Michael Gainer Out At Buffalo ReUse
Michael Gainer, founder and former Executive Director of local non-profit, Buffalo ReUse, has been removed from his position by the organization’s board of directors.
In an email message to members, Buffalo ReUSE Board Chairwoman Stephanie Simeon released the following statement:
Buffalo ReUSE, founded in 2007, is a successful green demolition nonprofit organization which has made great strides in the industry and with neighborhood revitalization efforts in the city of Buffalo and beyond. One of the organization’s founding members, Michael Gainer, has contributed numerous hours, an unparalleled vision and attracted volunteers, supporters and funders alike to support the needs of the community and the organization.
At this time Mr. Gainer is no longer employed by Buffalo ReUSE. The board of directors, staff, membership, and organization as a whole wish him the best in his future professional endeavors.
We look forward to your continued support of Buffalo ReUse and our environmental programs
Earlier this morning, I received an email from Michael Gainer and I’ll post an excerpt of that email here. I’d post the entirety of the message, but it is only fair that we wait for a response from an official representative of the organization before publishing Michael’s full message.
UPDATE: After receiving further comments from the Board of Directors after we forwarded Michael’s message for comment, we have posted Michael’s full email.
Hello Buffalo ReUse Members!
Because I believe in being completely open with you all, I want to be the first to deliver the news. Yesterday I was fired from my position with Buffalo ReUse by my supervisor Harvey Garrett. My apologies for sharing this news via email, I would rather have delivered the message to each of you in person. Unfortunately, timing necessitates this medium.
As many of you have heard or guessed, our staff team has struggled with Board issues for almost two years. I take partial responsibility for damaging relationships with now outgoing board members who did not truly understand our founding intentions or mission drafted when Buffalo ReUse was first conceived. As our founding Board Members began to resign the Board of Directors, largely due to the complications and conflicts that arose, the good working relations the founding staff formerly had with the Board also dwindled. That reality, combined with very minimal support from the Board (particularly in financial management), created more issues and the staff/board relationship continued to deteriorate.
In January, our Board President demoted me as the Executive Director of Buffalo ReUse and hired Harvey Garrett as my interim successor. At the time, the articulated reasons for the demotion were that I had poorly managed ReUse funds and strained board/staff relations. I would never contest those allegations as stated, but assure you that with the resources and support we had at the time, we did the best we could. For months we had requested support from the Treasurer and from the Board, soliciting their support for fundraising, for administrative support, for assistance in hiring a committed and experienced Financial Manager, etc. and we received little to no support or assistance. As a founding staff, we had many strengths, yet none of us have the specific financial expertise needed to implement and maintain Quickbooks or to implement financial strategies, while also juggling the array of competing priorities inherent to starting a new business and establishing a nonprofit organization. That being said, we honored our financial commitments and vendors, doing our best to pay folks on time and manage payroll and expenses.
What we desperately needed in January was a bookkeeper. While we continued to interview, some folks generously volunteered their time to get us on track and keep us afloat, others were hired part time, but we truly needed someone with a singular responsibility of identifying our needs and whipping the financials and procedures into shape. After several months we identified Marsha Whipple; her involvement has stabilized our financial systems and will continue to improve financial stability.
By January, we knew we also needed a mediator to assist with bringing staff and board together to facilitate a more team-centered approach, to work out differences, and bring the two sides together so we can work more effectively to advance the organization’s goals. The objective to bring the sides together never came to fruition, largely because of the incompatible values, priorities and vision between Mr. Garrett and myself. We never had a functioning working relationship. Again, I take my share of the responsibility, but I had no input into the selection of Mr. Garrett. I felt blindsided, disrespected, and hurt by the board’s decision.
It must be clarified that never have I claimed I am without fault or that I have handled every situation correctly. I’ve made mistakes—lots of them—but I’ve learned from them. I have no regrets regarding anything that we have done since the founding of ReUse more than two years ago, for our actions have always been in good faith. In the past, we came together as a community of staff to address the challenges, propose solutions, and work together to implement policy and procedural changes that would strengthen the foundations of our organization and prevent issues from reoccurring.
