Shaw Group Elects Nominees Despite Ties To New President – 4 Oct 1990 P-D

Members of the Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association backed their nominating committee in electing officers for the next year. Critics said too many of the nominees had connections with Wayne Failoni, a real estate executive who is the new president of the association.

Elected as recommended by the nominating committee were:

Joe Rich, president elect, who defeated Maureen Sweeney Heine, 135-89.

Jim Lashly, vice president-block units, who defeated Elaine Burrus, 142-82.

Lyn McGee, secretary, who defeated Edward Kim, 149-78.

The wives of Rich and Lashly are independent real estate agents working in Failoni’s office. Libby Eberle, a secretary in Failoni’s office, is an association director whose term has not expired.

Failoni promised to unify the association and work to market the neighborhood.

”This is a strong and spirited group,” he said. ”We play together, pray together and fight issues together. We need to tap into this new energy and create more support for the neighborhood projects.”

Rich said, ”There is a phenomenal amount of work involved, but it is vital to our neighborhood to promote itself. I’m glad I’ve got the time and energy to do it.”

Burrus said, ”I’m just unhappy with the way it ›the election was run.”

The Shaw group serves an area generally between Interstate 44, Grand Boulevard, Magnolia Street and Tower Grove Avenue.

Shaw Board Selections Unfair, Candidate Says – 27 Sep 1990 P-D

Charges that a slate of officers proposed for the Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association is stacked in favor of a real estate executive highlight an election of association directors scheduled for a meeting Monday night.

The session will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the basement of St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church, 3854 Flad Avenue.

Wayne Failoni, the real estate executive, is scheduled to become president of the organization having served as president elect in the past year.

The association’s nominating committee has recommended that the membership elect as directors two residents whose wives work in Failoni’s office. Libby Eberle, a secretary in Failoni’s office, is an association director whose term has not expired.

”They’re stacking the board,” said Ed Kim, a candidate for secretary nominated from the floor at a meeting this month. ”I’m against stacking the board.”

The nominating committee recommended Joe Rich for president elect, and Jim Lashly for vice president-block units. Their wives, Darlene Rich and Gerri Lashly, are independent agents working in Failoni’s office. The committee also nominated Lyn Magee for secretary.

Opposing candidates nominated from the floor are Maureen Heine, for president-elect, Elaine Burrus for vice president-block units, and Kim.

Failoni said Rich and Lashly are independent realty agents. He explained they are ”self-employed, but they are affiliated with the firm.”

Failoni called relationship of the recommended candidates and his company ”purely coincidental.”

Burrus, a former vice president-block units, said, ”I don’t think we should have a person who has his own real estate firm and has three people connected with it on his board.”

The nominating procedure ”was a closed process, and I think the fundamental principles of fairness were violated and I was offended by it,” Heine said. ”I have a real commitment to the Shaw neighborhood. I have four kids and have lived here all my life.

”I feel the Shaw neighborhood should return to the system of giving everybody the opportunity to voice their opinions and having a wider base through block unit captains and not just a small group of people. Basically, I think we should have a broader base of participation.”

The nominating committee chairman, Mel Brandt, said that the group had talked directly to about six people and ”indirectly to probably dozens.”