The actions of the SHFCU members, no matter what the cause, show that the democratic spirit of member participation is alive in the credit union. They saw actions taken by their credit union that they did not like, and beyond just writing or calling in complaints actually took the initiative to organize a campaign. I would also like to commend the SHFCU board for moving forward with the special member meeting even though it appears the members came up a few votes short of the necessary 500.

What I do find disappointing, however, is that only about 9% of the total membership voted. Thomas Jefferson famously said, “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” It's no different with credit unions. There are very real dangers when you have a vocal minority campaigning for things and Van Vleet astutely recognized that in Jim Rubenstein's Aug. 27 article when she commented on the need for the entire membership to have a say in the matter.

From a completely different angle I think the result of the voting is positive news for the credit union and the board. The membership has rightly had their say and they reaffirmed their confidence in the board's decision-making abilities and policies. Without knowing what the final vote count was, it's hard to say that the board has a “mandate” from this, but it certainly leaves them in a stronger position in answering any questions on whether or not they speak for the membership.

While circumstances like this are rarely pleasant and likely disruptive, if handled correctly they can be a learning and growth experience. I commend the members for their interest in the direction of their credit union as well as the leadership of SHFCU for how they handled the recall effort and wish them luck as they move forward.

Nate Muniz is public relations manager for the $4 billion Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union in Harrisburg, Pa. He was a Credit Union Times Trailblazer 40 Below in September 2011.