Our evolution as an organization was rapid, our belief undaunted, and the challenges great, but every time we confronted an obstacle, we confronted it collectively, openly, and with the best interest of the organization at heart, true to our founding purpose, principles, and values.
I’m honored to be surrounded by a tremendous team of hard-working, committed, diligent, and passionate staff. We have staff, clients, customers, and neighbors who will reiterate all of the positives Buffalo ReUse has brought to the neighborhood, to Buffalo, to the field of building reuse, and to our intention for urban regeneration.
Our supporters, volunteers, interns, and staff have given so much of themselves in the interest of making the vision of Buffalo ReUse a reality.
It is this vision and the founding values that we embrace and it is the violation of these values that has created divisions between the staff and board. I thank you all for everything that you have contributed, for you all have been integral to shaping and creating this organization.
At this most tenuous time, I ask that you all continue onward. I ask that you remain focused and positive in the face of adversity. Please continue to build and focus on achieving the potential of Buffalo ReUse.
Continue to see the possibility and potential in all that you do and inspire hope in our customers, neighbors, and friends through your hard work and diligence.
Your actions and response to this situation will dictate and define Buffalo ReUse as it grows and evolves.
Over the coming weeks, I will do everything in my power to provide support to Buffalo ReUse as a volunteer and the power of ReUse’s supporters, staff, volunteers, neighbors, and clients is behind you, urging you on. Though the future is uncertain, your patience and persistence is critical at this time.
I’d like to ask that each of you try to reiterate the feeling of this email as you communicate with others today and moving forward. This is just one of many challenges that this not for profit has encountered and one that I’m sure, in time, will be overcome. I intend to communicate that extraordinary challenges exist today between board and staff, and we’re hopeful that they can be resolved in a timely fashion.
Onward and Upward,
Michael
We asked for and received further comment from Harvey Garrett as well as the organization’s Board of Directors which we’ve received and posted below in their entirety.
Harvey Garrett:
Here is the official statement. It’s still being worked on so it may change but this it is for now. Call me to discuss further.
As no doubt you already know, Michael Gainer, one of our founding members, is no longer employed by Buffalo ReUse. Buffalo ReUse will forever be indebted to Michael for his vision, passion and drive, without which Buffalo ReUse would not exist today. The decision to part ways with Michael was the most difficult our young organization has faced, and we assure you it was absolutely our last resort. As the statement released by Michael indicates “lots” of “mistakes” were made, protocols were not followed and the chain of command was not respected. These infractions have created significant barriers to the organization, its sustainability and its future growth. Like all not for profit entities, Buffalo ReUse–and everyone associated with it–must, above all else, follow clearly defined regulations and protocol for its business matters. Unfortunately, a cross-roads has been reach with Michael regarding these matters and accordingly a change had to be made.
We wish Michael the best in his future professional endeavors.
If you would like further information we urge you to contact Stephanie Simeon, Chair of the Board of Directors at [REDACTED BY WNYMEDIA EDITOR]@gmail.com.
Board of Directors:
Statement August 18, 2009
Buffalo ReUse, founded in 2007, is a successful green demolition nonprofit organization which has made great strides in the industry and with neighborhood revitalization efforts in the city of Buffalo and beyond. The Board of Directors is sending you this communication due to your involvement with the organization and your request for it.
One of the organization’s founding members, Michael Gainer, has contributed numerous hours, an unparalleled vision and attracted volunteers, supporters and funders alike to support the needs of the community and the organization. At this time Mr. Gainer is no longer employed by Buffalo ReUse. The board of directors, staff, membership, and organization as a whole wish him the best in his future professional endeavors.
The following is a statement from the Buffalo ReUse Board of Directors:
This employment decision was made for the health of Buffalo ReUse both in the short and long term. The Board of Directors and staff look forward to your continued support of Buffalo ReUse and our environmental programs and encourage you to work with us as we move forward to strengthen the mission of the organization and build capacity for future success. The Board of Directors will be conducting a search for senior management in the near future. For further clarification, the organization does not comment on personnel issues.
