The grievance, mailed May 10 and signed by more than 70 people, including 30-plus members, asserts that the club did not follow proper procedures to close last month under the organization’s bylaws.
It is unclear what will happen next in the dispute, according to trustee and longtime member Richard Byrne. However, club leaders are likely to issue a response and possibly take action related to the grievance.
A letter was also sent asking top club officials to call a meeting of the entire membership. There had been no response to either as of Thursday morning, according to those organizing to reopen club who have retained their own lawyer to help them.
The club’s lawyer, Paul Kilgarriff, has assumed the role of club spokesman since the building closed. He could not immediately be reached Thursday but has said previously that he believes the closure was carried out legitimately.
“There’s nothing to hide here,’’ he said earlier this month.
Club leaders have said their ultimate plan is to sell the large, red-brick dance hall building it has owned for three decades. Afterward, club leaders intend to dissolve the 66-year-old organization, which has an aging, dwindling 300-person membership.
The club has been eating into its savings to stay in operation and had an expensive list of needed building repairs, including a seemingly imminent order to upgrade its fire alarm system.
The cost of such an upgrade is expected to represent half of the club’s remaining $30,000 savings. But, advocates for the club’s revival say that IBEW Local 103 and Sprinkler Fitters Local 550 have offered to do the labor pro bono.
While trustee Byrne said he feels the building should be sold, he added, “I don’t see where the club has to be dissolved. There’s no reason.”
He also expressed frustration with the closed-door process the club’s leadership has taken in making major decisions about the club’s future.
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