Removed Columbia Association board members continue fight to get seats back

Months after they were removed, three ousted members of the Columbia Association's Board of Directors are in the middle of legal action to get their way back on the board.

The ousted three -- Eric Greenberg of River Hill, Karin Emery of Oakland Mills, and Reg Avery of Long Reach -- made their case to be reinstated in Howard County Circuit Court Wednesday.

After hearing from their lawyer, as well as one representing the Columbia Association, Howard County Circuit Court Judge Maurice Frazier said he will decide at a later date.

Wednesday's hearing had several people from the community attend in support of Greenberg, Emery, and Avery. There's been a lot of community blowback since the removals happened, and it hasn't died down.

Questioning the charter

Greenberg, Emery, and Avery are seeking a preliminary injunction to get their spots back on the board.

In court, their attorney, Strider Dickson, said the three were unlawfully removed, and the act to disqualify them from voting and sitting on the board violated the Columbia Association's charter.

The removals were announced at the board's meeting on April 23.

Collin Sullivan, the board's chair, announced that action was taken during closed session that same night.

The decision followed the Columbia Association's ethics panel concluding that Greenberg, Emery, and Avery filed a frivolous ethics complaint. Also, the three interfered in the investigation of the matter.

"Members of CA's Board are fiduciaries and owe duties of loyalty and fidelity to CA," the ethics panel wrote in its findings and recommendations. "[Greenberg, Emery and Avery] failed in each regard and should not be afforded the privilege of serving on the CA Board."

The ethics panel was established in 2023 and is made up of three independent attorneys with no affiliation or interest in the Columbia Association.

At the board's May 14 meeting -- where Sullivan announced Greenberg, Emery and Avery would be disqualified from voting and sitting on the board -- Sullivan also said their appointments are "indeed harmful to the organization."

"You have to be aware that those persons were previously the subject of an ethics investigation," Sullivan said to a packed room, which then started to boo him and call for his resignation.

Columbia Association's attorney, Jack McCann, argued the organization is not a municipal government, and the notion the communities of the ousted three aren't being represented isn't true, as the board is promoting the welfare of everyone in Columbia.

He also said the communities of Greenberg, Emery, and Avery should be party to legal action and argue out their frustrations in court.

This is the third try to get a judge to reinstate them on the board. A previous attempt failed in May.

Community concerns

Ever since the removals were announced, there's been a lot of community blowback.

Kevin Bruening, River Hill Community Association chairman, has been concerned since he learned of Greenberg's ouster. He's worried his community will be left in the dust.

"Without a representation on the Columbia Association Board of Directors, we have no idea how that money is going to be distributed, spent, or decided upon. Therefore, our representation not being on the board is a serious concern," Bruening said.

Many also packed the room for the board's meeting in May, voicing their concerns on the mic.

"I'm here tonight because many members of this community feel unheard, dismissed and increasingly concerned about the direction this board is taking," said Nancy McCord, who lives in Wilde Lake.