Dissidents Seek Toehold On Columbia CUBoard

COLUMBIA, Wash. - (09/03/04) -- Dissident members of Columbia CU,who failed last spring to topple the controversial board ofdirectors, have fielded a slate of four candidates for next week'selections for the four open seats on the nine-member board. Thedissidents' candidates, including Columbia's former CEO SteveStraub, are among 12 candidates, including four incumbents, vyingfor the open seats. The dissidents are also running a slate ofthree candidates, including Lloyd Marbet, who started the rare bidto recall the board, for the three openings on the credit union'ssupervisory committee, which controls the election process. Thecredit union's member began receiving ballots in the mail this weekand the election will culminate in the credit union's annualmeeting Sept. 15. The group, angered by the credit union's failedbid to convert to a mutual savings bank, sought the unprecedentedrecall of the board at a special meeting in April, but theembattled board members narrowly held on to their seats.