On Friday, The Vancouver Courier's Allen Garr quoted former Non-Partisan Association president Paul Barbeau as saying there there could be "some manipulation of the process" when the civic party holds its annual general meeting this spring and elects a new board of directors. And it looks like that manipulation process may have gotten underway. Tongues are wagging with rumours that some want the board to endorse a slate of successors at that meeting - something which hasn't happened in the last two years. But it's unlikely interim association president Matt Taylor, who has been spending most of his time making the telephone rounds with caucus members, will endorse that proposal.