Minutes of the EDIDA Board Meeting
2/23/06 (February)

Board Attendees: Hale, Jonah, Winston, Leslie, John, Charles, Aydan

Other Attendees: Gina and Rose, EDIDA Executive Directors, Karla (Voicer for Hale), Don (Voicer for Winston and Minute taker).

The meeting came to order at 6:50 P.M. Leslie asked Charles to Chair the meeting.

Public Comment

There was no public comment, although when Jonah arrived it was noted that it was his birthday, and everyone had cake.

Approval of Minutes

Approval of the minutes for 1/26/06 was held over to the next meeting because Board Packets had not been distributed before the meeting. Corrections were to be made of the spelling of Aydan's name.

Approval of Agenda

The Consultant Search Committee report and Action Items were moved to be after the Executive Director's report. The Agenda was approved unanimously as modified.

President's Report

The President will have an interpreter at future meetings. She has been working with Gina and Rose on the job duties, and will be meeting with them every week. A list of duties has been made which are acceptable and she will e-mail it to the other Board members. Leslie asked all officers and committee chairs to e-mail a written report to her on their monthly activities before the Board meeting. This will help at Board meetings and verbal reports at the meetings may not be required.

Executive Directors' Report

In the last month, three attendants were hired, one male and two females, and one female was terminated.

In January there were 420 attendant calls, 87 transportation calls, 11 repair calls, and 28 "on-the-go" calls.

There were no client complaints.

The ED's met with Kevin, Executive Director of Manos Home Care, about the possibility of his agency providing backup attendant services. He will draft a contract proposal and they will meet again.

In February, the ED's met with six Berkeley City Council members, the Mayor, and the City Manager. It appears that EDI can count on substantial support from these officials, and EDI was commended for its service. They all said that that they hear no complaints about EDI.

When meeting with the City Manager, they asked him if it was possible for EDI to have a four-year contract with the City instead of a two-year contract, and were told that it was possible and that they should write a letter to him outlining the benefits of a longer contract, which the ED's will do. The ED's wanted a motion that their positions be guaranteed for the duration of the next contract with the City of Berkeley.

This last item prompted much discussion by the Board. It was determined that discussion of a guaranteed contract for Gina and Rose would be moved to Executive Session as a personnel issue, but Leslie moved to accept the concept of a four-year contract with the City of Berkeley, Jonah seconded, and the motion passed 6-0.

Consultant Search Committee Report

As a related item, Winston put forward the following motion, seconded by Charles:

"I move that the ED's include an item for Training and Workshops in the fiscal year 06-07 budget for the amount of $2500 to pay for three workshops: one for the Board, one for the ED's, and one, (that may include the public,) to create a strategic plan. If there is money in this year's budget, this process may begin this year." Note: the last sentence was added as a friendly amendment when Rose indicated that there might be money in this year's budget to begin the process.

John spoke of people that he had talked to regarding acting as consultants for EDI. He said that people wanted to know how much they would be paid and that some were reticent about working with EDI. Gina said that she would like to incorporate volunteers who did not want to be actively involved.

The motion passed unanimously.

John said that he would rework a consultant contact person letter to include workshops, and would coordinate information with Charles, who intended to contact a few people and organizations to see what they would charge.

Transportation Policy Discussion

The issue is one of EDI charging for emergency rides while also accepting green vouchers, at no charge to the consumer, for non-emergency rides, and the apparent backwardness of that policy, despite it being how things had been set up by the City of Berkeley.

Rose and Gina mentioned that they were meeting with Dona Spring and that it was possible that Berkeley might return to a discontinued policy of giving three red emergency ride vouchers per quarter to its paratransit subscribers.

Winston asked Rose and Gina about whether EDI would have authorization to accept the Mr. Trips vouchers allowing patients returning from a medical appointment to use EDI. Gina replied that it needed to be verified but that the ED's expected it would be fine.

An update on transportation policy was scheduled for next month's agenda.

Hale mentioned that the co-pay for the non-emergency rides brings in $1000 each month.

SUS Committee Report

It was noted that the committee met and that a couple of clients were granted extra calls.

Invasive Care Committee Report

Dare to Dream [Attendant Services] hired a licensed nurse to be on their staff and will be bidding against EDI for the next contract.

It was observed that the committee needed to establish its stance toward creating a solution to the invasive care issue; whether it would take a lobbying role or something else.

Aydan mentioned that she had attended the CompassPoint forum on the California Non-profit Integrity Act, and had learned a lot.

At 9:10, Hale moved to go into Executive Session, inviting Karla and Don to attend. Aydan seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.