La Jolla Merchants elect officers, seat new board, toss coins

The La Jolla Village Merchants Association (LJVMA) held an unusually dramatic officer election at its Nov. 13 meeting at the Riford Library.

Board members Lauren Johnston and Benoit Roux both nominated themselves for treasurer before current treasurer, Kelli Metcalf, said she wished to continue in the role. So the board members voted by secret ballot, which resulted in a tie between Metcalf and Johnston.

“Yay, finally something exciting is happening!” joked LJVMA executive director Jodi Rudick.

Indeed, because Rudick studied the organization’s bylaws before the meeting, she knew that a tie called for a coin toss, and Metcalf won re-election by picking heads.

Brett Murphy was also re-elected president by a unanimous board for his final year before terming out. (He will be allowed to return after a year off.) Murphy then nominated current secretary Julie Wright as vice president, who was also confirmed unanimously.

“I guess that means I’m not secretary anymore,” said Wright, who then nominated board member Jessica Wiley to fill her former role, who began typing the meeting’s minutes immediately.

“Oh my gosh, and she brought her laptop with her, what a coincidence!” Rudick said.

Also at the meeting, Murphy handed thank-you cards to exiting board members Don Parks, Gerhard Bendl and and Mike Dorvillier.

Dorvillier — the chair of the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, who termed out of his LJVMA seat after serving three terms in a row — swore in the new members who were then seated for two terms: Patronus Wellness project manager Johnston, Merrill Lynch wealth advisor Melissa Snook, Pacific Sotheby’s broker associate Amber Anderson and Decker’s Dog and Cat co-owner Cody Decker. (Cove House marketing manager Morgan Barnes did not attend.)

Also at LJVMA ...

Financials: Murphy reported $113,823 in the association’s checking and savings accounts, with assets, liabilities and equity balanced at $121,318. “I think it’s important to show how healthy we are as an organization,” he said. Rudick added that the organization’s goal from new memberships was $5,000 for fiscal year 2019/2020, “and we’re about halfway there, so we’re excited.”

New members: The board voted to add Banc of California, Gymguyz, Anderson Windows and Knead a Massage as associate members. Murphy abstained from the vote on Gymguyz, a mobile fitness service, explaining: “I’m in the industry and that’s just not appropriate.”

New events: The board voted to hold a window-decorating contest to celebrate the holidays, judged by professional designers and also featuring a people’s choice award. (Ballots will be handed out during the Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.) The board also voted to partner with next year’s La Jolla Cove Swim — acting as a fiscal agent and helping with marketing and management — and to approve using the public right of way for a Village-wide sidewalk sale, sometime in January.

— La Jolla Village Merchants Association next meets 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 in the La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. lajollabythesea.com