Easy Does It
Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes for November 10, 2004
6:30 PM
North Berkeley Senior Center
1901 Hearst Street, Classrooms A/B

Present: Winston Ching; Jonah Markowitz; Peter Trier; Lewis Stiller. Chris Hess, who tendered his resignation as Board Treasurer shortly after the previous meeting in October arrived at 6:36 PM. A quorum was not reached until the arrival of Board member, Stephanie May, at 6:39 PM.

Absent: Hale Zukas (President); Daniel McMullen.

Staff: Rose Acampora and Gina Sasso, Co-Executive Directors.

Public: Bette Ingraham, Don [last name unknown]

Public Comment:

No public comment.

Reading or the Minutes from August 26th and September 23, 2004:

Peter: Motion to accept the minutes as amended.

Lewis seconds

Motion Passes

President’s Report: No report

Executive Director’s Report:

Gina: I apologize for there being no written report.
· We’ve hired one male and one female.
· One client who is going into mediation regards to an on-going dispute.
· We’ve begun our “Demand Response Transportation” program.
· We’ve received three (3) green tickets. I see a need for disseminating more information to our clients and attendants.
Rose: I suggest that we create a flyer for our clients and the public. The letter to clients is not as effective as we would like.
Gina: Taxi Scripts are also available. These can be used outside of the City of Berkeley. Many clients are using them for trips to the airports.
· In regards to Measure “E”, all the contracts have been signed. We received the contract for Measure “E” on November 7, 2004.
· October 8, 2004 was the deadline for Measure “B”. We continue to have a good working relationship with the City. We received our quarterly check for October through December (2004) on that date.
Jonah: How much was the check for?
Rose: $174,000.00. We always receive a check in advance at the beginning of each quarter.
Peter: What is the total we receive annually?
Rose: $692,000.00 for 2004. And it has been increased to $702,000.00 for 2005.
Gina: And I am proud to report that this month’s staff meeting went great. We reviewed scenarios/client complaints. It is clear that we need to make everyone more aware of protocols, etc. We had a good turn-out.
Rose: All of our insurance policies expired at the end of October 2004.
? Auto Insurance, directors’ and officers’, general liability, and property: $10,096.00/yr.
? Improper Sexual Conduct: This was left out of the insurance package, I’m not sure why, but I believe that it should be included. With the cost approximation from last year, adding this will still bring us in under budget.
Peter: It was included before. What exactly does it cover?
Jonah: As I recall, it is very important.
Rose: I’ll have to ask.
? Workman’s Compensation: January 2005: Requires an application. Jeff saw some increases but not with us. Most of the increases here were noted for agencies that deal with childcare. We can expect a 10% decrease secondary to the Health Benefits last year.

Actions: Election of Officers

President: Jonah nominates Hale, Winston seconds.
Hale is elected President.

Vice Pres: Charlie nominates Stephanie, Stephanie declines.
Stephanie nominates Charlie.
Charlie is elected Vice President.

Secretary: Winston nominates Stephanie, Chris seconds.
Charlie nominates Jonah, Lewis seconds.

Results of secret ballot: Stephanie elected Secretary.

Treasurer: Jonah nominates Lewis, Winston seconds.
Lewis is elected Treasurer.

Stephanie: Motion to table election of Executive Committee members until December 8 meeting.

Charlie seconds.

Motion passes.

Treasurer’s Report

Chris: I am pleased with my successor! I haven’t enjoyed everything as Treasurer, but I certainly learned a lot in the role. Overall, it has been a very rewarding experience.

Secretary’s Report

Jonah: I’ve enjoyed being Secretary. I wish Stephanie good luck as my successor. My present goal is to find that place in which I can serve the Board best.

Executive Committee Report: No report

Personnel Committee Report

The duties of this office were discussed. This committee’s duties involve staff grievances, handling complaints.

Fundraising Committee Report

Gina: I’ve started calling up different bands and their members for the Spring ’05 fundraiser event.

SUS Report:

Chris: I am concerned about the confidentiality of SUS proceedings. What is the Board’s position in regards to the committee having disabled Board members discussing and presiding over SUS issues?
Peter: My experience has been that everything is confidential, historically speaking. Previously, I recall someone saying that there was a need to establish procedures for “Special Circumstances”. Addressing Winston and Jonah: What do you guys think as SUS members?
Jonah: It’s a good working committee. Although we are small in numbers, we are mighty in deeds. The Executive Directors are welcome at all our meetings which often helps to avert problems before they arise.
Gina: I agree with Jonah. SUS takes the heat for many of the problems. The Executive Directors don’t take the heat for them; we don’t influence decisions or sign-off on anything. It helps people out.
Rose: Well, I have mixed feelings about SUS. The committee needs to be in place to deal with high-use and chronic users. SUS also helps Gina and myself by succinctly interpreting difficult issues. But SUS meets routinely, and only saw ten (10) qualifying cases. Bottom line, we need to find a way to deal with chronic high-users.
Charlie: It sounds as if we have enough reasons to keep SUS in place.

Lewis left the meeting at 8:31 PM.

Invasive Care Committee Report

Jonah: I don’t know how friendly Loni is to us, but we must do something different.
Peter: We may need to educate the legislature about why we want this change to occur. Nurses are just not happy allowing us room in this regard. They want to retain their position, obviously. This law could’ve been changed a couple of years ago, but the Governor at the last minute vetoed it!
Rose: Further talks with the Legislature have been on-going, so that non-registered nursing personnel will be allowed to do these procedures. As far as Loni is concerned, well, another way of addressing this issue is through the City of Berkeley. Berkeley is one of only two cities in the State with its own separate Public Health Department.
Charlie: What about Fred Medrano?
Rose: I don’t know. Try discussing the issue with Loni Hancock, two advisors at the Legislative event. Call the Nurses’ Association. As far as they are concerned, there’s just no way! But, Charlie, if you know someone at Public Health…
Peter: Rose, that’s not as honorable a solution. California State Law is quite clear on this issue, and basically sides with the Association. California A.B. 394 clearly states that basic invasive care must be administered by a licensed physician or registered nurse.
Charlie: We need to get EDI employees designated as qualified personnel under this code.
Chris: Have we contacted our insurance carrier? Would a proclamation from the City of Berkeley be enough?
Peter: They want EDI to say that we won’t do this invasive care.
Chris: Even with a proclamation, it wouldn’t change this. We should know this first before we proceed.
Peter: EDI doesn’t dispatch its employees to do invasive procedures.
Gina: Well, why Hancock? Why not approach other legislatures on this matter?
Peter: There are others in the House who would be sympathetic to our position. Why don’t we go to Schwarzenegger. When I was on the phone with Hancock, she (sarcastically) said “Do the best you can…” So, Rose, I think that your point is well taken. It appears that she is going back on commitments made previously.
Chris: Perhaps.
Peter: Ms. Hancock is firmly committed to her relationship with the Nurses’ Association. She’s not going to cut physicians and nurses out of the loop.
Charlie: Can we get City officials to put pressure on Hancock?
Peter: That’s probably a good idea.
Gina: Well, a good start would be the City Council.
Peter: We need to educate people about this issue.
Chris: It sounds like a solid alternative way in which to deal with this issue.
Gina: We need to know when they will be meeting about this. Can the Board decide?

Orientation

Stephanie was the only new board member at the meeting. She agreed to schedule an orientation with staff during the following week.

Peter: You can call me if you have questions.

Stephanie. Ok. Thanks.

11. Adjournment:

Chris: I move that the meeting be adjourned.

Stephanie seconds.

Motion passes

The meeting was adjourned at 9:04 PM

Respectfully submitted:
Bette A. Ingraham