I joined awhile back and haven't posted much - just lurking like many others. For the past year or so I have been trying my best to fade away sooner rather than later, but the wife and most of our family have decades of involvement in this mess and well, it's difficult. Little by little I have been sowing seeds of doubt and it does seem to be working somewhat. Anyway, I was wondering if what is happening with the RBC in our area is happening throughout the organization.
Our congregation located in North Carolina recently was visited by RBC brothers and told that our KH (built in 1991, renovated in 2000) must again be renovated and the official occupancy lowered because of the new homeland security rules enacted after the 9/11 attacks. We were told that any building with an official occupancy of 250 or more could be arbitrarily taken over by the authorities and used as a command center if a state of emergency was declared. We were also told that all KHs are being reviewed to make sure they have an occupancy of 249 or less. 2 other KHs in our city have already been renovated and the RBC seems to be going down the list. Has anyone else out there been through this yet? To me this is crazy and wreaks of paranoia. I mean, if the authorities want your building it will be taken. And who is to say this 250 number will not be changed next month.
Also, it has become quite apparent that Big Brother has decided that the RBC and not the local brothers are now to make ALL decisions regarding KHs and how they operate. Until just recently, the local brothers could voluntarily call on the RBC for advice regarding quick builds, renovations, even KH sales. Now, however, the local brothers MUST contact the RBC before doing anything - even small routine maintenance issues. At the KH I attend there are 3 congs. and a Central Operating Committee made up of 2 or 3 elders from each of the 3 congs. has always been allowed to make decisions regarding routine building maintenance (although large expenditures were passed by resolution in each cong.) Now, however, we have been told that the RBC must be contacted before doing anything. As you can imagine this new policy has caused a lot of bickering and division around here. Note these recent examples of this shift in authority from just my vicinity:
1) A nearby KH used by 3 congs. needed a new roof earlier this spring, so the Central Operating Committee members met and approved the project to go forward after a local elder (general contractor) agreed to do the work for just the cost of the materials. He agreed use his normal roofing crew, and to donate all the equipment and expertise if some volunteer labor was also provided from the 3 congs. The total cost of the project was estimated at about $2,000. The RBC, however, somehow gets wind of this and nixes the whole plan. Instead, the RBC not only schedules the work over memorial day weekend, but they require the local brothers to strip the old roof off before they bring the RBC roofing crew in, and they ask for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals to be prepared for 3 days for the RBC workers. The project ends up costing $6,000 (not including meals) - more than 3 times the local estimate. Needless to say, that resolution went over like a lead balloon - questions are still being asked even now.
2) A nearby cong. needed some new sound equipment installed, so the local brothers worked out all the details with a local contractor. Just before the work was to begin, the RBC (again somehow got wind of this) immediately took over and sent in their own RBC workers who not only charged the cong. twice as much, but put in inferior equipment. The local elders still can't understand it.
3) Another nearby hall (also used by 3 congs.) recently decided it was time to do some updating for wear and tear (carpet, new wall paper, etc.). The local brothers (including a long-time RBC committe member) at first wanted the RBC to do the work until they received an estimate of $96,000 for these renovations. The local brothers decided to check around and found that they could do all the work using local skilled brothers - most of whom agreed to do the work for cost. Resolutions were passed and the work went smoothly. Total cost - $17,000. The 3 congs. were thrilled with the savings. The RBC, however, was not thrilled and after hearing about this, they not only severly chastised all 3 bodies of elders for not using the RBC workers, but ended up removing the local RBC brother from the committee! (I am not making this up!)
4) Recently, a nearby cong. decided to sell their KH and build a new KH in a better location. The hall was built in the 1970's and is the largest in the city. Estimates on the sale were between $700,000 & $800,000 - a sum that would easily pay for a state-of-the-art KH in our area. The cong, passed the resolution and hired a local elder Realtor to list it for sale after he agreed to waive any commissions. Just before advertising the property for sale, somehow again the RBC gets wind of this and prompltly halts everything - ignoring the resolutions that were already passed and everything else.
5) Finally, over 2 years ago it was decided by a nearby cong. to build their own KH (they currently share with 2 other congs.) Excitement was high and contributions started flowing. Land was quickly found and purchased while arrangements were made to raise or borrow what was needed to get started. It was decided that part of the funds were to come from the other 2 congs. who passed resolutions agreeing to apply for a loan against the existing KH (long paid for) and to donate this money as a gift (not to be repaid by the new cong.) The remaining balance of the project would come from a loan from the WT Society that the new cong. passed a resolution to apply for and repay. It has been over 2 years and the paid for land just sits there while the project is in limbo, why? The brothers were told that the resolutions are meaningless because the RBC was not consulted first and until the RBC gives it's approval the project is suspended - the local brothers have no say.
There has definitely been a shift in authority in our area and the resentment of the local brothers continues to grow. Not only because they no longer have any authority but because the RBC estimates and costs are so outrageous. It's obvious to me that the cronyism and kickbacks are rampant here. I wondering what is happening in other areas.