By Paula Peterson

Gone was the yelling between board members. Gone was the yelling from the residents in the crowd. Gone was the uncomfortable feeling I had watching a Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District (TPRID) board meeting. Gone were the bullies. Gone were the mistruths.

Present was teamwork, respect, order, transparency and a general commitment to make the park a viable one that families, residents and visitors could enjoy.

El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel became a member of the TPRID board as part of her supervisorial duties. She is now the chair, though she said it is only temporary in order to see the board change from disfunctional to functional.

Chairing an effective meeting is a tough one but it begins with an agenda and understanding of the big picture by those participating. Novasel has created an agenda for meetings and a format for which the public can speak instead of what they were used to at these meetings, yelling from the floor.

With the chaos surrounding recent meetings of Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District (TPRID) I wasn’t sure what to expect at last week’s latest board meeting, but I was impressed. There is still some work to be done but with the board attending Brown Act and Ethics training I think the kinks will be worked out. There is an open seat on the board, and one that must be filled by the beginning of April. I hope that a committed resident willing to be part of the team to move the district forward is part of the mix wishing to be appointed.

There are now TPRID committees to help share the work load. A recent meeting of their special events committee came up with viable plans for summer concerts and a 50th anniversary celebration of the park. There is a committee to get needed projects prioritized, as well as a governance committee. This is a perfect time for someone who lives in Tahoe Paradise and wants to be a part of the solution, instead of the problem, to get involved.

A big problem leading up to last fall’s meetings was mis-information being circulated through the tight community. Flyers were but on door steps saying the park was closing or the County was taking over the district. With the transparency of the current board and open lines of communication, I feel they are on the right track.

The TPRID meetings are now posted on the County website as well as emailed out to people who signed up. March 26 and April 30 are the tentative dates for the next two meetings.