As always, The ReSource, our retail destination for building materials and household items, DIY ideas, green education and community outreach is open Tuesday through Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm and Sunday 10:00am to 4:00pm. Contact The ReSource at 716–882–2800.Should you need further information please contact Stephanie Simeon, Board of Directors Chair at [REDACTED BY WNYMEDIA EDITOR]@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
The Buffalo ReUse Board of Directors
www.buffaloreuse.org
We’ll be learning more about this over the course of the week and we’ll share our findings here. In the meantime, here’s a speech Michael gave during Buffalo Homecoming’s Spotlight on Buffalo Event in June of this year. In it, he shares the story of Buffalo ReUse’s founding and the guiding principles of the organization.
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I find this incredible. Michael IS Buffalo ReUse in my mind and the thought that he’s no longer at the helm is deeply disturbing. Buffalo ReUse is one of the most successful organizations in the city.
There are so many questions with respect to this outrageous move that I have to suspect something nefarious behind it. You don’t shitcan someone from the organization he founded, promoted, and nurtured over a couple of bookkeeping disputes. There seems to me to be the stench of, I’d call it gangsterism, with this move.
That is seriously unexpected. I’m typically a little quick to pass judgement, and I’m sure you and Alan know some things I don’t (well, that is: have been told some things I’ve yet to hear), but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say: the board probably just killed ReUse.
I really only know the basics of Buffalo ReUse. So I’m going to wait for more information before I form an opinion but something just seems weird about this. Recently I was on a message board and I mentioned Buffalo ReUse and people commented on how they wish they had organizations like it in their community.
Are these two statements the only information available to the public? Both aren’t very useful. Are these the full statements?
Stephanie’s statement is the full statement issued. As stated in the article, Michael’s statement is excerpted until we get a comment from someone on the board of Buffalo ReUse as that is the fair thing to do.
We just finished a video interview with Michael and we’ll have that up later.
I cannot believe this action. If there were issues, it is the responsibility of the Board to mediate them, not jump the plank which it seems, is what has happened here.
Unfortunately, many Boards are what keep organizations from improving and serving their constituency. I wonder how the many funders feel about this? Rest in Peace, ReUse.
I just posted an update – Harvey Garrett’s response to my request for a statement about this move – at fixBuffalo. Harvey is the interim Executive Director and replaced Michael earlier this year at ReUse.
http://fixbuffalo.blogspot.com/2009/08/buffalo-reused.html
Serious bad move.
The chain of command comments from Harvey seem funny to me. I wonder if this stems from the summit in Dayton that Michael attended for the COB. Is it possible he said too much? Said something to the wrong person?
Why do I get the feeling this started at City Hall?
Nope, not City Hall. As a mater of fact, if you read Fix Buffalo, it came from an anti-City Hall “activist” – Harvey Garrett. So, the fight for power and position is now infecting even the most tremendous of organizations. And, that’s why, my dear fellow-citizens, I have retired from community work. Nope, no more “in your face” – just happy to advise the newer generation now. When activists go after one another for press and power, it’s time to move on to new folks who aren’t tainted by such activities.
No good deed(s) go unpunished.
Michael is the heart and soul of Buffalo ReUse. It sounds like some poor and knee-jerk decisions were made. Let’s hope Buffalo ReUse can get it’s act together and get back to it’s foundation.
#1 – was listed as the ED at the Dayton conference but had already been “demoted”?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125011106498326993.html
#2 Dissention from within? see their blog
http://buffaloreuse.org/blog/2009/08/id-follow-him/
Sentiments can be expressed to Buffalo ReUse’s Board President:
Stephanie Simeon, 716-[REDACTED BY WNYMEDIA EDITOR], [REDACTED BY WNYMEDIA EDITOR] @gmail.com
Hello white guy blog.
