Longtime ARRL
Southwestern Division Director Dick Norton, N6AA, has been publicly censured by
the League's board of directors for allegedly telling members that he opposes a board
policy that prohibits directors from criticizing board policies. Last January,
the board adopted a code of conduct for its members that included a prohibition
on speaking publicly about votes on issues before the board and on criticizing
board actions. According to the ARRL, Norton repeatedly violated this and other provisions of the code, even after being warned to stop. His actions, the board ruled, drew "the Board's collective decision making into disrepute" and "caused harm to the League." The resolution stated that "Mr. Norton is admonished by the Board that no further, similar behavior will be tolerated." Several amateurs who attended the meeting at which this criticism supposedly occurred have denied that it ever happened, and said that Norton presented the policy in neutral terms and said that he supported it.
