No party wins in this type of situation

Dear Editor:
I recently attended the annual Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association meeting and I came away from it quite disgusted and disheartened with the news that the Association was being sued by their previous sales manager.
The Cattlemen’s Association is a not-for-profit entity and it’s only assets are the local sales barn in Stratton and a meager bank account. The local farming community is already in enough strife from B.S.E., Government regulations and lack of an abattoir to mention a few.
If this lawsuit were successful it could mean the end of the local sales barn that was erected from volunteers in the past, who helped build it as another solution for the sale of area livestock. I was upset last year when I heard of the dismissal of the previous sales manager, so I did an informal inquiry into the matter on my own. I discovered as so often is the case that both sides were neither right, wrong or without blame, but I felt it was more of a personality conflict with the previous sales manager and some directors.
I hope if nothing else, that this letter will make both parties realize that nobody wins in this type of situation and ultimately the ones affected will be the whole farming community if we were to lose the local sales barn.
To the directors who are elected volunteers; I hope you’re decision was carefully considered and weighed before it was made as to the possible ramifications. To the previous sales manager, you’re lawsuit might not only affect the ones you are angry with but could affect the entire farming community if the sales barn were to close. Is this what you really want, I sincerely hope not!!
To the rest of the farming community, myself included; if you do not become actively involved in local organizations decisions maybe made that could affect you negatively but if you do not participate or become involved you will have no one to blame but yourself!
Sincerely,
Murray McDonald
Stratton, Ontario