I wish I had artistic skills, because I would love to draw a cartoon of Jaak Jarve, Heidi Kuus and the others stabbing Eestlus in the back.

Just when I thought things couldn't sink any lower.

I feel ashamed for you.

Tõsti häbi on.
Oleksite võinud olla osa lahendusest - see võttis ju aastaid.
Selle asemel on teil vaja PRAEGU hakata halama??

The more information, the better, don't you think? Why are you ashmed that people want more information?

Regarding the mandate with over 90% of the votes - forgive my ignorance but what constitutes this 90%? Does that mean 90% of people voting or are there large blocks of votes controlled by a smaller group?

It is dangerous to assume that the community/City will support the sale of 9 Madison to the same group that is bullying the communit/City at the OMB. What will it look like if the City finds it politically untenable to sell 9 Madison ave?

Sad day for our community and for the group that started with such a relatable cause that it brought a smile to all of our faces. Now it's gone way too far and there's no smile anymore. I don't think the "Friends" name is correct anymore. I doubt I'll bake any more for either for Sõbrad or Aken kohvik. Probably won't have the desire to help with the bazaar either. This has gone too far. Stop it.

...good job, Jaak and shareholders! No one should have any concerns with providing the necessary supporting documentation if everything is rightfully in order.

We should all applaud this request in the name of transparency.

In full support of getting full disclosure of all info. Well done!

$10,000,000+ is at stake, best we all know 100% how it will be spent and what the option(s) are. Please provide the full details. Hate to lose the Esto House on bad decision making. Come on tell us all what's up.

Well done. Love the Friends of Estonian House ! EH Board of directors, just get on with it and provide the requested info - you should have it. You should know what you are doing ? Or maybe NOT?

These people want more info - i would like to see the record of them asking and getting denied, then i might understand where they are coming from. I am sure they have a very detailed record of this - if they would go so far as getting a lawyer. So please show the community how you have been wronged.

Bravo to the brave who wrote the letter simply asking for more information. This is a big decision and these people are now being ridiculed for being cautions and asking questions? I guess I'll be next, for I stand with them.

Why a letter from a lawyer? Sadly, it takes a letter from a lawyer these days to get attention.

Opportunity to ask before? The last meeting, while very informative, lasted far too long and repeated information already known. Time was limited, although I don't know why, and one of the people in the letter stood in line trying to ask a question. She was not allowed to ask. With such a large gathering of people, why could all questions not be entertained?

There have been other meetings where questions were asked and the responses were that "this will not be discussed at this time". This leaves the community with questions rather than a feeling that their opinion is respected and that their concerns are being addressed. Many months have passed and a new idea is thrown at the community. We are given only a couple of weeks before a vote. Why were we not told of ideas & plans sooner? Why has there already been talk with the city about the purchase of the parking lot on Madison and building proposals, prior to our own community being told about this. For those of us not in the loop, it raises eyebrows and concerns. It is no wonder this group is asking for more information.

I do not have the answers regarding the best way to proceed, but I'm wondering if we can't redevelop our own EM asset. There are many people in our own community with deep pockets and money to invest. Why can't we be our own developers and add to a historic building and develop something that some of those writing articles would be proud to bring his friends and associates to? Why, in what is in my opinion a far better location, and yes, parking is important, can't we develop the destination place he further speaks of. Broadview is much easier to access to those of us coming from out of town than the downtown Madison location.

My two cents - for what they are worth - I'm voting no Madison.

In comment to Board of Eesti Maja re issues with Board meetings, not Eesti Kodu Board!..My error!

On the bullying subject I also had the Silvia Vaikla email (referenced in a separate article's comments) land in my email inbox. Ellen Valter replied in bold, red, capital letters. She is the Chair of the Board of ETCU. Say no more.

First off, I would like to thank those that have contributed their thoughts and have done so openly. I am, however, puzzled at those that present their thoughts anonymously. What gives? If you care about something you can't remain anonymous. Only those who seek to undermine something require the shadows.

I don’t blame anyone for posting anonymously. Walking away from 985 Broadview has become a divisive issue in our community and has led to a lot of passionate debate. When one does not agree with the members of the boards of the organizations pushing for this move, you are derisively attacked. Even if you are passionately just asking questions you are met with a response in ALL CAPS; IN RED EVEN. The board members could be more sensitive in their communications. They like to ascribe to themselves as the ones having superior SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE … EXPERTISE. Yet, they take no responsibility or accountability to bringing us “within one capital failure away from bankruptcy”. Shares in Eesti Maja that I inherited were from someone who valued all the users of Eesti Maja. Their share entitled them to a say. Unfortunately one man, one vote does not apply in this case. Members of the board appear to be making an extra effort to influence those organizations and individuals with large blocks of shares. Even if you are one person, even if you are not a shareholder, I urge you to speak out. The irony is that I think the move is the best under the circumstances but I don’t like how this process has been carried out. I don’t like that we ended up here having to make this unpalatable move. The board members are paternalistic. They need to be shook up. They need to listen, not dictate.

Oligarchy means the rule of the few, and those few are generally the people who are richer and more powerful than the others, what you might call the aristocrats or the nobles. These are not always men: just as monarchies have both kings and queens, women sometimes appear in councils of aristocrats, and even when they are not members, they are often there telling their husbands or their sons what to do. So oligarchies are generally bad for the poor, but they are pretty good for women, at least for rich women from powerful families.
Usually the way an oligarchy works is that there is a group of people who are in charge, somehow. Sometimes they may be elected, and sometimes they are born into their position, and at other times you might have to have a certain amount of money or land in order to be in the council. Then this group of people meets every so often - every week or every month - to decide important questions, and to appoint somebody to deal with things.