WHAT: A grassroots-led no-frills project aims to map out the RID's governance issues which affects every other issue. While those issues span decades, the focus is on what's happening in the recent past AND the immediate issues in front of us.

WHY: So we, the members, can make informed choices and empower us to ACT in response to this governance crisis happening right NOW.

HOW: Information sharing & coordinating advocacy efforts.

Email: RIDStabilizationProject@gmail.com
Anonymous Sharing: https://tinyurl.com/RSPSubmit

Current Status

Original Version: October 12, 2025
Last Updated: October 13, 2025 [See Blue Text]

⏰ Next Critical Dates

• October 12: Facebook group established

• October 13: RSP website restructure and transparency packet publication -- IN PROGRESS, running a bit late. Other pages temporarily unavailable during this restructure.

• October 21: Registration closes for the October 23 Special Membership (Session #1)

• October 23, 8:00 PM ET: Special Membership Meeting (Session #1)

• November 5, 8:00 PM ET: RID's Special Membership Meeting

• November 13, 8:00 PM ET: Special Membership Meeting (Session #2)

Where We Are Right Now

RSP's two Special Membership Meetings are scheduled for October 23 and November 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time. These meetings will address urgent governance, compliance, transparency, and financial accountability issues that threaten RID's nonprofit status and member rights.

We published formal member self-notice for these meetings on August 21, 2025, after the RID Board failed to meet statutory deadlines following our July 24 petition with 92 eligible signatures. RID's legal counsel has disputed our authority to self-notice these meetings and has refused to distribute official notices or provide required transparency documents. However, California Corporations Code §5511(c) explicitly authorizes members to self-publish meeting notices when a board fails to act on a valid petition. So we self-published. We are proceeding under clear statutory authority.

What Just Happened (Recent Developments)

September 2, 2025: After months of requests and failed deadlines, we set a final deadline for RID's legal counsel (FPLG) to distribute meeting notices and provide required transparency documents. They refused. Their August 28 response contained a critical factual error—claiming we submitted our petition on August 14 when we actually submitted it July 24, a 21-day mistake that undermines their timeline arguments.

August 21, 2025: We exercised our statutory right to publish member self-notice under California Corporations Code §5511(c).

August 1-2, 2025: The Board acknowledged our petition but refused to recognize the statutory 5% threshold, claiming they were calling meetings "independently" rather than because members compelled them to.

July 24, 2025: We submitted a formal petition with 92 eligible signatures (exceeding the required 90-member threshold) demanding two Special Membership Meetings.

[Full timeline, correspondence, and documentation will be available in the "Background & History" section]

What Happens Next

October 13: We will publish all meeting materials within our control, including:

• Standing rules for meeting procedures (from petition Appendix B)

• Facilitator selection criteria (from petition Appendix C)

• Detailed agenda scope (from petition Appendix D)

• Preliminary motions for member consideration

• Any governance documents we have obtained

We continue to demand that RID provide the board minutes, financial reports, audits, and conflict of interest disclosures that members need to make informed decisions. Any documents RID provides will be posted immediately. Documents RID fails to provide will be noted as outstanding.

October 21: Registration closes for the October 23 meeting (2 days before, to allow for verification and preparation).

October 23, 8:00 PM ET: First Special Membership Meeting convenes via Zoom.

November 13, 8:00 PM ET: Second Special Membership Meeting (continued session for unfinished business).

Note on potential disruption: RID's Board has repeatedly failed to cooperate with member rights despite clear statutory obligations. If the Board attempts to prevent these meetings through legal action or other means, we will immediately notify all registered participants and take appropriate responsive action. Register now to ensure you receive timely updates. Follow our Facebook group for real-time information.

What You Can Do Right Now

1. Register for the October 23 meeting (Deadline: October 21)
Only eligible voting members (Certified or Associate members in good standing with both RID and an Affiliate Chapter) can vote, but all members are welcome to observe. Registration Link.

2. Help us reach the 200-member quorum
RID's bylaws require 200 eligible voting members to conduct business. Every registration matters. If you're uncertain about your Affiliate Chapter membership status, verify it with your local chapter now. Register even if you can't attend the full meeting—your presence counts toward quorum.

3. Join our Facebook discussion group
Daily updates, community discussion, and action coordination: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1146718100169759 

4. Review the petition materials:

• Petition (2 pages)

• Appendices (7 pages) - includes proposed standing rules, facilitator criteria, and agenda scope

5. Prepare for meaningful participation:

• Review the issues documented in Background & History (missing documentation, financial concerns, governance failures)

• Consider what questions you want answered and what changes you want to see

• Think about what motions you might want to support or propose

• Watch for the October 13 transparency packet publication

6. Share this information with other RID members, especially those in your Affiliate Chapter.

Why These Meetings Matter

RID is fundamentally changing how certification works—moving decisions from member-voted processes to an appointed commission—without documented member authorization and without providing financial information members need to evaluate these changes. Major financial questions remain unanswered: 

Where did $1.3 million net proceeds from the March 2024 headquarters sale go? Why did the Board deny a $400K transfer to CASLI on May 19, then execute Wire #2025-0519-01 transferring exactly that amount on May 21?

Why did RID miss state filing deadlines? Why are multiple board minutes and independent audits unavailable?

These meetings are your opportunity to demand answers and ensure major changes require member approval, as California law requires. The October 23 and November 13 meetings may be the only chance for member input before the January 2026 restructuring implementation. As of this writing, RID's November 5th meeting is still on the schedule. 

What We're Working Toward

These meetings are designed to achieve three outcomes:

1. Transparency: Compel the board to produce the missing financial documents, board minutes, and audit information, so members can review and make informed decisions

2. Accountability: Implement corrective measures and/or identify oversight mechanisms that ensure the board follows standard non-profit governance practices (e.g., follow the bylaws, meets filing deadlines, and responds to member concerns).

3. Authorization: Require proper member votes before implementing the proposed restructuring or other major organizational changes

Success means members have the information and authority to implement permanent changes and govern their own organization, as California law requires.