Looking back two years ago finds NCUA disqualifying ColumbiaCommunity Credit Union's previous vote to convert to a mutualsavings bank. “We have sent a letter to Columbia indicating that wefound their voting procedures unfair,” said Melinda Love, NCUA'sregional director for Region V, based in Tempe Arizona. “And wehave told the credit union that if it wants to go forward with theconversion process it will have to hold another vote.” The agencypulled no punches in condemning many aspects of the credit union'sballot finding that the credit union had denied some members votingrights, had counted the votes in a “flawed” manner, and that thedisclosures to members were “misleading”. That issue also findsPennsylvania added to the list of states where banks havechallenged credit unions over community field-of-membership charterexpansions. Notices of Protest were filed with state Secretary ofBanking concerning notices to convert to community charters filedby three credit unions. “There's a lot of questions whether thebankers have the right to challenge this at all,” said PennsylvaniaCredit Union Association Senior Vice PresidentCommunications/Marketing Mike Wishnow. “Our understanding is thatas long as credit unions meet the definition of a well-definedcommunity and have a bonafied, viable business plan to serve theneeds of the community, then from our perspective, the law allowsit and the regulator will allow it.”