Playhouse bans member

It’s been a long year for the Huntington Beach Playhouse, including months when contract negotiations with the city for its space at the library sapped funds. But members have been mostly wrapped up in something closer to home. Even as they voted recently to replace one of their board members this month, it won’t necessarily mark the end of turmoil in the organization.

The playhouse’s board of directors voted to remove two-year member Joe Syiek on April 17, saying he was disrupting their meetings. But Syiek contended it took a vote by the whole playhouse membership. He sued and got a court order for a special meeting of the membership. He could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts to reach him.

Syiek’s court order from the Orange County Superior Court allowed him to send out a letter telling members the board was fiscally irresponsible and some season ticket revenues had gone missing. His letter claimed the board was “hiding the truth and maintaining control by filling the Board with family and friends.”

Board members countered that a couple of financial discrepancies were honest bookkeeping mistakes later corrected, while high rent in recent years took other funds. And they said calling a special meeting took valuable time and money when finances finally seemed to be going right.

Board President Dawn Conant said feelings got personal when accusations flew.

“We donated so much of our time and energy and passion to the playhouse that it’s hard to have somebody challenge your intentions,” she said.

Ultimately members of the playhouse voted 122-65 to recall Syiek from his position on the board, 110-75 to recall his membership, and 96-88 to ban him from membership in the playhouse for life, according to numbers from the board after a recount of the votes. A competing set of motions to recall all of the board members was defeated by large majorities.

Conant said Syiek still disputed the results on several grounds, but the board’s attorney told members to press on, and they will be seeking the blessing of a judge soon.