How about thinking a bit about not who is write or wrong, but the role of nonprofit organization: To serve a community. An organization like Buffalo ReUSE has served, and has the potential to serve this city greatly. It is not about 1 or 2 or 3 people. It was founded by a group of people who came together to create and support a mission, and a volunteer board of directors were elected to represent the community it serves. They are bound by law to serve the community through a mission that has to be approved by the IRS. They are also bound to hire people to serve that mission. The elected volunteers (board of directors) then have the responsibility to the community to insure that monetary and physical and volunteer time donations are best serving the mission.
We should be applauding the people who had the vision to create this organization, the people who were hired, as well as those who have the vision to keep it going. What is happening here could impact many. Gainer is not the only one who has had a job at ReUSE. Let’s think about the many, and trust that the legal structure is serving our community in the best (most responsible) way possible.
I don’t think anyone here at WNYM is trying to assign blame, I think we are just interested in reporting what happened. This is a valuable organization with an effect that transcends the neighborhood, it reaches people all over the country. I think it’s important that we openly discuss what happened at ReUse so the organization and Michael can move forward positively.
What I assume to be Gainer’s complete statement was sent out by ReUse at around 10. Whatever the dynamics at work here, maybe we should wait and see what happens before burying ReUse?
Colin, I absolutely agree. We carefully posted a statement from Michael which did not single out anyone or anything as the reason for his dismissal. We also asked for a response from board members on the issue before posting the full email. What I posted above is a simple statement of the facts as they stand, not claims or allegations. Simply posting what was sent to us.
Michael is a very public figure and is nationally recognized for his work with Buffalo ReUse, his dismissal from the organization, regardless of fault or blame, is certainly a newsworthy event.
@white girl: Don’t kid yourself. The 1, 2 and 3 people you so easily dismiss are the one’s who keep the organization going on a daily basis. Without them, there is no Buffalo Reuse… oh and BTW, the writer of this blog is one of those founding members you happen to mention, so your point is what exactly?
Seriously – the 1, 2, or 3 people I am talking about are Gainer, Garrett and Simeon. They are the ones that are being represented in what I have read so far. The story really isn’t just about them. So many of us have supported this organization. We volunteered, asked friends to volunteer, gave money, asked our friends to give money. There are many staff members who are earning their living at ReUSE, a neighborhood that is more beautiful. There are many of us who have given our time and money. We are all affected by this. The neighborhood and city could be impacted.
Were all the players (paid and unpaid) mindful of all of this, were they prudent in their stewardship for the community?
Mr. Smith. Did you insure that the organization’s finances were going to be managed carefully when you were a founding member?
Have you ever met people on condo boards? These are the kind of people who fight to get elected so that they can make up rules about all kinds of minutia, like you can’t have gargoyles on your lawn, or tomatoes aren’t acceptable plants to have on your balcony, but daffodils are. Then – and this is the fun part for them – they get to go around enforcing their rules on their neighbors.
Without having spoken to either side on this issue, I’ve worked in enough organizations to recognize that this is exactly what happened at Buffalo ReUse. The giveaway is the statement from the board about following chain of command. There’s a certain type of person who, when given even a little power in the smallest venue, will completely lose their freaking minds.
I’m sure what happened here is Stephanie, Harvey, and the others saw with envy the recognition that Michael Gainer obtained through force of will and hard work, and got themselves into ReUse so that they could usurp some of that glory for themselves. A damn shame. My best to Michael, and I hope one day those bums get thrown off the ReUse board so that he can eventually return.
Dale, you have hit the nail on the head! Obviously you are the voice of experience.
Frequently, when organizations need to remove someone while trying to avoid damaging their reputation, they will release the most innocuous statement possible so as not to give to much information to people that don’t need to know. That is how I read the statement made by Simeon and the Board of Directors. It is way to early to slander the names of Simeon and Garrett, especially if you haven’t spoken to anyone involved.
Michael is a very good person, and he came to Buffalo with unparalleled passion. It is an awful thing that he was forced out. But please avoid broad sweeping judgments unless you have spoken to the source.
