, you're not alone. Businesses, nonprofits and couples with shared accounts all need to take extra steps to be entitled to cast votes. Ask Coast Central now which steps apply to you.

Third, consider writing a letter to all nine directors if there is a change you would like to see. When I wrote to one individual, I got no response. But when I wrote to all the directors, I got a very nice phone call saying the board had discussed my suggestion and agreed to put notices about the 2024 election in each branch, including the deadline to vote and an image of the ballot envelope.

Fourth, if you value what Coast Central has done for you, consider giving back by applying for a seat on the board of directors. The board does not require previous financial expertise — just a willingness to learn. It's important to apply soon, and to say that you are applying for 2025 or any seat that might become vacant if someone resigns. Vacancies can happen quietly. People who care about a democratic, transparent Coast Central need to be ready to step up.

Carrie Peyton-Dahlberg was a 2024 candidate for the board of directors, and she expects to learn the election outcome at the Feb. 22 annual meeting. She can be reached at [email protected].