Easy Does It Disability Assistance
Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes for August 22, 2002

Present: Jonah Markowitz, Felix Knauth, Peter Trier, Jesse Townley, Jonathan Gold, Leslie Gordon; Hale Zukis arrives at 6:45pm; Winston Ching arrives at 6:55pm; Kyle Eminger arrives at 7:15pm.
Not in attendance: Todd Groves, Daniel Drake, Dina Valicenti, Rose Acampora,
Gene Biggins of City Transportation service arrives at 6:45pm

Meeting started at: 6:35 pm; Leslie asked Jesse to run the meeting

Public Comment:
Jonah: Yoga; Memorial Service; job transfer; politicking

Approval of Minutes:
Jonathan: Donna Spring's name spelled wrong.
It was decided to hold off on the approval of minutes until the next meeting

Consent Calendar
Jonah: Pull off midnight to dawn proposal.
Leslie agrees.
Felix: discuss in executive session
Jesse: Put on agenda
Jonah makes motion to approve Consent Calendar with above changes. Motion seconded and passed.

Agenda
Peter suggests changing order of agenda.
Jesse reads out loud the action items.
Jonah wants 4 day item moved up to make sure that it is gotten to. Moved to D.
Jesse: newsletter is in packet
Peter: needs to say something during president report.
Jonah makes motion to approve agenda as amended. Leslie seconds. Motion passes.

Transportation
First page
Demand response rides; Brings in goodwill and revenue
Jonah: Motion that we approve in principal the historic linkage between EDI and Berkeley van program; Peter seconds.
Jesse: I don't think we should go to Summit Hospital because of traffic
Felix: what about Kaiser North Oakland. We go there now.
Jonah withdraws motion and makes new motion to approve in principal the first page; Peter seconds.
Jonah: I move in principal to accept the emergency ticket proposal from the city of
Berkeley van program; executive director will work out the details; (see above for Peter's second)
There followed questions by Hale and Peter.
Motion passes.

Wheelchair-Van Program Contract Provisions -- second page
Jesse: Give program 30 days.
Felix: can give report at October board meeting.
Hale: it's going to be a lottery with so many calls.
Jonathan: questioned what areas and why selected
Hale: how do you determine emergency
Felix: we make a judgment call.
Jonah: same day ride, are we on hook for the return ride?
Peter: yes, but they may have to wait
Gene: 70 or 80 people taking advantage of program now.
Jesse: Green voucher we get $25 from city, plus money for additional riders; must make sure that we aren't viewed as trying to make money.
Gene: emergency calls must be explained to clientele.
Jesse: drivers are paid for in-service versus on call. Will added income be paid for by call?
Felix: any other questions?
Peter: can we approve now, so you won't have to come back to us later? I get nervous about providing the service to people who live in Albany. Van is bought by Berkeley and paid by Berkeley taxpayers. What if we have a trial period and it doesn't work? will having a lot of people call in for same day service affect emergency service?
Gene: Leave out Albany.
Felix: when van is not on a service call it is in the parking lot.
Jonah: Motion for using Gene's language, emergency rides get top priority, the program will serve Berkeley residents only, 30 day trial period, covers our present service area only.
Peter seconds.
Jonathan: say that you accept the proposal minus the Pill Hill/one mile service.
Jonah accepts Jonathan's friendly amendment.
Jonathan: will we pick up Albany people going into Berkeley?
Peter: no
Motion passes.

Contract Update
Peter explains

Ad hoc Invasive Care Committee
Peter explains; Asked Jesse to chair the committee.
Peter proposes that we create the committee; Jonah seconds;
Motion passes.

Debt Study Committee
Hale: two items are very costly: workers comp and midnight to dawn shift;
Peter wants Hale to form the committee.
Hale: volunteers?
Winston, Felix, Jonah
Peter: Motion will convene this committee; motion seconded.
Jesse: can this committee be a part of the consent calendar?
Hale: no
Peter: put it on the agenda; give out reports and we'll discuss
Motion passes.
Peter: Motion to have executive director give a report as to how we can lower our current budget 10% by the October board meeting. Jonah seconds. Motion passes.

Hale: Felix, when will you know when we can join the city's insurance group?
Felix: I'll find out as soon as I can.
Hale: and the cost of implications?
Felix: end of next week?
Hale: yes

Leslie makes motion of 4 Day notice before policy change.
Hale: no major changes of policy without the approval of the board.
Leslie withdraws motion.

September Elections
Jonathan: Nick Feldman has applied.
Peter: potential candidates must tell Leslie of their interest, otherwise will not assume that they want to be on board. Cut off date is Sept 12. Election on Sept 26; vote on officers in October.
Leslie says she may not run.

Personnel Committee
Leslie: needs volunteers
Jonathan: what does it do?
Leslie: I don't know.
Peter: explained what it does; non-disciplinary policies.
Jonah and Jesse volunteer.
Jonathan thinks it would be good if the staff knows this committee exists

Mission Statement
Peter: do we need one right now?
Jonathan: we have a short one already. We need to find it.
Peter will try to find it.

Overuse Policy
Motion to have Felix bring up at subcommittee of utilization of services; seconded. Motion passes.

Newsletter
Jonathan: suggests quarterly newsletter on the assumption there is enough interesting news.
Peter: makse motion that we have a six month trial for a quarterly newsletter; Jonah seconds
Kyle: return to the monthly if we get out of budget crunch as it will help with fundraising, but for now there is nothing to say and it is a big expense.
Motion passes.

Board Retreat
Jesse: when?
Jonah: in October
Felix: when and how long?
Peter: one Sunday 1pm - 5pm
Jonah makes motion to have retreat in October; Peter seconds.
Kyle: what is it?is it social?
Jonathan: no motions are made at the retreat.
Motion passes.

Kyle: wants to bring up client having two attendants at once; suggests moving into executive session.

Peter makes motion to go into Executive session; Jonah seconds. Motion passes.
Peter makes motion to invite Felix. Jonah seconds. Motion passes.

8:50pm moved back into regular session.
Peter: Move midnight to a.m. issue to Hale's committee to discuss and get back to board.
Peter: I authorize Executive Director to, at his discretion, use a lead attendant rather than dispatcher for that shift, midnight to 6 a.m.; Jonah seconds.
Jonathan: what does Felix think of this?
Felix: I'm surprised.
Kyle: contract with city of Berkeley mandates one male and one female?
Felix: yes
Kyle: how much would it cost us?
Jonathan: before Measure E we tried this two different ways; B & G just called me on Fri / Sat nights and I would assign calls; other way was that I went out on call.
Jesse: Please give Felix as much details as possible; should be more information in the files; I think it's a great idea.
Leslie: what will we save?
Felix: $6000
Hale: How do you figure it will only save $6000?
Felix: referred to report: didn't put in paying the lead attendant more money so maybe $7000, depends how much we pay lead attendant.
Jonathan: lead attendant acts as dispatcher.
Motion passes.

Ken Crow Fund
Jonathan: $950 in fund. Do we want to continue it?
Peter: didn't we pass a motion to allow Jonathan and others to decide what to do?
Jonathan: read purpose of fund out loud.
Peter: just Felix and Jonathan decide what to do with the money.
Jonah: he and Felix would decide how much to spend per client.
Jesse: yes.
Jonah: would like to hear what it was spent on.

Modification of Scope of Services
Tabled.

Jonah makes motion to adjourn. Motion seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9:15pm.

Meeting notes submitted to Dina and Iana by S. Parker on September 12, 2002.