MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District board and audience members clashed over which agenda format to use.

The disagreement occurred during Tuesday's regular board meeting.

Board chairman Mick Hansen alleges the format he instructed staff to use wasn't followed.

The dispute ended with Hansen's agenda being used and audience member Larry Godden calling the meeting a "train wreck" before leaving.  

It all started when Hansen noticed they were working off two agendas and asked which one the audience had.

He told the district's administrative assistant, Julie Smith, they were working from his agenda and not something she put together.

She then told Hansen to address his comments to the general manager, Curt Carpenter.

Carpenter said it was his job to put the agenda together.

"It is in the policy," Carpenter said of the board's governance policy. "Follow the policy."

Hansen accused Carpenter of not obeying his direct order.

"I'm not going to allow this to happen," Hansen said. "You try to push your agenda."

He said the board passed the agenda format change during its first meeting of the year.

Board director Ron Covey told Hansen they had a board governance policy they needed to follow.

"The agenda we have is the agenda that's been approved and utilized for several years," Covey said.

Covey asked Hansen if he was familiar with the governance policy at the first meeting.

The policy states the rules can be amended for new rules adopted by a board majority, provided a proposed amendment or new rules were introduced into the record at a prior board meeting, Covey said.

The two continued board meetings in January weren't separate meetings, he said.

"It hadn't been done properly," Covey explained.

Hansen alleged they were doing everything they could to ensure the agenda wasn't done how he wanted.

"You aren't in charge of establishing tonight's agenda for the meeting," Covey said. "Read your policy. It's up to the general manager. You provide him with the information you want on the agenda and he then draws up, or drafts the agenda for the night and it's exactly what he's done."

Hansen told the audience if they had the other agenda, it was too bad.

Board director Rich Archer asked if the issue was something they needed to vote on.

Hansen said he told Carpenter he wanted the agenda to follow Robert's Rules of Order. Robert's Rules are a published guide for running meetings and conferences.

"I just explained to you what our policy says and you took an oath saying you would follow the policies of the district," Covey said. "If you don't like something, you don't have the authority to change it on a whim."

Hansen said the board discussed and voted on it.

"You didn't do it appropriately or properly," Covey said.

According to Roberts Rules, the agenda can be changed, Hansen said.

The governance policy was a direction of the state Auditor's Office and the district's insurance carrier, Covey said.

Carpenter said he had this agenda because they had other business to take care of and it wasn't on Hansen's agenda.

Hansen said he included everything Carpenter indicated.

Audience member Larry Godden, of Moses Lake, asked if Hansen had the same agenda the audience did.

Hansen said evidently not, as staff chose to give the audience a different agenda than what he had.

Carpenter said Hansen did have it, but was going from the agenda he brought.

"I am going off the agenda I asked to be printed off," Hansen said. "They have chosen to go against my wishes and come up with their agenda. If it doesn't fit with what you've got, I'm sorry. We'll get this straightened out before too long. I apologize for putting everyone through a battle on who's going to come out on top."

Godden asked if the audience could have a copy of the agenda.

Archer suggested they follow Hansen's agenda, as Carpenter knows what is on it.

Godden asked how Hansen could expect productive communications if he didn't follow the agenda the audience has to follow.

Smith, of the MLIRD, said the draft incorporated Hansen's items in a proper order for Hansen's budget approval.

"When Curt (Carpenter) and I did the agenda, we took that into consideration," she explained.

Smith then said herself and another staff member answered to Carpenter for issues like that.

"That's fine, Curt's the one who has his head on the line," Hansen said.

Godden, an audience member, said it was "the most train-wrecked meeting I've ever seen in my life."

"If you want to participate in this, I don't get it," he said. "This is a train wreck."

He called the situation a "disgrace" and left the meeting.