All of these folks are human, and deserve to be treated with compassion for the very tough and painful decisions that they made.
I sincerely hope that Michael will stick around Buffalo and that there is a way to mend the fences so he can remain an active part of ReUse. I hope the organization can survive this tough time.
I am a founding board member of Buffalo ReUse and have been involved with the organization before it was an organization…I will say Michael is the hardest working person I know.There are many issues I can not speak about but I will say everyone made mistakes and as Michael himself
said Buffalo Reuse will continue with or without him and I am 110% committed to see that it does..There are other board members who are also very committed to see that BR continues on and we all have to keep in mind at all times that BR is so very important to not only the neighborhood where our warehouse is located but to our city.Please do not jump to conclusions either..this has nothing to do with city hall in any way.BR has accomplished so much in less than 3 yrs from saving tons of usable materials from landfills, to offering low cost supplies to the public many of whom are lower income homeowners who can not afford to go to Home Depot, to our beautiful community gardens where neighbors work along side volunteers and staff to grow their own vegetables to DIY worshops free to the public..We have and will continue to do our best to ensure that it not only continues but grows.There are some questions legally I can not answer but I will try to answer questions to the best of my ability.
Hey “white girl”, you said…
“The elected volunteers (board of directors) then have the responsibility to the community to insure [sic] that monetary and physical and volunteer time donations are best serving the mission.”
How do you know they didn’t!? The mission of Buffalo ReUse is not gardens, trees and all the other cookie jars they had their hands in. Its green deconstruction. Period. Don’t believe me? Read the Buffalo ReUse description on this site. Do you have any idea what the situation was that lead up to the firing? Let’s all just assume that the board was out to “pad their resumes” as so many of you have suggested.
The idea that the board members are “padding their resumes” is absolutely ludicrous. Firing a high profile person such as Gainer is the exact opposite of what I would do if I was in the position of simply trying to pad my resume. Instead, I would join a successful organization and then do very little as far as action, in order to have my name simply associated with it. Obviously, there must be some issue between Gainer and the rest of the staff/board that we don’t yet fully understand, because no one would do this simply to make themselves look good. No one would choose the path that would cause the most media and public outcry if there wasn’t a justifiable reason.
Knee jerk decisions were made? Again, that is so ridiculous I don’t even know where to begin. You don’t fire someone with Gainer’s public recognition with a “knee-jerk” decision. Things like this happen in the background over long periods of time.
Yes, Dale, I’m sure that’s exactly what happened. Because this sounds exactly like a condo board. I’m sure the board of directors wanted to make things exciting for themselves so they thought they would fire the highest profile ED in Buffalo just so they could enforce some silly rules. I bet this whole situation is all kinds of fun for them and they are “usurping” all kinds of “glory” from this. That MUST have been their motivation.
Anonymous, addressing me. You misunderstand my intention here. I am not pointing fingers in either direction, but trying to ask people here to think about the big picture, everyone involved. That what has happened is not just the result of the 3 people mentioned in what we have read, but many people. A group of staff members, a group of volunteers, a group of board members, a group of donors. We all have stakes in the organization. We all are impacted. And I meant to suggest that the board likely has real reasoning and management responsibilities behind a decision like this. That it is their responsibility to have the best interest of the community in mind, as does each employee. And the best interest includes every piece of the operations of a nonprofit.
So, I think we are on the same page more or less. But I also wonder how it could have gotten to this point and if there were problems why the people involved (Gainer and staff and board members included) why it could not have reached a reasonable resolve. Is this action an indication that a reasonable resolve was not possible?
I am not trying to place blame, but to suggest we all think about the complexity of what is going on here. And the many many people who care for this organization.
@white girl I think our coverage has tried to inform that there are complexities and that the board is limited in what they can say publicly. This organization is too vital to not cover its difficulties with the hope that we can have an effect on the eventual resolution.
