HOPE may be in trouble.

Or not. It depends on who is telling the story.

Some people involved with HOPE — which offers therapeutic horse-riding to children and adults — say the whole program is in disarray and in jeopardy of shutting down.

Others, including the board of directors and its executive director, say everything is just fine.

But during the past few months, two longtime mainstays of the riding program have left and three of five board members have quit.

HOPE, which stands for Horsemanship Opportunities for Potential Equestrians, has been around for 22 years. The program serves nearly 40 riders three times a week at three operating sites; at the Island County Fairgrounds in Langley and two arenas in

Oak Harbor.

The program has grown from 15 students in 2005 to 75 riders and an annual budget of $93,000 today.

Maybe it’s grown too fast for those most closely involved.

Earlier this year, head instructor Miriam Burk resigned over disputes with executive director Karen Newman and HOPE’s board of directors.

Then, program director Denise Boyett was terminated, according to an e-mail she received on June 11.

But Newman publicly insists that Boyett resigned following an ultimatum she gave to the board.

Boyett and Burk have not responded to repeated phone calls or e-mail requests for comment in the past two weeks, directly or through other people involved with HOPE, made by the Record. One reason, according to their supporters, is fear of possible legal action.

The problems apparently began in late 2008 when Newman, a former corporate attorney, was hired, at Boyett’s urging, to take over the business side of the organization, write grants and generally square away the office.

In March, following a routine examination of the program’s insurance regulations, Newman told the board that there could be problems having dogs on site. A barking dog could potentially spook a horse and dump the rider, a legal liability issue.

The board approved a “no-dogs-allowed” policy, which apparently angered both Boyett and Burk, who both frequently brought their dogs to work.

“Our dog policy applies to everyone, myself included,” Newman said.

Then there was a problem over hours.

“At some point last winter, Denise got a job with an insurance company,” Newman recalled. “She worked 20 hours there and 20 here directing our programs. As the busy spring season came, she was here less and less.”

Newman said she spoke to Boyett, who replied she would be working only 10 hours per week. At the next board meeting, Boyett indicated she wanted a further reduction to just two hours a week, working mainly on a HOPE-sponsored intern program at Langley Middle School.

Other disputes arose.

One of Boyett’s passions was teaching the art of cart-driving behind a horse, and she began to offer it to HOPE students.

The cart she used was stored at HOPE headquarters at the Island County Fairgrounds, but there was only one key and when Boyett wasn’t there, or showed up late, there was a problem with access to other tack stored inside, according to Newman.

Another padlock was bought and Newman kept both keys because Boyett was only working a few hours and the cart-driving program didn’t attract many students.

Board member Gail Corral, who has resigned over what she sees as poor treatment of Boyett by Newman, said Boyett was crushed over the key incident.

“She cried for days, finally taking all her saddles, bridles and other tack away that she had donated to the program,” Corral said.

Corral and other critics of HOPE also charge that board meetings were sometimes closed, actions were taken without key people being notified and classes were cancelled when funds ran low.

Last month, Burk quit her position as instructor because of the tension and for personal reasons. She was owed back pay, and a horse trailer was sold to reimburse her, about $2,200. The sale of the trailer also raised concerns.

The need to cover Burk’s back pay forced the board to halt lessons and refund money already paid.

“Miriam had told the board to put her salary into food for the horses,” Corral said. “She deferred her pay because she loved horses and what we did here.”

But HOPE board president Marta Berry said she asked Burk for a written description of her concerns.

“She never wrote to us,” Berry said.

After Burk quit, Boyett apparently issued an ultimatum to the board.

“She wanted everyone to give up their positions,” Newman said.

“She said if we don’t meet her demands, she’d quit. We didn’t respond to her threat and she left. She was not fired.”

Newman’s claim is supported by the four remaining board members.

Others dispute Newman’s version of events, however.

“She didn’t quit, she was fired and I have the documentation to prove it,” said parent volunteer Lynn Smith.

Smith said that five months ago, Newman and the board wrote up new bylaws that eliminated all members from decision-making duties. Previously, a HOPE member could serve in an advisory capacity, including being involved in the hiring and firing of employees.

“Now, only the board has power to make those calls,” Smith said.

Smith also said that it’s illegal to have only four directors, but Berry responded that the board is actively searching for more members.

Berry said she can think of one possible reason for the dispute.

“As the program has grown, there became an increased need for structure beyond the simple act of working with students, a job at which both Burk and Boyett were highly skilled,” she said.

“Dealing with challenged children and adults can be emotionally-taxing, and there’s a high burnout factor in this business. The burden of keeping things together fell on both, and it took its toll. We have established policies in place to see the program is sustained on a regular basis,” Berry said.

Newman said the riding program will continue, noting HOPE has recently hired an experienced new instructor to replace Burk.

“Having Melissa Jacobe on board is very exciting; she’s gotten great reviews,” Newman noted.

Smith isn’t convinced.

“I’m a single parent of a child with special needs who wouldn’t even approach a horse before she bonded with Burk,” she said.

“Riding gave my daughter the chance to be connected to an animal and, eventually, to gain the confidence to connect with other human beings.

“Frankly, my kid feels abandoned,” Smith said.

Though no substantive moves have been made yet, Smith and other disaffected HOPE critics are considering starting a separate riding program.

Jeff VanDerford can be reached at 221-5300 or jvanderford@south

whidbeyrecord.com.