Easy Does It Disability Assistance
Board Meeting
September
25, 2003
Present: Peter Trier, Jonah Markowitz, Leslie Gordon, Winston Ching,
Dina Valicenti,
Hale Zukas, Karyn Hernandez,
Staff: Felix Knauth, Rose Acampora
Public: Scott Leubking, Jacqueline Bradley
Public Comment:
Jonah: Solano Stroll - CIL took several EDIDA brochures and distributed
about 10 of them. We should send a thank you. Fred Lupke got into a
car accident and is unlikely to survive. We are voting under the Board
Responsibility Statement, and I enjoyed being here.
Peter: We must have the elections tonight.
Dina: I no longer want to be the note taker; I will help out until
a new one is found. I will work it out with the Secretary.
Minutes:
Jonah: Motion to approve minutes from June 26th, 2003.
Dina: Seconds.
Motion passes.
Jonah: Motion to approve minutes from July 24th, 2003, with the amendment
to change Teri Waller's name.
Peter: Seconds.
Motion passes.
Jonah: Motion to table August 28th, 2003 minutes until October meeting.
Leslie: Seconds.
Motion passes.
Consent Calendar:
n/a
Agenda:
Jonah: Motion to start the elections at 7:45pm.
Karyn: Seconds.
Motion passes.
Jonah: Motion to take an additional 5 minutes for Public Comment.
Karyn: Seconds.
Leslie: Aye Winston: Aye Hale: Aye Karyn: Aye
Peter: Aye Jonah: Aye Dina: Abstain
Motion passes.
Public Comment (2):
Rose: The Board has made a decision that is not good for the welfare of this agency. The staff right now is good as gold. I think it comes down to Invasive care and its moral and legal obligation. The agency needs to look at ways to do that. We need to get real. As of now, EDI does not have a future. We have been presented with an option and we might not have a contract with the City of Berkeley. You should call an emergency meeting to ask Felix back.
Staff is continually harasses by 2 clients. One client is going to
the SUS tomorrow and I think we should not allow any service. Staff
has to hear nonsense and slander and they should not have to.
Scott: People that the Board should consider: look at people that have
outside experience, accounting, etc. Some decisions being made are
not good. What skills will they bring to the Board? You should look
into coaching. Explore this to help Felix. You should make an arraignment
with Felix to be a consultant with EDIDA. Experience is relevant and
knowledge. This could be managed.
President's Report:
Peter: This might be the last President's report for me. The staff
is doing a great job providing services. I have heard so many different
points of view from staff on this dilemma. We have to figure out what
EDIDA is here for? Berkeley is the leading edge of independent living.
There are real conflicts; we want to do things that are acceptable.
We failed with Invasive care and we all agree it needs to be provided.
EDIDA should make sure that attendants should do legal things. The
Board received a letter and I am hoping that we can answer that letter.
ED will tell the status of insurance.
Hale: I have not seen the letter.
Peter: I will make sure that everyone gets the letter. We can discuss
it in Executive Session or over e-mail.
Leslie: Do you have a copy of the letter?
Felix: I can make copies for everyone.
Hale: What about Jesse?
Dina: He is not going to be on the Board next year.
Executive Director Report:
Felix: We are under budget and on time with a good number of calls. Is this a question of personal integrity, absolutely. Invasive care has been an issue. Lloyd's figured it out about 13 months ago. It leaves the attendants, Board Members, the agency and the city open for liability. I am here to advocate for the staff, talk to staff about risk factors, lifting, Bowl and Bladder care. I have to tell them that if they choose to do B&B care, they are on their own. They should know that. I believe that this led to my forced resignation. If the Board changed their mind, I still believe in this mission. I will stay with two conditions: 1.) There are a number of new people on the Board, and 2.) Who the new officers are going to be.
About an e-mail today, I signed a check for Lloyd's covering us for
20 days with certain limitations. This is not a very economic idea,
and we are still not covered for Invasive Care. The best option would
be Suhr Risk and the NAIC.
Peter: I am confused. I would sign tomorrow. We do not provide Invasive
Care. If attendants do it, we do not reward or punish them.
This led to a large discussion on Bowl & Bladder Care.
Rose: Staff should be present to discuss this.
Secretary Report:
Jonah: I enjoyed being the Secretary and will do it again. My goal
for October is to have a new minute taker who will be here on a consistent
basis. I might have to put an ad in the paper, even if I have to pay.
I am going to find someone from the outside.
Motion to Board to allow Secretary to find a note taker from outside of the
organization and the Board.
Winston: Seconds.
Motion passes.
Elections:
Jacqueline: I would like to be a member of the Board. I had supporters
send in their letter.
Hale: I would like to postpone until October so we have a chance to
meet all the new candidates.
Peter: We will have to change the by-laws to postpone elections.
Hale: Motion that we amend the by-laws to have the elections in October.
Peter: Friendly amendment: Procedure to allow members of the Board
to vote absentee, including the President and the Vice-President, and
the list of new candidates is closed as of tonight.
Dina: I think we should do it tonight because otherwise we don't vote
on officers until November.
Leslie: No Winston: Aye Karyn: No Peter: Abstain
Hale: Aye Jonah: No Dina: No
Hale: This time of turmoil is certainly not the time to involve new people.
Motion Failed.
Election happened. Each candidate receiving 5 or more votes will be on the Board for the 2003-2004 year. Jesse Townley and Chris Hess voted over the phone.
Jacqueline Bradley 4
Winston Ching 8
Karyn Hernandez 9
Chris Hess 9
Jonah Markowitz 6
Charles Pappas 7
Robert Price 8
Lewis Stiller 7
Peter Trier 9
Dina Valicenti 7
Hale Zukas 8
Leslie Gordon 9
Jonah: Motion to table the election of officers until November.
Karyn: Seconds.
Motion passes.
Jonah: I nominate both Leslie and myself to the Executive Committee.
After a vote, Leslie was nominated to the Executive Committee.
Felix: We need a special Board meeting to talk about insurance. I will have someone from the insurance come to talk to us.
Peter: A letter has to be written in reply. I will come up with a
draft and circulate it.
A client is possibly going to be suspended. He does not want any contact from
us or with us. If he ever calls again, he will be referred to the SUS Committee.
Jonah: Motion to adjourn 8:50 pm.
Karyn: Seconds.
Motion passes.