Chris —
I think you’re doing everyone a service here. My “don’t bury ReUse” comment was directed at other commenters who seemed to suggest that this was the end of the road for the group.
I heard that Sam Hoyt put Harvey Garrett up to it. Garrett has always been Hoyt’s poop boy and given Hoyt’s greed to take over every board in the city, it certainly seems plausible. Very unfortunate because Michael Gainer has worked so hard. All Harvey does is take credit for other people’s hard work and promote himself. This is sad.
There is no way to duplicate the depth of understanding of the matrixed environment and culture of Buffalo ReUse that Michael provides. This still young organization can’t afford the loss of its touchstone.
I am appalled and shocked at the latest development at Buffalo ReUSE. Michael is someone who has inspired thousands of Buffalonians and has helped make Buffalo ReUSE one of the best things in Buffalo – and firing him is the only solution this board can come up with? How unimaginative, how destructive, how utterly conventional and stupid.
Bill: your comments are way off. Anyone who knows anything about ReUse knows that I have been a champion of the organization from the beginning. I have provided substantial state assistance and introduced Michael to various officials across the state. While I have worked with Harvey Garrett and admire the work that he has done, I was in no way responsible for his hiring at ReUse. I am concerned as anyone else about the future of this amazing organization that I, and others, have worked so hard to promote. I think that people should lay down their arms and work together to find a resolution to this matter. I certainly am prepared to do that. Sam
As I founding board member..I can assure you Sam had no prior knowledge of Michaels dismissal nor did he have anything to do with Harvey being hired as interim ED.
Well, a good source told me that the authorities are looking into this mess. I guess Sam will have to explain his involvement to them. Seems awfully fishy to me that Hoyt’s top lap dog joins the organization and a good guy like Michael gets dragged through the mud. Then again that’s Hoyt’s m.o… Michael hang in there!
No Bill..you are misinformed.Sam didnt know Michael was being fired until it was publicly announced..The staff of BR,Michael and fellow board members think very highly of Sam..He has been a great friend to BR and we all think highly of him.
I am troubled that nobody has provided information about West Side Community Collaborative, which has been Harvey Garret’s “baby” since he deposed funder & urban planner Jill Lemke about 5 years ago, in a strikingy similar dynamic the the current one with Mike Gainer.
What is the current structure of WSCC?
Its board, budget, staffing & ‘misison’?
The current state of WSCC is a good predictor of how ReUse will lokk in the future under Garrett’s leadership
You see this is why I hate hippies. Bikers are paramilitary.
As soon as things start to work hippies have to get into rock-star fights. Why would anyone want Garrett’s help when everyone in city hall already has a b-oner for him? Michael may not have had the relationship he wants with city hall but no one was out to get him either. Garrett will immediately push ReUse to the fringe.
I didnt see see any board members sweating beside me at ReUse. So to them I say thanks for not doing your jobs and then being happy enough to destroy the organization I assisted in building.
If Gainer and the staff and volunteers had not worked so hard to create such a strong organization then the board would never have the courage to fire him. Few people have any idea what it is like to do business in that neighborhood. The gardens and the good will they create are one of the reasons why they have done so well there. There is a community under the urban desolation. Beautification efforts give people hope. The community as whole really likes the people who make ReUse happen.
An old man from Cold Springs, whom I loved and is deceased now, used to say, “One hand washes the other but both hands have to come together to wash the face”. Are we washing the face or slapping the face?
NYCRR
One only has to look beyond the context of this latest of Harvey’s coup d’etats to see that what happened to Michael is consistent with his past behavior. He pushed Jill Lemke out as ED of the West Side Collaborative. (She now works with the city of Baltimore Planning Board, and hardley anything is happening at WSC. His “ouster” (his characterization) from the board at West Side Housing last year was really his failure to be elected to another term. He and his media pals then proceeded to try a hatchet job on their ED, Linda Chiarenza in retaliation for the results of a fairly conducted vote. This latest move has to be seen in the context of what’s happened in the past with other agencies. To those other organizations where he is currently on the board – be afraid, be very afraid.