Easy Does It
Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes for June 28, 2001

Present: Jonah Markowitz, Leslie Gordon, Jesse Townley, Hale Zukas, Denise Glagan, Peter Trier, Jonathan Gold, Rose Acampora; Nicolas Feldman on telephone.
Guests: Miya Rodolfo-Sioson; Al Weisman, Erin Harbaug, Gina Sasso, Michael Delacour

Meeting started at 6: 45 p.m.

Denise made introductions
Public Comment:
· Miya: OES Disaster Conference; Questions about disaster plans, who was trained; questions about evaluations.

· Gina: consider raising wages for employees who have been working for 3 months; people can't survive on $10 or $12 per hour; some of the attendants are afraid to bring this up to the board and asked her to do so

· Jonah: AC transit assessment in July on pressure points on the wheelchair: 891 4620
Reminder of party on Sat at Rose's from 12 - 5; AB524 Bill is in senate appropriations

· Jesse: will email newsletter from Management Center with short article about boards role in staffing. tmc.org

Minutes:
Leslie moved to approve them; Jesse seconded; Motion carried.

Approval of Agenda
Leslie: discuss raises in action items; move discussion items to a retreat; date for retreat in president's report
Jesse: move discussion on raises to action item at next meeting
Leslie: add Jonathan's election for board under time sensitive action items
Jesse moved to approve minutes; Jonah seconded; Motion passed.

President's Report
There followed a discussion on the date, purpose and who would attend a special meeting to discuss the agenda items that are never gotten to such as case management and mission statement.
A motion was made that Leslie and Denise would work out the details and agenda items for a special meeting that might occur as soon as Sunday, August 12.
Motion passed; Hale abstained.

Executive Directors Report
· A discussion on number of attendants hired and lost followed. It was announced that EDI is short attendants on weekends and weekday mornings and that there is only one male on the schedule Saturday evenings. Pre-scheduling is going well, but will end on Friday, June 29.
Jesse made a motion that it continue until next meeting when board would receive a full report from Executive Director. Motion seconded and approved.

· Meeting with Mr. Kamalarz
There followed a lengthy discussion about the meeting between Phil Kamalarz, Jay, Nicolas, Leslie and Rose. Hale asked that Phil Kamlarz be referred to as Mr. Kamalarz. There was confusion over what was discussed and decided at the meeting. Board members were unhappy with the decision to make co-payment $11 per hour for all clients. Hale asked how well equipped EDI was to determine who gets the subsidy and who doesn't. A letter that was sent to clients with the $11 rate increase was read aloud and more discussion followed.
The following motion was made and approved: July 1 EDI will raise co-payment to $10; the Executive Director and President will work closely with the city of Berkeley and exercise discretion as to who attends meetings; we are not giving up our contractual arrangement to raise co-payment to $11.

· InfoUse: Peter and Jesse did not receive the InfoUse report

· Update on AB 524: everyone should have gotten a copy via email except Jonah.

· Flyers and Presentation at Berkeley Adult School: About 20 students were given EDI brochure and information.

· There followed a discussion on the B&G bill. Hale asked why it had not gone down since a nighttime dispatcher, Leslie Johnson, had been hired. The board instructed Nicholas to withhold payment to B&G until he received an itemized bill and to report back to the board about this matter.

· WID Conference:

· Health Insurance: in process of switching over to Pack Advantage

· Counseling for staff will cost $5000 for 40 employees for a year; Jesse asked for a report with more information on this possible program.

Jonathan's election
Leslie made motion to elect Jonathan to the board; Peter seconded; Motion passed.

Al Weisman introduced himself as an inventor who makes a living on repairing wheelchairs; He is willing to teach classes and go out on emergency calls; website: www.alweisman.com

Secretary's Report
· A brief discussion followed about the kind of minutes the board wants. It was decided that secretary should proof and edit the minutes and that clients should not be identified by name.
· Peter reminded the President and Secretary that any amendments that have been passed need to get into the permanent by-laws.

Executive Committee Report
Attended by Leslie, Nick, Peter, Hale, Jesse
Leslie is in charge of producing a letter to give to prospective board members for what EDI is looking for (patience, sensitivity, ability to function under Roberts Rules; health professionals, fundraisers,)
It was agreed at the Executive Committee Meeting that each would chair informally the following:
Jesse - professional organizations
Hale - non-disabled organizations
Leslie - literature
Next Executive Committee meeting is Monday July 16 at Peter's house

Board Workshop Seminar
Attended by Leslie, Jesse and Denise
Denise will distribute notes to board members and board can discuss in August.
There followed a discussion on a consent agreement.
A motion was made to have a consent calendar. Any board member can pull out what they want to discuss. Board members will get four detailed reports (secretary, president, executive director, executive committee) ahead of time. The board will accept these reports without comment or discussion, unless there is a need to make it an agenda item. Jonah seconded. Motion passed.

Proposal for Client Advocate Position passes with little discussion.

Denise will pick up the plaque.

Peter moves to adjourn; Jonathan seconded. Approved.

Meeting ends 9:30 p.m.

Next meeting set for 4th Thursday of July.